Here are the biggest differences between the $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro and last year's iPhone XS

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On September 10, Apple announced three new iPhones: the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max. 

Apple is promoting the iPhone 11 — seemingly the successor to last year's "budget" iPhone XR — as this 2019's flagship iPhone, although the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are most similar to last year's iPhone XS and XS Max. The Pro models have the same design as the XS models, although they come with the new triple camera.

The 11 Pro offers a few upgrades over last year's model. The new phone has improved battery life, an updated camera, and the new A13 Bionic chip. Otherwise, it's nearly identical to the XS.

If you have an iPhone XS, the decision to upgrade is tricky. Make sure to look up how much you'd pay with a trade-in, so you get the best deal. Here are all the differences to consider before the iPhone 11 Pro goes on sale on September 20.

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The iPhone 11 Pro is more expensive than the iPhone XS currently is.

iPhone 11 Pro
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The iPhone 11 Pro starts at the same price as the iPhone XS did last year: $999 for the 64 GB version. 

Apple discontinued the XS when it unveiled this year's devices, but it's still available from third-party sellers, and at a reduced price: you can get it for $899 at Best Buy.

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The iPhone 11 Pro has an updated display.

iPhone XS and XS Max
The iPhone XS (L) and XS Max
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The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS have the same size screen, but the iPhone 11 Pro got a slight upgrade: the phone has a Super Retina XDR display, compared to the iPhone XS 's Super Retina HD display. While both screens are OLED, the 11 Pro's should look slightly richer. 

The 11 Pro also has a higher brightness of 800 nits, compared to 625.

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The iPhone 11 Pro has three rear cameras.

iPhone 11 Pro Camera
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The iPhone 11 has 3 rear camera lenses: a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a telephoto lens with Night mode and the ability to take 4K video at 60 frames per second. This phone will also allow you to take "slofies," thanks to an improved front-facing camera. It also has improved HDR for photos.

The iPhone XS still has a high-quality camera, but it lacks the ultra-wide lens and new camera modes.

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The iPhone 11 Pro has an A13 Bionic chip, which Apple claims is the "fastest CPU and GPU ever in a smartphone."

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Apple says that the A13 is capable of 1 trillion operations per second.

The iPhone XS has the older — but still powerful — A12 chip.

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The iPhone 11 comes in an extra color.

iPhone 11 Pro
Apple

The iPhone 11 Pro comes in four colors: silver, space gray, gold, and the new midnight green.

The iPhone XS comes in three offerings: silver, space gray, and gold.

Read more: The iPhone 11 is available in 6 colors, including purple for the first time ever — here's how to decide

The iPhone 11 Pro has better battery life.

iPhone 11 Pro Screens
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Battery life in the iPhone 11 Pro is about four hours longer than in the iPhone XS. Apple called the upgrade "our most dramatic leap in battery life ever."

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The iPhone 11 Pro ships with a faster charger.

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Apple

The 11 Pro will come with a faster, 18-watt charger, which should charge your phone 50% in 30 minutes.

The iPhone XS comes with a traditional 5-watt charger.

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The iPhone 11 Pro has new Haptic Touch, compared to the iPhone XS's 3D Touch.

3d touch
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Apple has offered 3D Touch on its devices for a few years as a way to boost productivity: rather than having to open an app, you could press using 3D Touch to open a shortcut menu. 3D Touch created different levels of responsiveness based on how much pressure users applied, creating a distinction between a hard touch and a soft tap.

New this year, Haptic Touch will respond to the length of the press, not the force of the tap.

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The iPhone 11 Pro has increased water resistance.

iPhone 11 Pro space gray
Tony Avelar/AP

The iPhone 11 Pro is waterproof in up to four meters for 30 minutes, compared to two meters for 30 minutes for the iPhone XS.

The iPhone 11 Pro is heavier than the iPhone XS.

iPhone 11 Pro and Max
Lisa Eadicicco/Business Insider

It's not a major difference, but the iPhone 11 Pro weighs 6.63 ounces, versus the iPhone XS, which weighs 6.24 ounces.

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The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS share many key features.

iPhone XS
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  • Size: both phones have 5.8-inch screens.
  • Material: both phones are made from glass and stainless steel.
  • Operating system: The iPhone 11 Pro will come with iOS 13, which be available as a software update for older iPhone starting September 19.

The iPhone 11 Pro goes on sale September 20.

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