TLDR: Is the iPhone 13 Pro worth buying? No, not at this time. Most users should look for a gently used iPhone 12 Pro instead because it has many of the same features for much less money.
The iPhone 13 Pro has been officially announced by Apple. The event, which took place on September 14, 2021, was dubbed “California Streaming” and introduced the 15th generation of the iPhone lineup. As we’ve seen with previous generations of the iPhone, the 15th generation also includes a total of four models: iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 mini.
Continue reading if you are trying to decide whether you should get an iPhone 13 Pro, or if you should keep some of your hard-earned money in your bank account and get an iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro instead.
Read more: Apple iPhone 13: Everything you need to know
What are the new iPhone 13 Pro features?
Apple said the iPhone 13 Pro has “the most advanced pro camera system ever on an iPhone.” Combine that with other new iPhone 13 Pro features such as ProMotion, an A15 Bionic chip, and a boost in battery life, and it would appear this is a must-have upgrade. But first, how about we take a deeper look at these new features.
- Rear Camera: The iPhone 13 Pro has a “Pro” 12MP Telephoto, Wide, and Ultra-Wide camera array on the back, and new features include Smart HDR 4 for photos and a Photographic Styles mode. The aperture has been improved in some respects, going from f/1.6 to f/1.5 on the wide lens, and from f/2.4 to f/1.8 on the ultra-wide lens. However, the big gain in the telephoto lens is going from a 52mm (~2X) to a 77mm (~3X) focal length — so basically you can zoom in more and capture tight close-ups from farther away.
- Display: The iPhone 13 Pro display is a 6.1” Super Retina XDR display with HDR and True Tone, which matches the iPhone 12 Pro display. However, the iPhone 13 Pro display has an increased typical brightness of 1000 nits (up from 800 nits) and adds ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
- Battery Life: The iPhone 13 Pro battery life is rated as being able to offer up to 22 hours of video playback time, and up to 75 hours of audio playback time. This is increased from a rating of 17 hours for video and 65 hours for audio on the iPhone 12 Pro.
- Processor: The iPhone 13 Pro is powered by Apple’s new A15 Bionic chip, which has a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. In comparison, the iPhone 12 Pro is powered by an Apple A14 Bionic, which has a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
iPhone 13 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 11 Pro
The question now becomes whether you see the iPhone 13 Pro as being a must-have, or as a pass. The addition of ProMotion and 120Hz on the display are great features, and a bump in battery life is almost always welcomed. But overall, the majority of the features of the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro are the same. The release of the iPhone 13 Pro also doesn’t take anything away from the iPhone 12 Pro or the iPhone 11 Pro — which are both really great smartphones.
| iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro | |
| Display | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion and True Tone (2532 x 1170) | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with True Tone (2532 x 1170) | 5.8″ Super Retina XDR display with True Tone ( 2436 x 1125) |
| Network Connectivity | 5G / 4G LTE | 5G / 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| SIM Card | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) with dual eSIM support | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) |
| Processor | A15 Bionic with New 6-core CPU, New 5-core GPU, New 16-core Neural Engine | A14 Bionic with Next-generation Neural Engine | A13 Bionic with Third-generation Neural Engine |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Rear Camera | Pro 12MP (Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto) with Apple ProRAW | Pro 12MP (Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto) with Apple ProRAW | Triple 12MP (Ultra Wide, Wide, Telephoto) |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Power & Battery | Up to 22 hours of video playback, and up to 75 hours of audio playback | Up to 17 hours of video playback, and up to 65 hours of audio playback | Up to 18 hours of video playback, and up to 65 hours of audio playback |
| Charging | Lightning, Qi wireless charging, and MagSafe | Lightning, Qi wireless charging, and MagSafe | Lightning and Qi wireless charging |
| Fast Charging | Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter | Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter | Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 18W adapter |
| Water Resistance | IP68 (up to 6 meters for up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (up to 6 meters for up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (up to 4 meters for up to 30 minutes) |
| Size / Weight | 5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.30″ 7.19 ounces | 5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.29″ 6.66 ounces | 5.67″ x 2.81″ x 0.32″ 6.63 ounces |
| Security | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) |
| Materials | Ceramic Shield Front, Surgical-grade stainless steel | Ceramic Shield Front, Surgical-grade stainless steel | Glass front and back, Surgical-grade stainless steel |
| Colors | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Sierra Blue | Pacific Blue, Gold, Graphite, Silver | Midnight Green, Silver, Space Gray, Gold |
As you’ve likely noticed — there are quite a few similarities between these three smartphones. The iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t have 5G support, which could be a drawback down the road, but otherwise, we’d argue that most people would not notice a big difference in everyday use cases.
Is the Apple iPhone 13 Pro worth it?
The iPhone 13 Pro retail price starts at $999 for the 128GB model and increases to $1,499 for the 1TB model. The retail price for the 256GB model is $1,099 and the retail price for the 512GB model is $1,299. Based on these prices, and factoring in how the iPhone 13 Pro features match the iPhone 12 Pro in many respects — the iPhone 13 Pro is not worth the cost.
You should consider an iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro instead
We recommend looking for a gently used iPhone 12 Pro or an iPhone 11 Pro instead. Prices for a gently used iPhone 12 Pro currently start at around $775 on Swappa, which means you would be saving about $200. You can check out the current iPhone 12 Pro listings and begin searching for your next smartphone by tapping on the price widget below.
The iPhone 12 Pro is recommended over the iPhone 13 Pro, but provided you are good without the 5G support, the iPhone 11 Pro would be worth considering. The iPhone 11 Pro is currently priced from around $525 on Swappa — and that is roughly half the price of a new iPhone 13 Pro. We can certainly understand wanting the shiny new iPhone, but it is hard to argue with a savings of about $500, especially when the iPhone 11 Pro will soon be updated to iOS 15 (the same version of iOS that the iPhone 13 Pro will be running). Tap the widget below to begin your search for a gently used iPhone 11 Pro.
Regardless of whether you decide to go with an iPhone 12 Pro, an iPhone 11 Pro, or an iPhone 13 Pro — Swappa has you covered because Swappa is the safest marketplace to buy and sell your gently used tech.
This means you should feel confident knowing that you’ll get a great deal on a gently used iPhone 12 Pro or an iPhone 11 Pro. And, if you can’t resist the shiny new iPhone 13 Pro you can sell your current iPhone in the Swappa marketplace, which is the best place to sell your used iPhone for the most money.
Snag the best deals on used iPhones wherever you go. Download the Swappa App today!
