iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the iPhone 13 is the better buy. The 89-hour endurance rating represents a noticeable improvement over the iPhone 12’s 84 hours, and the A15 Bionic offers a tangible performance boost. While the core experience remains similar, the iPhone 13 delivers a more refined and future-proofed package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2172 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2633, A2634, A2635 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2172 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2633 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2634, A2635 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 13 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 23 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.29 in) | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 164 g (5.78 oz) | 174 g (6.14 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 2815 mAh (10.78 Wh) | Li-Ion 3240 mAh (12.41 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green |
| Models | A2403, A2172, A2402, A2404, iPhone13,2 | A2633, A2482, A2631, A2634, A2635, iphone14,5 |
| Price | $ 190.00 / C$ 307.99 / £ 190.00 / € 219.00 / ₹ 54,900 | € 304.00 / $ 249.97 / £ 248.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 84h | Endurance rating 89h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.4 LUFS (Very good) | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 568674 (v8) GeekBench: 4067 (v5.1) GFXBench: 58fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 775519 (v9) GeekBench: 4645 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 12
- Generally lower price point
- Still a very capable performer
- Excellent OLED display quality
- Shorter battery life (84h endurance)
- Slightly slower processor (A14 Bionic)
Apple iPhone 13
- Longer battery life (89h endurance)
- Faster processor (A15 Bionic)
- Brighter display (802 nits)
- Higher initial cost
- Incremental upgrade over iPhone 12
Display Comparison
Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 boast an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, indicative of excellent OLED panel quality. However, the iPhone 13 distinguishes itself with a measured peak brightness of 802 nits, a significant improvement over the iPhone 12’s unspecified peak brightness. This translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize similar OLED technology, the increased brightness of the iPhone 13 provides a more comfortable viewing experience in challenging lighting conditions.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable photo and video recording, but specific details regarding sensor size and lens apertures are absent from the provided data. The A15 Bionic’s image signal processor (ISP) in the iPhone 13 likely delivers improved image processing, resulting in better dynamic range and noise reduction. Without detailed sensor specifications, it’s difficult to quantify the camera improvements, but the A15’s processing power suggests a noticeable advantage for the iPhone 13 in challenging lighting conditions.
Performance
The iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chipset, built on a 5nm process, represents a modest but measurable performance uplift over the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic. The A15 features a hexa-core CPU with 2x3.23 GHz Avalanche cores and 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard cores, compared to the A14’s 2x3.1 GHz Firestorm and 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm configuration. This results in slightly faster processing speeds, particularly in CPU-intensive tasks. While both phones handle everyday tasks with ease, the A15 provides headroom for more demanding applications and future software updates.
Battery Life
The iPhone 13’s endurance rating of 89 hours is a clear improvement over the iPhone 12’s 84 hours. Both support wired charging via PD2.0, achieving a 50% charge in 30 minutes. Wireless charging is supported via 15W MagSafe and Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.2 on the iPhone 13 and iOS 17.4 on the iPhone 12). The increased endurance of the iPhone 13 translates to a longer-lasting battery throughout a typical day, reducing the need for frequent charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 if you prioritize value and are satisfied with a solid, capable smartphone experience. It remains a powerful device, especially at current discounted prices. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 if you demand the longest possible battery life, slightly faster performance for demanding tasks like video editing, and a brighter display for outdoor visibility. The iPhone 13 is the choice for those who want the latest and greatest within the Apple ecosystem.