Which iPhone Should I Get: 2020?

Apple announced its brand new iPhones today and the question on everyone’s mind is now which new iPhone should I get. While the situation may somewhat be dictated by the availability of different models in your country, it’s good to break down the different iPhone models available along with their price range to help viewers understand which iPhone should they be buying.

As such, this guide is more of a quick, skim through guide to help you identify what kind of an iPhone you’re looking to purchase:

iPhone SE

The iPhone SE is the cheapest entry to Apple’s ecosystem. At $399, it provides a great option for those hesitant on spending the large amount of money that Apple typically commands as a premium for owning iPhones. If you’re a casual smartphone user that uses their smartphone mainly for watching YouTube videos, taking photos and even ocassionally gaming and are desperate to get into Apple’s ecosystem, the iPhone SE is the right smartphone for you.

Here are the different iPhone SE pricing options available:

The iPhone SE 64 GB is priced at $399
The iPhone SE 128 GB is priced at $449
The iPhone SE 256 GB is priced at $549

iPhone XR

The iPhone XR may seem old but it still quite packs a punch. The A12 bionic chip may have been narrowly bested by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 powering Android flagships but that doesn’t make it a slouch by any means. At $499, it still provides a good entry point into Apple’s ecosystem of devices and comes with water-resistance as well.

However, compared to the XR, the SE seems like a better choice. It’s a more recent phone with a newer A13 chipset and while it doesn’t have Face Id or the XR’s newer design, its recent launch means it’s going to be eligible for upgrades just a tad bit longer. If you’re a casual smartphone user who intends to use their device for all of the reasons similar to an SE but doesn’t care about design, the iPhone SE is a better buy for you. But if you’re willing to trade off some performance for a more end-to-end screen design with lesser bezels and the notched-look, the iPhone XR might be your best entry-point into Apple’s system.

Here are the different iPhone XR pricing options available:

The iPhone XR 64 GB is priced at $499
The iPhone XR 128 GB is priced at $549
The iPhone XR does not have a 256 GB model

iPhone 11

The iPhone 11 is 2019’s iPhone 12. At this point, it’s above the entry-point pricing of the SE but it’s still reasonably priced compared to the more high-end Pro models. It packs the same A13 chipset of the SE but with modern internals and an upgraded design and should offer better performance than the SE thanks to its increased RAM.

That of course, comes with a cost. The iPhone 11 starts at $599 compared to the SE’s $399. If you’re a casual smartphone user that’s looking to get into Apple’s ecosystem with a device that’s a bit more modern than the SE and the XR, the iPhone 11 might be a good buy. That said, you’d perhaps be better off waiting for Black Friday sales seeing as the iPhone 11 models can be expected to be heavily discounted due to the arrival of the iPhone 12 series.

Here are the different iPhone 11 pricing options available:

The iPhone 11 64 GB is priced at $599
The iPhone 11 128 GB is priced at $649
The iPhone 11 256 GB is priced at $749

iPhone 12 Mini

The iPhone 12 Mini is right now, the best high-end value for money iPhone you can get. It packs the latest A14 bionic chipset, the new MagSafe connector and 5G. And with a starting price of $699, it’s a pretty tempting buy with pricing that puts it right in line with some Android flagships that have hiked their pricing in recent months.

Go for the iPhone 12 Mini if you’re a regular smartphone user that’s looking to fully commit to Apple’s ecosystem or even if you’re someone who’s been holding the iPhone 6, 7 or 8 and has been waiting for an upgrade. Anything later and I’d suggest you’d be better off waiting until 2021 when hopefully, Apple will introduce its new iPhones with not only 5G but also with 120 Hz screens.

Here are the different iPhone 12 Mini pricing options available:

The iPhone 12 Mini 64 GB is priced at $699
The iPhone 12 Mini 128 GB is priced at $749
The iPhone 12 Mini 256 GB is priced at $849

iPhone 12

There is only one reason to prefer the iPhone 12 over the iPhone Mini: screen size. Apple said it as such during their event: the two phones are nearly identical in all aspects – specs, cameras and other hardware – except for their screen size. While the Mini has a 5.4” screen size, the iPhone 12 bumps it up to 6.1”.

In this world of ever-enlarging screen sizes, the Mini is indeed a revelation and a breath of fresh air. If that’s the sort of grip you prefer or if you’ve been on the lookout for a smaller device, stick to the Mini. But if you’ve been holding off on an upgrade and can’t live without a decent screen size, the 12 might just be the smartphone for you. For these folks, I would however consider evaluating the iPhone 11 as well seeing as you can save an extra $200 bucks for a design that’s a year old. That’s also assuming you can live without 5G which, let’s face it, is far from being widespread at this point.

Here are the different iPhone 12 pricing options available:

The iPhone 12 64 GB is priced at $799
The iPhone 12 128 GB is priced at $849
The iPhone 12 256 GB is priced at $949

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

It looks like Apple has discontinued these models and righly so. The arrival of the 12 series pretty much makes them unwanted.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

These are the highest of the highest end of Apple’s smartphone lineup. These are the smartphones for people who are into heavyduty editing or in creative professionals such as photography and videography that need the power of Apple’s on-the-fly HDR editing. If you’re that sort of person, go for the iPhone 12 Pro. If you’re that sort of person and filthy rich, go for the iPhone 12 Pro Max – the highest tier option. Recording 4K videos in HDR means you’re going to run out of space pretty soon and will need the 512 GB option.

Here are the different iPhone 12 Pro pricing options available: