Which iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14 should you buy?

Which iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14 should you buy? ...

Apple''s iPhone 14 is the most affordable version of iPhone 13; however, the company continues to sell the previous years iPhone 13. Whether you''re considering an upgrade or looking to purchase a new iPhone for the first time in a row, here''s all you need to know about the iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14.

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14: Display

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 features 6.1-inch screen appearances, which Apple refers to as the Super Retina XDR screens. Each device has a different brightness, resolution, and color:

Note that neither the iPhone 14 Pro nor the iPhone 14 have a ProMotion display with up to 120Hz refresh rates. Instead, you will get a 60Hz refresh rate.

Design

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 have the same design as the iPhone 12 in 2020. This includes flat edges made from aluminum, a face-to-edge display on the front with Face ID, and a smooth finish on the back in the choice of color.

While the iPhone 14 Pro features a new Dynamic Island design to include the Face ID and front-facing camera components, the iPhone 14 also uses the same notch design as the iPhone 13. The iPhone 14''s overall dimensions are pretty much identical to the iPhone 13 as well. The only differences are that the iPhone 14 is slightly thicker and slightly lighter.

iPhone 14 cases:

  • Spigen Ultra Hybrid Clear Case
  • TORRAS Magnetic Case for iPhone 14
  • Caseology Silicone Case
  • Spigen Thin Fit

iPhone 13''s Best Cases:

  • TORRAS Slim Fit Compatible for Phone 13 Pro
  • Caseology Vault Protective Case for iPhone 13 Pro
  • Benjolf Clear Case for iPhone 13 Pro

Dimensions of the iPhone 13

  • Height: 5.78 inches (146.7 mm)
  • Width: 2.82 inches (71.5 mm)
  • Depth: 0.30 inch (7.65 mm)
  • Weight: 6.14 ounces (174 grams)

Dimensions of the iPhone 14

  • Height: 5.78 inches (146.7 mm)
  • Width: 2.82 inches (71.5 mm)
  • Depth: 0.31 inch (7.80 mm)
  • Weight: 6.07 ounces (172 grams)

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are waterproof, with an IP68 rating for a maximum depth of 6 meters to 30 minutes. Both devices, along with a Ceramic Shield front and aerospace-grade aluminum, are both durable.

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14: Performance

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are relatively comparable, but there are a few ways the iPhone 14 has the upper hand. Both are powered by the A15 Bionic chip on the inside, but the version of the iPhone 14 also has an additional GPU core.

iPhone 13 chip:

  • A15 Bionic chip
  • 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores
  • 4-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine

iPhone 14 chip:

  • A15 Bionic chip
  • 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores
  • 5-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine

This difference is unlikely to significantly affect day-to-day performance in the real world. Perhaps more notable is that the iPhone 14 has 6GB of RAM, compared to the iPhone 13''s 4GB of RAM. This may help with stability when it comes to new features being added to future iOS versions.

Connectivity

If you want 5G connectivity, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 have you covered. Apple claims that this makes for super-fast downloads and high-quality streaming. This includes support for mmWave 5G connectivity in the United States as well as sub-6GHz 5G in the United States and other countries.

One important difference is that the iPhone 14 being sold in the United States does not have a physical SIM card slot. Instead, it is dependent purely on eSIM technology. This is why we have a full guide for you.

Crash Detection and Emergency SOS

Apple''s core program is being expanded to provide assistance in emergencies. These are features you hope you never have to use, but they are nice to have just in case. The iPhone 14 has two features:

  • Crash detection that can recognize when youre in a car accident and call emergency services
  • Satellite connectivity forreaching emergency serviceswhen you arent connected to a cellular or WiFi network

Rear cameras

The iPhone 14 is also a popular model for rear-camera technology. There are still two lenses, the Main camera and the Ultra Wide camera. One improvement is the addition of what Apple calls the Photonic Engine.

Apple describes this as a new computational photography feature, which allows you to get better mid- to low-light performance across all cameras in terms of hardware and software. On the iPhone 14, Apple claims that improvements to mid-to low-light performance can be expected by comparing two cameras to the iPhone 13.

iPhone 14iPhone 13
Main camera 12MP, /1.5 aperture12MP, /1.6 aperture
Sensor-shift opticalimage stabilization
Ultra Wide12MP, /2.4 aperture12MP, /2.4 aperture
Telephoto lens
Zoom2x optical zoom, 5x digital zoom2x optical zoom, 5x digital zoom
Apple ProRAW
Smart HDR 4
Photonic Engine
Photographic Styles
Panoramas, 63MP, 63MP
Portrait mode

Selfie camera

The iPhone 14 has a notable boost in front camera performance. The front-facing selfie camera on the iPhone 14 has a /1.9 aperture that allows better low-light photo performance. It also has auto-focus for the first time, allowing it to focus in low light and capture group selfies from the other end.

The iPhone 13 is compatible with the iPhone 13 with a 12-megapixel front camera without autofocus and an /2.2 aperture. This means that the iPhone 14 should signficantly surpass the iPhone 13 in terms of front-facing camera performance.

Video recording

Camera Technology for iPhone 14:

  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
  • Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
  • Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
  • HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
  • Slomo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Timelapse video with stabilization
  • Night-mode time-lapse
  • QuickTake video
  • Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video (Main)
  • 2x optical zoom out
  • Digital zoom up to 3x
  • Audio zoom
  • TrueToneflash
  • Cinematic videostabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Playback zoom
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Stereo recording

Camera Technology for Video for iPhone 13:

  • HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
  • Cinematic mode (1080p at 30 fps)
  • Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video (Main)
  • 2x optical zoom out
  • Digital zoom up to 3x
  • Audio zoom
  • TrueToneflash
  • QuickTake video
  • Slomo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Timelapse video with stabilization
  • Night mode time-lapse
  • Cinematic videostabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Playback zoom
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Stereo recording

Battery life

Battery estimates for iPhone 13

  • Audio playback: 75 hours
  • Video playback (streamed): Up to 15 hours
  • Video playback: Up to 19 hours

Battery estimates for the iPhone 14

  • Audio playback: 80 hours
  • Video playback (streamed): Up to 16 hours
  • Video playback: 20 hours

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 have a Lightning connector on the bottom and support forMagSafe connectivity on the back. Both devices also have a 7.5W Qi wireless charging and a 15W wireless charging when using a MagSafe charger. Both devices allow for rapid charging for up to a 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W power adapter.

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14: Pricing and storage

iPhone 13:

  • $699 128GB
  • $799 256GB
  • $999 512GB

iPhone 14:

  • $799 128GB
  • $899 256GB
  • $1099 512GB

Colors

Colors for iPhone 13:

  • Midnight
  • Starlight
  • Blue
  • (Product)RED
  • Pink
  • Green

Colors for iPhone 14:

  • Midnight
  • Purple
  • Starlight
  • (Product)RED
  • Blue

Feature Comparison Diagram for iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14

iPhone 14 iPhone 13
Display6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
ProMotion Display
FinishAluminum Aluminum
ProcessorA15 BionicA15 Bionic
RAM6GB4GB
CPU cores6 cores6 cores
GPU cores5 core5 core
DurabilityIP68IP68
Battery lifeUp to 20 hours videoUp to 19 hours video
CameraDual-lens 12MPDual-lens 12MP
Optical zoom range2x2x
Video Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K at 60fpsDolby Vision HDR up to 4K at 60fps
Optical Image Stabilization
Photographic Styles
Photonic Engine
Cinematic mode
Dual eSIM support
Physical SIM card slot (Still offered outside US)
5G
Weight6.07 ounces (172 grams)6.14 ounces (174 grams)
Storage128GB, 256GB, 512GB128GB, 256GB, 512GB
PricingFrom $799From $699

Whats included in the box

Apple does not include headphones or a charging brick in the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 boxes, citing environmental concerns. Here are a few things you might consider picking up to help fill that gap and complement your new iPhone.

  • Native Union Drop 10W Qi Charger
  • Anker 30W USB-C wall charger
  • USB-C to Lightning cable
  • Lightning to 3.5mm headphone adapter or cable

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14

The differences between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are minor. In fact, this might be one of the smallest year-over-year iPhone upgrades in recent memory. Along with features such as Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite, there are some improvements to the camera.

Many of the modifications will not be noticeable in day-to-day use. The design is the same, and battery life is nearly the same. Despite the minor changes, it is also difficult to reccomend upgrading from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 14.

When you jump from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 11, youll notice some major improvements, but the cameras will be noticeable improvements, as well as a good boost in performance.

This is a tricky decision to make if you want to purchase a new iPhone. For many people, the iPhone 13 is more than enough. However, you still get excellent performance, a great camera, and a modern design for $100 less than the iPhone 14. It''s best to pay attention to those camera upgrades.

What are your thoughts about the iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 14 debate? Are you planning to purchase a new iPhone this year? Let us know in the comments!

Is it iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro that you want to see? Check out our full comparison here.