The latest iPhone 13 is officially launched and with all the bells and whistles, it looks like the iPhone 12 is still solid. That said, an iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12 comparison is the best way to see both devices in a fair manner. Compared to last year’s upgrade from the iPhone 11 to 12, Apple hasn’t made much of a leap this year. Then again, it didn’t need to, because last year was a design refresh.
This year, Apple has worked on the things the users asked for. The iPhone 13 gets a bigger battery, smaller notch, and improved cameras. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 price slashes are also around the corner now. So the iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12 comparison should give you more clarity on which model to choose.
iPhone 13 Vs iPhone 12 Specifications
| Specifications | iPhone 13 | iPhone 12 |
| Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth) | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm |
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display 800 nits max brightness 1200 nits max brightness (HDR) | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display 625 nits max brightness 1200 nits max brightness (HDR) |
| Rear cameras | Dual 12MP (Wide, Ultra Wide) Sensor Shift OIS | Dual 12MP (Wide, Ultra Wide) OIS |
| Front cameras | 12MP TrueDepth camera Sensor-shift OIS | 12MP TrueDepth camera |
| Processor | A15 Bionic chip 6-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores and 2 performance cores New 4-core GPU New 16-core Neural engine | A14 Bionic chip 6-core CPU with 4 efficiency cores and 2 performance cores 4-core GPU 16-core Neural engine |
| Biometric | Face ID | Face ID |
| Cellular and wireless | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 U1 Chip (Ultra Wide Band) Dual eSIM support | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 U1 Chip (Ultra Wide Band) Single eSIM support |
| Battery | Video playback: Up to 19 hours Audio Playback: Up to 75 hours | Video streaming: Up to 17 hours Audio Playback: Up to 65 hours |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Colors | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, (Product) RED | Purple, Blue, Green, (Product) RED, White, Black |
| Price | Starts at $799 | Starts at $699 |
Should You Buy The iPhone 13 Or iPhone 12?
On paper, the iPhone 13 doesn’t look much of a jump from the iPhone 12. Apple has a habit of not fixing it if it isn’t broken. However, there are good upgrades that make the iPhone 13 a much better package than its predecessor.
The iPhone 13 comes with 800 nits max brightness and better battery life than the iPhone 12. It also features sensor-shift OIS that was only there on the Pro models of the previous generation. The notch has also shrunk and there are new colors as well. iPhone 13 is also packing the new Apple A15 Bionic chip with a new GPU and Neural Engine.
Coming to the iPhone 12, the device features Apple’s latest design, along with the same 1200 nits peak brightness for HDR content. In terms of the cameras, the iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12 comparison goes in favor of the iPhone 13. However, the cameras on the previous-gen iPhone are still a good package.
Cameras have been an important part of the iPhone. This year, Apple decided to trickle down the sensor-shift OIS from the iPhone 12 Pro to the iPhone 13. The camera module is also physically bigger to accommodate the changes. This, combined with the brighter display and better battery life, summarizes this year’s iPhone.
So is there a reason to buy the iPhone 12 over iPhone 13? Yes. The iPhone 11 received price slashes after the launch of the 12. This year, it is the iPhone12’s turn to get a lower price tag. There will be more refurbished iPhone 12s on the market as well. If you buy the iPhone, you get Apple’s latest design and build.
While the iOS software experience is going to remain the same, iPhone 13 will give you 128GB base storage, you don’t need to swap SIM cards anymore, a better battery life, and a fancy camera upgrade.
Both the iPhone 12 and 13 are made out of the same ceramic shield front and aluminum back. Both are 5G-ready phones, and both will get iOS updates in the coming years. Also, if you have the budget to buy the iPhone 13, you can also consider going for the iPhone 12 Pro which is also likely to get a lower price tag.
Unlike last year, when the iPhone 11 was widely outgunned by the iPhone 12, this year’s lineup complements the previous gen. So you can choose the iPhone 13 or the iPhone 12, both will be good choices. Which iPhone would you go for? Let us know in the comments.
