2026 Update: Is the iPhone 11 Still Worth Buying?
The iPhone 11 still supports iOS 27, but it is very much on its last legs which means it’ll get maybe one more update and that’s it.
It’s seven years old, has no 5G and uses an ancient LCD screen and Lightning port. For a phone you’ll use every day that doesn’t cost almost $1000, the refurbished iPhone 15 or 16 are a much better buy.
- iPhone 15: costs from $384 in our refurbished iPhone 15 collection. It adds 5G, an OLED screen, Dynamic Island, USB-C and a 48MP main camera.
- iPhone 16: costs from $564 in our refurbished iPhone 16 collection. Its A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence, and it adds Camera Control and macro photography.
- iPhone 11: still runs current software, but its older screen, camera, battery and 4G connection make it a harder recommendation as a main phone.
Apple has already launched the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and foldable Duo.
They start at $1,199, $1,299 and $1,999 respectively.
The standard iPhone 18 is expected in 2027.
Unless you need the newest camera or a foldable screen, a refurbished iPhone 15 or 16 gives you the features most people use for far less.
Use our Phone Finder to find a model that fits your budget, or compare options with our refurbished phone comparison tool.
The iPhone 11 came out in 2019 and is still getting iOS updates. It is also now VERY cheap to buy. But is an iPhone 11 worth it 2023? Let’s find out…
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The iPhone 11 came out during a simpler time, a time before COVID and the madness we collectively experienced during 2020 and 2021. It came in multiple color options, had a blazingly fast CPU, and, unlike the iPhone 12 which followed it, the iPhone 11 had excellent battery performance.
iPhone 11 Review
This is an update to our original review of the iPhone 11. The original review is left in below, so you can see our thoughts on the phone from a 2019 perspective.
This new bit – and update from the perspective of 2023 – is based on my use of the iPhone 11 between 2019 and 2023 – although, it is worth noting that, since 2021, my mum has been using it as her phone. The phone itself is still running perfectly though (more on that in a bit).
Is The iPhone 11 Worth Buying?
The main question I want to tackle in this review update is simple: Is the iPhone 11 still worth a buy in 2023?
And in order to do that, we need to find look at the following things:
- How long the iPhone 11 will be supported by Apple?
- Do the iPhone 11’s specs and hardware, including its camera, still hold up in 2023?
- Is its lack of 5G a deal-breaker?
- And, finally, how much the phone costs to own in 2023
As a phone that is now four years old, it is always prudent to do your research before committing to a purchase because tech, even iPhones, have a limited lifespans – and four years, in most cases, is really pushing it.
Were we talking about an Android phone from 2019, I’d tell you not to bother, to look elsewhere, to get something newer. And the reason for this because Android phones – even ones from Google – only get three years’ worth of Android updates.
You don’t have to pay $1,000+ for a new phone. Buying refurbished saves you, on average, 40% to 50%.
Which means you skip the inflationary price hikes, side-step the 2026 memory cost crisis, and still get the flagship performance and specs you want.
Recommended Options For 2026iPhone 11 & iOS Updates
Apple does things differently, however…
The iPhone 11 is still getting iOS updates and it will continue to get them until at least 2026, meaning if you bought the iPhone 11 today, you could happily run it for the next two years.
This means, all things remaining as they are, the iPhone 11 will remain a secure platform that gets access to all the latest builds and new features present inside iOS 17 and iOS 18, and, potentially, iOS 19.
From a user perspective, keeping in mind that the iPhone 11 can now be bought for $239, this is very impressive. If you’re looking to cut costs dramatically in 2023 and do not want to worry about your phone getting timely updates, the iPhone 11 represents excellent value for money.
The iPhone 11 DOES NOT Have 5G
The bad news is that the iPhone 11 does not support 5G, nor does have an OLED display; instead, like the iPhone XR, it uses Apple’s older (and less visually impressive LCD screen technology). It’s still fit for purpose, of course, but LCD lacks the punch and clarity of OLED.
The big issue with the iPhone 11, however, is its lack of 5G. For many users, especially those that live in built-up areas and cities, where 5G is now readily available, this will be something of as deal-breaker. Being limited to 4G, while not the end of the world, is inevitably going to be a turn off for a lot of people.
But, if you live in a more rural area or, like quite a lot of my friends, you’re simply not fussed about running 5G on your phone, the iPhone 11, once again, starts to look very compelling. If you can’t get 5G, you won’t miss not having it. And in this context, a $236 iPhone 11 starts to look pretty tasty.
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iPhone 11 Specs – Do They Still Cut It?
iPhone 11 Specifications
- Display: 6.1-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD with a resolution of 828 x 1792 pixels (326 ppi)
- Processor: A13 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture and Neural Engine
- Storage options: 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB
- Rear cameras: Dual 12MP camera system with Ultra-Wide (f/2.4) and Wide (f/1.8) lenses, Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, and 4K video recording up to 60fps
- Front camera: 12MP TrueDepth camera with f/2.2 aperture, Smart HDR, Portrait mode, Animoji, and Memoji, 4K video recording up to 60fps
- Face ID: Enabled by TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
- Battery life: Up to 17 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video playback, and 65 hours of audio playback
- Operating System: iOS 13 (upgradable to later versions)
- Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm (5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 in)
- Weight: 194 g (6.84 oz)
- Build: Front and back glass with aluminum frame
- Water and dust resistance: IP68 rating (up to 2 meters for 30 minutes)
- Wireless charging: Qi-compatible
- Colors: Black, Green, Yellow, Purple, (PRODUCT)RED, and White
Apple’s iPhones, since the switch to Apple’s own A-Series chipsets, have always been massively overpowered for what they’re mostly used for: browsing the web, social media, games, email, and text.
And in this context, the iPhone 11 – even by 2023 standards – is still a fairly solid performer. Is it is powerful as the iPhone 14? Hell no.
But that really shouldn’t bother you if you’re looking for an ultra-cheap iPhone. There’s a reason new iPhones cost $800 and the iPhone 11 retails for $236 – time passes, things change, and component deprecation happens.
If all you need from your phone is for it to do the basics – web browsing, games, social media, email, and text and calling – then the iPhone 11 is still a great option in 2023, so long as you’re NOT operating under the assumption that it will be as fast or as powerful as Apple’s newer iPhones.
iPhone 11 Camera
Another area where the iPhone 11 is now starting to show its age is its camera, more specifically its performance. Billions has been invested in camera technology by Apple, Samsung, and Google since 2019, so things have progressed a lot.
The iPhone 11’s camera isn’t terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but it now pales in comparison to what you get on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, as well as Google’s Pixel 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy S23.
But, again, this is down to component deprecation, and it is totally expected – four years is a long time when you’re talking about cell phone camera tech.
If you want a more impressive camera, but you still want to keep the price nice and low, go with the iPhone 11 Pro Max – it has a triple lens camera module on its rear and it well and truly runs rings around the iPhone 11’s more basic dual-12MP camera setup.
But if all you need is a camera that can do pictures for social media or for taking decent quality snaps of your friends and family, the iPhone 11’s camera is still more than adequate. It’s not brilliant by 2023 standards, but it is certainly adequate given its age and how far things have progressed in this department since 2019.
iPhone 11 Battery Life
When Apple added 5G to the iPhone 12, it took that iPhone back a step. Yes, it could connect to faster mobile data networks. But the downside to this was that the iPhone 12’s battery life took a massive hammering – it lasted four hours LESS than the iPhone 11.
With the iPhone 11, battery life is brilliant. You’ll get all-day battery life, even with heavy usage. And, when it comes to battery health, the iPhone 11 has plenty of longevity. My iPhone 11, which I bought new in 2019, and has been used everyday since, currently has a maximum capacity of 87% which means it has lost 13% of its capacity in four years.
That’s about par for the course with phones. At 87% the battery life is slightly degraded, it doesn’t last quite as long as it used to. But it’ll still make it through to 10pm or midnight every day and that, for most people, is all you’ll ever need.
Wrapping Up…
So, is the iPhone 11 worth buying in 2023? As always, it depends. It depends on whether or not you need things like 5G. The iPhone 11 will get iOS updates until 2026, so it will get all the latest software features of the next few iOS platform updates, and this is significant for those looking for value for money.
The phone itself is also now very inexpensive at $236, making it one of the cheapest access points into Apple’s ecosystem.
With performance, the A13 CPU is still plenty powerful enough for most tasks, meaning the stuff that people like to do with their phones, so in this context, again, the iPhone 11 is still more than adequate in 2023.
The only area where the iPhone 11 is starting to show its age relates to its lack of 5G and its camera tech which, although not bad by any stretch of the imagination, pales in comparison to what you get on more modern phones like the iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
If you can stomach all that and you’re looking for a super-cheap, hassle-free phone that’ll get iOS updates until 2026, the iPhone 11 is probably well worth a look in 2023 – but ONLY if you understand all of the caveats we have outlined above.
It’s still A LOT of phone for less than $240 bucks.
If you need a newer, better specced-out phone, check out my guide to the best refurbished phones you can buy right now – there’s loads of great options at brilliant prices (and they all come with 5G too).
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