Apple iPhone 13 Pro review

Introduction

The 'biggest camera update ever' on an iPhone doesn't have to come in a big iPhone, at least not a Max-sized one - the iPhone 13 Pro will do. Unlike last year, when only the 12 Pro Max got the ultimate camera system, the differences between the two Pro sizes now are simply in quantity, not in quality.

The small Pro is packing the all-new main camera with a larger sensor that shifts around for image stabilization, the same unit that's in the Max. It's also got the now-longer 3x tele that the Max has. The iPhone 12 Pro was crippled in these two areas last year compared to the 12 Pro Max, and we're happy Apple has put an end to that disparity. The new ultrawide with autofocus and close-up shooting capability is also a common feature of the two Pros.

It's not just the cameras either - the 13 Pro gets the ProMotion display too.

Other upgrades shared across the lineup make it to the 13 Pro as well. At 10%, the increase in battery capacity isn't huge, but the adaptive refresh will do its share to improve longevity. The A15 chipset is, as always, a bit more powerful than the previous one, and perhaps excessively so when compared to non-Apples. The 20% reduction in notch size also deserves mention - more for the comedic value of the statement than for the significance of the development.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 146.7x71.5x7.7mm, 204g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
• Display: 6.10" Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 1170x2532px resolution, 19.48:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi; Wide color gamut, True-tone.
• Chipset: Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm): Hexa-core (2x3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard); Apple GPU (5-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM; NVMe.
• OS/Software: iOS 15.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm, 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚, PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6"; Depth: SL 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode, stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 3095mAh; Fast charging 23W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery 2.0, MagSafe wireless charging 15W, Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W.
• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; Siri natural language commands and dictation, Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro unboxing

The Apple unboxing experience of 2020 returns in 2021, with a twist. There's still color-coding - black box means Pro, white is vanilla, and there's a likeness of the phone printed on the lid in the corresponding color to the unit inside. Perhaps you'll appreciate the satisfying way in which the paper seal tears along its dotted line, the novelty brought about by an evolution in packaging that eliminated the plastic outer sleeve.

All that comes secondary to what's inside the flat box, and there's not a whole lot. Other than the iPhone 13 Pro, you get a USB-C to Lightning cable, a SIM pin and an Apple sticker, and that's it - the rest is just documentation.