Probably the most people were waiting for the new Apple smartphones. They are better than their predecessors in every respect. It is worth noting, above all, the significant improvement in the possibilities of taking photos and recording videos, especially in the case of the Pro series. Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 13 before deciding to buy them.
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro versions of Apple smartphones that have so far been the most popular choice among customers.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max, announced on September 14, 2021, is the high-end, large-format model of the 15th iteration of Apple’s smartphone. It is equipped with a 6.7-inch 120 Hz OLED display, a 5G (NR & Sub-6) compatible Apple A15 Bionic SoC, and a 12 + 12 + 12-megapixel triple photosensor with OIS.
The iPhone 13 Pro is the top-of-the-line model of the 15th iteration of Apple’s smartphone. It is equipped with a 6.1-inch 120 Hz OLED display, a 5G (NR & Sub-6) compatible Apple A15 Bionic SoC, and a 12 + 12 + 12-megapixel triple photosensor with OIS.
Key Specification
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro | |
| Brand | Apple | Apple |
| Released | Sep 14, 2021 | Sep 14, 2021 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| Display | 6.7 inches | 6.1 inch |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
| Speakers | 2 | 2 |
The new, intense colors of the iPhone 13 are one of the most distinctive features in terms of appearance. And so the basic model and the iPhone Mini will be available in as many as five color versions: black, blue, pink, white and red. The Mini version received similar colors.
The Pro and Pro Max models, on the other hand, are a bit more serious in terms of colors and come in graphite, silver, gold, and blue.
Design
| Dimensions | 7.65 x 78.1 x 160.8mm | 7.65 x 71.5 x 146.7mm |
| Weight | 238 grams | 203 grams |
| Display Type | OLED | OLED |
| Screen Size | 6.7 inches | 6.1 inch |
| DPI | 458 dpi | 460 dpi |
| Screen Resolution | 1284 x 2778 pixels | 1170 x 2532 pixels |
| Display frequency | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Protection | Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating | Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating |
| Colors | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue |
There are no surprises here when it comes to appearance because no one expected a revolution in this field. And indeed, the new iPhone looks similar to the iPhone 12. This is probably the right step because the more angular shape of these devices caught on last year with a very enthusiastic response, which later translated into customer satisfaction after shopping.
However, going down to the details: the iPhone 13 has the sharpened edges of the housing, which is a bit thicker, because it is now 7.65 mm, which is 0.25 mm more than the iPhone 12.
The smaller notch is another long-awaited change. Apple sticks to its sophisticated Face ID system – and thus provides greater security in facial recognition. For this reason, the cutout in the screen remains, but thanks to the use of new technology, it no longer goes as deep into the display as in previous iPhone models.
Until now, all iPhone displays have run at 60 Hz. In an application with rapidly changing content or the constant scrolling of web pages, the display was choppy, and the image was flickering. The previous model expected changes in this matter, but it came only in this generation of iPhones.
However, it only applies to the Pro models. Apple has used a variable repetition rate control, which uses 120 Hz only when displaying moving content, but drops to as much as 10 Hz for static content. That’s the only way 120Hz won’t become a battery killer.
In addition, Apple reports that the iPhone 13 and 13 mini-screens will have 800 nits of brightness and reach up to 1,200 nits in HDR mode. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will have 1000 nits of brightness in the classic mode (max. 1200 nits).
Performance
| Processor | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| GPU | Apple GPU | Apple GPU |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2 + 4) | Hexa-core (2 + 4) |
| Internal | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB |
| Storage expansion | No | No |
| OTG | No | No |
| OS | iOS 15 | iOS 15 |
All this would not be possible without an extremely powerful processor. The 13 series iPhones feature the new A15 chip, which is more energy-efficient than its predecessor.
The chip managed to accommodate 15 billion transistors. Performance increased by 50%. 4 graphics cores have improved performance by 30%. The 16-core AI chip is capable of processing 15.8 trillion operations per second.
It’s still a 5nm chip and still a 6-core processor (with two new high-performance cores and four new high-performance cores), but Apple says it’s “the fastest processor in a smartphone,” up to 50 percent faster than the competition.
Available memory
It is worth noting that the minor memory variant is 128 GB. Twice as much as in the case of the 12 series. iPhone 13’s comes with a memory capacity of 256 and 512 GB.
Camera
| Rear | 12 + 12 + 12 MP | 12 + 12 + 12 MP |
| Front | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide) |
| Sensors | 4 | 4 |
| LIDAR sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Zoom | 3 X | 3 X |
| Video Recording | 4K @ 60 IPS | 4K @ 60 IPS |
| Rear flash | Double-LED Flash | Double-LED Flash |
| Image stabilizer | Optical | Optical |
| Photosites size | 1.9 μm | 1.9 μm |
| Aperture | f / 1.5 | f / 1.5 |
| Aperture second | f / 2.8 | f / 2.8 |
The most exciting thing in the latest iPhone series lies in the possibilities and functions of the camera application and photo and video editing. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini dual cameras have a 12-megapixel primary camera with the largest sensor Apple has ever placed in a smartphone.
In the two more expensive models: Pro and Pro Max, we will have three lenses (wide, ultra-wide-angle, and portrait) with a LiDAR sensor.
- Wide-angle: 12 MP, pixel size 1.9 μm, focal length 26 mm, aperture f / 1.5, support for Focus Pixels on the entire matrix, seven-element lens, optical image stabilization with sensor shift.
- Ultra wide-angle: 12MP, 13mm focal length, support for Focus Pixels, f / 1.8 aperture.
- Telephoto: 12MP, 77mm focal length, f / 2.8 aperture, Focus Pixels support, OIS, 3x optical zoom.
Interestingly, the iPhone 13 Pro will have the same photo module as the iPhone 13 Pro Max with optical matrix stabilization. Even more interesting, it will also be available in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini!
The macro mode on the ultra-wide-angle camera, which is equipped with autofocus. Thanks to this, you can take photos and videos of objects from a distance of only 2 cm. In addition, the night mode now works on all three cameras. The primary camera captures 2.2 times more light, while the ultra-wide-angle camera captures 92% more. The proprietary Smart HDR technology has been updated to the fourth version.
When shooting with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, so-called photographic styles are available. With their help, you can manually adjust the hue and warmth, thus creating your unique style, or use one of the templates provided. New iPhones support ProRes video recording at 4K 30 fps.
Regarding other camera updates and software updates, Apple strongly emphasized Cinematic Mode, i.e., the cinema mode. When recording video, it automatically changes the focus in real-time by intelligently shifting it when people enter the frame or look away from the camera. You will manually adjust the focus or lock the focus on a specific subject for more precise control. The front camera will also support this mode.
Apple focuses on functions related to photography and video recording. A significant part of the iPhone conference was devoted to this topic. The 13 mini and 13 still have two lenses.
IPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 lenses
- Wide (f / 1.6 aperture)
- ultra wide angle (f / 2.4 aperture and 120 ° field of view)
Video recorded on iPhone 13
It is safe to say that the 13 series iPhones are the best smartphones for video recording. Apple unveiled the Movie Mode, which automatically focuses on the selected object, and everything around is out of focus, creating a depth effect.Â
Everything happens automatically, and the result is stunning. During the conference, a short film material was presented and recorded with Movie Mode’s help (you can see it below). It makes a great impression. What’s more, the new mode even allows you to change the focus in post-production, i.e. after recording is finished.
Battery Life
| Battery technology | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| User-Replaceable | No | No |
| Fast Charging | 20 watts | 20 watts |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
Apple improved the power supply system. Thanks to the more energy-efficient A15 chip and a more extensive battery, the iPhone 13 has a 2.5-hour battery life and the 13 mini’s 1.5-hour battery life compared to the 12 series.
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro are both evolving. Apple promises that the iPhone 13 has two and a half hours more battery life than the iPhone 12, without citing any additional information.
The iPhone 13 Pro has an hour and a half more battery life compared to the older generation. Face to face; the difference shouldn’t be noticeable, although the iPhone 13 Pro might consume a bit more due to its refresh rate.
Connectivity
| SIM | nano-SIM | nano-SIM |
| Dual SIM | Yes | Yes |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| VoLTE | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Wifi | Wi-Fi 6 (ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (ax) |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Jack | No | No |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
5G connectivity is also better. The new iPhone supports more bands. The Smart Data mode automatically changes the connection speed to use the energy stored in the battery as efficiently as possible.
Sensors
| Fingerprint | No | No |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared | No | No |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| 3D face recognition | Yes | Yes |
iPhone 13 Pro
This version brings a still high-end finish and a better photosensor. We also note a gorgeous OLED screen, as often with the apple for some time.
There are always three sensors housed at the back of the device, along with the LiDAR sensor. However, everything has grown, the sensors are more extensive, and the photo module is much bigger than before. It also protrudes a little more than on the 12 Pro.
The iPhone 13 Pro also has the Apple A15 chip but a 5-core GPU, not just 4 like the Classic and Mini versions.
The screen adopts, as usual, the Super Retina Display XDR standard, with a maximum brightness of 1000 nits, and finally, we enjoy a 120 Hz screen on the iPhone! The screen is adaptive, and the frequency adapts automatically to be energy efficient, much more than on Android smartphones.
On the camera side, we find the three sensors as usual, with a telephoto sensor with optical zoom x3, a wide-angle sensor and an ultra-wide-angle sensor x0.5. Night mode also seems greatly improved with exceptional performance, allowing the stars to be photographed to near perfection, thanks to the exposure at 30 seconds.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max can also take close-up, really, really close macro shots, unlike what you can find on Android smartphones in general.
iPhone 13 Pro Max
The large-format version of the iPhone 13 Pro brings the same new features as the classic Pro version. However, it is still bigger, and it takes advantage of the same characteristics as the iPhone 13 Pro.
iPhone 13 Mini
We thought it had disappeared, but no, the iPhone 13 Mini is indeed in the game. This smaller version of the smartphone has not had its last word, and so much the better. Approximately the size of an iPhone 4, it also sees its notch reduced. The iPhone 13 Mini adopts the same characteristics as the classic version, except for the size.Â
Price
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in Silver, Blue, Gold and Graphite finishes. Pre-orders will open on September 17th. The cost of the regular Pro version starts at $ 999. The Pro Max option will cost at least $ 1,099.
The general appearance of the new models has not changed much compared to the 12 series. The only difference is the rear lens system, a smaller notch and fresh new colours.
Is It Worth Buying the New Iphone 13 Series
It all depends on the needs and possibilities. However, you should bear in mind that the changes mainly affect cameras. So if you want even better movies and photos, do not hesitate. The 13 series iPhones are currently the best smartphones for pictures and videos.
Perception changes when photos and videos are not prioritized. In such a situation, you should not focus on the Pro series. It is clear that the new models are always better than the previous ones in almost every way, but you should ask yourself if the difference is big enough to buy a new model. People who have an iPhone 12 and do not care about a better camera may wait for the purchase. There is no revolution.
