Apple iPhone 13 Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Apple iPhone 13 Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Except for a few subtle differences, we don't see that many changes on this year's iPhone. Like last year, there are four models, each of which is about the same size as the previous year's equivalent. The number of cameras on the back of each device hasn't changed, but the lower models have been slightly upgraded. The front of the device has changed the most, and the infamous notch has thinned for the first time.


This year, Apple has done much the same thing. There is a slightly smaller notch on the front of the phone, the interior is better and there are many new features. In general, if you already own an iPhone 12, this is probably not enough to justify a one-year upgrade.

That said, if you don't have an iPhone or are a few years old, the Apple iPhone 13 Series is now the best business can offer. They have the fastest processor, the best camera, the latest features, and perhaps best of all, a larger battery and faster charging.


Of course, there are many Android phones that match or exceed most of the modern iPhone elements. 

Apple iPhone 13 Specifications

iPhone 13 Mini iPhone 13
Display 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
2,340 x 1,080 resolution
HDR, True Tone
Wide color (P3)
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
Ceramic Shield front
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
2,532 x 1,170 resolution
HDR, True Tone
Wide color (P3)
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
Ceramic Shield front
Processor Apple A15 Bionic Apple A15 Bionic
Storage 128 / 256 / 512GB 128 / 256 / 512GB
Battery Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
Up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher (sold separately)

MagSafe:
Wireless charging up to 15W
Magnet array
Alignment magnet
Accessory Identification NFC
Magnetometer
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
Up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher (sold separately)

MagSafe:
Wireless charging up to 15W
Magnet array
Alignment magnet
Accessory Identification NFC
Magnetometer
Cameras Rear:
-Wide-angle 12MP, ƒ/1.6, OIS, 7-element lens
-Ultra-wide 12MP, ƒ/2.4, 120° field of view, 5-element lens, lens correction

2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 5x, Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3

Video:
HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 30fps
4K video at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps
1080p HD video at 30fps or 60fps
720p HD video at 30fps
OIS for video (Wide)
2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 3x

Front:
-TrueDepth 12MP, ƒ/2.2

Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3
Rear:
-Wide-angle 12MP, ƒ/1.6, OIS, 7-element lens
-Ultra-wide 12MP, ƒ/2.4, 120° field of view, 5-element lens, lens correction

2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 5x, Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3

Video:
HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 30fps
4K video at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps
1080p HD video at 30fps or 60fps
720p HD video at 30fps
OIS for video (Wide)
2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 3x

Front:
-TrueDepth 12MP, ƒ/2.2

Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3
Connectivity 5G (sub‑6GHz and mmWave)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5
Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
NFC
Express Cards with power reserve
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Digital compass
Wi‑Fi
Cellular
iBeacon microlocation
5G (sub‑6GHz and mmWave)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5
Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
NFC
Express Cards with power reserve
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Digital compass
Wi‑Fi
Cellular
iBeacon microlocation
Sensors Face ID
Barometer
Three‑axis gyro
Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Face ID
Barometer
Three‑axis gyro
Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Software iOS 15 iOS 15
Durability IP68 IP68
Dimensions and weight 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65mm
141g
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm
174g
Colors Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red
In the box iPhone
USB‑C to Lightning cable
Documentation
iPhone
USB‑C to Lightning cable
Documentation
iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max
Display 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
2,532 x 1,170 resolution
ProMotion 120Hz
HDR, True Tone
Wide color (P3)
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
1,000 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
Ceramic Shield front
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
2,778 x 1,284 resolution
ProMotion 120Hz
HDR, True Tone
Wide color (P3)
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
1,000 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)
Ceramic Shield front
Processor Apple A15 Bionic Apple A15 Bionic
Storage 128 / 256 / 512GB and 1TB 128 / 256 / 512GB and 1TB
Battery Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
Up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher (sold separately)

MagSafe:
Wireless charging up to 15W
Magnet array
Alignment magnet
Accessory Identification NFC
Magnetometer
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
Up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher (sold separately)

MagSafe:
Wireless charging up to 15W
Magnet array
Alignment magnet
Accessory Identification NFC
Magnetometer
Cameras Rear:
-Wide-angle 12MP, ƒ/1.5, dual OIS, 7-element lens, 100% Focus Pixels, Night Mode
-Ultra-wide 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 120° field of view, 5-element lens, lens correction, Night Mode
-Telephoto 12MP, ƒ/2.8, dual OIS, 6-element lens

3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, 6x optical zoom range, digital zoom up to 15x, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, Apple ProRAW

Video:
HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 60fps
4K video at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps
1080p HD video at 30fps or 60fps
720p HD video at 30fps
OIS for video (Wide)
3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range, digital zoom up to 9x

Front:
-TrueDepth 12MP, ƒ/2.2

Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3
Rear:
-Wide-angle 12MP, ƒ/1.5, dual OIS, 7-element lens, 100% Focus Pixels, Night Mode
-Ultra-wide 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 120° field of view, 5-element lens, lens correction, Night Mode
-Telephoto 12MP, ƒ/2.8, dual OIS, 6-element lens

3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, 6x optical zoom range, digital zoom up to 15x, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, Apple ProRAW

Video:
HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 60fps
4K video at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps
1080p HD video at 30fps or 60fps
720p HD video at 30fps
OIS for video (Wide)
3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range, digital zoom up to 9x

Front:
-TrueDepth 12MP, ƒ/2.2

Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3
Connectivity 5G (sub‑6GHz and mmWave)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5
Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
NFC
Express Cards with power reserve
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Digital compass
Wi‑Fi
Cellular
iBeacon microlocation
5G (sub‑6GHz and mmWave)
Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA
Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5
Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness
NFC
Express Cards with power reserve
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Digital compass
Wi‑Fi
Cellular
iBeacon microlocation
Sensors Face ID
LiDAR Scanner
Barometer
Three‑axis gyro
Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Face ID
LiDAR Scanner
Barometer
Three‑axis gyro
Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Software iOS 15 iOS 15
Durability IP68 IP68
Dimensions and weight 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm
204g
160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65mm
240g
Colors Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue
In the box iPhone
USB‑C to Lightning cable
Documentation
iPhone
USB‑C to Lightning cable
Documentation


Except for the physical dimensions, the Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini are basically the same phone. Similarly, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are very similar, except for how large Max is. Below is a specification table that compares each pair of devices.


Flagship Android smartphones achieved high refresh rates a few years ago. Apple has already released products with high refresh rates that use the ProMotion brand, especially the iPad Pro series. However, ProMotion has never reached the iPhone. That is, every Apple smartphone has a screen. 60Hz.
It will change this year. The Apple iPhone 13 series is the first to launch a phone with a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which is twice the speed of previous iPhones.

What are the benefits of increasing the screen refresh rate? The high refresh rate guarantees smooth movement. For example, if you browse Instagram quickly, the 60 Hz screen will look jerky and the screen will catch up with the fast transitions. However, the 120Hz screen looks much smoother. You can improve the daily use of your smartphone, but you can also play high games more enjoyably. Very competitive players also appreciate the low accuracy benefits of high refresh rate screens.


Unfortunately, Apple's ProMotion will only be available on the Pro iPhone this year. So the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini don't have a 120Hz screen, but the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max do.


Is the Apple iPhone 13 Camera Good?


Last year, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini came with a standard lens with a wide-angle shooter. The Pro model, on the other hand, used the same lens, but with the addition of a third lens with telephoto capabilities. This year, you'll see exactly the same configuration as the Apple iPhone 13 family of phones.
That doesn't mean Apple didn't update the phone's camera hardware. The Pro and ProMax ultra-wide cameras have been upgraded from an aperture of ƒ / 2.4 to 0082 / 1.8, which improves shooting in dark places, for example. However, there are no new lenses or other new hardware components on any iPhone. Apple also brings new software tricks to the iPhone 13 series. All lenses support night mode, not just the movie mode, which adds bokeh to your video, and the most important lenses. ProRes videos are also compatible with Pro models, but only "later this year".

The iPhone 13 series should be one of the best devices in the business in terms of photography and video recording. However, the update here isn't that radical, so anyone with an iPhone 12 (or iPhone 11) should update it.


How is the battery life of the iPhone 13?

One of the best news about the new iPhone is that Apple has increased its full range of battery capacity. Combined with the new A15 chipset (see next section), the battery life of these phones should be much longer than what we saw on last year's model.


Not surprisingly, the biggest phone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, has the largest battery. Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro will have a larger battery than last year, just like the smaller iPhone 13 Mini. We haven't tested it yet, but it's no exaggeration to say that these models have 10-20% longer battery life. Please note that the iPhone 13 device box does not contain a charger. You need to buy another charger or use one you already have. The new iPhone will charge at the same 20W speed as the iPhone 12. All new iPhones also support wireless charging.

How does the Apple iPhone 13 work?

Apple's iPhone 13 series uses Apple's newest and largest silicon called A15 Bionic. This building is 5 nanometers in size. While we haven't been able to test this CPU yet, we're sure it will be the fastest mobile processor on the market - yes, even faster than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus.
The Apple A15 Bionic is probably the most powerful mobile chipset you can find in a phone. Because of this, the performance of iPhone 13 models is not an issue. They can do almost anything you give them. However, RAM has more models than non-Pro models, so you will be a little better at handling demanding tasks, especially when a lot of applications are running in the background.

The A15 Bionic Chip is said to be more energy efficient than last year's A14 Bionic Chip. This means that we can see better battery life on the iPhone 13 models even if you consider larger batteries. Phone app and updates

All new iPhones ship with iOS 15 on the screen. This is the latest version of the operating system. In total, iPhones have seen software updates for about five years. That means you can expect an annual upgrade to the latest iOS version on each of the iPhone 13 models from now through 2026.
Also Read: Your Complete Guide to Apple Health, Apple Fitness, and Apple Fitness Plus

If you already have an old iPhone, you can get iOS 15 too, provided your phone is less than five years old. So if you only want iOS 15, you don't have to upgrade to the Apple iPhone 13.


In iOS 15, you can expect updates on receiving notifications, improved FaceTime calls, the ability to upload wallets, and more.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: What's New?

As already mentioned several times, the Apple iPhone 13 series does not differ significantly from the iPhone 12 series, but it does bring some upgrades, which we have presented to you in detail below. Note that this list does not include all upgrades - just the most important ones.

Smaller and Bigger Cameras: The notch on the front of all iPhone 13 models is narrower than previous iPhones. In the meantime, the rear view camera module is slightly larger on the Pro models and slightly redesigned on the non-Pro models. However, the number and type of lenses in the iPhone 12 series are the same.

ProMotion: The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max both have ProMotion screens, brands of Apple displays with high refresh rates. Supports 120 Hz speed. However, the vanilla hardware of the iPhone 13 remains with a 60 Hz display. Batteries: The iPhone 13 series batteries are slightly larger than the batteries we saw in the iPhone 12 series. This should increase the battery life.

Cameras: The ultra-wide camera of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max has been upgraded from 2.4 to 1.8 f-stops for better shots in low light conditions. There are other minor upgrades for other lenses as well. Note that the main and ultra wide-angle lenses of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini remain unchanged.

Storage: The initial storage capacity of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini is currently 128GB while it is 64GB. Its size also increases to 512 GB, which the previous models did not offer. Meanwhile, Pro models have a new 1TB option.

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