iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13: is it worth the upgrade?

Deepak Gupta
Deepak Gupta January 9, 2022
Updated 2022/01/09 at 2:01 AM

About a week ago, fans of the nibbled apple ran down the Apple stores – in the hope of finally being able to hold the new iPhone 13 in their hands. There is hardly another event that Apple loyalists are looking forward to as much as the release of a new model from the successful smartphone series. But the presentation of the iPhone 13 revealed: There are not many new features for the iPhone 12. At least not at first sight. We have that iPhone 12 compared to iPhone 13 Have a look and answer the big question: Is it worth upgrading at all?

iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13: The big showdown

What a day September 24th was again for Apple. Hardly any other smartphone manufacturer achieves a hype like the US software developer every year. This year Apple wrote the number 13 on its forehead: The successor to the successful iPhone 12 hit stores and caused a storm of enthusiasm. But not for everyone.

Because already at the presentation, many recognized: There is not much that is new behind the facade of the new smartphone.

Apple relies on a similar design to the iPhone 12

Not only the design is extremely similar to the previous model: With the iPhone 12, Apple opted for a sleek, angular design – according to the motto “back to the roots”. Because the iPhone 4 was the last angular phone of the era. The fans were happy. So it’s no wonder that Apple also preferred a more angular look with the iPhone 13.

The aluminum frame has remained. Only the Pro models have a stainless steel jacket. Also: Apple offers the iPhone 13 in five colors. The 12 model was available in six colors. Instead of purple and green, Apple is using the trend color rosé with the new generation. A subtle change: the cameras are now arranged diagonally, previously it was vertical. In addition, the notch is 20 percent slimmer. It remains to be seen whether that makes a big difference in practice.

recommendation: At o2 there is the iPhone 12 Pro Max in the tariff o2 Free M Boost with 40 gigabytes and a EUR 100 change bonus for EUR 61.99 per month. New customers save a total of 192 euros. In terms of performance, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is even better than the iPhone 12, possibly even than the iPhone 13.

The big difference? Camera comparison of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13

On paper, the camera of the iPhone 13 sounds much better than that of the iPhone 12: According to Apple, more light flows into the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses. Up to 47 percent more light results in less noise in images. The image stabilization ensures that images hardly shake even when taking photos with the hand.

When it comes to video recordings, Apple presented a new feature with the iPhone 13. The so-called cinema mode is intended to give filmmakers a depth of field effect. The depth of field can be maneuvered automatically or manually. The Hollywood flair is intended to be used for cinematic and first-class video recordings for amateur filmmakers. In addition, there are HDR and Dolby Vision for high quality recordings. It is definitely an upgrade.

Performance and battery in the fast lane

Apple has announced that thanks to the new A15 bionic chip, the latest model would perform significantly better than its one-year-old little brother. Better still: it shouldn’t have any effect on the battery. Apple advertises 2.5 hours longer battery life for the iPhone 13 compared to the iPhone 12. Is that true? The consumer portal IMTEST is currently putting the iPhone through its paces. A test should shed light on the darkness.

Conclusion: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 – how useful is an upgrade?

An upgrade from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13 is only moderately useful. Sure: If you really want to try the camera’s cinema mode or want to benefit from an alleged 2.5 hours more battery power, you can definitely consider buying it. In contrast to its predecessor, the iPhone 13 really doesn’t bring many new features. Rather, the 13 model is a small optimization of the 12, which could have been integrated into the series of the iPhone 12.

The differences to the iPhone 11 and older predecessors are big. Anyone who wants to get started with the iPhone 13 from here is making a quantum leap. Better cameras, new features, and a great display make a big difference. This was also shown by the iPhone 13 Pro test. But if you have an iPhone 12, you should wait another year. The iPhone 14 may then come with more substantial upgrades.

Source: Apple; IN THE TEST; own research

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