Making a decision between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro is difficult because each device has advantages and disadvantages. The Pro phone is more expensive, but the ordinary phone has less features.
Overall, the iPhone 13 from Apple is a great phone for practically all users, while the iPhone 13 Pro adds a second camera and more “pro” functions.
However, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro may suddenly be more appealing to you than these models. Since the iPhone 13 Pro is no longer being manufactured, it will become much more difficult to obtain in stock in the future. Although the iPhone 13 is still available for purchase, the iPhone 14 is undoubtedly an advance, even if it is just slight.
However, instead of these versions, you might now wish to have a look at the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. Since the iPhone 13 Pro is no longer being manufactured, finding it in stock will become considerably more difficult in the future. Even if the iPhone 13 is still available, the iPhone 14 is undoubtedly an advance (even if it is only marginal), and it costs the same as the iPhone 13 did when it was first released. Therefore, if you have the same budget, there is no reason to consider the 2021 model.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Specs
| iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $699 | $799 |
| Storage | 128, 256, 512GB | 128, 256, 512 GB |
| Screen size | 5.4 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Resolution/PPI | 2340 x 1080/476 | 2532 x 1170/460 |
| Adaptive refresh | No | No |
| Chip | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| Rear cameras | Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide) | Dual 12MP (Wide, ultrawide) |
| Zoom | None / 5x digital | None / 5x digital |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Colors | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink | Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink |
| Size | 5.2 x 2.5 x 0.3 inches | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 4.97 ounces | 6.14 ounces |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery life | 8:41 | 10:33 |
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Prices and storage
The iPhone 13 small costs $699, the iPhone 13 costs $799, the iPhone 13 Pro costs $999, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max costs $1,099. All of these models are currently on sale. These costs are, correspondingly, £679, £779, £949, and £1,049 in the United Kingdom.
The 64GB storage option has been eliminated, and all four phones now start at 128GB before having 256GB and 512GB models. However, the 1TB model on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max gives them a distinct advantage.
As usual, the iPhone 13 small and iPhone 13 are much more affordable, but if you value large amounts of storage, you should consider the Pro models. But given that they are not inexpensive, we advise
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 small continue to be very affordable, but if you value large amounts of storage, you should consider the Pro models. However, they are not inexpensive, therefore we advise you to visit our special page for iPhone 13 discounts to find the best bargains.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Design and colors
The good news is that the notches on all four of the new iPhone 13 models are smaller. In reality, they have been cut by 20%, giving you a little more screen space regardless of which one you’re using.
Despite this, the iPhone 13 range’s design isn’t significantly changed from the iPhone 12 models. With the exception of being a tad thicker, they are all almost comparable in terms of size to the models from last year (0.30 inches rather than 0.29).
This means that the iPhone mini 13, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 Pro all have dimensions of 2.53 x 5.18 x 0.3 inches, 2.82 x 5.78 x 0.3 inches, and the same as the iPhone 13. In contrast, the enormous iPhone 13 Max measures 3.07 x 6.33 x 0.3 inches.
Both also include a brand-new camera array on the back; we’ll talk more about it later. This is where the design changes between the two are most noticeable. The main lenses on the iPhone 13 small and iPhone 13 are positioned diagonally, but the main lenses on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are arranged over a bigger camera module.
The two phones’ colour options are also very dissimilar. Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, and (PRODUCT)RED are the five colours available for the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13. While there are only four options available for the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, they are at least more subdued and appealing in our opinion. Choose from Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue here.
Finally, the rear glass of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is matte and textured, as opposed to the regular glass surface on the iPhone 13 and 13 mini.
In the end, there isn’t much to it in terms of design, and it’s unlikely that it will influence your choice of model.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Displays
The 5.4-inch display on the iPhone 13 small and the 6.1-inch screens on the standard iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro are the identical sizes for all four iPhone 13 models as they were previously. With a 6.7-inch display, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is, of course, the largest.
Utilizing Apple’s brand-new Super Retina XDR OLED panels, all four variants are available. The brightness of the display on the iPhone 13 has increased by 28% to 1200 nits in HDR mode from its regular outdoor brightness of 800 nits. When used outdoors, the displays on the iPhone 13 Pro Max models are 1000 nits on average and can reach a maximum of 1200 nits.
The latest Super Retina XDR OLED panels from Apple are used in all four variants. With an increase in brightness of 28%, the iPhone 13’s display offers a peak intensity of 1200 nits in HDR mode and an average outdoor brightness of 800 nits. Comparatively, the displays on the iPhone 13 Pro Max versions have a usual outdoor brightness of 1000 nits and a maximum brightness of 1200 nits.
The ProMotion display on the later variants of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro phones has an adjustable refresh rate, allowing the screen to change from a quick 120Hz to a 10Hz in order to save battery life. This is the major difference between the two phones.
Given that many low-cost Android phones feature displays with such high refresh rates, it is unfortunate that Apple didn’t equip all four iPhone 13 models with them. But it’s undeniably a feature that sets the Pro versions apart from the iPhone 13’s entry-level device.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Cameras
The iPhone 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max have all earned a spot on our list of the best camera phones because all four iPhone 13 models provide outstanding phone photography.
The three cameras on the iPhone 13 Pro models are noticeably different from the two rear cameras on the iPhone 13, though.
The 12MP main camera on the iPhone 13 has a new sensor that allows in 47% more light for better nighttime photography, while the 12MP ultra-wide camera has a quicker sensor. Unlike the iPhone 12, both of these cameras are set up in a diagonal rather than a vertical line. And they produce striking images with vivid colors, enhanced night photography on the ultra-wide camera, and four times more scene capture.
Previously an iPhone 12 Pro Max feature, sensor-shift optimization is now available on all iPhone 13 models. This enables the lens to move, improving its ability to adapt to uneven changes in movement.
Similar improvements are made to the iPhone 13 Pro models, although they look more spectacular on paper thanks to bigger apertures on the main and ultra-wide cameras and a LiDAR scanner that can be used for portrait pictures in the dark.
Apple claims that the ultra-wide camera now provides a 92% improvement in low-light photography, and it also has a macro mode, allowing users to get up close and personal with tiny objects. The iPhone 13 Pro phones outperform their conventional siblings in macro mode, providing better super-close-ups. Just keep in mind that the macro mode can occasionally be difficult to use because it triggers fussily and jerkily. Apple is working on a fix, though.
The iPhone 13 lacks a telephoto camera, but both the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max now have one that is significantly improved. With a digital zoom of up to 15x, the new 77mm telephoto lens offers an optical zoom range of 6x. With more zooming options than the iPhone 12 Pro and a bigger f/1.5 aperture, this new telephoto camera surpasses the iPhone 13 simply by being available. It also lets in more light.
The question is whether you would want to spend significantly more money for the additional lens and certain sophisticated functions. The iPhone 13 Pro models have an advantage over the normal iPhones when it comes to camera specs, just like last year.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Video
Video can be recorded on all four iPhone 13 devices at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. Additionally, all smartphones deliver reliable point-and-shoot video capability, as has been the case with the iPhone’s previous iterations.
Additionally, there is a brand-new “Cinematic” mode for recording films that features powerful portrait mode video with smart, nearly immediate focusing between various subjects. But keep in mind that only 1080p videos can be played in this mode. Additionally, we discovered that the Cinematic mode isn’t perfect in real-world tests because it takes a little longer than anticipated to identify faster moving objects.
In addition to having an additional telephoto camera, the iPhone 13 Pro has an advantage in video because it can record in ProRez, Apple’s new high-quality, lossy video compression format designed for users who want more control over video editing but don’t want to fill up their phones with uncompressed videos. ProRez can only shoot 1080p films at 30 frames per second in place of 4K at the same frame rate if you only have the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Performance
The new Apple A15 Bionic chip is standard across all iPhone 13 models. The device, which was created using a 5-nanometer manufacturing technique, has six CPU cores, two of which are designed for heavy workloads and the other four for lighter ones. Overall, Apple boasts that the A15 Bionic performs 50% faster than the industry’s top competitor, Qualcomm.
However, there are some differences between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro in terms of visuals. The latter has five GPU cores, compared to the former’s four. Apple claims that the iPhone 13 has 30% more graphics performance than top Android phones, but added that the iPhone 13 Pro’s extra core in the A15 Bionic CPU will give it 50% more graphics performance than competing devices. However, it should be mentioned that some vehicles have experienced Bluetooth difficulties.
In our tests, the iPhone 13 achieved 1,684 in the single-core test and 4,129 on the Geekbench 5 multi-core test. It was almost beaten out by the iPhone 13 Pro, which scored 4,718 and 1,733 points, respectively. Really, there isn’t much of a change there to detect any actual performance disparity in normal use.
The iPhone 13 achieved 55.9 frames per second in 3DMark Wild Life graphics tests, compared to the iPhone 13 Pro’s highly commendable 70 frames per second. That additional GPU core is undoubtedly busy. Consequently, if you want the finest gaming performance, you should choose the iPhone 13 Pro, albeit the ordinary phone won’t be inferior either.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Battery
Although Apple never divulges the precise battery capacity of its phones, the four iPhone 13 models have all received battery upgrades.
This has worked well in our testing, which entails sustained web browsing over 5G with the screen brightness set to 150 nits. Battery life for the iPhone 13 small was 8 hours and 41 minutes, for the iPhone 13, it was 10 hours and 33 minutes, for the iPhone 13 Pro, it was 11 hours and 42 minutes, and for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, it was 12 hours and 16 minutes.
Therefore, the iPhone 13 Pro versions are the ones to choose if you want the best battery life, but the iPhone 13 still outperforms the iPhone 12 in terms of electrical endurance.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Buy now or wait?
You could be considering holding off till the iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro given the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro have been available for more than six months.
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro are both excellent choices if you need a new iPhone right away, as if yours is broken. Roland Moore-Colyer even switched from Android to iOS because of the iPhone 13 Pro. The ability to perform your own repairs is now available if you purchase any of the two iPhone 13 models, courtesy to Apple’s new iPhone Self Service Repair kits.
If you decide to wait, the iPhone 14 Pro is likely to be the best option since it is expected to receive more significant updates than the normal next-generation iPhone. The iPhone 14 may only be a slight improvement over the iPhone 13, according to the current speculations, but the iPhone 14 Pro may include a considerable revamp.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Verdict
All four of the iPhone 13 models are essentially incremental improvements over their predecessors. However, they still rank among the top iPhones available right now.
In our assessment of the iPhone 13, we came to the conclusion that it is the best iPhone for the majority of users, while the iPhone 13 mini is simply a suitable option for those who prefer a smaller phone. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the finest phone overall if you’re ready to spend more, which may make this decision difficult.
The iPhone 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max are your best options if you want Apple’s top phone camera, performance, and display; just be prepared to shell out a significant amount of money for the latter. If you don’t need telephoto zoom or 120Hz, the normal iPhone 13 should be adequate.
Conclusion
Although the Apple iPhone 13 is an excellent gadget, the iPhone 13 Pro offers additional alternatives. For instance, you may zoom in fairly close with the telephoto lens without losing sharpness in your pictures or videos. ProMotion also allows for a higher refresh rate on the screen. Animations now appear more fluid as a result. The only iPhone with a 1TB storage capacity is the iPhone 13 Pro. If you take a lot of images and films that are of good quality, this is helpful. In addition, the iPhone 13 Pro’s battery lasts longer. Talking about the comparison of two geek phones of the same company, there is another amazing phone comparison that you must read out Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S10 to see what’s happening on Samsung’s side.