iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14: A Detailed Comparison

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are both excellent smartphones, but deciding between them can be tricky. Both offer premium features and a seamless iOS experience. This comprehensive comparison will delve into their key differences to help you make the right choice for your needs and budget.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 14 offers a marginal improvement over the iPhone 13, primarily in battery life and slightly brighter display. However, the iPhone 13 remains a fantastic value, especially considering its often lower price. For most users, the iPhone 13 provides an excellent experience, while the iPhone 14 is a worthwhile upgrade for those prioritizing longevity.

PHONES
Phone Names Apple iPhone 13 Apple iPhone 14
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 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, A26351, 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 - A2882, A2884
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A26331, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2882, A2884
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 MbpsHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / 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, A26351, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2883
Launch
Announced2021, September 142022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, September 24Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.30 in)146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight174 g (6.14 oz)172 g (6.07 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCeramic Shield glassCeramic Shield glass
Resolution1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUHexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetApple A15 Bionic (5 nm)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUApple GPU (4-core graphics)Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSiOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM
 NVMeNVMe
Main Camera
Dual12 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", 1.0µm12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide)
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), 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
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBLightning, USB 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Ultra Wideband (UWB) supportUltra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 updateWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Ion 3240 mAh (12.41 Wh)Li-Ion 3279 mAh (12.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsStarlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, GreenMidnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red, Yellow
ModelsA2633, A2482, A2631, A2634, A2635, iphone14,5A2882, A2649, A2881, A2884, A2883, iphone14,7
Price€ 304.00 / $ 249.97 / £ 248.00€ 344.00 / $ 277.58 / £ 300.00 / ₹ 64,900
SAR1.18 W/kg (head)     1.19 W/kg (body)1.15 W/kg (head)     1.16 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)0.98 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 89h Endurance rating 90h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -25.5 LUFS (Very good) -25.2 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 775519 (v9) GeekBench: 4645 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 817125 (v9) GeekBench: 4761 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Apple iPhone 13

  • Excellent value
  • Powerful A15 Bionic chip
  • Great camera performance
  • Compact and comfortable design
  • Excellent display

  • Slightly older design
  • No significant upgrades over previous generations
  • Charging speed could be faster

Apple iPhone 14

  • Slightly improved battery life
  • Marginally brighter display
  • Improved low-light camera performance
  • Photonic Engine
  • Modern design

  • Higher price
  • Uses the same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13
  • Charging speed remains the same

Display Comparison

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. The iPhone 14 boasts a slightly higher peak brightness of 804 nits compared to the iPhone 13's 802 nits, but the difference is barely noticeable in real-world use. Both offer excellent color accuracy and sharpness. Contrast ratio is effectively infinite on both.

Camera Comparison

The iPhone 14 introduces a larger main sensor and improved image processing, resulting in better low-light performance. It also features Photonic Engine for improved mid-to-low light performance. The iPhone 13 still delivers excellent image quality, but the iPhone 14 offers a noticeable upgrade, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. Cinematic mode and ProRes video recording are available on both.

Performance

Surprisingly, both phones share the same Apple A15 Bionic chip. While the iPhone 14 has a slightly tweaked version with an extra GPU core, the performance difference in everyday tasks and gaming is minimal. Both devices are incredibly fast and responsive.

Battery Life

The iPhone 14 has a slightly better endurance rating (90h) compared to the iPhone 13 (89h). While the difference isn't massive, it translates to a bit more usage time between charges. Both phones support fast charging (PD 2.0) and MagSafe wireless charging.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Apple iPhone 13? Users seeking a premium iPhone experience at a more accessible price point. It's ideal for those who don't need the absolute latest features and prioritize value. Who should buy the Apple iPhone 14? Users who want the slightly improved battery life and a marginally brighter display, and are willing to pay a premium for it. It's a good choice for those who plan to keep their phone for several years.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the iPhone 14 worth the upgrade from an iPhone 13?
It depends. If you prioritize slightly better battery life and improved low-light camera performance, the iPhone 14 is a worthwhile upgrade. However, if you're happy with your iPhone 13's performance and want to save money, sticking with the 13 is a great option.
❓ Do both iPhones support 5G?
Yes, both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 support 5G connectivity.