Apple iPhone 13: A Battery-Life Beast

The Apple iPhone 13 is a battery-life beast, with far greater longevity than previous midrange smartphones.

- By Sascha Segan

While we appreciate the greater pocketability of the iPhone 13 mini, unimpressive sales of the iPhone 12 mini taught us that most people prefer long battery life to a petite form factor. So even though other upgrades from the previous generation are nearly unnoticeable here, the battery boost is so profound that it’s definitely worth the $100 premium over a standardsize iPhone 12. And if you’re upgrading from an earlier iPhone, you’ll find a lot of welcome enhancements in power and camera quality. That makes the iPhone 13 the best bet for most buyers, as well as a winner of our Editors’ Choice award.

DESIGN: SUBTLE IMPROVEMENTS

The iPhone 13 looks a lot like the iPhone 12. At 5.8 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and 6.1 ounces, it’s pretty much the exact same size as the iPhone 12, but it’s a third of an ounce heavier. Because of slightly different side-button positioning, some cases designed for the previous model work, and others don’t.

There’s one difference to note on the front and one on the back. On the front, the “notch” at the top for Face ID is slightly smaller—20% smaller, according to Apple. On the back, the two camera lenses are slightly larger and staggered diagonally rather than stacked vertically.

iPhone 13

PROS Long battery life. Fast, smooth performance. Camera makes it easy for anyone to take good photos.