TLDR: Is the iPhone 13 worth buying? No, not for most users at this time because the iPhone 12 has many of the same features for much less money.
Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 13 lineup on September 14, 2021. The iPhone 13 lineup includes four models: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. We’ll be taking a look at each of these four models, beginning with the iPhone 13.
Continue reading if you’ve been wondering whether you should get an iPhone 13, or if you should save money and get an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12.
Read more: Apple iPhone 13: Everything you need to know
What are the new iPhone 13 features?
A new iPhone typically means new features, and that holds true with the release of the iPhone 13. Some of the key improvements include a new processor and more storage options.
The iPhone 13 will be powered by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, which uses 5-nanometer technology. The A15 Bionic chip consists of a 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, a 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine that is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second.
The iPhone 12 offered options for 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of internal storage space. Apple dropped the 64GB option, and the iPhone 13 storage now starts at 128GB with options for either 256GB or 512GB.
Some of the other new features that are arriving with the iPhone 13 include:
- Improved Super Retina XDR OLED display: Typical max brightness increased from 625 nits on the iPhone 12 to 800 nits on the iPhone 13.
- Improved Battery Life: Apple noted the iPhone 13 will offer up to 2.5 hours more battery life compared to the iPhone 12.
- Improved Rear Camera: The iPhone 13 has Smart HDR 4 for photos, which is a bump from Smart HDR 3 on the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 also has new Photographic Styles and a Cinematic Mode for recording videos with a shallow depth of field.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12 vs iPhone 11
At first glance, the new features of the iPhone 13 seem pretty great. But when you dive further into the specs and look to see just how they compare to the iPhone 12 — you may not feel the need to rush out and pick up an iPhone 13. You can see how the iPhone 13 stacks up against the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 in the table below.
iPhone 13 | iPhone 12 | iPhone 11 | |
Display | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with True Tone (2532 x 1170) | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with True Tone (2532 x 1170) | 6.1″ Liquid Retina HD display with True Tone (1792 x 828) |
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 4-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 | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
Rear Camera | Dual 12MP (Ultra Wide and Wide) | Dual 12MP (Ultra Wide and Wide) | Dual 12MP (Ultra Wide and Wide) |
Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
Power & Battery | Up to 19 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 17 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 20W 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 2 meters for up to 30 minutes) |
Size / Weight | 5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.30″ 6.14 ounces | 5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.29″ 5.78 ounces | 5.94″ x 2.98″ x 0.33″ 6.84 ounces |
Security | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) | Face ID (using TrueDepth front camera) |
Materials | Ceramic Shield front, Aerospace-grade aluminum | Ceramic Shield front, Aerospace-grade aluminum | Glass front and back, Aerospace-grade aluminum |
Colors | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red | Purple, Blue, Green, Red, White, Black | Purple, Yellow, Green, Black, White, Red |
As you likely noticed, there are quite a few similarities between these three models. One key difference is 5G, which is not supported on the iPhone 11. But while the display on the iPhone 13 is a bit brighter, it is the same size and resolution as the iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 and 12 also share charging methods, fast charging times, and are made of the same materials. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 also offer a very similar camera experience, and very similar battery life — two key features for lots of iPhone buyers.
Is the Apple iPhone 13 worth it?
The iPhone 13 looks pretty great, but we feel the iPhone 12 is the better buy right now. Buying a gently used iPhone 12 will give you much of the same user experience for a much lower price.
You should consider an iPhone 12 or iPhone 11 instead
If you are looking for 512GB of internal storage space, or want one of the new colors such as Starlight — the iPhone 13 is worth considering. But otherwise, we recommend getting a gently used iPhone 11 or an iPhone 12.
The new iPhone 13 has a starting retail price of $799 for the 128GB model. The retail price then increases to $899 for the 256GB model and goes up to $1,099 for the 512GB. Prices for a gently used iPhone 12 from the Swappa marketplace currently start at around $620.
The iPhone 11 is a year older (released in 2019) as compared to the iPhone 12 (released in 2020), which makes it two generations older than the iPhone 13 — but that also means the prices are much better. The iPhone 11 has a current starting price of around $395 in the Swappa marketplace, which for those not keeping track — is about half the price of an iPhone 13.
Regardless of whether you decide to buy an iPhone 12 or iPhone 11 — you can take comfort knowing that you’ll get a great deal when you buy a gently used model on Swappa.
Swappa is the safest marketplace to buy and sell gently used tech. Swappa is also an active marketplace, so you’ll have a wide range of different iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 models to choose between. In addition, you can also sell your current iPhone as a way to fund your upgrade and further lower the cost.
Read more: Best places to sell your iPhone for the most money
Snag the best deals on used iPhones wherever you go. Download the Swappa App today!