The iPhone 13 is Apple’s latest offering in its long line of flagship smartphones. With high expectations placed on this new device, we’ll take a closer look at what the iPhone 13 brings to the table and whether it’s deserving of your hard-earned cash. In this comprehensive 1700-word review, we’ll evaluate the iPhone 13’s design, display, performance, camera, battery life, and other features, before ultimately giving you our overall rating and purchase recommendation. So, is the iPhone 13 worth buying or worth skipping? Let’s find out.
Design
The iPhone 13 retains a familiar design, carrying on the flat-edged aesthetics introduced with the iPhone 12. Crafted with an aerospace-grade aluminum frame and a Ceramic Shield front cover, it feels both sturdy and premium. The dimensions are virtually identical to its predecessor, measuring 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 inches and weighing 6.14 ounces. However, the dual-camera module is now repositioned diagonally instead of vertically, and the Face ID notch has been reduced in size by approximately 20%.
Available in five colors – Starlight, Midnight, Blue, (PRODUCT)RED, and Pink – the iPhone 13 offers a subtle design refresh which may not be compelling enough for iPhone 12 users to upgrade just for the aesthetic overhaul. Nonetheless, the iPhone 13 maintains its sleekness and continues to look modern.
Display
The iPhone 13 sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels and an excellent 1200 nits peak brightness for HDR content. Its precise color reproduction and True Tone technology provide an impressive visual experience, even with direct sunlight exposure. While the 60 Hz refresh rate remains unchanged from the iPhone 12, 120 Hz ProMotion is reserved for the Pro models, a factor worth considering if you crave a smoother display experience.
Performance
One of the key upgrades in the iPhone 13 is the A15 Bionic chip, which delivers improvements in both GPU and CPU performance. Apple claims up to a 50% faster CPU performance compared to competitors, and while this may vary in real-world applications, it’s apparent that the iPhone 13 runs smoothly and swiftly. The A15 Bionic also includes a 16-core Neural Engine for better on-device machine learning capabilities. In terms of storage, the base model now starts at 128 GB, with options for 256 GB and 512 GB.
While the A15 Bionic chip doesn’t represent a game-changing leap over the A14, Apple has once again set a high bar for smartphone performance. Apps open rapidly, multitasking is seamless, and gaming experiences are graphics-rich and immersive. For those who prioritize performance, the iPhone 13 offers a noticeable improvement over previous models.
Camera
The iPhone 13 also receives a significant camera improvement, primarily due to its larger image sensor and sensor-shift optical image stabilization – features previously exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro Max. These upgrades result in superior low-light performance, noticeably reducing noise and improving details in dimly lit environments. Night Mode is also available for both the Wide and Ultra-Wide lenses, with the latter benefiting from an f/1.8 aperture.
The A15 Bionic chip enables advanced computational photography features like Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 4, capturing stunning images in various lighting conditions. Video capabilities remain top-notch, with support for 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording and the addition of Cinematic mode, which allows for depth-of-field adjustments and smooth focus transitions to give your videos a cinematic touch.
However, the absence of ProRAW and ProRes support is a downside for those who seek more control over their image and video capture. If you’re an avid mobile photographer, you may want to explore the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max for their additional features.
Battery Life
Battery life is another area where the iPhone 13 excels, sporting a larger capacity battery than its iPhone 12 counterpart. Apple claims up to 19 hours of talk time or 75 hours of audio playback on a full charge. Our testing confirms that the device lasts throughout a typical day of usage with ease, providing nearly two hours more screen time compared to the iPhone 12.
A significant contributor to this improvement is the A15 Bionic chip’s enhanced efficiency, optimizing power consumption across various tasks. It’s worth noting, however, that the iPhone 13 doesn’t come with a charging brick – only a USB-C to Lightning cable. If you don’t already own an appropriate charger, this is an additional expense to consider.
Additional Features
The iPhone 13 also introduces a few miscellaneous improvements and features. The Face ID notch reduction mentioned earlier allows for more screen real estate, a welcome improvement for users who value display space. Additionally, 5G support has been expanded to include more bands and carriers, ensuring better connectivity. MagSafe, first introduced with the iPhone 12, also continues to be supported, offering an ecosystem of compatible accessories and improved wireless charging capabilities.
Overall Rating: 8.7/10
The iPhone 13 is undoubtedly an upgrade, but not necessarily a revolutionary one. Many of its improvements are iterative and may not feel entirely significant, especially for iPhone 12 users. However, for those using older models, the iPhone 13 offers outstanding performance, camera capabilities, and battery life that may justify the purchase.
Recommendation
Should you buy the iPhone 13? If you’re on an older iPhone model and appreciate the improvements it offers, the iPhone 13 is a viable purchase that won’t disappoint. On the other hand, if you already own an iPhone 12, the upgrade may not feel as compelling unless you truly value the advancements in performance, low-light camera capabilities, and battery life.
For users desiring more advanced camera features and a display with a higher refresh rate, the more expensive iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max are worth considering. Ultimately, the iPhone 13 is a reliable, high-performing, and feature-rich device that will appeal to most users, but we recommend assessing the unique benefits based on your specific needs and usage patterns.