iPhone 13 Pro: Buyer's Guide, Should You Buy? (2024)

Introduced on September 14, 2021, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were Apple's flagship iPhones for 2021, but have since been replaced by the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple has discontinued the iPhone 13 Pro models and is no longer selling them, but they may be available on its refurbished site and from third-party retailers while supplies last.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro is the successor to the iPhone 12 Pro, while the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max is the replacement for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both of the new iPhone 13 Pro models are nearly identical in design to the iPhone 12 Pro models, featuring flat edges, a stainless steel frame, a textured matte glass back, and a slight increase in thickness (7.65mm). The iPhone 13 Pro models are available in Silver, Gold, Sierra Blue, Graphite, and Alpine Green.

Both of the new models feature OLED Super Retina XDR Displays that support ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates ranging from 10Hz up to 120Hz, much like the iPad Pro models. The displays are up to 25 percent brighter outdoors.

The iPhone 13 Pro has a 2532x1170 resolution with 460 pixels per inch, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 2778x1284 resolution with 458 pixels per inch. Both iPhones feature 1200 nits max brightness for HDR, along with True Tone to match the color temperature of the display to the ambient light, Wide Color for rich, vivid hues, and Haptic Touch for feedback.

The front-facing TrueDepth camera system has been updated and the Face ID notch is now smaller, taking up less overall space. Like last year's models, the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max feature a Ceramic Shield cover glass that is infused with nano-ceramic crystals for better protection from drops. IP68 water and dust resistance is included, and the new iPhones can hold up to submersion in 6 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.

An upgraded A15 Bionic Chip powers the new iPhones. It features a 6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores and a 5-core GPU, which is one more GPU core than is available in the iPhone 13 models. There's also a 16-core Neural Engine. The 5-core GPU offers 50% faster graphics performance than any other smartphone chip.

There's an upgraded triple-lens rear camera with an f/2.8 Telephoto lens, an f/1.5 Wide lens, and an f/1.8 Ultra Wide lens. The Wide lens features an aperture that lets in 2.2x more light and the largest sensor in an iPhone yet, while the Ultra Wide lens lets in 92 percent more light for better low-light performance.

The 77mm Telephoto lens features 3x optical zoom in, up from 2.5x in the 12 Pro Max, and with the addition of the Ultra Wide lens, there is a 6x optical zoom range and support for 15x digital zoom. There's also a LiDAR Scanner, which is not available on the iPhone 13 and 13 mini. Both Pro models have the same camera setups this year, with no differences between the Pro and Pro Max.

Along with the standard Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Time-Lapse and other photographic capabilities, the iPhone 13 Pro models gain Cinematic Mode, a feature that uses rack focus to seamlessly shift focus from one subject to another, artfully blurring the background and creating movie-quality depth effects. Cinematic mode shoots in Dolby HDR and the depth of field and blur can be adjusted using the iPhone's camera app. 4K video recording at up to 60 fps is also supported.

Smart HDR 4 recognizes up to four people in a photo and optimizes contrast, lighting, and skin tones for each one, and Deep Fusion, a carry over from iPhone 12, activates in mid to low-light scenes to bring out texture and detail.

Photographic Styles are an upgraded kind of filter that applies selectively to an image, muting colors or boosting vividness without impacting skin tones. There are Vibrant, Rich Contrast, Warm, and Cool options, along with settings for Tone and Warmth for customization and refining.

There are several Pro-only photographic capabilities that are limited to the triple-lens camera system including macro photography and videography for close-up macro shots with focus at 2cm, Night Mode support for the Telephoto lens, Night Mode portraits that require the LiDAR Scanner, and ProRes video recording that lets users record ProRes video in 4K at up to 30 frames per second. ProRes video is launching later this year.

Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max can be unlocked with the Face ID facial recognition system, which works with the 12-megapixel front-facing camera that supports Smart HDR 4, Deep Fusion, Night Mode, Cinematic Mode, Night Mode Selfies, and more.

5G connectivity is included for better quality video streaming, higher-definition FaceTime calls, and improved gaming, but the super fast mmWave speeds are again limited to major cities in the United States. Slower sub-6GHz 5G speeds are available in more rural areas in the U.S. and in other countries, and there's support for more 5G bands for 5G connectivity in more places.

Gigabit LTE is supported when 5G isn't available, and to preserve battery life when using 5G, a Smart Data Mode reverts to an LTE connection when 5G speeds aren't necessary. The new iPhone 13 models offer dual eSIM support and don't come with a physical SIM by default, but there's still a nano-SIM slot.

The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max support Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, plus they include a U1 Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness.

Battery life has improved significantly thanks to larger batteries and the more efficient A15 chip. The iPhone 13 Pro offers up to 1.5 hours more battery life than the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max offers up to 2.5 hours more battery life than the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Storage space starts at 128GB and goes up to 1TB at the high end. There's a built-in three-axis gyro, an accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and barometer.

Like last year's iPhones, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have built-in magnets and are compatible with MagSafe accessories, charging at up to 15W with Apple's MagSafe Charger. The iPhones also support fast charging, which provides 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with a 20W power adapter.

There is no power adapter or EarPods included with the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, and these accessories must be purchased separately. They do ship with a USB-C to Lightning cable for charging purposes.

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Reviewers have been largely impressed with the iPhone 13 Pro, and it has received mostly positive reviews. Positives include the improved battery life, smaller front notch, and the 120Hz ProMotion display, plus the updated camera system with Macro photography option and the new Cinematic mode. On the downside, some reviewers feel that it's more of an iterative update as there are no major design changes or feature improvements.

The Verge's Dieter Bohn said Apple did an "excellent job" with its implementation of a ProMotion display on iPhone 13 Pro models, commenting that "when I scroll on the iPhone 13 Pro, the text stays readable instead of turning into a blur. Things moving on the screen are smoother."

The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern said all four iPhone 13 models last at least an hour longer than the equivalent iPhone 12 models, with considerable improvements across the lineup.

Some reviewers, such as CNET's Patrick Holland, were particularly impressed with the new Cinematic mode, which is available on all four iPhone 13 models, calling the effect "dramatic and impressive," even if it does need "a good amount of light to work best."

For more thoughts on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, see our review roundup or collection of unboxing videos.

With the launch of the iPhone 12, Apple did away with the rounded edges that had been used for iPhones since the iPhone 6, instead adopting a flat-sided design with squared off edges, a look that harkens back to the iPhone 4 and 5 and matches the iPad Pro.

Apple is using that same flat-edged design for the entire iPhone 13 lineup, and the iPhone 13 models look nearly identical to the iPhone 12 models they replace. The flat-edged design manages to feel both modern and familiar at the same time because it's a design that Apple has used in the past.

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max feature an all-glass front and a textured glass back that sandwich a frame made from a shiny, surgical-grade stainless steel material. Apple matches the stainless steel frame to the color of the glass at the back for a seamless look.

There continues to be a notch at the front of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, housing the TrueDepth Camera, speaker, and microphone. The notch is smaller this year, allowing for more of the display to be used.

Antenna bands are located at the top and sides of the phone, along with the standard power button on the right and volume buttons on the left. Underneath the power button there's a 5G mmWave antenna, a feature that is limited to the U.S. models that have mmWave support.

The iPhone 13 Pro models include speaker holes and microphones at the bottom, along with a Lightning port for charging purposes. The SIM slot is located on the left side of the device.

A square camera bump is located at the back of the iPhone 13 Pro models, and there's a triple-lens camera setup. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max have larger camera bumps than the iPhone 12 Pro models, and the size increase is most noticeable with the iPhone 13 Pro.

Sizes

Like the iPhone 12 Pro models, the iPhone 13 Pro models come in 6.1 and 6.7-inch sizes, with the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max positioned as Apple's largest iPhone. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are thicker than the iPhone 12 Pro models, and are also a bit heavier.

The iPhone 13 Pro measures in at 5.78 inches tall (146.7mm), 2.82 inches wide (71.5mm), and 0.30 inches thick (7.65mm), while the iPhone 13 Pro Max measures in at 6.33 inches tall (160.8mm), 3.07 inches wide (78.1mm), and 0.30 inches thick (7.65mm).

As for weight, the iPhone 13 Pro weighs in at 7.19 ounces (204 grams), and the iPhone 13 Pro Max weighs 8.46 ounces (240 grams).

Colors

Both the iPhone 13 Pro models come in Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, and Alpine Green Sierra Blue is a lighter blue color that replaces the Pacific Blue shade from last year, while Alpine Green is a new color that was introduced in March 2022.

Water Resistance

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max feature an IP68 water resistant rating. The smartphones are able to withstand a depth of up to six meters (19.7 feet) for up to 30 minutes, identical to the iPhone 12 Pro models.

In the IP68 number, the 6 refers to dust resistance (and means the iPhone 13 Pro can hold up to dirt, dust, and other particulates), while the 8 pertains to water resistance. IP6x is the highest dust resistance rating that exists. With the IP68 water resistance rating, the iPhone 13 Pro can hold up to splashes, rain, and accidental water exposure, but intentional water exposure should be avoided if possible.

Water and dust resistance are not permanent conditions, according to Apple, and can deteriorate over time as a result of normal wear. Apple's warranty does not cover liquid damage, which means it's best to use caution when it comes to liquid exposure.

All of the iPhone 13 models feature the same OLED Super Retina XDR display, which is flexible and extends right into the chassis of each device.

There's a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio for blacker blacks and brighter whites, and up to 1200 nits peak brightness for HDR photos, videos, TV shows, and movies. Typical max brightness is 1000 nits for the Pro models and 800 nits for the standard iPhone 13 models. Apple says the display is 25 percent brighter outdoors.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro features a resolution of 2532 x 1170 with 460 pixels per inch, while the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max has a resolution of 2778 x 1284 with 458 pixels per inch.

Wide color support brings vivid, true-to-life colors, and True Tone matches the white balance of the display to the ambient lighting for a paper-like viewing experience that's easier on the eyes.

There's also a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating and support for Haptic Touch, which provides haptic feedback when interacting with the display.

According to DisplayMate, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has the best smartphone display, which has earned a grade of A+ thanks to ProMotion technology, HDR, max brightness, color accuracy, contrast ratio, and more.

Smaller Notch

Apple slimmed down the notch that houses the TrueDepth camera system, and it's 20 percent less wide than the notch used in prior iPhone models. Comparisons between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 have confirmed that though less wide, the new notch is just a bit taller than the prior notch.

Though Apple has shrunken the width of the notch to offer more screen space, iOS does not appear to be taking advantage of that extra area. There is enough space to display battery percentage on the right side of the notch on the larger iPhone 13 Pro Max, but it is not an included display feature.

ProMotion

The iPhone 13 Pro models have low-power display backlighting that has allowed Apple to implement ProMotion technology for the first time. Initially introduced in the iPad Pro in 2018, ProMotion offers adaptive refresh rates ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz.

The refresh rate of the display changes based on what's on the screen. So if you're reading a website that's static, the iPhone will use a lower refresh rate, but if you're playing a game, watching a movie, or scrolling through content, you'll see higher 120Hz refresh rates that provide a smoother and more responsive experience.

ProMotion technology is even able to accelerate and decelerate to match the speed of scrolling on the screen.

Ceramic Shield

Apple is continuing to use the "Ceramic Shield" material that delivers better drop protection for the iPhone 13 models. The Ceramic Shield display cover is made by infusing nano-ceramic crystals into glass. The ceramic crystals were manipulated to optimize for clarity while maintaining toughness, with the display created in partnership with Corning.

According to Apple, Ceramic Shield is tougher than any smartphone glass, with a dual-ion exchange process ensuring protection against scratches and everyday wear and tear.

In drop tests, iPhone 13 models have shown no improvements in durability compared to iPhone 12 models, which is not a surprise as they feature the same Ceramic Shield display and glass body.

All of the iPhone 13 models use Apple's new A15 chip, which offers performance and efficiency improvements over the A14 chip used in the iPhone 12. Apple calls the A15 chip in the iPhone 13 Pro models the "world's fastest smartphone chip" with two performance cores and four efficiency cores.

The A15 chip in the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max features a 5-core GPU, which is one additional GPU core than is available in the standard iPhone 13 models. Apple says that the iPhone 13 Pro models offer up to 50 percent faster graphics performance than any other smartphone chip, which has been confirmed in Geekbench benchmarks pitting the iPhone 13 Pro's GPU against the iPhone 12 Pro's GPU. Comparatively, the iPhone 13 models offer 15 percent faster graphics performance.

When it comes to the CPU, all of the iPhone 13 models offer the same capabilities and are approximately 10 percent faster in single-core performance and approximately 18 percent faster in multi-core performance compared to the iPhone 12 models.

Testing by AnandTech indicates that the A15 is even faster than Apple's own estimates and is 62 percent faster than competing smartphones.

Neural Engine

The 16-core Neural Engine is able to perform up to 15.8 trillion operations per second, and it powers features like Cinematic Mode and Smart HDR 4.

RAM

The iPhone 13 Pro models have 6GB RAM, while the iPhone 13 models have 4GB RAM. RAM has not changed from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13, and the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models also had 4GB and 6GB RAM, respectively.

Storage Space

All iPhone 13 models start with 128GB of storage, and the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max can be ordered with up to 1TB storage space, which is a new maximum.

For biometric authentication purposes, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max use Face ID, the facial recognition system that was first introduced in 2017. Face ID components are housed in the TrueDepth camera system in the display notch, which is smaller this year.

Face ID is used across iOS tasks for unlocking the iPhone, allowing access to third-party passcode-protected apps, confirming app purchases, and authenticating Apple Pay payments.

Face ID works through a set of sensors and cameras. A Dot Projector projects more than 30,000 invisible infrared dots onto the surface of the skin to create a 3D facial scan that maps the curves and planes of each face, with the scan read by an infrared camera.

The facial depth map is relayed to the A15 chip where it is transformed into a mathematical model that the iPhone uses to authenticate identity. Face ID works in low light and in the dark, and with hats, beards, glasses, sunglasses, scarves, and other accessories that partially obscure the face.

Using Face ID With a Mask

When wearing a face mask, users can enable an "Unlock with Apple Watch" feature for convenience. Unlock with Apple Watch allows iPhone users to take advantage of an unlocked and authenticated Apple Watch as an alternative authentication measure to unlock their device when wearing a mask. It can't be used to authenticate Apple Pay or App Store purchases, and it can't unlock apps that require a Face ID scan.

In iOS 15.4, Apple added the ability for Face ID to work with face masks, with no need for an Apple Watch for authentication. Apple says that the feature can "recognize the unique features around the eye" for authentication purposes. If you opt to use this feature during setup, you will need to rescan your face for Face ID. From there, Face ID will be able to unlock your iPhone even when you're wearing a mask.

Apple warns in the Settings app that Face ID is "most accurate" when it's set up for full-face recognition only. For Face ID with a mask to work, you must be looking at your device to get it to unlock, and it does not work when wearing sunglasses. Face ID with a mask can authenticate Apple Pay payments and it can be used in lieu of a login and password in apps that support Face ID, unlike the prior Apple Watch Face ID feature.

• Face ID With a Mask: How It Works and What You Need to Know
• iOS 15.4: How to Set Up Face ID With a Mask

The new feature is only available with the iPhone 12 or newer. iOS 15.4 has not yet been widely released to the public and is currently in beta testing.

Front-Facing Camera Features

In addition to powering facial recognition, the 12-megapixel f/2.2 camera in the TrueDepth camera system is also a front-facing selfie/FaceTime camera with many of the same features that are available for the rear-facing camera.

With the A15 chip, the iPhone 13 Pro models support many of the photographic capabilities that are available with the rear cameras, including Night mode for selfies, Smart HDR 4, Dolby Vision HDR recording, and Deep Fusion, along with ProRes and the new Cinematic Mode for capturing videos with movie-like depth of field changes. Cinematic Mode is improved in iOS 16.

4K video recording, QuickTake video, Slo-mo video, Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, and the new Photographic Styles feature for selectively applying edits are all supported.

The ‌iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max include a three-lens camera system with a 77mm six-element f/2.8 Telephoto lens, a 26mm seven-element f/1.5 Wide lens, and a 13mm six-element f/1.8 Ultra Wide lens.

Both the Wide and Telephoto lenses support dual optical image stabilization, while the Wide lens supports sensor-shift optical image stabilization.

The Wide lens features a wider aperture that lets in 2.2x more light and the largest sensor in an iPhone yet. It supports Wide color capture.

The Ultra Wide lens features a wider aperture, a faster sensor, and autofocus. The updated lens captures up to 92 percent more light, which should bring a drastic improvement in quality, and it also includes lens correction to account for distortion caused by the super wide field of view.

The 77mm Telephoto lens features 3x optical zoom in, up from 2.5x in the 12 Pro Max, and with the addition of the Ultra Wide lens, there is a 6x optical zoom range and support for 15x digital zoom.

There's also a LiDAR Scanner, which is not available on the iPhone 13 and 13 mini.

Camera Features

• Macro Photography - The Ultra Wide camera on the Pro models can focus at 2cm, which makes it ideal for macro photos. You can take macro photos or macro videos, including slow motion and time-lapse.
• Smart HDR 4 - Recognizes up to four people in a scene and optimizes contrast, lighting, and even skin tones for each person so everyone looks their best.
• Photographic Styles - Photographic Styles are smart, adjustable filters that can do things like boost or mute colors without affecting skin tone. Styles apply selectively to an image, unlike a filter that's applied to the entire image. Photographic Styles include Vibrant (boosts colors), Rich Contrast (darker shadows and deeper colors), Warm (accentuates golden undertones), or Cool (accentuates blue undertones). Tone and Warmth are customizable for each style, so you can get the exact look that you want.
• Night Mode - Takes a series of images over a few seconds and aggregates them together to allow for photography in extreme low lighting situations. Night Mode on the Pro models works with Portrait Mode thanks to the LiDAR scanner, and with all three lenses.
• Deep Fusion - Works in mid to low lighting conditions and brings out the texture and detail in the image.
• Portrait Mode - Keeps the subject of the photo in focus while blurring the background.
• Portrait Lighting - Changes the lighting of Portrait Mode photos with effects that include Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono.
• True Tone flash - True Tone flash is the built-in flash, and it is designed to match the ambient lighting so it doesn't throw off the white balance of the photo when used.
• Panorama - Captures panoramic shots up to 63 megapixels.
• ProRAW - Lets users capture professional-looking photos using the ProRAW format.
• Burst Mode - Allows a series of images to be captured all at once, which is good for high action shots.

Video Recording

The iPhone 13 Pro models support up to 4K video recording at 24, 25, 30, and 60 frames per second, and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision at 4K up to 60 frames per second. 1080p video recording and 720p video recording are also available.

Later this year, Apple plans to introduce support for recording ProRes video, which is the format used for films, commercials, and other professional applications. ProRes offers high color fidelity and low compression, so file sizes are large.

ProRes video recording is available up to 4K at 30fps, but note that at least 256GB of storage is required for this option. Those with the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro models will be limited to ProRes recordings at 1080p and 30 frames per second.

The iPhone 13 models offer a new Cinematic Mode that uses rack focus to seamlessly shift the focus from one subject to another when capturing video. It holds focus on the subject while blurring the background, and can automatically change the focus when a new subject is about to enter the scene. Blur and focus can be adjusted after capturing video as well through the Photos app. Cinematic mode works with the Wide, Telephoto, and TrueDepth cameras, and it supports Dolby Vision HDR.

Other video features include QuickTake video, audio zoom, Time-lapse, Night mode Time-lapse, continuous autofocus mode, 9x digital zoom, and the option to take 8-megapixel photos when recording 4K video.

Apple has improved battery life across the iPhone 13 lineup with the A15 chip and larger battery sizes.

The iPhone 13 Pro's battery lasts for up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max's battery lasts for up to 2.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro Max's battery.

The iPhone 13 Pro supports up to 22 hours of video playback, up to 20 hours of streaming video playback, and up to 75 hours of audio playback. The iPhone 13 Pro Max supports up to 28 hours of video playback, up to 25 hours of streaming video playback, and up to 95 hours of audio playback.

The iPhone 13 Pro has a 3,095 mAh battery, up from 2,815 mAh in the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 4,352 mAh battery, up from 3,687 mAh in the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Both iPhone 13 Pro models support fast charging and can charge to 50 percent within 30 minutes using a Lightning to USB-C cable and a 20W power adapter.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is capable of charging at faster 27W speeds when connected to a 30W or higher USB-C power adapter. This allows the iPhone 13 Pro Max to charge slightly faster than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but it's not a major difference because the 27W is a peak charging speed rather than a sustained charging speed.

The iPhone 13 models, like the iPhone 12 models, support 5G networks in addition to LTE networks. The 5G modems in the devices work with both mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G, which are the two types of 5G, but mmWave speeds continue to be limited to the United States.

mmWave 5G networks are the fastest 5G networks, but mmWave is short-range and can be obscured by buildings, trees, and other obstacles, so its use is limited to major cities and urban areas along with venues like concerts, airports, and other places where a lot of people congregate.

Sub-6GHz 5G is more widespread and available in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the United States and other countries. For the most part, when you use a 5G network, you'll be using Sub-6GHz 5G. Sub-6GHz 5G is generally faster than LTE, but it's still evolving and it's not the super fast 5G you might be expecting.

5G connectivity allows for faster download and upload speeds, which speeds up everything from loading websites to downloading TV shows and movies. It also increases bandwidth for streaming services so you can watch in a higher resolution, and it brings improved FaceTime call quality. Over 5G or Wi-Fi, FaceTime calls work in 1080p. In areas where LTE speeds are slow because of the sheer number of people, 5G frees up bandwidth and reduces congestion for faster usage speeds.

5G Bands

The iPhone 13 Pro models in the United States support over 20 5G bands.

• Sub-6GHz: 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, and n79)

• mmWave: 5G NR mmWave (Bands n258, n260, n261)

LTE Bands

Along with 5G, the iPhone 13 models also support Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO, so you can connect to LTE networks when 5G networks aren't available. The following bands are supported:

• FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71))

• TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48)

Data Saver Mode

Data Saver Mode is a feature that swaps the iPhone's connection over to LTE when 5G speeds aren't needed in order to preserve battery life.

As an example, when the iPhone is updating in the background, it uses LTE because super fast speeds aren't necessary, but in instances where speed does matter, such as downloading a show, the iPhone 13 models swap over to 5G. There is also a setting to use 5G whenever it's available rather than using the automatic Data Saver Mode.

• How to Change 5G Settings on iPhone to Save Data and Battery

Dual SIM Support

Dual SIM support allows two phone numbers to be used at one time, enabled through the inclusion of a physical nano-SIM slot and an eSIM. eSIM functionality is available in many countries around the world, and Apple has a list of carriers that support eSIM on its website.

The iPhone 13 models are the first with Dual eSIM support, which means the iPhone 13 models can use two eSIMs simultaneously rather than just one eSIM and one nano-SIM. Apple's iPhone 13 models linked to a carrier will not ship with a physical SIM card this year and carriers will instead use eSIM capabilities for activation.

The iPhone 13 models include an Apple-designed U1 chip that enables Ultra Wideband technology for improved spatial awareness, allowing the iPhone 13 models to precisely locate other U1-equipped Apple devices. Apple has likened Ultra Wideband to "GPS at the scale of the living room," because the technology is designed for improved indoor positioning and location tracking.

The U1 chip allows the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to precisely track nearby AirTags. It's also used for directional AirDrop and interaction with the HomePod mini, which also has a U1 chip.

As for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the iPhone 13 Pro models support Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).

Speakers

The iPhone 13 Pro models have a stereo speaker at the top where the notch is located and a second stereo speaker at the bottom next to the Lightning port.

Sensors

The iPhone 13 Pro models are equipped with a barometer, three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor.

GPS and NFC

The iPhone 13 models feature support for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou location services. NFC with reader mode is included, and there's a background tag feature that allows the iPhone models to scan NFC tags without the need to open an app first.

The iPhone 13 lineup continues to offer built-in MagSafe technology in the form of a magnetic ring that is designed to connect to the MagSafe charger and other magnetic accessories.

The MagSafe charger snaps right onto the back of the iPhone 13 models and charges at 15W, which is higher than the 7.5W wireless charging available with Qi-based chargers.

Other magnetic accessories are compatible with the magnetic ring, including cases, sleeves, snap-on wallets, and more, with third-party companies also able to make accessories for the MagSafe iPhones.

Apple warns that MagSafe Chargers can leave a circular imprint on its leather cases, and a similar effect has been seen on silicone cases. Apple also says that credit cards, security badges, passports, and keyfobs should not be placed between the iPhone and MagSafe charger.

Like all iPhones, the iPhone 13 Pro models with their MagSafe technology can cause interference with medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. Apple recommends keeping MagSafe iPhones and all MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from implanted medical devices.

• Here's the Best Way to Transfer Data From Your Old iPhone to a New iPhone 13
• How to Hard Reset or Force Restart All iPhone 13 Models
• How to Use Photographic Styles in the Camera App
• How to Shoot Macro Video
• How to Shoot Video in Cinematic Mode
• How to Shoot Macro Photography
• How to Shoot ProRes Video on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
• How to Disable Macro Mode on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
• How to Shoot ProRes Video on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are being sold alongside the iPhone 13 and 13 mini, which are this year's more affordable flagship smartphones. The iPhone 13 and 13 mini share offer many of the same features as the iPhone 13 Pro models, but are lacking the higher-end additions.

Compared to the Pro models, the iPhone 13 and 13 mini feature an aluminum frame instead of a stainless steel frame, they don't have 120Hz ProMotion displays, and they have dual-lens camera setups with fewer features instead of triple-lens camera setups.

Need help deciding between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro? We have a dedicated iPhone 13 v. iPhone 13 Pro guide that explains the similarities and differences. If you want to know more about the iPhone 13 models, we also have a dedicated iPhone 13 roundup that walks through all of the features.

The iPhone 13 models will be followed by the iPhone 14, and we're already hearing rumors about the 2022 devices. Apple is expected to do away with the notch for at least some models, adopting a hole-punch front-facing camera and under-display Face ID.

The iPhone 14 models could also feature a new design that does away with the camera bump, instead introducing a flush camera design for the first time in many years. For more on what to expect from the iPhone 14, we have a dedicated iPhone 14 roundup.