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iPhone Buying Guide: How to Pick the Perfect iPhone for You


April 7, 2022

If you’re searching for an iPhone buying guide, you must be thinking about getting a brand new iPhone, but you’re just unsure of which model would be best for you. Understandably so, given its high price point, it’s important to make the right choice.

Over the years, Apple has released many different models, each better than the last. While every iPhone has its own set of specs and selling points, we’re here to run you through each of their models and help you choose.

With our help, we guarantee it’ll be much easier to decide by the end of this iPhone buying guide.

iPhone 13 Pro & iPhone 13 Pro Max

Here’s Apple’s latest release and the best overall in our iPhone buying guide, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. 

They’re currently priced the highest, but of course, with good reason. Made from a combination of stainless steel and glass in a flat-edged design, it is incredibly durable and has a beautiful glossy finish on the outside. 

The 13 Pro Max has the largest screen to date, a 6.7-inch OLED screen that displays vibrant and crisp visuals. The 13 Pro, on the other hand, is not too far off with its 6.1-inch display. With a 120Hz refresh rate, the touch response and overall experience are smooth, allowing users to easily and comfortably navigate their screen.

Equipped with the most advanced camera technology, the tri-camera system offers a 3X optical camera zoom and a Night mode, both of which are designed to capture stunning visuals at any time of the day. 

iPhone 13 Mini 

Next up on our iPhone buying guide, we have the iPhone 13 Mini, that’s perfect for those who are not the biggest fan of giant phones. 

Living up to its name, the 13 Mini is, in fact, the smallest iPhone with its 5.4-inch OLED display. Equipped with many similar capabilities to the 13 Pro and Pro Max, this model’s lower and more affordable price point results in slight downgrades.

Similarly designed in a flat-edged manner, the 13 Mini is slightly thicker and heavier than the rest in the series. It features a glass body, aluminium frame and glass rear casing. 

Built with an A15 chip and 4-core GPU, it delivers quality performance despite its small frame. On top of that, instead of the tri-camera system, the 13 Mini is equipped with Wide and Ultra Wide lenses that are great nonetheless.

A key aspect to note is that the battery life of the 13 Mini is not as strong as the others in the series. So, if you’ll be out for long hours, you’d probably need to carry a charger with you.

iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 Mini

If you’re not particular about having the latest model, this iPhone buying guide recommends either the iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Mini. Only two years old in the market, they’re great as a cheaper alternative. 

The iPhone 12 series does not run far from the iPhone 13 series design. Also featuring a glass body and aluminium frame but only slightly thinner, the iPhone 12 series is easier to carry around and boasts IP68 water resistance.

Equipped with the Wide and Ultra Wide camera, it is similar to the iPhone 13 mini. 

As it is a slightly backdated model, the iPhone 12 series uses the A14 chip instead of the A15 chip, which means a slight step down in terms of CPU and GPU performance. 

The battery life of the iPhone 12 series is fairly shorter than the iPhone 13, but that’s a given.

iPhone 11

Next up in our iPhone buying guide is the iPhone 11. Three years since it’s been introduced to the market, the iPhone 11 is currently considered one of the most affordable options compared to the most recent releases.

The iPhone 11 is designed more slim and sleek, making it easy to pop in and out of your pockets. With a 6.1-inch edge-to-edge LCD display, it does not offer the same extensive features as an OLED display would, such as HDR features. Nonetheless, it is still one of the better LCD smartphone displays available in the market.

iPhone 11 is also equipped similarly to the iPhone 12 series and iPhone 13 mini with its Wide and Ultra Wide dual lenses.

Falling two generations behind, the iPhone 11 is built with the A13 chip. Although it delivers excellent performance, it does, of course, lag behind the A14 and A15 chips. 

iPhone SE 2020

The final product on our iPhone buying guide is the iPhone SE (2020). It is currently Apple’s most affordable phone, given its year of production and backdated specs.

Similarly designed to the older iPhones, the iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch LCD display with thick bezels on both the top and bottom of the device. Built with a glass front and back and aluminium frame, it is relatively flat and slim.

Demonstrated by the Home button at the bottom, you can tell it is currently one of Apple’s oldest models. If you prefer using Touch ID instead of Face ID, the SE would be an excellent choice for you. 

Like the iPhone 11, the SE is also equipped with the A13 chip. While it lacks the most advanced features that the iPhone 13 would have, the iPhone SE still delivers great performance at its given price point.

Final verdict

After browsing through this iPhone buying guide, at least you’ll have a better idea of which iPhone would suit you best, given your current needs. 

Are you searching for a model that’s incredibly advanced and could last you longer in the future? Or are you searching for an affordable model that can get the job done? All your answers are in this iPhone buying guide.

Visit PriceShop to check out all Apple’s iPhone models and get the best deals.