iPhone 11 Pro Max Tops Consumer Reports' Smartphone Rankings

Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro Max has taken the top spot in Consumer Reports' smartphone rankings, with the smaller iPhone 11 Pro claiming second place, after years of Apple being consistently edged out by Samsung smartphones.

greeniphone11pro
Consumer Reports said the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro models earned the top spots for having significantly improved battery life, excellent cameras, and other improvements, like a greater degree of water resistance, more durable glass casing, brighter displays, and faster performance powered by the new A13 Bionic chip.

On battery life:

For one thing, the battery life is much better. The iPhone 11 Pro Max lasted a more than impressive 40.5 hours in our testing. That’s the longest stretch of any phone currently listed in our ratings. And it marks a big turnaround for Apple. Just a few years ago, iPhones tended to lag behind the competition in this area.

On the cameras:

In the case of the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, our testers say they notched some of the highest scores in our ratings for still-image quality. The iPhone 11 also rated Very Good in this category. And all three phones received Excellent ratings for rear-video quality.

While the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro models top the list, Consumer Reports emphasized how tight the scoring is at the top of its smartphone rankings. In some categories, it said just fractions of a point separate the top models.

Consumer Reports believes those with own an ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, or even an ‌iPhone‌ XR can probably save their money and wait. Despite marked camera and battery life advancements, the non-profit firm said there just may not be enough in the way of new features to justify spending $999-plus on a new model.

A subscription to Consumer Reports is required to view the full smartphone rankings.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

ios 19 messages app

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:40 pm PDT by
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June. In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Revealed in Latest Leak

Wednesday July 16, 2025 6:50 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report includes ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Here's When to Expect the iOS 26 Public Beta

Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:07 am PDT by
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week. Apple will be releasing...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup

Wednesday July 16, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great. Top Tier Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone's Thickness and Price Range Detailed in New Reports

Wednesday July 16, 2025 11:31 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will likely have a starting price between $1,800 and $2,000 in the U.S., analysts at investment banking firm UBS said this week. If so, the foldable iPhone would cost more than a MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,599. With a starting price of at least $1,800, the foldable iPhone would be the most expensive iPhone model ever released, topping the Pro Max at...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...

Top Rated Comments

bbrks Avatar
76 months ago
Highly expected. I am glad, best iPhone ever, just that crazy price :)
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M.PaulCezanne Avatar
76 months ago
Really? You’d think it would be the Samsung Galaxy Fold (v1).

*obvious sarcasm alert*
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iGeneo Avatar
76 months ago
Well done Apple....
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thermal Avatar
76 months ago
I'm pleasantly surprised by the success of the iPhone 11 family.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jd3774life Avatar
76 months ago
Glad Apple finally listened and upgraded the battery life ? Has been one of my most requested "features" and my Pro Max has been incredible ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
76 months ago
The Pro Max is the best Apple product, and probably the best product period, that I’ve ever bought. And I started with Apple in 1997 with a 7100.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)