I tried Apple's new iPhone 11 for a few hours to see if it's dramatically different from its predecessor - here's what I found

At 188 grams, the iPhone 11 Pro is noticeably heavier than some other phones like the 157-gram Galaxy S10. But that's not necessarily a negative.

The iPhone's heftier glass and stainless steel body, which features a matte back panel, gives the phone a distinct aesthetic that makes it feel like you're holding a gadget worth $1,000. It also more prominently distinguishes the 11 and 11 Pro from last year's lineup, although most people will find that alone is hardly worth the higher price.

The color of the midnight green version of the iPhone 11 Pro also seems to slightly change depending on the lighting. I found that it looked noticeably lighter in bright outdoor scenarios, for example.

The $700 iPhone 11, which I imagine will be the right choice for most people, has a more familiar glossy-looking back panel that feels similar to the iPhone XR.

The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro offer a higher contrast ratio than Apple's previous-generation smartphones, and that change has been moderately noticeable in the few hours I've spent using the new phones.

When viewing a high-resolution photo of a night sky overlooking a lake on both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS Max side-by-side, the light from the stars looked a bit brighter against the dark sky on Apple's newer iPhone, for instance.

I also felt that the True Tone adjustments — which modifies the color and intensity of the display based on the surrounding ambient light — looked more prominent on the iPhone 11 Pro's display compared to that of the XS Max.

But the notch-shaped cutout near the top of the display that houses the iPhone's front-facing camera sensors hasn't changed much, if at all. Other smartphone makers like Samsung have done more to make the camera cutouts blend more seamlessly into their smartphone's display, allowing the company to extend the screen size even further without making the display larger.

The camera is the most obvious and prominent upgrade on Apple's latest crop of iPhones, and for an important reason. Smartphones have become so advanced in recent years that cameras are one of the few areas in which companies like Apple can make noticeable improvements.

Our phones are already powerful enough to handle the tasks that most people would want to use them for — such as checking email, browsing the web, gaming, and casual photo editing. Their screens are already sharp enough and bright enough to watch movies and view photos enjoyably.

But smartphone cameras have always lagged behind dedicated DSLR cameras, especially when it comes to overall image quality, their ability to zoom, and how well they can shoot in the dark. Those are all areas in which Apple and other smartphone makers have added improvements in recent years.

If you're trying to decide between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, it's worth considering your priorities and your budget.

The iPhone 11 is still capable of taking ultra-wide-angle shots just like the 11 Pro. But the Pro model's telephoto lens enables it to offer a closer zoom and more flexibility when it comes to shooting in Portrait mode, since it can use either the telephoto lens or ultra-wide-angle lens for those shots.

For this reason — and other perks like the option for more storage space than the iPhone 11 offers and a screen with higher contrast — it might be the better choice for professional photographers.

The average user that's just looking for an improved camera, long battery life, and solid performance will probably be satisfied with the less expensive iPhone 11. We'll have more insight on the iPhone's battery life, additional camera features, and other characteristics in our full review.