Apple iPhone 13 Review: Everything you need so far: We’re fairly sure the current iPhone 13 is the best iPhone for the majority of people. It may appear that Apple has simply moved one of the phone’s back cameras from last year’s model, but trust us when we say there are more significant enhancements. The iPhone 13 is the new bar for premium phones, with a bigger display, larger battery, and improved camera hardware and software.
With its 5G-ready A15 Bionic CPU, Apple has once again made the iPhone 13 considerably more powerful than its Android competitors. If the raw performance does not appeal to you, photographers can experiment with the new Photographic Style filters in the camera app, while videographers will enjoy the new Cinematic mode focus-racking ability.
The standard iPhone 13 has a few problems. In comparison to certain Android phones, charging is still relatively slow. I also dislike the fact that only the iPhone 13 Pro variants have a 120Hz display and telephoto zoom. However, according to my comprehensive Apple iPhone 13 review, this new iPhone is the greatest phone for the money.
Apple iPhone 13 review: Price and storage
The iPhone 13 starts at $799 for 128GB of storage (up from the iPhone 12’s modest 64GB), and goes up to $899 for 256GB and $1,099 for 512GB. For the most recent discounts, visit our Apple Store coupons page.
In the United Kingdom, the entry-level model costs £779, the 256GB model costs £879, and the 512GB model costs £1,079.
These are not inexpensive phones, but you may save money with trade-in incentives from Apple and wireless carriers, and there are several discounts available. Check out our iPhone 13 deals page for the most recent deals.
To put the iPhone 13’s price in context, the Galaxy S22, the iPhone’s main smartphone competition, costs the same $799. Our Galaxy S22 vs. iPhone 13 comparison examines how two similarly priced smartphones compare.
iPhone 13 specs: All models compared
| iPhone 13 mini | iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro Max | |
| Starting price | $699 | $799 | $999 | $1,099 |
| Storage | 128, 256, 512GB | 128, 256, 512 GB | 128, 256, 512, 1TB | 128, 256, 512, 1TB |
| Screen size | 5.4 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution/ppi | 2340 x 1080/476 | 2532 x 1170/460 | 2532 x 1170/460 | 2778 x 1284/458 |
| Adaptive refresh | No | No | Up to 120Hz | Up to 120Hz |
| Processor | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| Rear cameras | Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide) | Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide) | Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra Wide) | Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra Wide) |
| Zoom | None / 5x digital | None / 5x digital | 3x optical / 15x digital | 3x optical / 15x digital |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Colors | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Green | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green |
| Size | 5.2 x 2.5 x 0.3 inches | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches | 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 4.97 ounces | 6.14 ounces | 7.2 ounces | 8.5 ounces |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery life (video playback | 8:41 | 10:33 | 11:42 | 12:16 |
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Apple iPhone 13 review: Design and colors
- Smaller notch makes display a bit more immersive
- Slightly different button placement
- Pink and blue are standout colors
- New Green color launched March 2022
- For the iPhone 13, there are only two notable design changes. First, the rear cameras are now placed diagonally rather than vertically.
Second, and most significantly, the notch is now 20% smaller while still delivering the same amazing TrueDepth camera system and Face ID you’ve come to expect since the iPhone X debuted this technology four years ago.
In reality, the smaller notch makes little difference in day-to-day use of the iPhone 13. I didn’t find either notch obtrusive when watching videos in landscape mode side by side at full-screen.
When using apps with a white background in portrait orientation, like as Gmail, I appreciated the little notch even more. The notch on the iPhone 13 swoops down somewhat more despite being narrower
Apple iPhone 13 review: Display
- Brighter display easier to read in direct sunlight
- Stellar colors and contrast
The iPhone 13 loses the adaptive 120Hz refresh rate of the iPhone 13 Pro, but it still has a fantastic OLED panel. This Super Retina XDR display is now 28% brighter than the iPhone 12; it’s also certified at 800 nits, up from 600 nits on last year’s model.
In my tests, the brightness change was not remarkable, but it can aid when viewing the iPhone 13’s display in direct sunshine.
The iPhone 13 averaged 795 nits of brightness in our lab testing, compared to 569 nits for the iPhone 12 and 702 nits for the Galaxy S21. In addition, the iPhone 13 covered 78.1 percent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and 110.2 percent of the sRGG colour gamut, with higher values being preferable. The iPhone 12 scored 81.1 and 114.5, while the Galaxy S21 scored 77.4 and 109.2.
The colour accuracy of the iPhone 13 panel is also excellent, with a Delta-E score of 0.26. (lower is better.) In comparison, the Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 both have 0.29.
Apple iPhone 13 review: Cameras
- Bright and colorful images beat Samsung
- Ultra-wide camera delivers more scene and improved Night mode
- Photographic styles give you creative control
The iPhone 13 averaged 795 nits of brightness in our lab testing, compared to 569 nits for the iPhone 12 and 702 nits for the Galaxy S21. In addition, the iPhone 13 covered 78.1 percent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and 110.2 percent of the sRGG colour gamut, with higher values being preferable. The iPhone 12 scored 81.1 and 114.5, while the Galaxy S21 scored 77.4 and 109.2.
The colour accuracy of the iPhone 13 panel is also excellent, with a Delta-E score of 0.26. (lower is better.) In comparison, the Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 both have 0.29.
Apple iPhone 13 review: Battery life and charging
- 10 hours and 33 minutes of battery life, which is 2 hours better than iPhone 12
The iPhone 13 lasts up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12, according to Apple, thanks to a larger battery, more efficient display, and the A15 Bionic CPU. However, our testing yielded much greater outcomes.
The iPhone 13 lasted 10 hours and 33 minutes on the Tom’s Guide battery test, which entails continuous web surfing over 5G at 150 nits of screen brightness via cellular (AT&T’s network in this case). That’s more than 2 hours longer than the iPhone 12’s time of 8:25. The Galaxy S21 achieved the top time of 9:53.
Check out our iPhone 13 battery life findings overview, which includes comparisons with more Android phones, to see how all four iPhone 13 models did.
Unfortunately, the iPhone 13 retains the previous charging speeds. With Apple’s 20W charger, the new iPhone reached 51 percent capacity in 30 minutes. Other phones on our list of the fastest charging phones, such as the OnePlus 9 Pro, charge much faster.
The iPhone’s 15W MagSafe charger is a little slower, but some people may prefer it because it’s magnetic and doesn’t require the Lighting connector.
Apple iPhone 13 review: Software
- SharePlay lets you watch videos and listen to music with friends
- Focus cuts down on distractions
iOS 15 brings numerous pleasant enhancements to your iPhone, many of which are centred on shared experiences. FaceTime now offers better audio and a sleeker interface, and the iOS 15.1 update allows you to listen to music or view movies or TV shows with friends or family using SharePlay. In addition, the Messages app now has a new Shared with You section for photographs, articles, and other content, making it easier to keep track of all the varied links friends write you.
iPhone 13 known problems
So far, iPhone 13 owners have reported a few issues. For example, some iPhone 13 users discovered that the phone would not unlock with an Apple Watch, though this was fixed. Furthermore, several iPhone 13 customers reported that the touch display was not responsive enough in some circumstances, which could be an iOS 15 issue.
There have been reports that the cameras on the iPhone 13 Pros are flipping between lenses without notice, and Apple has released an update that allows customers to turn this off. And, for some apps, the ProMotion displays on the iPhone 13 Pros do not run at 120Hz, which Apple has fixed with an update. Developers must also optimise their apps.
