Are you wondering whether you should Buy Apple iPhone 13 in 2024? You are at the right spot. I’ve been using it for over 2 years and this long term review will be of great help.
Even after years of launch, Apple iPhone 13 stays in the news! This time it is gaining traction due to the Amazon Sale!
You can get an iPhone 13 for 47,499 Rs! It is a worthy upgrade from the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, or even the SE2. Moreover, it can be a great option for someone willing to switch from Android.
So, back to the question; should you buy an Apple iPhone 13 in 2024? Here are the 13 reasons that you should know before making the purchase. With that said, welcome to PadhkeDekho, and let’s begin with the Pros and Cons!
#1 Flagship Built Quality (10/10)
Apple products are known for their built quality and you would already be aware of it! Unlike the 15 series, made of Titanium, the iPhone 13 is aluminum & glass.
As for durability and built quality, it is quite a study. The phone does not bend, has no squeaking panels and the buttons offer a solid feel. This iPhone 13 is 2 years old and you can check the condition yourself!
The sides are aluminum, they do not get scratched easily compared to the stainless steel on the 13 Pro lineup. Also, it’s not as glossy as steel gets.
So, if you are looking for a durable phone that can withstand a long life then the iPhone 13 is a strong-built phone.
So for built quality, I will give the Apple iPhone 13 full marks even in 2024!
#2 Distinctive Looks (9/10)
Apple iPhone 13 in 2024 especially in Green color is eye catchy, People after years of launch like to see it and experience it. If you going to buy it, prefer Green!
Love it or hate it, the looks of an iPhone are noticeable. You will always find memes or trolls targeting newer iPhones similar to the iPhone 13 But they stay silent when the Samsung Galaxy S24 gets launched with last year’s design!
How funny the trolls are! Also, did you notice the Titanium build of the S24 Ultra? I wonder where they got the inspiration!
Coming to the iPhone 13, though the design looks similar to iPhone 15, the cases are not interchangeable.
You can only switch cases between iPhone 13 and 14.
Design-wise, the iPhone 13 has flat sides and rounded edges on all sides with a normal non-curved display. All this means that the phone stays very comfortable to hold and use.
The flat sides and rounded edges make it quite slippery and if you are like me who does not like the cases in general you must get front and rear tempered glass.
Hence for design, it’s a distinctive phone, and from a distance, regular users can’t confirm whether it’s an iPhone 13, 14, or even 15.
If you are going for iPhone 13 then prefer the Green color. This is 2 years old and even today people ask me to show the phone!
So for looks, I will give the iPhone 13 a 9/10.
#3 Compact Design (9/10)
The iPhone 13 is a compact phone. With a screen size of 6.1 inches, thickness of 7.6mm, and weight of 176 Grams the phone is perfect for long hours of use. Be it a teenager, a working woman, or an entrepreneur, you will not have any issues with the size or comfort.
Apple iPhone 13 in 2024 is like a boy in a man’s world! Where smartphones are big and more than 200 grams, is the new normal. Whereas, it’s quite the opposite and almost perfect for one-hand use. Sure, for the notification center and Quick Action Center, you will need to use your other hand or enable Reachability which brings the top bar to the center of the screen.
When we say compact it doesn’t mean small! You will not lose any screen area other than the notch! iPhone 13 has a screen-to-body ratio of 86.3 which is good for media consumption.
As it’s not very thick and long, you can easily keep it in your pocket. Also, it does not budge like many Android phones. The phone size is perfect for most people out there and you get habitual or addicted to this particular size.
#4 Pratical Display
iPhone 13 offers a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED display at 441 PPI with 120 hz display rate (not to be confused with refresh rate). So on paper, the specifications are not bad other than missing the higher refresh rate.
Over the last 2 years, we have tested many Android phones with higher refresh rates and yes the difference is noticeable, and going back to 60 hz takes time.
A higher refresh rate is great, but don’t hate me, for what I will say next.
Most Android phone with higher refresh rates still runs many native apps at 60 Hz. This means there’s still time for apps to adapt to 120 or even 144 hz mobile displays.
So where does the iPhone 13 stand for the display? It’s a good-quality display. It can be quite bright. The typical brightness nits are 800 and the peak can reach 1100 nits. This makes it quite usable even under direct sunlight.
The outdoor visibility is good and the British sensors work great. Most of the time it picks the best brightness settings by default.
The maximum brightness is good but also the night use is perfect. In the dark, most people prefer lesser brightness, and the low of Apple is better handled. iPhone 13 comes with Dark Mode, Night Swift, and True Tone which helps to prevent eye strain. Also, if you need to cut out more white light you can do that in the phone’s Settings.
So all in all, the display is good and will be great if upgrading from an older iPhone. If you have a mid-range or flagship Android, you will miss the smooth 120Hz display but overall you will like it.
#5 Performance Powerhouse (9/10)
Apple iPhone 13 has an in-house designed Apple A15 Bionic processor with 6 Core CPU and 4 Core GPU paired with 4GB RAM. As for storage, it comes with UFS 2 with 128, 512, and 1 TB storage options.
iPhone 13 packs good hardware and you can do all types of work on the phone itself. In the last 2 years, there was hardly any hang or non-responsiveness. It always works!
Like social media, video streaming, taking photos & recording videos & even gaming, it stays fine without any issues.
Professionally, tons of emails, photo and video editing, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts recording and editing, video calls, and other high-intensive tasks like Snapchat and Instagram do not stress the phone.
These days people ask us whether the iPhone 13 heats. The simple answer is yes, it does, and why not it would be.
The day temperatures are touching 38 degrees, the AC is running full time and you expect the iPhone to be cool! It does not mean, iPhone 13 stays hot all the time!
It’s more evident in intensive tasks like recording 4K video for more than 10 minutes, outdoor video recording under direct sun, editing an Insta Reel or YouTube Short or running benchmarking software, and playing BGMI for hours.
You do all the above in your current phone and let us know whether it heats or stays cool! Under heavy load, it will be warm, especially around the camera module. This can happen to any phone under stressful situations.
The above screenshots are from GeekBench 6 and Antutu, the most popular benchmarking tools. You can compare the scores with your current phone and anticipate the upgrade.
Even in 2024, it shows no dip in performance or lag during use. So for performance, iPhone 13 can easily handle the next few years with the latest iOS versions.
#6 Best Non-Pro Camera (8.5/10)
Whenever a new iPhone is launched the Pro and Max versions see big camera improvements and changes. This changed with the iPhone 15 lineup when Apple finally moved from 12 Megapixel to 48 Megapixel on the regular iPhone 15.
What about the iPhone 13? Apple iPhone 13 powers 2, 12MP main camera and 12 MP portrait camera. These are cable to capture Portrait shots with focus and depth control. Since there is no telephoto lens, you can capture .5x and .1x photos and videos. On the front is a 16MP front camera.
These numbers seem less compared to the latest version of the iPhone or even way lesser than an Android phone. But it does a good job explains why bloggers buy an iPhone.
The point-to-shoot with the iPhone gives confidence that the shot taken is good. While recording video the output seems quite stable and autofocus works well. You can tap to focus if you need a particular object in the frame.
There’s a Cinematic camera mode to record videos to the next level. Moreover, features like changing video resolution, PAL formats, HDR Video, Auto FPS, Lock Camera, Lock While Balance, etc are there to “Pro” your videos!
Even in 2024, the camera performance is good. Just 1 thing you might observe is the camera flare which is reflection if you put the light source in the frame. It happens with all the cameras. I’ve observed it more on iPhone 13.
So to sum up the camera section, the iPhone 13, is a good one and you can start leveling up your vlogs with it.
#7 Network Reception & Call Quality (8/10)
I frequently travel and the network is my most important concern. Be it internet surfing, watching videos, or just chatting with friends and family, you need a data connection, and at worst, signals to drop a message or call are fine.
The mobile network is not solely dependent on the provider but also on your device. I learned it after switching to iPhone 13 from Moto G51.
My travel usually stays between New Delhi, Uttarakhand and Punjab or the north belt of India. Overall Vodafone stays on and off.
I observed that the iPhone 13 shows fewer bars while the Moto G51 always has max bars! This made me a little uncomfortable and I did a few speed tests & overall use case.
The good news was that though it showed fewer signal bars the download or upload speed was faster than Moto G51 even in the underground Delhi Metro! Yes, I know the comparison is wrong, here the focus is only on the network.
Whereas, Airtel & Jio sim cards always show good signals. Maybe it’s a Vodafone thing? So if you have Voda, you might experience fewer signal bars.
One thing that will impress you is the call quality of the iPhone 13. It’s always loud and sharp. Never in the last 2 years has somebody complained about muffled sound or less output. There’s even a Noise Isolation feature in the Settings that you can toggle on, it helps in the windy atmosphere to cut ambient noise.
As far as the incoming call, the earpiece is quite loud. Even outdoors you will not need to max out the volume. Unlike other smartphones with even louder earpieces leak audio and people close to you can also hear what they are talking it’s not a thing with the iPhone 13.
The loudspeaker is quite loud too! Thanks to the earpiece which also acts as a speaker the output is good you can listen to music or enjoy music with a little surround sound!
#8 iOS Experience
Here comes the iOS and in full swing. if you are coming from Android then yes, you will need to spend a little more getting used to it. All the major popular apps are available on both platforms. If you wish to know if your specific one is available on iOS you can search the app name with “iOS version” and see Apple’s App Store link.
It is also true that Android and iOS operate mostly the same thanks to the navigation gestures and similarities between apps.
If you are upgrading from an iPhone with a touch ID then yes, you will feel the maximum difference. The Home button is gone and the overall notification and action center, navigation will be new learning!
After testing many Android phones, we believe iOS is very easy to use and to get started. It’s an ideal gift for your parents.
So for OS, be prepared as iOS feels fluid and animations are quite smooth. Not comparing it with the Pro display or higher refresh rate, the overall UI is fine and you will not feel the completion to upgrade after 2 or 3 years of use.
#9 Tons of Stylish Customisations (10/10)
Next to Android, iOS still lacks customizations and modding. But on the outside, iPhone accessories are no match for any Android phone. To being, iPhone 13 comes in 6 color options.
All premium brands make cases and covers like Secudaria Ferrari, BMW, Element, etc you can check out Amazon. if you don’t feel like spending a premium for those, there are thousands of options in the budget range too. Here are the best iPhone 13 cases you can buy under 500 Rs!
Not just those, you can buy Apple original accessories from the store or online Store and check the collection.
So if you want to accessories your phone the way you want it, the iPhone is the way to go.
#10 Battery Backup & Charging
Gone are the days, when the Apple iPhone used to be criticized for battery backup. Things drastically pick up with the iPhone 11. Apple iPhone 13 is quite good as well. Be it any phone, Android, or iPhone, battery backup is not in contact between models as users use it differently.
With my use case, I’ve witnessed 9 hours of screen time and as low as 2 hours and 30 mins. Battery backup depends on the user whether you are a hardcore gamer use tons of social media streaming or love to record/edit videos on the go!
For most of my journey with iPhone 13, I used the 5-watt charger! It used to charge my phone under 3 hours. A few months ago, I upgraded to iPhone 15 and had to buy the 20-watt charger! The same phone gets charged in under 1 hour 30 mins! Almost half the time.
Even today, my iPhone 13 battery health is 91%, and the phone is over 2 years old. So, yes it’s a myth that a 20-watt charger damages the phone with a quick charge.
Note: Here’s what Apple says about service and recycling.
#11 Supports Dolby Atmos
Apple iPhone 13 supports Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10 & HLG, to name a few! So it will keep you covered for audio as well as video needs!
There’s no dual speaker but the earpiece behaves like a second speaker. Sure, the output is not equal creating a stereo-sounding effect. For a demo you can check out Punjab by Karunesh on any iPhone 13 you will surely order one!
Most phones have average speakers in the price range and if you don’t buy my point watch reviews of products under 50000 you will see mixed feedback. Especially with Samsung phones! The iPhone 13 speakers are loud, crisp audio quality with good treble and bass. It can surely bypass your tiny Bluetooth speaker!
#12 Best Support (Software/Hardware)
Apple has a great developer team for their software. For context, the iPhone XR was launched in 2018 and still supports the latest iOS even after 5 years! So, everyone knows why it’s better to buy an iPhone. Here, I am not going to put Android in comparison.
Let’s talk real now, can you use an iPhone for 4+ years? Here’s a real-life example. My iPhone 13 is more than 2 years old with a battery capacity at 91% which means I can perfectly run it for the next year with flying colors. And if I replace the battery, I can add about 2 more years.
You can use an iPhone for 4 years and be on the latest iOS version. Nowadays, Android counterparts have started claiming 5+ years of updates. We will check about that!
What about hardware? Well, these pictures you see are the latest as of April 2024! You can be a better judge for that!
With an iPhone, you can be free for the next 4+ years if you don’t care about the latest and greatest ideology.
#13 IP68 Water Proof
When I bought this phone, TBH I did not care about the IP numbers. But there have been SO MANY incidents where I’ve been stuck under heavy rain and had no place to keep the phone other than my jeans pocket, this phone has managed very well.
Apple iPhone 13 is IP 68 rated, This means the phone can be submerged up to 6 feet beneath water for about 30 minutes and will not cause any harm. Sure, no one will intentionally do that, but it gives assurance that if it falls in the swimming pool or somewhere in the rain or hotel tub, the phone will be fine and usable.
Apart from the iPhone 13, a few smartphones offer an IP 68 rating like Motorola Edge 50 Pro, Motorola Edge 40 Neo, Samsung Galaxy S24, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Should You Buy Apple iPhone 13 in 2024?
After spending 2 years and planning to do 2 more, iPhone 13 makes sense. Everything is good be it built quality, looks, in-hand feel, camera, cal quality, WIFI reception, performance, battery backup, gaming experience, etc. If it’s going to be your first iPhone, you are going to start with a good one.
There is no major issue with an iPhone 13 in 2024 other than iPhone 14!
There’s always a difference of 10,000 Rs which can be an issue for consideration. You can save 10,000 and go with the iPhone 13 or switch to the iPhone 14 and enjoy more features like 5 core GPU, Crash Detection, slightly better battery backup, and a better camera.
Don’t get me wrong, iPhone 14 is a great phone but iPhone 13 makes the deal sweater with a little more money in your wallet! So you can consider Apple iPhone 13 in 2024 or even 2025.
We are Wrapping up!
Apple iPhone 13 in 2024 is the best iPhone to buy in 2024. It can be a great entry to the Apple ecosystem or save you more than 30 thousand ditching the iPhone 15!
I hope this iPhone 13 long term review helped in your decision-making. if you have questions, ping us on the mentioned social handles. We will get back as soon as we can. Thanks!
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