iPhone 17 vs iPhone 11: Six years later, the upgrade is massive
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 11: Six years later, the upgrade is massive
https://www.phonearena.com/news/iphone-17-vs-iphone-11-six-years-later_id178740
Publish Date: 2026-03-06 09:44:00
Source Domain: www.phonearena.com
The iPhone 11 is now six years old, which is on the verge of being ancient in smartphone years. Still, it is the oldest model Apple still supports with software updates, so it is still a viable option for some. In fact, I know more than a couple of people who still use one daily and love it.Of course, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. The iPhone 11 was one of Apple’s most successful iPhones ever, with outstanding chip performance and camera quality at a relatively accessible price (especially by today’s standards).
Now Apple has a new contender for that same role. The iPhone 17 is arguably just as complete of a product as the iPhone 11 was, if not even more, and the best part about it is that it still sits at the familiar $799 starting price.
So how different do six years feel exactly, and how big is the difference between the latest supported iPhone and the oldest oned?
Display: The biggest leap you’ll notice immediately
From dim 60 Hz LCD to bright 120 Hz OLED. This is the upgrade you’ll notice first. | Image by PhoneArena
The iPhone 11 launched with a 6.1-inch LCD display. Even back in 2019, reviewers called it the weakest part of the phone, and I can’t help but agree.
The iPhone 17 features a 6.3-inch OLED screen with ProMotion, meaning it has an adaptive refresh rate that scales between 1 Hz and 120 Hz. It also reaches peak brightness levels around 3,000 nits and comes with much thinner bezels.
Combined, all of these upgrades that have accumulated over the years would arguably leave the strongest impression on anyone who’s jumping from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 17. A 60 Hz screen feels sluggish once you’ve used a modern high-refresh display. Things like scrolling, animations, and gestures simply look and feel smoother on the new model.
Still, it is weird to think that we had to…
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