Apple’s new cellphones excite — at least on paper — and we’ve got our first official look at the iPhone 13. In addition to a new A15 Bionic chipset, the iPhone 13 Pro models will include larger sensors for improved low-light photographs, larger batteries, and fast-refreshing displays that adjust based on your on-screen activity. That’s some very impressive stuff.
The iPhone 13 is so good that it appears to be a major upgrade over its iPhone 12 predecessors at first look. And those phones, which were released only a year ago, are still among the best on the market.
To make a conclusive assessment, we’ll have to examine all four new iPhone 13 models. However, our initial iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12 comparison reveals a number of areas where Apple is improving. Here are the specs for the new iPhones, as well as how the iPhone 13 differs from the iPhone 12.
Specifications
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: Specs
| Specs | iPhone 12 mini | iPhone 13 mini | iPhone 12 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Price | $599 | $699 | $699 | $799 |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Screen size | 5.4 inches | 5.4 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Resolution | 2340x1090 | 2340x1080 | 2532x1170 | 2532x1170 |
| Processor | A14 | A15 | A14 | A15 |
| Cameras | 12MP main (ƒ/1.6), 16MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) | 12MP main (ƒ/1.6); 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) | 12MP main (ƒ/1.6), 16MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) | 12MP main (ƒ/1.6); 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4) |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/2.2) |
| Colors | White, black, blue, green, purple, [Product] Red | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink | White, black, blue, green, purple, [Product] Red | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink |
| Size | 5.2 x 2.5 x 0.3 inches | 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 |
| Weight | 4.76 ounces | 4.97 ounces | 5.78 ounces | 6.14 ounces |
Price and release date
The starting pricing for Apple’s phones has remained unchanged as the iPhone 12 gave rise to the iPhone 13. The iPhone 13 costs $699, the iPhone 13 costs $799, the iPhone 13 Pro costs 999 dollars, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max costs $1,099 dollars.
You get more storage for your money with the iPhone 13 and 13 mini than you did with the similar iPhone 12 versions. Instead of the 64GB of storage that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini had, the two iPhone 13 models now have 128GB. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, now offer new 1TB storage options.
Both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini appear to be staying in Apple’s portfolio, although at lower costs. The iPhone 12 will cost the same as Apple’s iPhone 13 mini, while the iPhone 12 mini will cost $599.
Specs of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro specs
| Specs | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| starting price | $999 | $1,099 | $999 | $1,099 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Screen size | 6.1 inches | 6.7 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2778 x 1284 | 2532 x 1170 | 2778 x 1284 |
| Processor | A14 | A14 | A15 | A15 |
| Adaptive refresh | N/A | N/A | Up to 120Hz | Up to 120Hz |
| Rear cameras | 12MP wide (f/1.6), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.4), 12MP telephoto (f/2.0) with 2x zoom | 12MP wide (f/1.6), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.4), 12MP telephoto (f/2.0) with 2.5x zoom | 12MP wide (f/1.5), 12MP ultra-wide (f/1.8), 12MP telephoto (f/2.8) with 3x zoom | 12MP wide (f/1.5), 12MP ultra-wide (f/1.8), 12MP telephoto (f/2.8) with 3x zoom |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2) | 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2) |
| Colors | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue |
| Size | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 inches | 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches | 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 6.7 ounces | 8 ounces | 7.2 ounces | 8.5 ounces |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
Design
Except for one highly noticeable distinction, there isn’t much of a design difference between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12. That’s the iPhone 13’s notch, which is smaller on all four new models. Aside from that, the phones have the same design, with flat corners and Ceramic Shield displays for increased durability.
The upgraded versions are slightly heavier, owing to the larger batteries included with the iPhone 13, and there are new color possibilities. On the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, a pink model joins the black (Midnight), white (Starlight), blue, and Product [RED] colors. Sierra Blue is a new color choice for the iPhone 13 Pro series, joining graphite, gold, and silver.
Although the AMOLED panels used in the iPhone 13 family are the same size as their predecessors, Apple has made the most improvements to the displays since the iPhone 12. Instead, Apple promises brighter displays, which will be 28% brighter than the iPhone 12’s. The iPhone 13 and 13 mini have a brightness of 800 nits, while the iPhone 13 Pro versions have a brightness of 1,000 nits.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, which are the first Apple phones with ProMotion screens, are the focus of the larger display story. That implies they can vary their refresh rate dynamically between 10Hz and 120Hz to match the activity onscreen. The iPhone 12 Pro versions, like the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini, were stuck at 60Hz.
Cameras
Even if the number of lenses is unchanged from phone to phone, cameras are expected to be a primary point of differentiation between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12. Because of what Apple has done with the camera hardware, the iPhone 13’s photography experience should be entirely different.
The 12MP main camera of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is the largest lens ever used in a dual-camera iPhone. For clearer pictures, it should let in 47 percent more light than the iPhone 12’s camera. The sensor-shift optical image stabilization technology, which Apple added to the iPhone 12 Pro Max last year, is available on these two iPhone 13 models, and the ultrawide lens offers better detail in darker regions of your photographs.
The camera modifications on the iPhone 13 Pro versions are much more significant. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max include a larger primary sensor for improved low-light shots, and the ultrawide angle lens has a wider f/1.8 aperture. (On the iPhone 12 Pro version, it was f/2.4.) Even in low-light situations, this will result in brighter, sharper photographs. Furthermore, the iPhone 13 Pro’s 77mm telephoto lens now sports a 3x optical zoom, up from 2.5x on the iPhone 12 Pro.
Night Mode is available on all three iPhone 13 Pro cameras, and sensor-shift stabilization is available on the iPhone 13 Pro rather than just the Pro Max model. We’re excited to see how all of these improvements translate into better images.
5G and performance
The A15 Bionic CPU is used in all iPhone 13 models, which is an update from the A14 Bionic chip used in all iPhone 12 models. Given that the A14 was the quickest system-on-chip we’ve tested, we expect some impressive performance, though we’ll have to benchmark the phones to see how fast they are.
One difference between the iPhone 13 Pro and the standard iPhone 13 is that the Pro models have a 5-core GPU, whilst the regular iPhone 13 has a 4-core graphics processor. When compared to last year’s iPhones, this should make the Pro versions a gaming powerhouse.
Although the iPhone 12 has some of the finest 5G compatibility, Apple claims that the upcoming phones will be able to support even more 5G bands. Apple states that by the end of the year, 5G support for iPhone 13 models will have doubled, with more than 200 carriers in 60 countries and regions.
iOS 15 will come pre-installed on the iPhone 13. The iPhone 12 devices are now running iOS 14, but when iOS 15 is released on September 20, they will be able to upgrade to it. (In addition, if you downloaded the iOS 15 beta, your iPhone 12 is already running iOS 15.)
Battery life
We don’t know how big the iPhone 13 batteries are in comparison to their iPhone 12 counterparts because Apple doesn’t reveal battery sizes when it unveils new phones. However, we do know that they are larger, which should imply greater battery life.
That’s excellent news. The other iPhone 12 models, with the exception of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, all performed poorly in our battery test, in which we had phones surf the web over cellular until they ran out of power.
The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro, according to Apple, should last up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max will gain 2.5 hours of battery life. If that’s the case, the iPhone 13 Pro Max would make the list of the best phones for battery life.
The iPhone 12’s charging speeds remain the same: 15W MagSafe wireless charging and 20W wired charging. The iPhone 13 models, like the iPhone 12, will come without a charger.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: Battery life and charging
| Phone | Video Playback | Video playback (streamed) | Audio playback |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 mini | Up to 17 hours | Up to 13 hours | Up to 55 hours |
| iPhone 13 | Up to 19 hours | Up to 15 hours | Up to 75 hours |
| iPhone 13 Pro | Up to 22 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 75 hours |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | Up to 28 hours | Up to 25 hours | Up to 95 hours |
| iPhone 12 | Up to 17 hours | Up to 11 hours | Up to 65 hours |
| iPhone 12 mini | Up to 15 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 50 hours |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Up to 17 hours | up to 11 hours | Up to 65 hours |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Up to 20 hours | Up to 12 hours | Up to 80 hours |
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: What’s the Difference?
You’d think phones would become better with each generation, but the differences between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12 are striking. Better storage options, a quicker processor, and camera enhancements would be enough to justify the upgrade. This is a considerable advance over last year’s model, with better battery life and—in the case of the iPhone 13 Pro variants—fast-refreshing displays.
Related Articles
- Xiaomi 11t Pro Review
- AirPods Pro Review: Time To Buy
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Review in 2023
- Google Pixel 6 Pro Review: The Best Android Phone in 2023
