The iPhone 13’s lower pricing makes it a suitable pick for individuals on a budget

The iPhone 13 remains a strong improvement for individuals who haven’t switched phones in several years, especially when the smaller updates to the iPhone 14 are considered. The iPhone 13 remains a strong improvement for individuals who haven’t switched phones in several years, especially when the smaller updates to the iPhone 14 are considered. The iPhone 14 is here, and the iPhone 15 is not far behind, but the iPhone 13 still has a lot of life in it, especially if you can get it for a good price. Unlike the iPhone 13 Pro models, which were discontinued with the release of the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple continues to offer the iPhone 13 alongside the newer 14 series. It has seen a minor price reduction in several places and is frequently available for considerably less on major deal days and during promotions. It will also most likely drop further once the iPhone 15 range becomes available, which is expected to arrive in September.

The iPhone 13 isn’t a game changer for Apple’s smartphone lineup, but it is an essential iteration that provides better battery life, a faster processor, and an enhanced camera configuration than previous iPhones. If you want a speedy and powerful smartphone but don’t require the extra features of the more expensive Pro model, this is an excellent alternative. It also now runs iOS 16 and will continue to receive software updates for many years, including iOS 17, which is set to be released in September.

Price when reviewed: €455.00 | Check price at Amazon

iPhone 13 KEY FEATURES

The iPhone 13 remains a significant upgrade for those who haven’t switched phones in several years, especially when the smaller changes to the iPhone 14 are considered. It is incorrect to focus just on the notch size with the iPhone 13. This basic 13 model features a 6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED screen with Dolby Vision, now with increased brightness, the most powerful mobile chip to date, the Apple A15 Bionic, and three nicely capable 12MP cameras – two on the back and one on the front. Apple employed a new, larger sensor for the main camera, and the sensor-shift stabilization from last year’s 12 Pro Max has been carried over to the full iPhone 13 series.

Other changes include doubled base storage, a larger battery, and a few camera-specific software gimmicks such as Cinematic mode and Photographic Styles. Improved battery. Larger cells and a more efficient chipset improve durability. A15 Bionic ChipsetApple’s new silicon improves performance in numerous areas. The most disappointing feature has to be the lack of ProMotion compatibility – the 120Hz refresh rate is only available on the Pro models this year, and we expect the base versions will have to wait a year or two before they can get it.

APPLE IPHONE 13 UNBOXING

With the iPhone 13, there isn’t much to unbox because Apple removed everything save the USB cable from the iPhone retail cartons to reduce electronic waste; the extra profit is just a bonus. This year, Apple went even greener by removing the plastic wrapping and replacing it with paper stickers when necessary. Inside this slim and lightweight package, you’ll find the iPhone 13 plus a USB-C to Lightning connector.

Apple has yet to move to USB-C on iPhones for a variety of reasons, the majority of which concern accessory compatibility and electrical waste. The EU Commission is pushing for such a shift, so we’ll either see the end of Lightning-capable iPhones or, knowing Apple, the end of iPhones with any form of USB connector. The little paper compartment holds some papers, the SIM ejection pin, and an Apple sticker.

CAMERA

The major spec improvement for the iPhone 13 is the dual rear cameras. The new cameras, both wide and ultrawide, are nearly identical to those found on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, except for optical zoom. This is fantastic given that it was one of the greatest camera phones available a few years ago.

The main wide camera retains a 12-megapixel resolution and an f/1.6 lens, while the 12-megapixel ultra-wide sports a slower f/2.4 lens and a 120-degree field of vision. This is amazing, especially because last year’s smaller Pro model did not even feature this camera. It is a significant upgrade over the iPhone 12.

The iPhone 13 has larger camera sensors (1.7µm vs 1.4µm on the iPhone 12), which allows for more light. The main wide sensor now incorporates in-body stabilizing, which Apple refers to as Sensor-Shift stabilization. Both of these changes help significantly in low-light conditions; the photos I took when the lighting was less than ideal were comparable to those shot with the 12 Pro Max.

Shooting at night, in darker bars and restaurants, is an absolute joy. The iPhone 13 is more likely to force itself into the dedicated Night mode than the iPhone 13 Pro, but the results are extremely detailed, with natural bright spots and no noise. The previous model’s daylight images were decent, and it’s difficult to detect the difference between landscape shots taken with the iPhone 12 and 13, or even the iPhone 14.

However, if you’re upgrading from an older iPhone, the improvement is much more noticeable, with brighter colors and clearer details. The larger wide sensor also contributes to a more realistic bokeh effect (the subtle blur that surrounds an object when you go up close), which is always appreciated. If you want a greater, more customizable blur, the specialized Portrait mode is ideal.

Apple is giving you a little more control over the appearance of your photos this time around with a new software tool called Photography Styles. The Vibrant design, for example, increases color intensity and brightness, much like a Galaxy S-series flagship. The High Contrast option increases the dynamic range, resulting in significantly more dramatic pictures that are not dissimilar to those of a Google Pixel. Finally, there are Warm and Cool, which do exactly what the name implies.

These options are more than just filters, therefore it’s vital to remember that. They immediately modify the image pipeline, so you can’t switch between styles or remove them after taking the photo. Cinematic mode had a lot of screen time during the device’s introduction, and it’s easy to see why. It’s similar to video’s Portrait mode, but it goes a step further by incorporating focus racking, which allows the camera to move focus points as a face turns away.

The blur effect is far from flawless, but it is significantly superior to the Android competition’s attempts; also, the focus racking works quite well. I lined up several items, and the camera changed focus seamlessly as I moved them away. It also worked wonderfully with faces. Cinematic mode in HDR Dolby Vision allows you to record up to 1080p at 30fps, which is significantly lower than the normal video modes’ maximum of 4K 60fps.

I wouldn’t describe Cinematic mode as a gimmick. It works well, and I’m confident that, like Portrait mode before it, it will improve with time. I just don’t see who would use it regularly, especially because the formats and ability to change focus points are only available in Apple software.

Where I would have loved to see some more camera enhancements is in the front. The 12-megapixel selfie camera hasn’t changed in generations, and it could use some more attention. Selfies are bland and lack the complexity of photos produced with rear cameras.

DESIGN AND SCREEN

Apple went big with the iPhone 12 makeover, ditching the curved sides of previous generations and giving the new smartphone a revamp reminiscent of the iconic iPhone 4 and 5. It was a welcome shift, particularly after years of the curved iPhone 6 design.

With such a substantial change to the iPhone’s appearance occurring recently, this update was bound to be iterative. Apple has made some design modifications, although they are mostly modest.

The notch is 20% lower, which is great, but it is still more bothersome than the majority of Android competitors, who have resorted to hole-punch-type cutouts for the front cameras. The lower notch on the iPhone 13 Mini is greatly appreciated; nonetheless, it has little influence here. It would have been nice to use that extra space to show the battery percentage, for example.

The iPhone 13 is also somewhat heavier and thicker to accommodate the larger battery and updated camera module. Unless you hold the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 next to each other, you’re unlikely to see the difference. However, the higher camera bump means that the smartphone will not fit into previous cases, which may be bothersome for some but is not surprising. However, it is quite close in size to the iPhone 14.

Apple’s advancements with the iPhone 12 continue, including Ceramic Shield and IP68 water resistance. I used an iPhone 12 for a year and, despite a few drops and no screen protection, it still looks fantastic. There are a few micro-scratches on the display; clearly, a screen protector would have prevented such issues, but they aren’t too serious. I hope the situation is the same this time.

The iPhone 13 Pro model receives all of the big-screen changes this time around, and it’s a shame the iPhone 13 continues with the basic 60Hz panel – albeit a very fine 60Hz panel.

Promotion, which adds an adjustable refresh rate that can ramp up to 120Hz and down to 10Hz, is one of the standout features of both Pro models, and I have to say it’s my favorite iPhone upgrade in years.

A quicker display isn’t something you want if you haven’t already tried it, but once you have, it’s difficult to go back to a 60Hz panel. Scrolling, swiping, and gaming all feel extremely smooth; it simply makes motions and movements much faster. According to Apple’s previous releases, ProMotion will be in this series at some point – however, it may be the iPhone 15, given it is not yet available on the iPhone 14.

Still, the iPhone 13 has an excellent OLED display. The reduced notch is useful for watching movies, while the extra brightness (800 nits max in regular activities and 1100 in HDR video) is just slightly beneficial when reading texts or seeing Google Maps directions on a sunny day. It isn’t a cause to upgrade.

Apple’s screens are generally more neutral in appearance, as opposed to Samsung’s excessively saturated panels. The colors are bold and engaging without being overly bright. An episode of Netflix’s visually gorgeous Our Planet demonstrated this wonderfully, with excellent contrast and color accuracy.

HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?

Apple’s iPhone 13 series all include the company’s new A15 Bionic chipset, its latest attempt to create the most powerful smartphone chipset on the planet. Apple claims to have a 50% faster CPU and 30% quicker GPU than its competitors.

Whatever the reality of such claims, Apple’s new handset is unquestionably powerful, and while everyday performance will be similar to that of the iPhone 12 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, it will be a significant upgrade for anyone who is now using an iPhone 8 or lower. During our testing, we discovered that the iPhone 13 could start apps quickly and switch between apps with a short wait for each to load.

Gaming on the handset was also simple, with titles loading as swiftly as we’ve seen on other products like the iPad Pro (one of Apple’s most powerful devices in 2021). The games looked amazing on the OLED panel, with the GPU speed improvements especially obvious. Geekbench 5 results match our testing, with an average multi-core score of 4688. The iPhone 12 got 3859 on the same test, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 scored 3367 and the OnePlus 9 Pro scored 3630.

Apple has taken another significant stride forward, but it is most obvious in benchmarking results. The everyday experience will remain mostly unchanged, but it will be a significant improvement over far older iPhone models. The A15 Bionic chipset is paired with 4GB of RAM, which is plenty to keep it running at full power. That’s less RAM than most comparable Android phones, but Apple doesn’t appear to require a large amount of RAM to get the most of its A15 Bionic.

Your storage options are 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB, and if you intend to fill your phone with media over the next few years, we recommend going with the 256GB or 512GB variety; even with iCloud compatibility, 128GB may be simple to fill. Apple has, at the very least, discontinued the stupidly little 64GB storage option that has been their standard offering for the past few years.

The iPhone 13 series is 5G-ready, and it’s comforting to know that you’re future-proofed for next-generation technology, even if you don’t need it or it’s not currently accessible where you live. It’s becoming more common, and the iPhone 13 will work with any 5G carrier.

Buy it if...

• Outstanding design: robust and waterproof.
• Bright OLED screen with HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
• Consistent battery life.
• Loud stereo speakers with high output.
• 5G delivers unparalleled performance.
• Excellent overall photo and video quality across all three cameras.

Don't buy it if...

• A minor upgrade over the iPhone 12.
• No 120Hz refresh rate.
• Even when reduced in size, the notch remains an eyesore.
• The fast charging isn’t particularly rapid, and the charger is not included.
• iOS (with its restrictions) is still a love-it-or-leave-it proposition.

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