Vratislav Holub Although this year's iPhone 13 series is not very attractive at first glance, it still has a number of great innovations that it can proudly boast about. So let's take a look at the basic iPhone 13, what it can do, and whether it's even worth switching to it for less than 23.
Packaging in brief
As for the packaging and first impressions, you could already read the articles on this topic on the day sales began. Even so, it is advisable not to omit this passage in our review. In short, it could be said that the packaging has hardly changed since the previous iPhone 12 generation. At that time, Apple stopped packaging wired EarPods and a power adapter, thereby reducing the overall size and, of course, reducing costs. The packaging of the iPhone 13 is in the same vein. Inside is the phone itself, under which we can find the official documentation along with stickers or a needle for the SIM card and a USB-C/Lightning type power cable. In any case, we would have found one small change - Apple, with a view to ecology, stopped wrapping the boxes themselves in transparent foil. He replaced it by gluing a piece of paper, which you just need to tear off.
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Design and processing
It is no glory in terms of design either. However, to put it in perspective, I certainly do not mean by this that the appearance of Apple's iPhone 13 would not be successful, on the contrary. The Cupertino giant bet on a proven card – the design of the iPhone 12. Just a year ago, a relatively fundamental change came, when the company moved away from rounded edges and brought a fresh change in the form of sharp edges. In general, it can be said that the shape came close to the now legendary iPhone 5. Whether it was better before or now is up for debate. I personally welcome this change and would not want to return to the design of the iPhone X, XS/XR or 11 (Pro).
We managed to get an iPhone 13 in PRODUCT(RED) for review, which I would never have expected to like so much. This color looks really beautiful and really stands out on the phone. Compared to the same color design that we could see in the case of previous generations of Apple phones, this year is several steps ahead. In any case, the design is highly subjective and it is possible that you will prefer a different color. Despite that, I won't forgive myself one hint. Since Apple has been using glass backs for a long time, which make sense in terms of functionality, it also suffers from one shortcoming. The back of the phone is literally a magnet for fingerprints. But it's nothing so serious that it can't be solved with an ordinary cover.
Anyway, the body of the phone is again made of aluminum. Another minor change comes in the case of the upper cutout, which this time was reduced by 20%. With this step, Apple responds to long-standing criticism for the unaesthetic appearance of the notch. It has been with us since 2017, when the then-revolutionary iPhone X was introduced, and it hasn't changed at all since then. That is, until now. However, I ask myself whether such a reduction actually makes sense. At first glance, it is not even visible, and it will disappear anyway during use. In addition, the change does not bring any functional benefit, i.e. that we would, for example, see battery percentages and the like. However, everyone can view this news differently. Personally, he belongs to the camp of apple lovers who never had a problem with the cutout and simply respected it. Even so, I firmly believe that relatively soon we could see an iPhone without a notch, which would be replaced by a hole, while the technology for Touch ID would remain hidden directly in the display.
Weight, dimensions and use
As with last generation, the basic iPhone 13 boasts a 6,1″ display. In my opinion, this is the so-called ideal size, which is comfortable enough for normal use and wear. If we look at it in more detail, its dimensions are 146,7 x 71,5 x 7,65 mm, while the weight is 173 grams. Again, we can compare these data with the iPhone 12, which was 0,25 mm slimmer and 11 grams lighter. In any case, I had the opportunity to test both series and I have to admit that these are completely negligible differences that will be lost in normal use.
I would also like to comment on the design itself from the point of view of use. Just as I wrote in last year's review of the iPhone 12 mini, I still hold the same opinion. In short, sharp edges work and work well. Personally, this approach to design is much closer to me, and the phone not only looks nice, but is also quite comfortable to hold and great to work with. In any case, I don't want to insult the appearance of the iPhone X, XS/XR or 11 (Pro). Of course, this is again a matter of opinion and both variants undoubtedly have their pluses and minuses.
Display: Still the same song with a small plus
In the case of the display, Apple is again betting on its Super Retina XDR, which was also found on the iPhone 12. As I mentioned above, its diagonal in the case of the basic model is 6,1″, and again, of course, it is an OLED panel with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels at 460 pixels per inch (ppi). There are also well-known technologies such as HDR, True Tone, Haptic Touch and a wide color range (P3 gamut). Since it is also an OLED display, it naturally also offers a relatively significant contrast ratio of 2:000. Oleophobic anti-smudge treatment is now standard. When presenting the technical specifications, I deliberately left out one feature. In this regard, we are talking about the maximum brightness of the display, which received a slight improvement, when it specifically jumped from a value of 000 nits to 1 nits. In the case of displaying HDR content, it is the same 625 nits. But if I claimed that this difference could be seen, I would be lying. I simply did not notice it during normal use. Even so, I have to admit that the display is relatively readable in the sun, but of course it is necessary to take into account some illegibility, especially when depicting various details that may not be visible as much.
It could be interest you
If we were to summarize the display of the iPhone 13 in general, I must of course praise it. For a long time now, Apple phones have been presented with relatively good screens that are, in short, relatively good to look at. To make matters worse, they are also covered by the so-called Ceramic Shield, which is a special layer to increase durability. Compared to the previous generation, however, the display has practically not moved anywhere and therefore does not bring any significant improvements. In this regard, I would greatly appreciate it if Apple used the ProMotion display from the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max models even in the basic "thirteen." Thanks to it, the refresh rate can be changed adaptively, so to speak, based on the currently rendered content, specifically in the range from 10 to 120 Hz, while the iPhone 13 offers a display with a 60 Hz refresh rate. It was the ProMotion display that did an excellent job with the Pro models, and I'm a little sad that the other models were not as sharp. For example, the competition offers something similar in the case of phones under 10 crowns.
Performance: A move forward we don't need (yet).
The trouble-free operation of the device is primarily ensured by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, which, according to the Cupertino giant, should offer 50% more performance than the currently most powerful competition. But let's pour some pure wine. (Not only) apple phones have always been several levels ahead of their competition in terms of performance, which simply cannot be taken away from Apple. But there is one catch. We have reached a time when the increase in performance is practically negligible and cannot be noticed in any way during normal use. Personally, I have to admit that such an iPhone 12 has already worked flawlessly and has been running briskly so far. The question therefore arises as to whether increasing performance actually makes sense at all.
The answer is quite simple - unequivocally yes. It is necessary to take into account that technologies age incredibly quickly and what is high-end today may be unusable in 10 years. It is similar in the world of chips. In addition, there is another reason. iPhones continue to boast long-term support, which means they receive up-to-date software updates for roughly five years after their introduction. However, as time moves forward, the software, or operating system, moves along with it, which can therefore have higher demands after a certain period of time. It is precisely in this direction that a more powerful chip can come in handy even after years of operation, so that it can easily handle various tasks.
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But let's take a look at the practice. Although I hardly ever play games on my iPhone X, I do spend some time with Call of Duty: Mobile from time to time. When I started this game on my iPhone 13, I took a look at the settings before starting to play, where I set the details to maximum and went for it. The result probably won't surprise anyone. In short, everything ran as it should - I didn't encounter any jams, the phone didn't overheat, and I could enjoy playing undisturbed. But now let's move on to the numbers. To make our review complete, of course we couldn't forget the classic benchmark test, for which I specifically used the popular Geekbench. When testing the iPhone 13 processor, it scored 1734 points in the single-core test and 4662 points in the multi-core test. It should be noted that this is a fairly good step forward compared to the iPhone 12, which boasted "only" 1585 and 3967 points. As for the performance of the graphics processor, it scored 10639 points in the Metal test. Last year's iPhone 12 then came to 9241 points. The data itself shows how the iPhone 13 has roughly improved. However, I would like to remind you once again that although the higher performance is not visible for now, we will definitely appreciate it in a few years.
Storage
Anyway, the great news comes in the case of storage. Apple has finally listened to the long-standing pleas of apple lovers themselves and doubled its size in the case of basic models. So the iPhone 13 starts at 128 GB (instead of the 64 GB offered by the iPhone 12), while we can pay extra for the 256 GB and 512 GB versions. I perceive this change extremely positively. In recent years, not only the performance has been improved, but the emphasis is mainly on the camera. It can take better and better photos or videos, which naturally take up more space. We can only praise Apple for this shift!
Camera
As I indicated above, in recent years there has been a strong emphasis on camera capabilities, which not only Apple, but also other smartphone manufacturers are aware of. So let's look at probably the most interesting part of this review. Before that, however, I would like to point out that this is still "just a phone," which has its limitations. Even so, I have to admit that in terms of quality, we are moving to unprecedented dimensions. A few years ago, probably no one could have even imagined that one day phones would be able to take such high-quality photos.
In the case of the iPhone 13, Apple boasts that it is its most advanced dual camera system to date. Moreover, the change can be seen at first glance, when the rear camera lenses are placed diagonally, whereas last year's series had them arranged below each other. Thanks to this, the Cupertino giant was able to gain more space for the use of larger sensors. Specifically, it is a 12Mpx wide-angle sensor with an aperture of f/1.6 with optical image stabilization by shifting the sensor in combination with a 12Mpx ultra-wide-angle sensor with an aperture of f/2.4, a 120° field of view and a faster sensor (compared to the iPhone 12). As for the front TrueDepth camera, it again relies on a 12 Mpx sensor with an aperture of f/2.2. If we take a look at what Apple presents us, according to this information, the rear wide-angle lens should be able to take in 47% more light, while the ultra-wide-angle has improved in the case of shooting in poor lighting conditions. In any case, the question remains whether it corresponds to reality at all.
I still have to point out one important fact. I am not a photographer, but an ordinary user who "clicks" a photo from time to time. Even so, I have to objectively praise Apple for its progress in the camera field, because what the iPhone 13 can do is in many cases breathtaking. Immediately after taking a photo, it is noticeable how even the smallest detail stands out perfectly in the images, you can notice the excellent color processing and I definitely must not forget the night mode, which can take it for granted. Unfortunately, what I miss here is the possibility of taking macro pictures. This was added to the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max models this year, but the classic "thirteen" is again unlucky.
Photos during the day:
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Artificial light:
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Portrait:
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Night mode & selfie:
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See what Night Mode is capable of:
Photographic styles
In the case of the camera, we must not forget the interesting novelty in the form of so-called photo styles. With their help, the photos themselves can be wonderfully revived and thus breathe new life into them. Again, according to the official description from Apple, these styles can intensify or dim the colors in photos. However, it should be noted that these are not classic effects. In the case of photographic styles, the standard skin tone is preserved despite various adjustments, while the effects change the image as a whole. Personally, I see a benefit in the fact that you can really win with the new product, while I think that a person who likes to take pictures with an iPhone can have a great time with this new product. At first, I had a rather skeptical approach to photographic styles. However, it was enough to test the function a few times, to understand its possibilities, and my opinion suddenly turned 180°. Still, I stand by one thing - it's not something that every user will use regularly.
Video recording & cinematography mode
Another dominant feature of Apple phones is the ability to record high-quality video. Specifically, the iPhone 13 can handle HDR video recording in Dolby Vision at up to 4K resolution with 60 frames per second (fps), while the resolution and fps can be reduced if necessary. We must also definitely not forget to mention the optical image stabilization with the shift of the sensor in the case of a wide-angle lens, which noticeably advances the quality. It is the displacement of the sensor that can compensate for hand tremors, which would otherwise understandably reduce the quality. Subsequently, there are well-known functions in the form of audio zoom, QuickTake video and the possibility of zooming out up to two times with optical zoom or up to three times digital zoom. Of course, it is also possible to record slow-mo video in 1080p at 120/240 fps, time-lapse videos with stabilization or night mode.
Let's take a look at the quality itself. As I mentioned above, it is in the area of video recording that iPhones are several steps ahead. So, objectively, I have to admit that the iPhone 13 is definitely not an exception in this regard and can therefore take care of first-class videos. But I can't say whether I personally notice a difference or a shift. I shoot on my phone only occasionally. However, what I can confirm is optical stabilization with sensor shift, which simply works and works great.
Film mode
Now let's move on to the much more interesting thing, which is the vaunted movie mode. When Apple presented this new product, it was able to immediately gain attention, and not only from the ranks of apple users themselves. But what exactly is film mode? This mode can record HDR videos in Dolby Vision and automatically create first-class effects of depth of field and transitions in focus. So as soon as we start recording, the phone will focus on the subject in the frame, and it can handle it automatically, or we just need to mark the subject. A depth of field effect is instantly created around this subject, subtly blurring the surroundings. However, if our subject, for example, turns his head to another character, the iPhone automatically refocuses the scene and creates a great looking film effect.
But it is necessary to realize one important thing. It's still a "just" phone from which we can't expect miracles, at least for now. Precisely for this reason, the iPhone does not always focus correctly, which is why the given video simply fails to shoot. Fortunately, this does not mean that we have to try again, as we can solve everything in a few seconds directly on the phone. Videos shot in filmmaking mode can also be edited retroactively. During editing, you can choose which subjects the scene should be focused on, when it should be refocused, etc.
The movie mode is undoubtedly a great novelty that can please many apple lovers. I was already fascinated by this feature during the presentation itself, and I must admit that I was honestly looking forward to it. But during testing I realized one important thing. The movie mode is something that the average user practically never uses. The option is more aimed at video creators and amateur actors, for whom this can be a great novelty, thanks to which they can take their creation to the next level. Otherwise, I don't see much use for the effect. Even so, I rate it positively and I'm glad that something similar has made it to apple phones.
Battery
Although the iPhone 13 brings only a few minor improvements, I have to admit that almost all of them are worth it. Another good news is the longer battery life, which offers up to 12 hours more battery life compared to the iPhone 2,5 (in the case of the iPhone 13 mini, this is 1,5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 mini). In practice, therefore, I did not encounter a single day during which I had to charge my iPhone in progress. Every time I came to bed after a day, all I had to do was plug the phone into the charger and still see just over 20% on it. I fell below this value only once, and that was when I was intensively testing the iPhone all day, i.e. playing various games, testing applications, performing benchmark tests or watching videos on YouTube. In my opinion, this is a relatively respectable result.
However, this is not to say that the iPhone is generally the best phone on the market in terms of battery life. This is of course not true. Some competing phones with the Android operating system are able to offer endurance that we Apple fans probably never dreamed of. Even so, I perceive the endurance of the "thirteenth" as sufficient and I don't have the slightest problem with it. Anyway, I can imagine the situation if I actually spent the whole day on the phone - in which case the situation could be quite a bit worse.
Sound quality
We shouldn't forget the sound quality either. Of course, the iPhone 13 offers stereo audio, just like its predecessors. One speaker is located above the top notch and the other is located on the bottom of the phone frame. In terms of quality, the apple novelty is not bad at all and thus offers relatively sufficient sound quality. Nevertheless, we must not count on anything that would be able to enchant us so much. These are just ordinary phone speakers that can play songs, podcasts or videos, but we shouldn't expect miracles from it. However, it is more than enough for everyday activities.
Summary
So, is the iPhone 13 a full-fledged successor to last year's "twelve", or does it have its gaps, without which it simply cannot work? At the same time, the question arises as to whether this phone is even worth the price tag of almost 23 crowns. In general, the iPhone 13 is not bad at all - it offers sufficient performance, boasts a high-quality display, can take care of quality photos and video recordings, and it is not bad in terms of battery life either. It cannot be denied that this piece is a great phone with a number of great options, but…
There is one catch. When we present the phone in general, it appears to be a perfect option for the mentioned 23 thousand crowns. But when we put it next to last year's iPhone 12, it doesn't look so great anymore. Compared to the "twelve", it brings a minimum of innovations, which I personally could easily do without. In general, I would rather call the iPhone 13 the iPhone 12S because of this. The most interesting new feature is the film mode, which, unfortunately, practically none of us will use, and switching to a new generation, for example, just because of a slightly smaller cut-out or a slightly larger battery makes no sense to me personally. However, it's a completely different song if I'm looking for a replacement for the iPhone 11 and older. In such a case, the "thirteen" seems to be the very best option, which, in addition to the traditional novelties, will also delight with twice the storage (in the case of the basic model). However, if Apple opted for a 120Hz ProMotion display even in the classic "thirteen," it would certainly be able to win the favor of a significantly larger group of apple lovers. Subsequently, however, the problem would be that the iPhone 13 Pro would be practically without its main novelty.
