which one is right for you?
Are you going to buy a new iPhone? Cool! The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro are quite similar, so that’s why we compared them. These are the main differences between the two.
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Contents
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro: 7 key differences
At first glance, the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro are like two drops of water. Both have a 6.1-inch screen, share a design and are powered by the same A15 Bionic chip. But, there are indeed differences.
Are you planning to buy a new iPhone this year, but not sure which one to choose? Then this article is made for you. In this iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro comparison, we pit the devices against each other.
Index: iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro
1. Screen gets ProMotion
An important difference is the screen. After the ‘regular’ and Pro iPhone crawled closer to each other last year, they are now taking more distance. The screen of the iPhone 13 Pro (Max) has been promoted, while the display of the entry-level model has stuck.
The iPhone 13 Pro (Max) has a so-called ProMotion screen. Such a display refreshes 120 times per second, while that of the iPhone 13 (mini) gets stuck at 60 times. When you put the two next to each other, the screen of the entry-level model looks a bit slower. You notice the difference in refresh rate especially when scrolling and when playing certain games.
ProMotion isn’t the only screen difference between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. The latter also has a brighter display. The iPhone 13 Pro (Max) has a maximum screen brightness of 1000 nits, 200 more than the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. This allows you to read the screen of the best iPhone even in bright sunlight.
2. Design: glossy or matte?
In terms of design, 2021 is a gap year for the iPhone. That is also quite logical, because last year the design was completely overhauled. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro are clearly based on their direct predecessors, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
However, there is one important difference. The notch hated by many has shrunk. Apple has managed to make the ‘bite’ at the top of the screen about twenty percent smaller.
In terms of direct design differences between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, we should mainly look at the housing. The entry-level model has a more glossy (glossy) finish, while the back of the Pro models looks matt. The housing of the 13 Pro (Max) is also made of stainless steel, while the regular 13 (mini) is made of aluminum.
Also interesting: iPhone 13 design: the 4 changes in a row
3. Colours: playful versus business
If you love bright colors, then you should go for the iPhone 13. The device is available in all kinds of fresh flavors, including pink.
The iPhone 13 Pro is more modest, because the device is aimed more at the professional and business target group. It comes in largely the same colors as the iPhone 12 Pro, although Ocean Blue has been replaced by Sierra Blue.
- Colors of iPhone 13: Blue, Midnight (Black), Red, Starlight (Silver), Pink
- iPhone 13 Pro Colors: Gold, Graphite, Sierra Blue, Silver
Also read: iPhone 13 colors and models: all new iPhones in the picture
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iPhone 13 -
iPhone 13 Pro
4. Hardware differs little
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro have the same A15 Bionic chip, yet the Pro is more powerful. The more expensive model has a graphics processor with five cores, while the entry-level model has ‘only’ four. The question is to what extent you will notice this difference in practice. We don’t think most people will notice.
A more important difference is the amount of working memory. The iPhone 13 has 4GB of RAM, the 13 Pro 6GB. In practice, you can have more apps open at the same time on the Pro model, before the device becomes slow. Demanding apps, such as games, also run (in theory) slightly better than on the entry-level model.
Do you take pictures all day long? Or do you regularly record videos in high quality? Then you probably want an iPhone with a lot of storage. The iPhone 13 starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB. If you need even more capacity, you should go for the iPhone 13 Pro. The largest version has 1TB of storage.
5. Battery life has (considerably) stretched
What good is an excellent smartphone without a decent battery? Correct: quite little. One of the major criticisms of the Apple smartphones of 2020 was the poor battery life of (especially) the entry-level models. Fortunately, the company seems to have listened to the criticism this year.
| Device | Battery capacity in mAh | Difference* |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 | 3240 | +15.10% |
| iPhone 13 Pro | 3125 | +11.01% |
Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro have a considerably larger battery than their predecessors, as we know thanks to registration in a database (via Chemtrec). Apple itself is always silent about battery size. The company does say that the battery life has improved considerably, with the Pro just pulling the longest end:
- iPhone 13 can play up to 19 hours of videos
- iPhone 13 Pro can play videos for up to 22 hours
6. Camera: how many lenses do you want?
One obvious difference between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro is the camera. The latter has three sensors on the back, the former two. Starting with the iPhone 13, which has both a wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lens (both 12 megapixels). The selfie camera also has a resolution of 12 megapixels.
The iPhone 13 Pro has three cameras on the back (all 12 megapixels). In addition to a wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lens, the Pro also has a real telephoto lens. This is also called a ‘zoom lens’, because you use it to zoom in without loss of quality.
The fourth dot on the back of the 13 Pro is the LiDAR scanner. Technically, this is not a camera, but the scanner does make photos more beautiful because it is very good at measuring depths.
Speaking of distances, the iPhone 13 Pro’s zoom can now zoom in even better. The Pro iPhone has 3x optical zoom, while the iPhone 13 does not have a dedicated zoom.
Furthermore, the iPhone 13 Pro’s camera is much better at shooting in low-light conditions, such as at night. In dark situations, the ultra-wide-angle lens captures up to 90 percent more light, making snapshots look a lot fresher.
Also read: iPhone 13 (Pro) camera: the 6 new functions in a row
7. Price: big price difference
The iPhone 13 Pro is better and therefore more expensive. The device starts at 1159 euros. If you choose more storage, you will of course pay a surcharge. For the iPhone 13 you have lost at least 909 euros.
| Storage | iPhone 13 | iPhone 13 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 128GB | 909 euros | 1159 euros |
| 256GB | 1029 euros | 1279 euros |
| 512GB | 1259 euros | 1509 euros |
| 1TB | Not available | 1739 euros |
Conclusion: iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro
In 2020, the entry-level and Pro iPhone moved towards each other, but in 2021 they will distance themselves. At first glance, the two devices show a lot of similarities. Look at design and hardware, for example, but beneath the surface are a lot of differences.
The iPhone 13 Pro mainly distinguishes itself in terms of screen and camera. The display (finally) has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes everything look a bit smoother than on an iPhone 13.
The more expensive model is also interesting for photographers. After all, the iPhone 13 Pro has a triple camera and exclusive features, such as the ability to record videos in ProRes format.
Whether those pluses justify the extra cost of 250 euros is up to you. For many people, the iPhone 13 is probably good enough.
Also interesting: iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: the 6 main differences
buy iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro can be ordered in the Netherlands from Friday 17 September (at 14:00). A week later, on September 24, the devices go on official sale. The first iPhone 13 models ordered will also be delivered from this day. In the article below we list all information about prices and release dates.
Read more: Overview: all Dutch iPhone 13 prices and pre-order dates in a row
This is what Apple announced at its September event:
