Smartphone check: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13

Display and Design

In terms of the display, there is hardly any difference between both smartphone models. Both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 measure 6.1 inches diagonally. The Super Retina XDR Display that Apple has installed in these two smartphones offers strong contrast, high brightness and a wide color gamut.

The display has a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels. There is no difference between both Smartphone models.

The Super Retina XDR Display works with OLED technology (Organic Light Emitting Diode). Displays previously processed by Apple were LC displays. LC displays only work with backlighting. In contrast, OLED displays do not require a backlight. Each OLED pixel has its own light. Since no backlight is required, the Display can be made thinner.

The Haptic Touch technology introduced on the iPhone 11 has also been carried over to these subsequent generations.

The Ceramic Shield Display is installed in both smartphones. This means they can withstand falls better than their predecessors because the glass is more durable.

The only difference regarding the display is the higher luminance. It is 625 nits for the iPhone 12 and 800 nits for the iPhone 13. A higher luminance ensures that the screen can be seen better in the sun. A difference between both Smartphone models is nevertheless less noticeable.

The design seems very similar at first glance. The only noticeable difference is the different arrangement of the lenses. On the iPhone 12 they are one below the other, on the following model they are arranged diagonally.

Another optical innovation is the notch. The notch is the display cutout at the top edge. In the iPhone 13 it is narrower and deeper than the iPhone 12. This makes it less noticeable.

The dimensions are also almost identical. They are both 146.7 millimeters high and 71.5 millimeters wide. They only differ in depth. At 7.65 millimeters, the iPhone 13 is 0.25 millimeters deeper than its predecessor smartphone. In addition, with a weight of 173 grams, it is also 11 grams heavier.

The color selection has changed slightly. The iPhone 12 is available in Product Red, Green, Blue, Purple, Black and White. The iPhone 13 comes in midnight (black), polar star (white), product red (red), blue, rose and green.

Camera

The rear cameras of both iPhones are dual cameras with a resolution of 12 megapixels. There is no difference between the Smartphone models. Nevertheless, the iPhone 13 is a step ahead of its predecessor. The image sensors have been enlarged. This allows the camera lens to capture more details in low light.

The front cameras of the two Smartphone models also have 12 megapixels.

Probably the most important innovation in the camera is the cinema mode. The entire iPhone 13 series was equipped with it. This feature makes it possible to add interesting depth and focus effects to video recordings with the smartphone. The focus can be changed automatically for videos. Objects in the foreground or background can be blurred pleasantly using this function. This automatically draws attention to the object in focus. This intelligent technology detects when the subject is looking away from the iPhone's camera sensor and automatically focuses on the point the subject is looking at. Auto focus can also be turned off.

Another difference between both models is a better stabilization of the image. Thanks to the sensor shift, the image sensor itself moves instead of the lens. This compensates for hand movements during image and video capture.

Battery

When it comes to battery life, there is a difference between both smartphone models. The battery of the iPhone 13 is more powerful than that of its predecessor. It should last about 2.5 hours longer than the battery of the iPhone 12. According to the manufacturer, a fully charged iPhone 13 can play 19 hours of videos. Compared to the iPhone 12, that's 2 hours more. It can also stream 4 hours longer than the previous smartphone with 15 hours of streaming time and play music 10 hours longer with 75 hours.

The battery can be charged equally quickly on both iPhones. They can both also be charged wirelessly.

Processor

The processor is another difference between iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 clearly.

With its A14 Bionic chip installed in the iPhone 12, Apple was already considered one of the leading manufacturers in terms of processor performance. However, the processor performance of the iPhone 13 has been improved. According to Apple, the new A15 Bionic chip is said to be the fastest mobile processor ever built into a smartphone. The difference between the more powerful A15 Bionic chip and the A14 Bionic chip is 20 percent.

The processors of the two models are six-core processors. They each offer two performance and four efficiency cores.

Both smartphones have a RAM of 4 gigabytes.

A significant difference between the models is the internal memory. The iPhone 12 is available with an internal memory of 64, 128 and 256 gigabytes. With the iPhone 13 you have the choice between 128, 256 and 512 gigabytes.

Comparison of prices

As every year, the price of previous models drops as soon as Apple brings a new generation of iPhone onto the market.

The iPhone 12 currently costs 849 euros in the 128 gigabyte version on the manufacturer's website. An iPhone 13 with the same storage capacity only costs 50 euros more. Here the price difference between both Smartphone models is not that big.

If you compare the prices online, the purchase price can be much lower and the price difference between the two smartphones differs from that on the manufacturer's website.

The prices for the iPhone 12 with a storage space of 128 gigabytes start at 679.99 euros from established retailers (excluding eBay). The cheapest price for the iPhone 13 with 128 gigabytes is 795 euros.

(As of: 06.04.2022)