The Apple iPhone 13 has landed in our office. While our detailed review is in process. We’ve already decided to share our initial impressions. Much like last year, the Pro and Pro Max models of the iPhone 13 series continue to rule the roost. If budget is not a concern, most fans are just going to choose one of these two handsets. But , the iPhone 13 appeals to those looking to own an iPhone without breaking the bank.
Priced at ₹79,900, the handset promises powerful performance. Long battery life, sturdy build, water resistance and an upgraded camera system. Apple also claims to have “reduced” the size of the display notch. Let’s find out if this gives you enough reason to upgrade.
Apple iPhone 13 Design: New Wine in an Old Bottle
During the iPhone 13 launch, Apple droned on about the new phone’s “sustainable flat design.” and ‘ceramic shield’. Yet, the company highlighted. The fact that the design of the handset has not been revamped for three generations. Seriously, when you have to advertise. the slightly narrow notch and slanted camera lens arrangement. It’s clear that there’s nothing new in terms of design.
In an effort to differentiate the latest handset from the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12. Apple is relying on a new paint job. It has introduced a new pink finish. Apart from this, you can go for Blue, Midnight (Black), Starlight (White) and (Product) Red. According to Apple, if you buy the red variant of the iPhone 13. Apple will make a contribution on your behalf to the “Global Fund to Fight COVID-19”.
Along with the slate design, the new iPhone retains the premium build. It offers ceramic shield scratch resistance on the display. On the back, you’ll find Corning’s Gorilla Glass. To strengthen the frame, Apple went with aluminum frame. Build accuracy is nothing short of excellent. Apple’s CNC machining process is so good that you’d be hard-pressed to find a flaw under the microscope.
While the handset is quite sleek, the camera module sticks out. It extends far beyond what we had on the iPhone 12 and adds significantly to the thickness of the handset. Apple has decided to embrace the camera bump rather than trying to hide it. Besides to two lenses and an LED flash, the camera module has a microphone.
Like most premium smartphones these days. The iPhone 13 is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance. It can withstand the rain and you can take it to a pool party without a second thought. Overall, The iPhone 13 lives up to the quality we’ve come to expect from Apple. But, its current design has overstayed its welcome. It’s time for the Cupertino-based company to introduce a new outline.
Will the iPhone notch ever go away?
The iPhone 13 features a 6.1-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution. OLED screens are fundamentally different than your regular LCDs. These panels are emissive, meaning each pixel is self-illuminating. Thanks to this feature, OLED screens do not need an external backlight. To illuminate the image and can selectively turn off pixels to render perfect black. As a result, you get an impressive contrast ratio and vibrant colors.
On top of that, the panel has a peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits to brighten up HDR content. During regular use, expect it to hover around 800 nits. While the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max siblings have a 120Hz display. The vanilla iPhone 13 settles for a regular 60Hz refresh rate.
I love how the display follows every curve of the frame. It shows Apple’s attention to detail. On the other hand, it’s disappointing that Apple still hasn’t gotten rid of the large notch on the front of the phone. The Cupertino company claims that it has reduced the notch by 20%. Technically, this may be true, as the notch is narrower than the previous generation. On the flip side though, the notch is now longer and cuts deeper into the screen area.
Is iPhone 13 camera as good as pro?
The iPhone 13 is equipped with a 12MP primary camera and a 12MP wide sensor to keep it company. The sensor-shift mechanism, which was reserved for previous-generation Pro models. Has finally made its way to the vanilla model. For those who don’t know. this technology compensates for shaky hands to capture clear shots.
We took it for a spin to get some natural and low light shots. Under sunlight, the iPhone 13 delivers exceptional quality. You get crisp images with plenty of detail. Don’t take my word for it, check out the samples embedded below.
The camera’s low-light performance is also impressive. Thanks to a large sensor and sensor-shift OIS. The iPhone 13’s camera has excellent dynamic range . captures plenty of detail even in dark areas. It does, but, suffer from lens flare artifacts, which was also a problem with the iPhone 12 series. Not the kind J. J. Abrams uses in his movies. What you’ll find here are weird green dots scattered across the screen. To better understand the problem, see the first image in the gallery below.
Apple iPhone 13 Performance: The A15 Bionic chip is unstoppable
Most flagship phones still have a hard time catching up to Apple’s A14 Bionic chip from last year. With the latest A15 Bionic processor, Apple is set to extend its lead even further. Based on TSMC’s 5nm fabrication process. This new SoC (System on Chip) consists of two performance CPU cores. four energy-efficient CPU cores. Along with that, you get an Apple-made quad-core GPU and 16 cores to power the neural engine. Although Apple hasn’t made it official, the handset packs in 4GB of RAM. For the latest generation, the company has dropped the 64GB model. This means that the base variant of the iPhone offers 128GB of internal storage. For those concerned about storage. Apple offers the handset in 256GB and 512GB options.
The powerful hardware ensures that the iPhone 13 breezes through every task. At least on the first day, the handset showed no signs of stuttering or slowdown. The phone runs the latest iOS 15 out of the box. The latest iteration of Apple’s iOS offers. plethora of new features and enhancements. FaceTime now enables users to watch movies and TV shows with friends. Apple has refined the way it sends you notifications. iPhone 13 enables you to set priorities on notifications. Saving you from the hassle of going through. the entire list just to see messages from your friends and family. We’ll cover Safari browser, Spotlight, Photos, and Health app improvements in upcoming reviews.
Our closing thoughts on the iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 packs in a larger battery. which according to Apple lasts 2.5 hours longer than its predecessor, the iPhone 12. We will test this claim in the full review including charging speed. gaming performance, cinematic mode on the camera. apps, and more. For now, I can say that at a starting price of ₹79,990. The iPhone 13 looks like a great choice. For those looking to transition into Apple’s ecosystem. But, if you already own an iPhone 12, it’s better to wait for the next iteration.
