Apple’s iPhones consistently rank at the top of sales charts for new releases. Given they created the smartphone market with the release of the original iPhone, this shouldn’t be a surprise.
But since the initial release, Apple has released an additional 29 iPhone models… And they keep around 7 models in productions at all times.
So how do you know which one to buy?
For most people... we think the iPhone SE (2020) is the best new iPhone to buy.
However, depending on how you plan to use it -- and how much you’re willing to spend on a phone -- there might be better options available.
In this guide, we’re going to compare the various iPhone models available today and discuss the options and features that matter to help you find an ideal match for your budget and needs.
Let’s dive in…
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for 2022
The Current Apple iPhone Line-Up
Apple currently has 6 iPhone models for sale. Three options are from the latest generation while four are past models that are still available new.
The latest models include:
Past models still available for sale include:
The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max all use the newest design with minimal bezels, a notch at the top, and no home button or fingerprint scanner. Instead, they use Face ID authentication.
The iPhone SE (2020) features a more traditional design with a home button and fingerprint scanner below the display and bezels at the top and bottom of the display.
All of them have a similar shape and the high build quality and materials for which the iPhone series is known.
On the performance front, every iPhone model offers plenty of power. All four of the latest iPhone 12 models use Apple's most powerful A14 bionic processor. The iPhone 11 and SE (2020) feature the A13 Bionic processor. While the iPhone XR uses the older A12 processor, it's still faster than most Android phones on the market.
They also all support multiple storage capacities, feature cameras more than capable of capturing outstanding pictures, and beautiful displays perfect for watching videos or playing games.
If you want the latest and greatest screen technology, you'll want one of the iPhone 12 options with their OLED panels. But the other screens on the remaining models are still some of the best on the market.
We think for many the iPhone SE (2020) is the best option for most buyers.
The top of Apple’s line-up, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, are beautiful phones and feature the latest Apple tech. But they come with a price tag to match and we’d argue that the phone is likely overkill for most buyers.
However, if you have the budget for it, it is one of the most powerful phones ever released and its camera stands up to the best the market has to offer.
Want a deeper comparison of iPhone models?
The table below will help to compare specs between models and see how they stack up.
Current iPhone Models Compared (iPhone 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max)
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| Price | Starting at $699 | Starting at $799 | Starting at $999 | Starting at $1099 |
| Screen Size | 5.4 inch OLED | 6.1 inch OLED | 6.1 inch OLED | 6.7-inch OLED |
| Screen Clarity | 476 pixels-per-inch | 460 pixels-per-inch | 460 pixels-per-inch |
458 pixels-per-inch |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Processor | A14 Bionic Chip with next-generation Neural Engine |
A14 Bionic Chip with next-generation Neural Engine |
A14 Bionic Chip with next-generation Neural Engine |
A14 Bionic Chip with next-generation Neural Engine |
| RAM | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
Undisclosed |
Undisclosed |
| Cameras |
12MP dual-lens rear camera with wide-angle/ultra-wide-angle lenses 12MP front-facing TrueDepth Camera |
12MP dual-lens rear camera with wide-angle/ultra-wide-angle lenses 12MP front-facing TrueDepth Camera |
12MP triple-lens rear camera with wide-angle/ultra wide-angle/telephoto lenses and 2x optical zoom 12MP front-facing TrueDepth Camera |
12MP triple-lens rear camera with wide-angle/ultra wide-angle/telephoto lenses and 2.5x optical zoom 12MP front-facing TrueDepth Camera |
| Video Recording | HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30FPS 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps Optical image stabilization for video |
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30FPS 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps Optical image stabilization for video |
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30FPS 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps Optical image stabilization for video Apple ProRAW |
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30FPS 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps Optical image stabilization for video Apple ProRAW |
| Battery Life (Up to) | 15 hours video playback, 10 hours video playback (streamed), and 50 hours audio playback | 17 hours video playback, 11 hours video playback (streaming), 65 hours audio playback | 17 hours video playback, 11 hours video playback (streaming), 65 hours audio playback | 20 hours video playback, 12 hours video playback (streaming), 80 hours audio playback |
| Weight | 4.76 ounces (135 grams) | 5.78 ounces (164 grams) | 6.66 ounces (189 grams) | 8.03 ounces (228 grams) |
| Water Resistance | Water-resistant to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes |
Water-resistant to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes | Water-resistant to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes | Water-resistant to a depth of 6 meter for up to 30 minutes |
| Dimensions | 13.2 x 6.4 x .7 cm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in) |
14.7 x 7.2 x 0.7 cm (5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 in) | 14.7 x 7.2 x 0.7 cm (5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 in) | 16.1 x 7.8 x 0.7 cm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| Security | Face ID |
Face ID | Face ID | Face ID |
| Connector | Lightning |
Lightning | Lightning | Lightning |
Older iPhone Models Compared (iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 11, iPhone XR)
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| Price | Starting at $399 | Starting at $599 | Starting at $499 |
| Screen Size | 4.7 inch LCD | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Screen Clarity | 326 pixels-per-inch | 326 pixels-per-inch | 326 pixels-per-inch |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB |
| Processor | A13 Bionic Chip with third-generation Neural Engine |
A13 Bionic Chip with third-generation Neural Engine |
A12 Bionic Chip with second-generation Neural Engine |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| Cameras |
12MP wide-angle rear camera 7MP front-facing TrueDepth camera |
12MP dual-lens wide-angle/ultra wide-angle camera 12MP front-facing TrueDepth Camera |
12MP wide-angle rear camera 7MP front-facing TrueDepth camera |
| Video Recording | 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps |
4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps |
4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30fps Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps |
| Battery Life (Up to) | 13 hours video playback, 8 hours video playback (streamed), and 40 hours audio playback | 17 hours video playback, 10 hours video playback (streaming), 65 hours audio playback | 16 hours video playback, 15 hours video playback (streaming), 65 hours audio playback |
| Weight | 5.22 ounces (148 grams) | 6.84 ounces (194 grams) | 6.84 ounces (194 grams) |
| Water Resistance | Water-resistant to a depth of 1 meters for up to 30 minutes |
Water-resistant to a depth of 2 meters for up to 30 minutes | Water-resistant to a depth of 1 meters for up to 30 minutes |
| Dimensions | 13.8 x 6.7 x 0.7 cm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.3 in) |
15.1 x 7.6 x 0.8 cm (5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) | 15.1 x 7.6 x 0.8 cm (5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 in) |
| Security | Touch ID |
Face ID | Face ID |
| Connector | Lightning |
Lightning | Lightning |
Factors to Consider When Choosing an iPhone
With knowledge of the options available, it’s time to determine which model best fits your specific needs. Here are
some of the factors we consider most important when choosing.
Price
While the iPhone 12 Pro Max might set the bar in terms of performance for the smartphone market, it also features one of the biggest price tags ever seen on a mobile phone.
So, unless a budget isn’t an issue for you, the price will be one of the first things to consider when narrowing your choices.
Keep in mind that if you choose to finance your phone, it might make a higher model more affordable upfront, you’ll make payments on it every month on top of the fees for service. In some cases, carriers or retailers also add interest or financing fees. This means you might pay more overall for your phone than simply buying it outright.
Also, financing doesn’t include insurance in most cases. So, you’ll probably want to add some form of coverage while you’re paying off your phone.
If you don’t have insurance and break your phone while paying for it, you’ll still be responsible for the remaining balance. This can make it harder to afford a replacement.
Storage
Unlike many Android phones, you cannot expand the storage on iPhones. So, it’s important to consider how much storage you’ll need to avoid having to uninstall apps down the road or rely on cloud storage to keep files you need easily accessible.
Fortunately, iPhones start at 64GB of storage. So even with the baseline versions, you’ll have a nice allotment of space.
But if you like to keep movies or music on your phone for offline enjoyment, play a lot of graphics-intensive games, want to record video often, or are planning to use your phone for work, you might want to consider upgrading to a version with more storage.
Security
With the release of the iPhone X, Apple removed the fingerprint scanner from their phones.
If you’re not comfortable with the concept of facial recognition, you can still buy an iPhone SE (2020) to use the classic fingerprint scanning method of unlocking your phone.
Just keep in mind that as Apple continues to update and release iPhone models in the future, you’ll eventually have no choice but to transition to a Face ID phone.
If you prefer the convenience of Face ID, you’ll find it on the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, and all of the iPhone 12 models.
Displays
The iPhone X also saw the introduction of one of the most debated phone design features of 2018 -- the infamous screen notch. This is present on every model except the iPhone SE (2020).
Notch aside, there another benefit to iPhone 12's displays-- they’re the next batch of Apple phones to use an OLED panel. This means you’ll get better contrast and color than on the other models.
Still, the LCD panels on the rest of the models offer plenty of sharpness, great color balance, and enough brightness to use outdoors with ease. So whichever way you go, you’ll enjoy some of the best phone screens on the market.
Size
All the phones in this list are much larger than the original iPhone. But there is enough variation in size to help you find a phone that you’re comfortable carrying around and using.
The iPhone SE (2020) is the smallest phone in the lineup while the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the largest.
We think that for many, the iPhone 12 mini is a good middle-ground with dimensions of 13.2 x 6.4 x .7 cm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in).
Cameras
Apple’s iPhones consistently place near the top of rankings for both photography and video recording.
With each generation, they’ve improved upon the already-excellent cameras of the previous generation. So, in most cases, if you want an estimate of how the cameras compare, simply look at the age of the device.
In the existing line-up, the iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone XR are single-camera phones -- though Apple uses software to make many of the dual-lens features -- such as portrait mode -- available on the XR as well.
The iPhone 12 offers an actual dual-lens design with improved front-facing camera quality and improved software processing to improve image quality.
The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max include Apple's triple-camera design, adding a telephoto lens to the wide and ultra-wide lenses of the iPhone 12 to provide optical zoom capabilities and better portrait mode capabilities.
We’d say that in terms of value and features, the iPhone 12 is one of the best picks for photography in the latest line up. While the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max offer greater zoom flexibility, it comes at quite a substantial price increase.
Performance
Normally you’d think that performance would be pretty important. However, all the iPhone models currently available for sale new from Apple offer an enjoyable experience, can play games with little worry, and will pop between apps quickly.
While, yes, the iPhone 12 series are the fastest phones ever produced, their only competition is the iPhone SE (2020). Even they keep up with many of 2020's high-end Android releases with no problem.
Regardless of the phone you pick, you can count on impressive performance. If you’re looking for a phone to own for a few years though, you might want to consider the iPhone 12 or iPhone SE (2020) for a bit of future-proofing.
So Which iPhone Should I Buy?
Picking the ideal option for your needs will depend on your budget and how you plan to use your new tablet.
If you're not sure where to start, consider these picks.
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Best Overall iPhone, Best Budget-Friendly iPhone, Best iPhone for Teens
Pros: Pocket-friendly, great performance, affordable pricing, multiple color options
Cons: No OLED panel, no storage expansion options, no headphone jack
The Apple iPhone SE (2020) offers a huge portion of the iPhone 11 Pro experience at a fraction of the price. The compromises Apple made are smart, so you still get a premium experience.
The phone’s display looks great, the processor can keep up with the latest games or multitasking with ease, and the camera takes shots that rival any recently released high-end phone.
It uses the classic design with the Touch ID sensor below the display. So you won't quite get the modern appearance of the iPhone 11 series. However, reviewers loved the compact size. Built quality, as usual, also received high marks.
Many reviewers argue that the higher end of Apple's phone lineup is actually more phone than the average person will ever use. So why pay more than you need to?
The SE (2020) is still ahead of most Android phones in nearly every spec and benchmark. It’s cheaper than most top-tier phones on offer in 2020 by a substantial margin.
Bottom line...
The iPhone SE (2020) offers everything you need
and just enough extra to age gracefully. While it’s not the top-tier option from Apple’s lineup, it’s the one that
offers the best value for the money. It’s the best iPhone for most people.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Best iPhone for Media Lovers, Gamers, Enthusiasts
Pros: Large OLED display, nearly bezel-free, triple-lens camera, unmatched performance, plenty of storage options, fast charger included, Apple ProRAW, LiDAR sensor, optical image stabilization
Cons: Price, no headphone jack
The iPhone 12 Pro Max tops the charts in nearly every way a mobile phone
can. It has the most powerful processor available, Apple’s beautiful OLED display, and a camera that can capture images that rival the best phone
cameras available.
Of course, all of this comes at a price. But if you want a phone that will make your favorite movies or tv shows pop, can play the latest games at the highest settings, or simply want the best that Apple offers, the iPhone 12 Pro Max delivers.
Bottom Line...
The iPhone 12 Pro Max blows any other
2020 smartphone away on virtually every front. If you don’t mind the price tag, it’s the ultimate
phone experience.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Best iPhone for Photography and Video
Pros:
Optical zoom, triple-lens camera, slow-motion video recording, 60 FPS 4K video recording, OLED display, fast charger included, Apple ProRAW support, LiDAR sensor
Cons: No storage expansion options, no headphone jack
The iPhone 12 Pro is the most affordable option to get your hands on Apple's latest triple-camera setup.
HDR, low-light shots, autofocus, and image stabilization have all seen improvements and the third 12MP lens adds optical zoom and improved quality for Apple's popular special shooting modes -- including Night Mode, portrait mode, and studio modes.
A future update will also unlock Apple's ProRAW feature, an improvement on existing RAW modes.
Apple's latest camera makes it easy to point and shoot with little worry about how the shot will turn out.
Reviewers were also pleased with the software processing, noting that it enhances shots well without making them look fake or overly processed.
On the video front, you’ll find a wealth of options from 4K video at 60 FPS to super slow motion and respectable shot stabilization.
Bottom line...
The iPhone 12 Pro can go toe-to-toe with the best smartphone cameras on
the charts. It’s also an ideal size for pulling out of your pocket for quick snapshots and the OLED screen makes it
easier to check details and color in pictures and video before sending them off to family, friends, or your
Instagram audience.
Common Questions
If you’ve never used an iPhone, you might have questions about how they work and which iPhones will meet your needs.
Let’s look at a few of the most common iPhone questions we’ve seen.
If you have the budget to do so, buying your phone outright is almost always the best option. While financing or leasing phones might seem cheaper due to low monthly payments, you’ll often find that carriers or retailers add financing fees or interest to the price of the phone.
Buying your phone outright also means you can unlock it right away. This is handy if you want to switch carriers or use your phone overseas.
If you do not plan on playing a lot of games or don’t expect to store large amounts of music or video on your phone, the baseline 64GB of storage offered on most models is likely enough.
However, if you prefer to store videos for offline viewing, play multiple graphics-intensive games, or simply want a bit more future-proofing, upgrading to 128GB or 256GB of storage is not a bad idea.
That said, the 512GB is likely more space than most people will ever use.
No.
Unlike most Android phones, you can’t add a microSD card to your iPhone. So you’ll only have access to
the storage included when you purchase your phone. We think that 64GB is a good fit for most buyers
but if you think that you might need more space, opting for a more expensive model upfront is cheaper
than selling your existing phone and buying one with more storage later.
The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max both include the best camera available in the iPhone lineup.
The triple-lens design offers optical zoom to keep shots crisp even when shooting from a distance. There’s also loads of software processing going on behind the scenes to keep images looking natural and appealing. Shutter speeds are excellent so you can capture those spur-of-the-moment shots as well.
In all, if you’re looking for a mobile phone for photography, both of those are sure to please.
In the beginning, multi-lens cameras were the only way to get those creamy bokeh effects, blur backgrounds on photos for a portrait effect, or enhance HDR effects for brighter lights and darker shadows. These days, much of that is handled by software, so multi-lens cameras aren’t as important if that’s all you’re after.
In fact, reviewers found the standard iPhone 12 offered a comparable experience to the pricier Pro options in everything except optical zoom.
However, the triple-lens models also allow you to use optical zoom without a giant lens protruding from the back of your phone like a DSLR. There's also another lens providing data for features like Portrait mode or Studio modes.
Is it a necessity? No... but if you want the absolute best photo experience, the triple-lens options outperform the dual-lens options ever so slightly.
Apple's iPhones can use software to determine where to blur quite well.
As such, the entire iPhone lineup now includes the feature.
None of the current new iPhone options include a headphone jack. This means that you’re left using an adapter to plug in your headphones if you use a pair with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
If you plan to listen to headphones you have three options:
- Buy a pair of Bluetooth headphones
- Buy a pair of headphones with a lightning connector
- Buy a lightning-to-3.5mm adapter to connect your existing headphones
All three options will work well. However, if you’re opting for an adapter, you won’t be able to charge your phone and listen to your headphones with the official adapter from Apple. However, there are a number of third-party options -- such as this adapter from Belkin -- that will let you charge and listen at the same time.
Apple doesn’t officially release the battery capacities for each iPhone. Instead, they mention run time for each model. In general, you can expect slightly improved battery life as you go from oldest to newest.
The iPhone SE (2020) currently offers the longest battery life out of all the iPhone options.
However, it’s important to remember that battery life varies based on how you use your phone, the quality of your Wi-Fi or mobile data signals, screen brightness, the age of the phone, and a wide range of other factors.
The iPhone Upgrade Program is essentially a phone leasing program direct through Apple. You pay a monthly fee for the iPhone model of your choosing. Every 12 months, you can trade in your gently-used phone for a new one with similar payments.
If you upgrade annually already, it’s a fair value. Your Upgrade Program payments also include AppleCare+ coverage, so there’s little to worry about in terms of keeping your phone in good condition.
For the latest prices and models on offer, consult Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program page.
The iPhone 8 and newer all support wireless charging through Qi chargers.
Yes -- all iPhones listed in this guide include NFC for use with Apple Pay.
If you’re not concerned about the re-sell value or plan to keep your phone protected in a case at all times, the decision is mostly up to you.
However, there are a few reasons to consider -- or avoid -- specific colors.
Lighter colors are prone to smudges and scuffs. Darker colors pick up scratches and fingerprints. So regardless of the exact color, you’ll need to be careful if you want to keep your phone looking pristine.
According to reviews, darker colors tend to keep their value longer and are preferred on the used phone market. So if you plan to sell your used phone later, black and grey iPhones are best.
You can save a bit of money and still enjoy a like-new phone if you know where to look. With the prices of new iPhones, we might even argue that a refurbished model is the ideal way to pick up an iPhone. If you have the money to buy one outright instead of financing or leasing it, buying refurbished is definitely worth considering.
Apple offers refurbished iPhones direct from their site and many carriers will have refurbished phones as well.
But there’s also a growing number of websites dedicated to buying and selling refurbished and used phones -- particularly iPhones.
As long as you take the time to research the seller and ensure you’re getting what you paid for, refurbished phones are an excellent way to enjoy a new gently-used iPhone at significant savings over the retail price.
Yes.
All Apple devices offer a comprehensive suite of parental control options to help you manage usage if you're giving an iPhone to a younger member of your family.
- Specific options include:
- Screen time controls
- Content and privacy restrictions
- App Store and iTunes purchase controls
- Allowing or denying built-in app access
- Explicit content blocks and content rating blocks
- Web content filters
- Preventing changes to settings
- and more…
You'll need to set these features up before you hand over the iPhone. However, you can set up passwords to keep settings in place and ensure your kids are using their phone in ways you approve.
For more information, consult Apple's Parental Controls guide.
This is largely a matter of preference. However, AppleCare tends to be a decent value if there is any chance you'll drop your phone.
Third-party insurance options will largely depend on price. However, if you’re just looking for basic replacement coverage, you might find cheaper options than AppleCare with a bit of research.
For more information on insurance considerations, check our cell phone insurance guide.
Final Thoughts
As the smartphone that started it all, Apple’s iPhones continue to be a popular choice.
The consistent interface, sleek styling, and great build quality ensure a familiar, reliable experience no matter
which model you choose.
However, as iPhone prices continue to climb, knowing what you need in a phone -- and what the various iPhone models
have to offer -- is essential to finding the best value.
If you’re looking for a good all-around iPhone with the latest features, the iPhone SE (2020) is hard to beat.
While the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are the pinnacles of Apple’s lineup, we’d argue that the
price isn’t worth it for most buyers. The average person simply doesn’t need that much power in a phone.
Disclosure: You should know that in some cases, we may receive a referral fee (at no additional cost to you) for products purchased through the links on our site. These links help support our work but they do not influence our content. Our editorial recommendations are always genuine and we try to feature only the best products and services. Why trust us?
