Is it worth upgrading your cell phone?

In #techtember, the technology world stopped to follow the launch of the iPhone 13! Apple's new phone features the latest generation of Apple Silicon processors, but at first glance it looks identical to the previous generation. If you're thinking about upgrading to the new iPhone, NextPit highlighted the differences between the models for you!

	2021	2020
Product
Photo
Screen	6.1-inch OLED with 1,170 x 2,532 pixels (460 ppi) at 60 hertz
Processor	Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) Apple GPU with 4 cores	Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) Apple GPU with 4 cores
Memory	4 GB RAM 128GB, 256GB or 512 GB internal	4 GB RAM 64GB, 128GB, 256GB internal
Micro SD	No
Main camera	12 MP | f/1.6 | 26 mm | 1.7 µm | Dual Pixel Autofocus | OIS with sensor displacement	12MP | f/1.6 | 26mm | 1.4 µm | Dual Pixel Autofocus | OIS
Ultra wide angle	12 MP | f/2.4 | 120° | 13mm focal length
Telephoto lens	n/d
3D	n/d
Video	Max: 4K at 60 fps | HDR | Dolby Vision HDR | Cinema Mode	Max 4K at 60 fps | HDR | Dolby Vision HDR
Selfies	12 MP at 23mm
Audio	Stereo speakers
UWB	Yes
Battery	? mAh Until 7pm video playback	2,815 mAh Up to 17 hours of video playback
Wired charging	Max 20 watts
Wireless charging	Max 15 watts
List price	From R$ 7,599	From R$ 6,499
Assessment
Check out offers*	See price	See price

Has the new iPhone gained a few millimeters around the waist or does it bring some truly unmissable features? Below you will find all the subtle differences between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12S 13.

Notice: In this article, we compare the traditional iPhone models. If there is a relevant difference to a Pro or mini version that could influence your purchasing decision, I will of course include it. In another comparison, we explore the differences between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro!

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: Models and Prices

The first section of this comparison will be brief. Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 come in four models. There is a standard model, a mini model, a Pro model, and a Pro Max model. The suggested prices as of September 2021 are as follows:

There are no major differences between the model ranges when comparing generations. The Pro models received a memory expansion to 1 terabyte in 2021, compared to a maximum of 512 GB in the 12 Pro models. In addition, you will find the same camera specs in the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. While the 12 Pro generation adopted a larger and better sensor in the Pro Max.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: What's new with the display?

You won't have to adjust to the screen size when you upgrade to the iPhone 13. The display on Apple's phone still measures 6.1 inches and has a resolution of 1,170 x 2,532 pixels. Thankfully, Apple managed to shrink the notch at the top of the screen a bit. A selfie camera and all the sensors needed for Face ID are still included, of course.

Due to the unchanged screen size, the dimensions of both phones are also almost identical. While the length of 146.7 millimeters and the width of 71.5 mm are exactly the same, the iPhone 13 is slightly thicker. It measures 7.7 millimeters, while the iPhone 12 measures just 7.4 millimeters. The weight is also slightly higher, at 174 grams – the iPhone 12 weighs 164 grams.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: New chip on the same manufacturing process

Once a year, Apple updates not only its phones, but also the chip used in them. In 2021, the A15 Bionic is the central novelty of the iPhone 13 line. According to the manufacturer, the chip will be 50% faster than the current leading competitor and will offer 30% more graphics performance. Apple is probably referring to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, the most powerful Android processor in the second half of 2021. However, this information has not been confirmed.

Compared to the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12, there should also be a performance advantage, but this is not very relevant in everyday use. All games and apps in the AppStore can be used without any problems with the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12. More interesting than that are the memory configurations, in which Apple made a real upgrade in 2021.

For the iPhone 13 series models, the option with only 64 gigabytes has finally been dropped. The configurator on Apple's website now starts with 128 gigabytes for the 2021 models and, in the case of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, goes up to 512 gigabytes. The Pro models can be equipped with up to 1 terabyte of storage space.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: Cameras with larger sensors and Pixel Shift

If you’re interested in photography and are deciding between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, there are plenty of arguments in favor of the newer model. Apple has made improvements to both the hardware and software. Let’s start with the cameras on the back of the new iPhones.

The standard model still has a dual camera setup, with both the main camera and the ultra-wide camera having a resolution of 12 megapixels. However, Apple has added a larger sensor under the main camera lens, allowing 47% more light to be captured. Low-light and nighttime images should look better for this and one other reason.

With Sensor Shift technology, Apple has brought a feature that was exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro Max to all new models. “Sensor shift” is Apple's term for an optical image stabilization (OIS) system that works by shifting the camera sensor. In the case of the iPhone 12 (regular, mini and Pro), this is still achieved by conventional optical image stabilization. The feature also helps stabilize videos, which is another advantage of the iPhone 13 models.

That's because all new iPhones come with the cool Cinema Mode. The feature calculates a digital bokeh (blur) effect on your photos and lets you change focus and other design techniques at the touch of a button or even fully automatically. For the Pro models, support for Apple's ProRes video codec will be added sometime after launch.

Last but not least, you can recognize the new iPhones at first glance by their cameras. The camera lenses of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are no longer arranged one above the other, but diagonally. A small detail, but one that has no functional advantages.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: Battery capacity and charging

Buyers of a new iPhone can also expect better battery life on the 2021 model. As usual, Apple doesn't give details about the capacity of the built-in batteries, but instead makes two promises. According to the company, overall, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max will last 2.5 hours longer, and the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro will offer 1.5 hours more battery life.

On Apple's own comparison page, using video playback as a reference, the iPhone 12 is listed with a battery life of up to 17 hours, while the iPhone 13 reaches 19 hours in the same test.

Apple is also relying on its proprietary Lightning connector for the iPhone 13 and is offering wireless charging for the MagSafe standard as an alternative. The wireless charging standard uses magnets to position a charging puck on the back of the new iPhones. Alternatively, accessories like the MagSafe Wallet or MagSafe Battery Pack can be attached to the back.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12: which phone should you buy in 2021?

In short, two things can be said: the iPhone 13 comes with a few, but important, improvements. Although the highlight of the 2021 lineup is the 13 Pro series, thanks to the 120-hertz display and improved cameras. However, those who own an iPhone 12 have no great reason to upgrade to an iPhone 13. The phone looks almost identical, offers a faster processor and more powerful cameras. However, you won't be able to enjoy completely new features outside of the camera.

If you're thinking about making the switch from Android to Apple in 2021, go for the 13 model when deciding between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13. If we compare options with the same storage capacity, the price difference is relatively small compared to the improvements they bring. Plus, you're getting a more powerful and therefore more future-proof phone.

In short: If you have an older model, go for the iPhone 13 — but if you already have an iPhone 12, wait for the iPhone 14! If you’re looking for deals, check out our iPhone family overview page.