Phones · 2021 · Apple

Apple iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 is Apple’s standard 6.1-inch model from 2021. It brought the four-core-GPU version of the A15 Bionic, sensor-shift optical stabilisation on the main camera, Cinematic video mode and storage starting at 128 GB. The display is a 60 Hz OLED, charging is through Lightning, and the notch is smaller than on the iPhone 12.

iPhone 13 (2021); 128, 256 and 512 GB. The UK/European model A2633 and the US model A2482 use a nano-SIM plus eSIM; the US model also supports mmWave 5G bands. The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro are separate models.

Apple iPhone 13 — Apple image of the iPhone 13 in Green, Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and (PRODUCT)RED.
Apple image of the iPhone 13 in Green, Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and (PRODUCT)RED.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2532 × 1170 pixels, 460 ppi; HDR, True Tone, wide colour (P3)

Typical maximum brightness is 800 nits, with 1200 nits peak for HDR content; typical contrast is 2,000,000:1. The spec page does not list a refresh rate; the Pro models’ ProMotion is not on this model. Because of the rounded corners, the visible area is slightly smaller than a 6.06-inch rectangle.

BuildCeramic Shield front, glass back, aluminium frame
Water and dust resistanceIP68 (IEC 60529; up to 6 metres for 30 minutes)
ChipA15 Bionic: 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 use a five-core-GPU version of the same chip; on this model the GPU has four cores.

Storage128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB

Capacity is chosen at purchase; there is no memory card slot.

Rear cameras12 MP Main (ƒ/1.6, sensor-shift optical stabilisation, 100% Focus Pixels) and 12 MP Ultra Wide (ƒ/2.4, 120°); 2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 5x

There is no telephoto camera: 2x refers to switching from the main to the ultra wide camera. Sensor-shift stabilisation compensates for hand shake by moving the sensor rather than the lens. Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4 and Photographic Styles are available.

Video4K Dolby Vision HDR up to 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode 1080p at 30 fps; 1080p slo-mo at 120/240 fps

Cinematic mode blurs the background and can shift focus between people automatically; on this model it is limited to 1080p at 30 fps. Recording formats are HEVC and H.264; 8 MP stills can be taken while recording 4K.

Front camera and Face ID12 MP TrueDepth, ƒ/2.2; Face ID

The front camera also records 4K Dolby Vision video and Cinematic mode.

Cellular and wireless5G (sub-6 GHz; mmWave on the US model too), Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO, Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, Ultra Wideband chip, NFC with reader mode

The band list depends on the model number: the UK model A2633 lists no mmWave bands; the US model A2482 supports n258/n260/n261.

SIMNano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM

Using eSIM requires carrier support and it is not supported in every region.

LocationGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; digital compass; iBeacon
Battery and chargingUp to 19 hours of video (15 hours streamed), up to 75 hours of audio; built-in lithium-ion battery; 15 W wireless charging with MagSafe, 7.5 W with Qi; about 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W or higher adapter

The fast-charge figure comes from Apple’s testing with a 20 W USB-C adapter, sold separately. MagSafe aligns chargers and accessories with a magnet array on the back.

Port and video outputLightning; video up to 1080p with the Lightning Digital AV Adapter; up to 4K HDR over AirPlay

Adapters are sold separately.

Audio formatsAAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos; Spatial Audio playback
SensorsFace ID, barometer, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
Size and weight146.7 × 71.5 × 7.65 mm; 173 g

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPhone 13 with the A15 Bionic, longer battery life, sensor-shift stabilisation and Cinematic mode. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • According to TechRadar, battery life is the model’s strongest point: it was hard to run the phone down within a day during testing. The A15 Bionic and 4 GB of RAM were fast at opening apps and in games; the Geekbench 5 multi-core average was 4688 (3859 on the iPhone 12). The main camera’s larger pixels and sensor-shift stabilisation reduced noise compared with the iPhone 12; the 5x digital zoom was weak and there is no telephoto. The display was bright and sharp, but staying at 60 Hz was counted as a step behind the Pro models. The notch is 20% smaller; Cinematic mode worked well but took some practice.

    TechRadar review (2021, updated April 2024); a single test unit.

    TechRadar: iPhone 13 review

Tags

2021APPLEIPHONEIOS5GMAGSAFEOLEDLIGHTNING

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPhone 13 tech specs (UK)
  2. Apple Support: iPhone 13 tech specs (US)
  3. TechRadar: iPhone 13 review
  4. Apple Support: Identify your iPhone model