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iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: 4 Significant Differences Between the Two iPhones


February 8, 2022

With the iPhone 13 hitting the shelves just a year after iPhone 12, many are wondering, “What’s so great about this new iPhone?” An iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 comparison is an absolute necessity when you’re deciding which of the latest iPhones to get.

Continue reading to discover the four most significant differences between iPhone 12 and 13.

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Display

Apple promised and perfectly executed brighter displays for the iPhone 13, which is approximately 28% brighter than iPhone 12. Despite adopting the same AMOLED panels, the iPhone 13 is tested to produce 800 nits of brightness compared to the lower 569 nits of the iPhone 12.

Besides, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are the first iPhones to use the ProMotion displays. Hence, the displays can efficiently adjust the refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz based on your onscreen activities.

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Cameras

The second biggest difference often mentioned in the iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 battle is their cameras. It’s a known and universally-accepted fact that the iPhones’ cameras offer one of the best (if not THE best) performances. But Apple has extensively upgraded the iPhone 13 cameras.

The iPhone 13’s 12MP main camera offers the most massive sensor ever in any dual-camera iPhone. It lets in 47% more light than the iPhone 12, resulting in sharper pictures. Additionally, the ultrawide lens captures more details in a darker environment.

The big guns are in the iPhone 13 Pro models, featuring bigger sensors that enhance low light images. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer up to 3x optical zoom, which was only maxed out on 2.5x in the iPhone 12 Pro. Additionally, the cinematic video mode available on all four iPhone 13 models automatically focuses on subjects and shifts objects focus according to your wants.

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Performance

Powered by the A15 Bionic processor, the iPhone 13 models upgraded from the A14 Bionic chip-powered iPhone 12s. However, the performance of the two is not too drastic, with the iPhone 13 showing slightly better performance results than its predecessor. The iPhone 13 Pro models are also packed with a 5-core GPU compared to the 4-core of the standard iPhone 13.

Apple claims that the iPhone 13 models’ 5G should support more than 200 carriers in 60 countries. The iOS15 is installed in the iPhone 13, while the iPhone 12 with iOS 14 (but all iPhones can upgrade their iOS following the continuous updates).

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Battery Performance

Tests have shown that the iPhone 13 batteries are bigger and last longer than the iPhone 12. Apple announced that the iPhone 13 mini and Pro could last 1.5 hours longer than their iPhone 12 equivalents, while the iPhone 13 and Pro Max had a 2.5 hours upgrade.

One important point to highlight for both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 is they don’t provide power adapters. Both the iPhone lines only come with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable as part of the company’s effort to reduce packaging waste.

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Which Should You Get?

The iPhone 13 models offer more extensive storage with up to 1TB compared to the maximum of 512GB for the iPhone 12 models. With a huge camera upgrade and longer battery life, the iPhone 13 models expectedly offer a better experience.

An obvious concern with the iPhones is their price. So, our last word of advice is to check your budget before making your purchase carefully.

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