Is the iPhone 13 outdated? Not even close (iPhone 13 series review)

Why you can trust this iPhone 13 series review 

Trust Back Market to provide you with reliable, sustainable, and affordable tech, along with valuable tech insights. Here, we're all about providing honest, no-nonsense insights into tech. Our iPhone 13 series review is based on real-world performance, long-term durability, expert knowledge, and how it compares to the latest models. We've broken down what truly matters — design and build, display quality, performance, camera quality, and battery life — so you can assess its everyday usability and make an informed decision. With a focus on affordability and sustainability, we want to help you decide for yourself if the iPhone 13 is still a smart buy in 2025.  

iPhone 13 review  

iPhone 13 specifications 

iPhone 13 design and build 

The iPhone 13's design is arguably one of Apple's most iconic since it carries through to the iPhone 15. Its dimensions make it suitable for those looking for a compact smartphone thanks to its screen dimensions, which are not too big compared to today's standards. Although slightly thicker and heavier than most smartphones thanks to its larger battery, the iPhone 13 is still compact and comfortable to hold. Its flat surfaces on the back and sides make it non-slippery, but it has somewhat sharp edges. It features a glossy back, which can get dirty, but choosing a brighter color should solve this problem. Apple's Ceramic Shield protects the glass front, with the rear, including the glass of each camera, protected using sapphire crystal material. The iPhone 13 carries an IP68 rating for water resistance. 

iPhone 13 display 

The iPhone 13's display has only two drawbacks — it misses out on the Always-On display and has a 60Hz refresh rate. But this isn't a dealbreaker as even later iterations, including the iPhone 15, still offer a 60Hz refresh rate. The rest is all good, as the iPhone 13's display features a high-quality panel, going toe to toe with some of the latest smartphones. The Super Retina XDR OLED display provides vibrant colors, thin bezels, excellent responsiveness, and satisfying haptic feedback. There's a notch at the top for Face ID, and at 6.1 in, the iPhone 13 is comfortable enough for one-handed use, streaming videos, and gaming. It supports HDR content and can light up to 800 nits.  

iPhone 13 performance 

Although it debuted  3 years ago, the A15 Bionic chip was ahead of its time. The chip uses the second-gen 5nm fabrication from TSM, providing excellent efficiency. It features a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU with 4GB of RAM, and storage options range from 128GB to 512 GB. The iPhone 13 handles everyday tasks smoothly, including video editing, gaming, and multitasking, but compared to newer chips, it may struggle with some demanding apps. A significant drawback is that the iPhone 13 will not get Apple Intelligence. However, it still runs the latest iOS updates and will likely continue being supported by Apple for in 2 years.  

iPhone 13 camera 

Compared to the previous generation, the iPhone 13's camera received significant improvements to its hardware and software. The two rear sensors are 12MP, with one acting as the main sensor and the other as an ultra-wide f/2.2 sensor without autofocus. Apple also introduced sensor-shift stabilization in the iPhone 13 to stabilize shots. The front camera also gets a 12MP sensor with TrueDepth for Face ID and augmented reality. Video recording has also improved to 4K at 60 fps on both the front and rear cameras. Photo results are great in all lighting conditions, and night mode automatically activates when the phone detects low light conditions.  

iPhone 13 battery and charging 

The iPhone 13's battery was much larger than its previous generation and was designed with a 3,240 mAh capacity. While it might look smaller on paper compared to current Android smartphone batteries that can go up to 6,000 mAh, the iPhone 13 is much more efficient thanks to its chipset and operating system. According to Apple, it can charge up to 50% in half an hour with a 20W fast charger, and it will take about two hours to get to 100%. The iPhone 13 also supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging.  

iPhone 13 mini review 

iPhone 13 mini specifications 

iPhone 13 mini design  

Compared to the other iPhones in this series, the iPhone 13 mini is remarkably compact. Its dimensions are identical to the original iPhone's but have a thinner profile. The iPhone 13 mini's design is inspired by the iPhone 12 mini. Still, if you're keen enough, you will spot a few differences — a reduced notch at the top of the display and diagonally arranged camera lenses. It retains the flat-edge design, featuring an aluminum frame, a Ceramic Shield front, and a glass back for added protection. The 13 mini has the power button on the right edge, with the silence switch, SIM tray, and volume buttons on the left. At the bottom, there's the Lightning port flanked by speaker grilles. It comes in five color options: pink, red, blue, Midnight, and Starlight. On the back, the pronounced camera module stands out more prominently than on other phones in this series.  

iPhone 13 mini display 

Like other phones in this series, the iPhone 13 mini also features a screen notch. The iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 1080 x 2340-pixel resolution. With a 477 ppi pixel density, it is sharp and pleasing to the eye, especially at the compact size. The size of the screen makes watching videos and gaming a bit difficult, but you don't buy compact phones for their gaming and streaming capabilities. It provides strong brightness levels, reaching 800 nits outdoors, something most users appreciate while using the iPhone 13 mini in sunlight. The display features the standard 60Hz refresh rate just like the iPhone 13, 14, 15, and 15 Plus, with the 120Hz refresh rate still saved for the Pro-level iPhones.  

iPhone 13 mini performance 

The iPhone 13 mini is powered by the A15 Bionic chipset with Neural Engine, delivering excellent performance. The A15 Bionic chip that powers all phones in this series is consistently solid, which is no surprise as it is a powerhouse of a chip. While the iPhone 13 mini comes with 4GB RAM — less than the 6GB in its Pro siblings — it still handles top-end apps efficiently. Storage options range from 128GB to 512GB, with the 1TB option reserved for the Pro models. The iPhone 13 mini also features 5G connectivity and runs the latest iOS, though it still lacks Apple Intelligence.  

iPhone 13 mini camera 

One of the best things about iPhones is their ability to deliver great camera results with minimal effort. The process is simple — just point and shoot, and you'll capture great images and videos. The iPhone 13 mini features a dual camera setup at the back: a 12MP wide and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. The main sensor allows 48% more light and is equipped with Apple's sensor-shift optical image stabilization for steadier shots. Its low-light performance is impressive, delivering clear photos with true-to-life colors. For video, the iPhone 13 mini supports 4K recording at 24, 30, or 60 fps, and for slower recordings, Full HD can stretch up to 120 and 240 fps. On the front, the 13 mini has a 12MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture, perfect for taking selfies, recording videos, and enabling Face ID.  

iPhone 13 mini battery and charging 

The iPhone 13 mini's small design means it doesn't provide as long of a battery life as the rest of the series. There's less room for a battery in the compact body, meaning it only gets a 2,438 mAh cell, much smaller than the average smartphone. While it features a small battery, the iPhone 13 mini's battery can last up to 17 hours according to Apple, which should be enough for most users. The iPhone 13 mini also supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging.  

iPhone 13 Pro review  

iPhone 13 Pro specifications 

iPhone 13 Pro design  

Apple embraced edges in 2020, steering its iPhones and iPads away from the curved designs of earlier models. Like its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro adopts a flat-edge design, blending stainless steel edges with a smooth matte-finished rear with a subtle Apple logo. The front features Apple's Ceramic Shield for enhanced durability, and toughened glass protects the back. With an extra camera, the rear bulge is more prominent and wider on the iPhone 13 Pro, preventing it from sitting flat on surfaces. It is heavier than the previous Pro, increasing from 189 g to 204 g — a worthwhile tradeoff for the larger battery that extends its life. The iPhone 13 Pro still has the notch on the display, but it is narrower by almost a centimeter. The Lightning port remains part of the design, and the iPhone 13 Pro is available in Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue.  

iPhone 13 Pro display 

Like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro also has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. It doesn't offer the best pixels-per-inch rating of the entire series — the iPhone 13 mini does — but it does offer 460 ppi, and the image quality is correspondingly crisp. Unlike the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini (also iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Plus), the iPhone 13 Pro introduces ProMotion's 120Hz screen refresh for a more fluid experience. The dynamic refresh rate automatically adjusts depending on the app being used. For example, when reading an e-book or using apps that don't benefit from the high refresh rate, the rate could drop to as low as 10Hz to save battery life. The notch is still present as the iPhone 13 Pro doesn't offer an under-display camera, but it is small.  

iPhone 13 Pro performance 

Like all iPhone 13 series models, the iPhone 13 Pro also runs on Apple's A15 Bionic chip. The A15 chipset is paired with 6GB RAM and gets an extra GPU core (5-core GPU, unlike the first two models' 4-core GPU). Storage options range from 128GB to 1TB. The performance of the iPhone 13 Pro is superb, no matter what you do. This phone runs demanding games smoothly, opens apps quickly, and the animations throughout the operating system are faultless. Four years later, it can compete with some of the latest Android devices and, in some cases, surpass them. It offers Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 6, 4G, and 5G connectivity and supports the latest iOS.  

iPhone 13 Pro camera 

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max share an identical camera system, which offers a significant upgrade over the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. On the back are three 12MP sensors: a wide angle, an ultra-wide angle (capable of capturing a 120-degree field of view), and a telephoto camera. The main wide camera features a larger sensor than the iPhone 13, improving clarity. Combined with its larger f/1.5 aperture, the camera captures more light, delivering superior low-light performance. The ultra-wide camera also benefits from an upgraded aperture, moving from f/2.4 to f/1.8, further improving nighttime photography.  

The telephoto camera now offers 3x optical zoom, an improvement over the 2x zoom of the previous generation. The iPhone 13 Pro's nighttime photography is one of the best, producing realistic brightness levels in low-light conditions. It also shines in macro photography, capturing sharp, detailed images in daylight. Computational photography further enhances image quality, ensuring superb results.  

The iPhone 13 Pro also has a Profiles feature that lets users add filters with adjustable intensity before taking a shot. Video capabilities are equally impressive, with Cinematic Mode enabling focus shifts during or after recording, although it's capped at 1080p at 30 fps. Sensor-based stabilization significantly improves video quality, especially in low-light conditions, though Cinematic Mode struggles with edge detection under similar settings.  

iPhone 13 Pro battery and charging 

Battery life is impressive on the iPhone 13 Pro. Despite its large, bright screen and powerful chip, the iPhone 13 Pro's 3,095 mAh battery stays on for a sensible amount of time. It will not provide the iPhone 13 Pro Max's level of service, but it will happily last a full day of hard use, and according to Apple, it can last up to 20 hours on video playback. Like the other phones in this series, the Pro supports 20W fast wired charging and MagSafe and Qi wireless charging.  

iPhone 13 Pro Max review 

iPhone 13 Pro Max specifications 

iPhone 13 Pro Max design  

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is an unapologetically big phone. It continues with the series' flat-edge design, adding shiny sides for a touch of bling — though they can make gripping tricky. Its all-day battery life is something to be celebrated, but the larger battery adds weight to an already giant phone, which is noticeable in hand. Those seeking a more “regular-sized” phone might prefer the Pro, which is the closest in specs and features but in a more compact design. Overall, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is beautifully and solidly constructed. Its stainless steel body offers a clean, refined appearance with an unmistakable high-end vibe. It is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance, features Apple's Ceramic Shield on the front for durability, and has sapphire-crafted camera lenses at the back for enhanced scratch resistance. The back retains the frosted glass construction, and you can get this device in one of four colors: graphite, gold, silver, and Sierra Blue.  

iPhone 13 Pro Max display 

Unlike the other phones in this series, the iPhone 13 Pro Max adopts a larger 6.7-inch OLED display—the largest of the lot. The raging debate has always been whether bigger is better, but when it comes to display sizes, there's no debate — bigger is definitely better. The iPhone 13 Pro Max's Super Retina XDR OLED display does everything better, be it gaming or streaming videos, due to the sheer size of the screen. And just like its Pro counterpart, it supports ProMotion's high refresh rates of up to 120Hz. The 13 Pro Max uses a variable refresh rate to improve battery life, adjusting its refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz based on what you're watching or doing. Brightness has also improved, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max now capable of 1,000 nits for comfortable outdoor use. The notch on the display is also reduced in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but it is still present.  

iPhone 13 Pro Max performance 

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip. It has 6GB RAM, unlike the standard iPhone 13's 4GB, and it also gains an extra GPU core, totaling 5 cores. The bigger GPU means more efficient thermal management and less throttling while gaming. It is built on the same 5nm process as the iPhone 13, and four years later, it's still one of the fastest mobile chips on the market. Like its smaller Pro sibling, it offers Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and is capable of 5G. The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs the latest iOS 18.  

iPhone 13 Pro Max camera 

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a camera system similar to the iPhone 13 Pro’s. It offers a powerful triple camera system with 12MP sensors — a wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lens. The wide camera features a larger sensor and an f/1.5 aperture, enhancing low-light photography with improved clarity and detail. The ultra-wide camera also benefits from a wider f/1.8 aperture for better nighttime shots, while the telephoto lens delivers a 3x optical zoom upgrade. The iPhone 13 Pro Max excels in macro photography, producing sharp and detailed close-ups, while computational photography ensures consistent superb image quality. It offers Cinematic Mode for videos, which allows focus shifts during or after recording and sensor-shift stabilization for steadier footage. At the front, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 12MP sensor that enables 4K video recording at 60 fps and powers Face ID for secure authentication.  

iPhone 13 Pro Max battery and charging 

This is one of the best features of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. This phone excels in battery life, offering all-day use thanks to its larger battery capacity. Although it adds some weight to an already sizable phone, the larger battery capacity ensures that heavy users can comfortably get through a whole day without needing a charge. According to Apple, the iPhone Pro Max can offer up to 28 hours of video playback. It supports fast charging, and with a 20W fast charger, it can get up to 50% in about 30 minutes. Additionally, the iPhone 13 Pro Max supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging.  

The iPhone 13 series pros and cons 

The iPhone 13 series remains a solid choice in 2025, offering an outstanding balance of performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and value. With a selection of four options: the 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max, it caters to various preferences and budgets. While it may lack some of the latest innovations, like advanced AI capabilities, it still delivers a premium experience at a more affordable price. Here's a breakdown of the series' strengths and weaknesses.  

How to buy a cheap iPhone 13 series model 

Shopping at Back Market is the easiest way to buy an affordable phone from the iPhone 13 series. While it is not the only option, it is undoubtedly the most convenient. Back Market offers discounts year round, unlike most retailers who save their deals for grand sales events. Our verified refurbished phones come at the lowest prices and include a 1-year warranty for your peace of mind. You can buy any phone from the iPhone 13 series for just a fraction of the cost of buying new. But don't just take our word for it — listen to this satisfied customer who rated us 5/5: 

"Sunflower I was kind of hesitant to buy a refurbished phone but I tell you what back Market has went above expectations. My iPhone 13 Pro Max was brand new looking and was just beautiful. I will definitely be a continuing Shopper on back Market." 

-Rebecca W. - Purchased on February 28, 2025 

Why buy refurbished 

Why is buying refurbished your best option? Because verified refurbished devices provide premium quality at the lowest prices. These pre-owned devices are inspected, repaired, cleaned, tested, and restored to full functionality, offering a more sustainable and budget-friendly alternative to buying new. At Back Market, we specialize in verified refurbished devices. Every device undergoes a rigorous refurbishing process by certified professionals, including hardware diagnostics, battery performance checks, and cosmetic assessments to ensure top-notch quality. Every device on our product pages meets high standards, comes with at least 80% battery health, and includes a 1-year warranty for added confidence. Choosing refurbished means saving money, reducing electronic waste, and getting a reliable device. That's what we call a win-win-win scenario. Here's what people are saying about us on Reddit:  

"Ordered refurbished iPhone 13 on Back Market Dec 2023. Had no issues with the product. I bought a phone categorized as "Excellent" condition as opposed to "Good" or "Fair" options and I can confirm the phone was truly in excellent condition." 

-Reddit User

Trade in your old tech for cash 

Thinking of tossing your old electronics in the blue, green, or yellow bin? Don't! Trade them in at Back Market and get paid instead. Our Trade-in program makes it easy to sell your old devices in just three simple steps — get an instant quote, ship your device, and get paid once it's verified. It's a smart choice for you and a win for the planet. 

Price and availability 

The iPhone 13 series launched in September 2021, offering four models: the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Prices for the series vary depending on the model and storage capacity, with storage options ranging from 128GB to 1TB (only available for the Pro models). Apple no longer sells the series directly from its website, but you can get refurbished iPhone 13s from Back Market at the lowest prices. Here are some of our top picks:  

Final thoughts: There's something in this series for everyone 

Any phone from the iPhone 13 series is a fantastic choice if you want to save money without compromising quality. While the series didn’t shake up Apple's lineup, it was a key iteration, introducing better battery life, a more powerful processor, and enhanced camera capabilities.  

The iPhone 13 mini is perfect for those who prefer smaller handsets without compromising power and features. The iPhone 13 shines as an all-around device, offering a large display, excellent performance and efficiency, great camera quality, and outstanding value for money. For those seeking top-tier functionality, the Pro and Pro Max models provide powerful phones built for photography — offering nice-to-have features like a telephoto zoom lens, a 1TB storage option, 120Hz fast-refresh display, and a macro mode.  

While the iPhone 13 series remains a solid choice in 2025, it's starting to show its age. Those looking for the latest AI-driven features and future-proof performance would be better off upgrading to some of the newer iPhone models. However, if you're looking for an affordable and reliable phone for everyday use, the iPhone 13 series can still hold its own.