Can Iphone Technicians Tell If The Phone Had Been Repaired?

In this iPhone 13 review, we're looking at what will likely be the most popular model in the new iPhone range, although there are ii more than advanced models in a higher place information technology. It promises the perfect balance of features and cost, and naturally, it also looks and feels great in the hand.

At that place's a proficient reason why the iPhone 12 has topped our best phone guide since its launch, and the iPhone 13 is a worthy replacement, delivering smart and genuinely useful upgrades where they're almost wanted.

Y'all've got fifty-fifty better cameras, especially in dimmer light; more battery life; more storage; a brighter screen that's more visible in sunlight; a faster and more efficient processor… all of these mean that the experience of using the iPhone day-in, twenty-four hours-out is excellent.

Apple tree hasn't tried to throw in some whizzy new feature or design simply for the sake of information technology – information technology's focused on making certain the iPhone delights you where it tin, and doesn't disappoint where information technology shouldn't.

Check out the all-time iPhone xiii deals
Read our Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review
And our Apple iPad mini (sixth Gen) review

iPhone 13 review: Price & release date

The iPhone 13 was released on 24 September 2022.

If you buy SIM-complimentary, the price starts from £779/$799/AU$one,349 for the 128GB version. This is an first-class starting size, and I doubt nigh people will feel the need to go larger than this. Heavy users may discover that they hit the limit of this size, specially if you download a lot of games or want to tape a ton of video, only most users likely won't have a trouble.

If yous exercise need to become for a bigger capacity, though, you tin can go a 256GB version for £879/$899/AU$1,519, or get for a hefty 512GB for £1,079/$1,099/AU$1,869.

iPhone xiii review: features and what's new

The iPhone 13's upgrades are subtle this twelvemonth simply when you add together them all up they amount to a significant change over the iPhone 12. On the photographic camera side, there are new sensors on both of the rear cameras and the new Cinematic style for shallow focus video. The latest A15 Bionic scrap features a 6-core CPU and a 4-core graphics processor. The xvi-cadre Neutral Engine is likewise brand new and is designed to ameliorate handle photography tasks.

On acme of that, there's a bigger battery, which forth with the more than efficient processor, helps to provide longer battery life. The Super Retina XDR screen is brighter and there are more 5G bands for greater 5G coverage.

iPhone thirteen review: design

At a quick glance, information technology would be difficult to differentiate the iPhone thirteen from the iPhone 12. It has the same flat edges and an almost identical bezel. Seeing as the iPhone 12 was possibly the best-looking phone to date though, that's no bad thing.

Despite non having the stainless-steel bands of the Pro models and having a sleeky rather than matte glass back, the iPhone 13 yet feels similar a premium device. It certainly doesn't accept the plasticky feel of many Android devices.

The plus side of non having the steel bands of the Pro model and using aluminum instead is that information technology's lighter than the Pro – it weighs 173g, while the iPhone 13 Pro weighs 203g, and you lot'd be amazed how much you notice that 30g difference. The iPhone 13, like the iPhone 12 before information technology, is merely easier to hold and shift around in your hand than the Pro version.

This year'southward range comes in a choice of five colors: pink, blue, midnight (black), starlight (white) and (Product)Red. The model I tested was finished in pinkish merely rather than existence garish, this light pastel shade looks grown-up, and the sides could almost be mistaken for rose gold.

While the color choice is nice, if y'all're going to be putting a case on your iPhone – which, permit'due south face it, most of us are – you are unlikely to encounter it, aside from when you remove your SIM card or the small window you tin can meet under the camera bump. The range of silicon and leather Apple cases for the iPhone lucifer all the available colors and give more options, such as the clover green, a more vibrant pink pomelo, and marigold orange. Apple tree offers a articulate example, too, if you want your original colour to testify through.

The diagonal mounting of the dual cameras is also more than pleasing to the eye and feels more than balanced than the previous vertical alignment. The camera bump is larger but is disguised by the fact that the outer crash-land is completely come across-through.

On the front, the camera notch is clearly smaller, at least in width. This seems to have been accomplished past making the speaker grill longer and thinner, and moving information technology to the very top of the sensors in the notch rather than dividing them. The effect is that the battery, Wi-Fi and network betoken are fractionally larger and don't seem as squidged in. It doesn't seem to have whatever other advantages and while I'd rather it wasn't there at all, it doesn't really offend me either.

Many users were hoping that this model would brand the switch to USB-C charging, equally the iPad Air, iPad mini and MacBook have in recent releases. Still, that wasn't to exist for this year and the iPhone xiii keeps the Lightning connector, which does at least mean those one-time chargers and accessories volition still work. Those of us who retrieve the pain of switching from Firewire to USB on the iPods or 30-pin to Lightning on the iPhone volition be pleased not to accept to refresh a drove of leads built up over many years.

Having used all sizes of iPhone over the years, I have to say that the iPhone 13 is the perfect size for me. While I love the screen size of the Pro Max models and the pocketability of the iPhone mini, the 6.ane-inch display is big plenty for video and spider web browsing, while yous tin still hold the telephone comfortably and type with one mitt. And while my pollex tin't reach the top of the brandish, the new lower address bar in Safari means fifty-fifty that is manageable.

iPhone 13 review: display and speakers

The iPhone xiii's screen is very similar to the iPhone 12's, in that it's a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1170x2532. That makes information technology a razor-abrupt 460 pixels per inch, and it's borderline impossible to make out individual pixels.

It withal supports features such as the P3 wide color gamut and Truthful Tone, and there'southward Dolby Vision HDR, with the display boosting its maximum brightness to a Goggle box-beating 1,200 nits when watching HDR movies.

The but real alter in the display this twelvemonth is the brightness during full general apply when outdoors – it can at present heave itself to 800 nits of maximum effulgence, which is a big increase from the 625 nits that the iPhone 12 managed.

The difference in this brandish compared to the iPhone 12 is subtle, but when you compare identical images and videos it's possible to meet a little more effulgence from the iPhone thirteen. That's no criticism though. Like the iPhone 12, this screen looks stunning, with deep blacks and rich, lifelike colors. Watching shows similar Globe at Night on Apple tree Goggle box – which has both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound – is crisper and more than lifelike than on most TVs.

The contrast of the screen is as skillful outdoors as information technology is within, and remains easy to view fifty-fifty in brilliant sunny atmospheric condition thanks to that extra brightness, which helps what's on the screen to punch through reflections.

Certain, the lack of ProMotion technology hither ways that the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, and you tin can see a difference compared to phones that take high-refresh rates, but unless you're planning on lots of gaming on this telephone, you probably won't miss it in whatsoever existent ways. I'm sure future versions of the standard iPhone will somewhen get 120Hz, but non having it here isn't a deal-billow.

The speakers provide ample volume for a true pic experience in your manus. Putting the telephone in landscape orientation will give you the true stereo effect, with that slim new top speaker balancing the grills at the base of the phone. This provides an impressively wide soundscape while placing any narration right in the heart of the screen. There's plenty of bass also as detailed mids and loftier end – in Billie Eilish's I didn't change my number, y'all can feel that bass drum pedal and almost picture the stick hitting the high hat.

iPhone 13 review: photographic camera and video

The rear camera system in the iPhone thirteen isn't very different from the iPhone 12 or even the iPhone 11 when you await at the headline features: a dual-camera setup, with one broad-angle lens and one ultra-wide lens, both with a 12MP sensor.

But the performance hither is noticeable comeback over the iPhone 12 in a lot of situations, and a big footstep up from the iPhone xi (which was non exactly a slouch in the ol' camera department).

Information technology'southward all virtually how the cameras work: the sensors let in more than light this fourth dimension, which ways they tin capture more than realistic colours and sharper details, and can take clearer low-light shots.

Adding to the low-calorie-free improvement is the new sensor-shift paradigm stabilization, which means that the iPhone can utilize a slower shutter speed for low-light shots, because when your hand shakes subtly during the photo, the phone really moves the sensor in the opposite direction to cancel it out, fugitive any smearing.

Apple has likewise upgraded its image processing and added a new 'Photographic Styles' feature. These basically allow you to choose different presets for how the iPhone processes the image – you can shot them more to your gustatory modality without applying a filter later. Filters are dumb, and work on the whole photo equally – Photographic Styles are smarter, with different parts of the shots existence handled differently, and so they can practice things like make colors bolder without changing skin tones.

The choices are Standard, Vibrant, Rich Contrast, Warm, and Cool. Then, if yous're actually a fan of the way Samsung's cameras produce more saturated colours than Apple tree's, now y'all can have the iPhone shoot more similar that instead.

The images from the iPhone 13 have reduced the corporeality of racket compared to the iPhone 12. This is probable a issue of that larger aperture and sensor, but as well some improved processing.

The exposure is also a little better balanced. The shadows give more detail while highlights remain well controlled. Thanks to the Smart HDR 4, it manages to do this while keeping a very natural look to the paradigm.

Nighttime style provides a slightly darker-looking paradigm than we saw from the iPhone 12. This looks more than natural, keeping that dark experience, rather than making information technology wait more than like daylight.

The combination of wide and ultra-wide lenses on the iPhone 13 cover most bases, with the ultra-wide providing some really dynamic landscapes and portraits. However, those looking for more classic portraits will miss having a longer lens, like on the xiii Pro.

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iPhone 13 test shots — Main camera: iPhone 12 (left), iPhone 13 (right) – swipe for details

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iPhone 13 test shot — The images that come up out of the iPhone 13 are impressive in whatsoever low-cal. This dusk shot shows excellent exposure and item

When it comes to video, you've got the ability to record in 4K at up to 60fps with Dolby Vision HDR, or if you drop to 1080p you can tape in slo-mo at upward to 240fps (enabling an 8x slowdown).

The overall quality of the video is impressive from the iPhone 13, especially in its 4K way. Thanks to the new sensor-shift stabilization, it'southward possible to get a actually polish panning shot by hand and past with a long press on the zoom value, you tin use the punch to gently zoom in and out, rather than simply jumping betwixt lenses.

When shooting in the slower 24 and 30 fps modes, you lot do see some rolling shutter when panning fast over hard vertical lines, such as door frames. Withal, when prepare to 60fps this doesn't prove. Instead, the slight delay of the stabilization is noticeable.

In that location's also a whole new way to record video: Cinematic Style. This is like a Portrait Style for video, in that information technology enables y'all to create a false depth-of-field with your subject in sharp focus, making things look very premium and, yes, cinematic.

But it's much, much smarter than that. While yous're recording, the iPhone can find when the focus should alter – to someone who's just walked into shot, say, or to an object that someone turned to look at – and does this automatically and smoothly, giving it a look as if a professional person photographic camera operator is controlling it.

Even ameliorate is that later on yous've finished recording, you tin really and then change the focal point of the videos if you want, including shifting information technology around multiple times during a single piece of video. You tin also cull how deep the focus should be, just like when editing Portrait Mode still photos.

I've been playing effectually with the Cinematic mode for a couple of days and while it does work pretty well, information technology tin struggle in low calorie-free and has a tendency to hunt in certain situations. This is especially the example for busier nighttime scenes.

Being able to edit the focus changes once you've finished taking the shot is incredible and something that I'chiliad sure every director wishes they could do with their camera. You tin command the overall level of blur (past changing the f-stop outcome from f/2 all the way to f/16), and the focus shifts, manually. Yous can fifty-fifty delete focus changes that were fabricated while recording. In the coming months, both iMovie and Concluding Cut Pro X will allow you to alter the focus in the software too.

It's possible here because the bokeh, or blur, you are seeing in the image isn't a outcome of the lens, it's substantially an outcome that is added to the file, as in portrait way. Fifty-fifty with these wider aperture lenses, the iPhone will proceed well-nigh of the scene in focus, from a couple of meters to infinity. Because of this, the raw epitome and the blur effect can be saved and edited separately.

Cinematic mode is available from the front camera, the rear main camera and the 77mm telephoto camera on the thirteen Pro and Pro Max. Y'all can't utilize the ultra-wide-bending camera or choose the wider view from the front photographic camera. It is also only available in 1080P at 30fps and not 4K – though it does use Dolby Vision.

While information technology'southward unlikely to exist used by professional filmmakers (ProRes is likely to have a bigger affect), information technology is a groovy tool for those budding amateurs looking to create better-looking movies. I would recommend ignoring the automatic focus changes and transmission adjustments while recording and but do it all in the edit. If it does change when you want it to, it'due south simply a bonus. Otherwise, you can add together them exactly where you want them afterward and without risking noisy thuds in the audio every bit you tap on the screen.

iPhone 13 review: performance and battery

The iPhone 13 is powered by Apple's newest phone processor: the A15. At that place'south no huge leap forward in how fast it feels in general use compared to the A14 in the iPhone 12, but that doesn't matter at all, since there was no lack of speed already.

Even with larger apps such as Garage Band and iMovie, there's no sign of any delays on the iPhone 13. Every operation is fast and smooth making it effortless to use. Geekbench scores also support the iPhone 13's performance, with a 19% increase in the multicore CPU score over the iPhone 12.

New iOS 15 features blend in nicely too. Even the Focus modes which can seem a little overwhelming to set up are chop-chop integrated into your workflow, thanks to the 1-off prompts, asking if you lot want certain notifications in your electric current focus and offer location-based activations. I can now actuate work mode, just by sitting at my desk.

The A15 is also more efficient for battery use, and is faster for smart groundwork tasks, such as the processing required for the improved photo quality, or everything that Cinematic Way is doing.

The iPhone 13 now includes ameliorate support for worldwide 5G coverage, and remains capable of ridiculously fast download speeds where it'due south supported.

Hither in the US, the iPhone 12 benefits from the faster mmWave 5G, which can evangelize data speeds up to 2Gbps. As this band is nevertheless to be utilized outside of the Usa, iPhones sold in other regions don't support this bandwidth.

T-Mobile has labeled its mmWave 5G as Ultra Chapters and a small UC appears next to your 5G icon when it'southward being used. With a full four bars of 5G UC betoken hither in Chicago, I was able to get download speeds of around 450Mbps and uploads of over 40Mbps. That'due south actually faster than my internet provider can give me over Wi-Fi, so it's really impressive.

The biggest functioning change is the improved battery life, helped partly by the A15's efficiency, and partly past a bigger battery unit.

Apple rates this iPhone as existence able to last for xix hours of video playback, which is upwards from 17 hours in the iPhone 12, or 16 in the iPhone xi. Fifty-fifty better is that it says information technology should manage xv hours of streamed video, whereas the iPhone 12 could only manage xi, or 10 from the iPhone 11.

Subsequently a full twenty-four hour period of testing with the phone and a night on standby, the phone all the same had around twoscore% battery left. For standard utilise, you lot could only charge it every other day and withal avoid running out of battery.

iPhone 13 review: verdict

The sum of the iPhone 13'southward updates and improvements over the iPhone 12 exercise add together up and the result is a much-improved handset. Merely virtually every element of this telephone has had a tweak in 1 manner or some other, making it all the ameliorate. And that you also get double the amount of storage on the base of operations model and it more than than justifies the $100/£100 price divergence.

Everything the iPhone thirteen does, it does well. It's a solid reliable smartphone with some clever photo and video features that comes in at a toll point that is competitive. For those that want the very best, the iPhone 13 Pro range has that under control. For anybody else, the iPhone thirteen is the phone to buy.

iPhone xiii review: also consider

If you're upgrading from an iPhone that's several years older, your big choice here might be betwixt the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12. We've talked a lot about the comparisons betwixt them, and the iPhone 12 has come down in price, with the iPhone 13 sitting slightly above it. I'd advise that if you're the kind who keeps phones for several years, and y'all can spare the actress cash, it'due south worth getting the xiii, with all of its extra quality-of-life improvements. But the iPhone 12 is yet a very premium phone, and remains a smashing buy – here's our full iPhone 12 review.

If you're more the kind who likes to have cutting-edge stuff, so probably the iPhone 13 Pro is the large competition for you. That delivers even more battery life, an additional 3x zoom camera lens, and an even brighter screen that supports 120Hz refresh rates. It's the most swish and premium option, for a bunch more than money. The 13 Pro is better, since it give yous more… but I retrieve most people will be happy with what the 13 offers, and a bit of cash saved.