by The iPhone 13 has dropped in price so much that it has become an interesting alternative. It is available as a new device for as little as 660 euros. When considering current iPhone offers, you probably primarily think of the iPhone 15 or iPhone 1. The iPhone 13, which was released in 2021, has somewhat fallen out of view, although it is still available in the Apple Store.
The iPhone 13 is actually a better offer than you might think given its age. Since the end of 2021, the model has already been on the market – and looks remarkably similar to the 12 and 14 models. In terms of equipment and performance, Apple has made little changes to the 12, 13, and 14 models.
If you still own an iPhone 12, switching to the iPhone 13 will bring you little benefit, but if you are looking for affordable replacement for an old iPhone 11 or SE, the inexpensive iPhone 13 would be a good alternative to the expensive iPhone 14 or even 15. In fact, the thrifty NRW police force is currently introducing the iPhone 13 as a new work phone – the model is replacing the iPhone 8, which is no longer supported by Apple with updates.
The model presented in 2021 still offers good CPU performance, supports fast 5G network, and has an excellent display. It is still a good purchase as an everyday device, and the differences from the iPhone 14 are smaller than some might assume.
For the iPhone 14, you have to pay at least 729 euros, while the iPhone 13 is available from 660 euros and occasionally even cheaper. The refurbished model of the iPhone 13 is also available at a low price, with Swappie offering a moderately used device for just under 500 euros.
Design
Visually, the iPhone 12, 13, and 14 generations are hardly distinguishable – with the iPhone 12, Apple introduced a completely new and rather “edgy” case design, which it has barely changed. This design is still very attractive and modern today. It was not until the iPhone 15 that a new exterior and the new “Dynamic Island” instead of a “Notch” were introduced.
There have been few changes in colors, as well as in the good and large OLED display. It is not a small smartphone, but smaller and lighter than the bulky iPhone 11. If you want an even smaller model, you should take a look at the elegant iPhone Mini with a 5.4-inch display. The color choices are Polar Star, Midnight, Blue, Rose, and Red.
Foundry
Performance
There is little to criticize about the iPhone 13’s performance. The performance leaps between the three variants are smaller than you might expect. The iPhone 13 was already equipped with the fairly powerful A15 Bionic, which still offers good performance and is also used in the iPhone 14 – albeit with 6 GB of RAM instead of 4 GB in this case.
Since then, there has been little change in the clock speed and performance of the CPU. In the successors A15 and A16, Apple mainly improved the graphics performance and AI support – which could be particularly important for intensive gamers. However, the graphic performance of the expensive iPhone 15 Pro is far superior.
Apple was able to improve the battery life of the models 13 and 14. For a task such as video playback, Apple promises a runtime of 19 hours for the iPhone 13, while the iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 only manage 17 hours – thanks to more efficient chips.
But how will it be in two or three years? You don’t have to worry much, you will still be able to use the iPhone 13 easily in the coming years. Although the iPhone was released in 2021, Apple still uses the A14 of the iPhone 13 in the iPhone 14 and will therefore support this chip for the next four years according to our estimate.
Best current price: iPhone 13 with 128 GB
Mini-Models
There is a very interesting pocket version of the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Mini with a 5.4-inch OLED display and only 135 grams in weight. The predecessor, the iPhone 12 Mini, was disappointing due to rather poor battery life, but with the iPhone 13 Mini, Apple has improved this and many other details. Even the base model comes with a contemporary 128 GB of storage. However, this model is now quite expensive and costs from 770 euros! If you want a small iPhone, the iPhone 13 Mini is currently the best choice, and we would rather advise against the iPhone 12 Mini.
Photo and Video
There has been little change in the camera between the model changes from iPhone 12 to 14, all models offer a high-quality main camera and an ultra-wide-angle camera on the back. It was not until the expensive iPhone 15 that a significantly improved camera with 48 megapixels and 2X zoom was added.
You will also have to do without the so-called Photonic Engine (from iPhone 14) and Photo Styles, as well as videos with Cinema Mode and Action Mode (also only from iPhone 14). However, the iPhone 13 still takes excellent photos and videos. As a photo enthusiast or videographer, you might want to go straight for the iPhone 15, as it offers higher performance and a better camera.
5G
Currently, 5G is still sparsely developed even in big cities, but this is expected to change in the coming years. According to our opinion, this should not be underestimated, as 5G (if available) not only offers high download rates, but also excellent latency.
Conclusion
The iPhone 13 is still a contemporary iPhone with a good screen, good camera, and excellent battery life. Although there is a successor model, the iPhone 14, you will have to pay at least 729 euros and will hardly get any added value. If you want more performance and a better camera, you will have to go straight to the expensive iPhone 15.
