still something for everyone

Also this year, Apple presented four new iPhones. iPhoned was able to get started with this new quartet. Here you can read our first impression of the Phone 13 series!

First impression: iPhone 13 series

Apple unveiled all kinds of new products on September 14, 2021, including the iPad (mini) 2021 and the Apple Watch Series 7. It was also time for the iPhones of 2021 and we knew that. The American manufacturer introduced us to four new devices.

iPhoned will of course come with four extensive reviews of all those models in the coming weeks. However, we have also been working with the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and of course the iPhone 13 Pro Max. You can read our first impressions of the entire iPhone 13 series here!

Packaging: we still have to get used to it

With the iPhone 12 introduction, Apple made a somewhat controversial choice. A charger or set of EarPods were no longer included. That is still the case with the iPhone 13 series and so the packaging of the devices is not too exciting.

The boxes of the iPhone 13 and 13 mini are white, while the 13 Pros come in a black box. What graces the manufacturer is that the image of the iPhone 13 on the box has exactly the same dimensions as the real device, which remains a nice detail.

Don’t expect sealed plastic boxes, because we don’t see that anymore either. To reveal the iPhone and the included Lightning cable, pull off a small strip, after which you can open the box.

New colors, minor changes to appearance

Let’s start with the iPhone 13 and the smallest of the quartet: the iPhone 13 mini. Both devices are available in blue, red, silver, black and pink. The device breathes in everything that it is the direct successor of the iPhone 12. We see the characteristic upright matt finished edges and shiny back. The characteristic flat screen is also on board, but more about that later.

What you can immediately see that it is a new model is the camera island. That also has a matte finish, but the two cameras are placed slightly differently. Instead of vertically, they can be found diagonally below each other. That makes for a slightly more playful look.

The iPhone 13 Pro (Max) also resembles a typical iPhone. As you may know, these devices have shiny edges and a matte back. We also see some changes in colors for 2021. Both 13 Pros are available in four colors: graphite, blue, silver and gold. The camera sensors are a bit larger, but you can find them in the same place as the predecessors.

Screen: The Pros take the win

We have now also been spoiled with OLED screens at manufacturer Apple. They became ‘standard’ with the iPhone 12 series and we see them again with the iPhone 13 series. Colors are splashing, viewing angles are fine and the contrast is really high. The iPhone 13 and 13 mini have 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch high-resolution screens.

During the presentation, Apple also put a lot of effort into the reduced notch. It is 20 percent smaller than the previous models. In that notch we find various sensors, including those for FaceID. It’s nice that it’s smaller, but it really only stands out if you keep an older iPhone next to it. Sin.

The screen of the normal 13’s only refreshes 60 times per second and that can be called old-fashioned by now. Looking for a better experience? Then you should go for a Pro! In our time that we have been working with all devices, you notice a clear difference. They contain a ProMotion screen (known from iPad Pro) with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

With the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max you can fly through the interface in no time, multitasking is a lot smoother and everything feels much nicer. This can of course be detrimental to the battery life, but that has been taken care of. The Pros contain an ltpo panel. For example, if you read an email or surf a web page, the screen refreshes a lot less, which is better for the battery. In our separate reviews of the iPhone 13 Pro (Max), we will of course discuss this further.

The normal 13 Pro is also equipped with a 6.1-inch screen, but the Pro Max with a 6.7-inch one. Because it is finished flat and has no subtly rounded screen edges, it is simply a beast. Especially with a case around it, it is really something you have to take into account.

Cameras: more features, better shots

The placement of the cameras on the iPhone 13 (mini) is therefore slightly different, but we do not see very large improvements in that area. Apple has mainly tinkered behind the scenes to make better shots. For example, during the presentation, the manufacturer focused heavily on Film mode, which allows you to record perfect videos with a depth of field effect. That is also something that we will certainly look at in our extensive reviews.

Looking for Apple’s best smartphone in terms of cameras? Then you cannot avoid having to go for the iPhone 13 Pro (Max). On the back are again three cameras, each with a resolution of 12 megapixels. With the wide-angle lens, you can now also get started with macro photography, where the camera focuses from a distance of two centimeters.

Optical zooming is also present again and all sensors collect more light. That should ensure better photos in poor lighting conditions, something we will test in the near future.

5G, MagSafe and now let’s get started

With the iPhone 12 series, Apple scored in more areas than just the renewed design. These were the first iPhones with 5G support. Nice for the future, of course, but at the moment it still doesn’t help you much.

MagSafe was also integrated into the manufacturer’s smartphones. Thanks to this technique, which works with magnets, you can, for example, ‘click’ a wallet on the back or a MagSafe charger, after which you charge the device.

Both techniques are also on board with the iPhone 13 series and we discuss them in our reviews of the devices. In it we also discuss the performance of the renewed Apple A15 processor and of course battery life. According to Apple, the last few hours should be better than with the iPhone 12 series, we are curious!

Conclusion iPhone 13 series first impression

The iPhone 13 series is not very innovative on many points, as the iPhone 12 series was. They are therefore ‘intermediate models’, before Apple comes with the very renewed iPhone 14s. Nevertheless, the manufacturer with four models offers something for everyone and that is simply nice to see.

Which of the iPhones suits you best depends on several factors such as budget, size and type of screen and the cameras. We will of course elaborate on this in our individual reviews! So keep a close eye on iPhoned, because the (video) reviews of every iPhone 13 model will appear there soon.

Buy iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro (Max)

The iPhone 13 series will be available in the Netherlands from Friday 24 September. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini cost the same as their predecessors: 909 and 809 euros. This also applies to the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Max, for which you pay respectively 1159 and 1259 euros. Order in advance, then quickly check where you can reserve the iPhone 13 series.