For years now, Apple’s iPhone has been a staple for many people around the world, and for good reason. The iPhone’s iOS is easy to use, Apple has many amazing proprietary software, and these smartphones always look super smooth.
But with so many current and previous iPhones to choose from, water can easily get stuck when trying to make a decision. Whether you’re looking for the smallest iPhone, the cheapest iPhone, or simply the best iPhone, we’ve got you covered.
What are you looking for in an iPhone
At this point, Apple came out with many different iterations of the iPhone and even the current generation has a few different models to choose from. So how do you choose the right model for you? Here’s everything you need to consider before making your decision:
- Specifications: The biggest spec you should consider with the iPhone is storage. While a phone with less storage can mean a lower price, it’s wise to invest in more storage if you plan on owning the phone for several years to account for the photos, videos, apps, and more that you’ll accumulate. Other key specs to consider here are Apple’s Bionic chip versions; All iPhone 13 models come with the latest A15 Bionic chip, but the iPhone SE comes with the A13 Bionic chip. A newer chip means faster speeds and downloads, but it’s more expensive; The iPhone SE is incredibly affordable because it uses the old chip.
- Screen Size: Although it may not seem that important, you should consider the size you want for your screen. Bigger screen, like 6.7 inch screen on iPhone 13 Pro Max, means that you will have the maximum display area for streaming videos and playing games. But sometimes it can be difficult to hold a larger monitor in smaller hands or fit it comfortably in a pocket. On the other hand, a smaller screen, such as the 4.7 inch screen on iPhone SE or 5.4 inch screen on iPhone 13 miniIt is more comfortable to hold but means less viewing area. The iPhone 13 And 13 Pro Both have a 6.1-inch screen that sits somewhere in the middle of iPhone screen sizes.
- price: When you buy a new smartphone, you usually have the option of either paying a one-time fee up front or paying a monthly amount over a set period of time. Try not to let the payment method influence your decision and instead compare the specifications and features against the total price. After all, a phone is expensive, but it’s a worthwhile investment because you’ll be using it every day.
- cameras: Smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past few years. Current generation phones are starting to take photos that look almost professional. If taking photos and videos is not important to you, then you don’t have to worry about it. For our list here, you will get the best cameras with any of the iPhone 13 Pro or the Pro Max.
- Open opposite the carrier: The last thing you should think about is whether you want to buy your iPhone unlocked — meaning it can be used with any carrier you choose — or unlocked with a specific carrier, like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint. If you love your carrier and don’t plan to switch anytime soon, you don’t have to worry about this too much. But if you have AT&T or T-Mobile as a carrier, think hard about whether you want to stay with them before making your iPhone purchase because it can be difficult to switch from these carriers specifically. If you want to read more about unlocked iPhones vs unlocked iPhones, I’ve got you covered. The only place you can buy unlocked iPhones is directly through Apple.
Best Overall: iPhone 13
Positives
- ✓ Great balance between features and price
- ✓ Good size display
- ✓ Great battery life
cons
- ✗ The cameras are not as impressive as the Pro / Pro Max
- ✗ 60 frames per second only
For most people, the primary iPhone 13 The model will be perfect. It has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, an IP68 rating for water resistance, 4GB of RAM, and three Apple storage options: 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB. Also inside, you’ll find Apple’s A15 Bionic chip that will give you fast download speeds and high-quality video streaming.
The iPhone 13 features an advanced dual-camera system with 12MP wide and ultra-wide cameras, as well as a 12MP TrueDepth front camera. Both have night mode and 4K Dolby Vision HDR video recording. There’s also a Cinema Mode feature that automatically adds a shallow depth of field to your videos; And even after shooting a video, you can adjust the focus.
Battery life really varies based on how you use the phone, but Apple uses video playback as a metric to monitor how long the battery will last. iPhone 13 can give you up to 19 hours of video playback. And as you’d expect with any new iPhone, iPhone 13 is compatible with MagSafe accessories for fast wireless charging.
The phone is solid overall, but if you want better cameras, a bigger screen and a slightly faster phone, consider investing in a iPhone Pro Max.
Best mid-range: iPhone SE
Positives
- ✓ Incredibly affordable
- ✓ It still has 4K recording function at a low price
cons
- ✗ Smallest iPhone screen
- ✗ It only contains an A13 Bionic chip
- ✗ Maximum storage capacity of 128 GB
The iPhone SE It is the most affordable Apple smartphone on the market right now. It’s not super specs, with just 3GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage, but it’s equipped with an Apple A13 Bionic chip. This is an Apple-owned chip that, although two generations old, still has a decent speed for running apps, playing games, and more.
The 4.7″ Retina HD display looks great and helps the phone feel comfortable in your hand. For people accustomed to modern smartphones with screen sizes around six inches, the iPhone SE can feel a little too small. But for the bargain price, it’s worth it.
When it comes to the SE’s cameras and video recording function, they are rather impressive for the price and can be compared to the latest Apple smartphones. There is a 7-megapixel selfie camera and a 12-megapixel rear camera. You can also record 4K video at 60 or 30 frames per second.
The SE battery lets you watch up to 13 hours of video on a single charge. Once the battery runs out, you can use fast charging to go from 0% to 50% in half an hour; The SE works with MagSafe chargers too, which is great. And despite its low price, the iPhone SE has Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit-class LTE that can deliver impressive download speeds wherever you are.
Best Premium Edition: iPhone 13 Pro Max
Positives
- ✓ 6.7 inch bigger screen
- ✓ The most impressive iPhone battery life
- ✓ Best iPhone cameras so far
cons
- ✗ The offer may be too big for some
- ✗ expensive
- ✗ No increase in frames per second
The iPhone 13 Pro Max It is the best smartphone Apple currently offers. However, they are quite pricey, with different price tags attached to four unlocked storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. It has an IP68 water resistance rating, 6GB of RAM, and an Apple A15 Bionic chip that delivers fast downloads and plenty of power for video streaming. In addition, it has a 6.7-inch OLED screen with ProMotion technology that can perform at 120 frames per second.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max (and Pro) has an all-new professional camera system with both telephoto and ultra-wide and wide cameras. There is a 12MP telephoto camera, a wide and ultra-wide camera, support for macro photography, a 6x optical zoom range, and a very cool night mode that takes pictures well even in low-light conditions. Next, there’s 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording and a cinematic mode that automatically adds a shallow depth of field, although you can shift that focus if needed after shooting video.
The Pro Max has the best battery life of any iPhone, with up to 22-28 hours of video playback between charges. And while that’s a given, it’s compatible with MagSafe and Quick Charge chargers.
It’s worth noting that if you’re okay with shorter battery life and a smaller 6.1-inch screen, you might want to consider getting a iPhone 13 Pro While that. You’ll get the same 6GB of RAM, an A15 Bionic chip, and a great camera setup at a lower cost.
Best Small Phone: iPhone 13 Mini
Positives
- ✓ The best affordable current generation of iPhone
- ✓ High Storage Options
- ✓ Decent battery life
cons
- ✗ Width may be too small for some
- ✗ Cameras aren’t that cool
If most smartphones seem too heavy in your hands or you just want something smaller in your pocket, try iPhone 13 mini. With a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display, it’s not the smallest iPhone (it would be the iPhone SE with a 4.7-inch screen), but it’s the most impressive small iPhone model.
Just like the iPhone 13, the Mini has an IP68 water resistance rating, 4GB of RAM, and the latest A15 Bionic chip for fast downloads and high-quality streaming. At 17 hours of video playback, the iPhone Mini’s battery life is also comparable to the iPhone 13 model, which has up to 19 hours of playback between charges. Charging is very quick and easy with MagSafe chargers and accessories.
Next, there are three different unlocked storage options to choose from: 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB. And when it comes to cameras, the iPhone 13 Mini is, again, pretty much identical to the iPhone 13. It has an advanced dual-camera system with 12MP ultra-wide and ultra-wide cameras. And with 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording, you’ll get a cinematic mode that helps focus your videos automatically.
