This must be some kind of...hot tub time machine.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 14 Buyer's Guide: Apple's Mid-Range iPhones
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yeah me too - all these comments about a product that doesn't exist yet... then I noticed the date of the comments and everything made a lot more sense. Weird that they would bump the article to today with a new title with all the old comments attached.
I know this thread is one year old, but still, I’ll give my opinion because I think it’s still valid today: for just 100 bucks more? Just get the 14. Really, those 6GB of RAM will become noticeable in a few years. Also, you get slightly improved cameras, and better battery, as well as a new internal design that improves the cooling and makes battery replacement easier.
Not sure who in their right mind would buy either of the 14's for $100 less than the 15's 🫨
The iPhone 14 now sits in the middle of Apple's iPhone lineup below the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, but above the iPhone SE and iPhone 13. The iPhone 13 starts at $599, while the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are priced at $699 and $799, so how different are the two successive iPhone generations?
In 2021, Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 as the successor to the popular iPhone 12, with improved rear cameras, longer battery life, the A15 Bionic chip, and more. The iPhone 14 launched one year later, with the headline upgrade being a new iPhone 14 Plus model with a 6.7-inch display – a screen size that was previously exclusive to Apple's "Pro" iPhones. Upon the debut of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, Apple dropped the price of the iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus to $599, $699, and $799, respectively. The iPhone 13 mini has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 both feature the same display size, 5G connectivity, A15 Bionic chip, and design. Nevertheless, the iPhone 14 still offers a number of upgrades, such as an additional GPU core, Emergency SOS via satellite, the Photonic Engine, and Action Mode.
As the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 share the overwhelming majority of their features and have the same design, should you consider sticking with the iPhone 13 to save money? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhone models is best for you, and serves as a way to clearly see the differences that the iPhone 14 brings to the table.
iPhone 13 iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Thickness of 7.65mm Thickness of 7.80mm Weighs 174 grams Weighs 172 or 203 grams 4-core GPU 5-core GPU 4GB of memory 6GB of memory 12-megapixel Main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture 12-megapixel Main camera with ƒ/1.5 aperture and larger sensor 12-megapixel front-facing camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture 12-megapixel front-facing camera with ƒ/1.9 aperture and autofocus Photonic Engine Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps) Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (4K HDR up to 30 fps) Action mode Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.3 Emergency SOS Emergency SOS via satellite Crash Detection 19-hour battery life 20- or 26-hour battery life eSIM optional eSIM only (in the U.S.) Available in Green, Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and PRODUCT(RED) Available in Blue, Yellow, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and PRODUCT(RED) Starts at $599 Starts at $699 or $799
The iPhone 14's upgrades over the iPhone 13 are fairly minor, offering small refinements in terms of photography and videography capabilities, battery life, and GPU performance. 6GB of memory, Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite, three features that also came to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in 2022, are moderate upgrades for the safety-conscious. That being said, the iPhone 14 is probably best suited to those coming from an older device and intend to keep their iPhone for a long time.
- iPhone SE vs. iPhone 13 Buyer's Guide: Comparing Apple's Cheapest iPhones
- iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 15 Buyer's Guide: 20+ Upgrades Compared
At face value, there is likely not enough to justify getting the iPhone 14 over the iPhone 13. Matters may be different if you want a larger display size, as there is no equivalent to the iPhone 14 Plus in the iPhone 13 lineup. Even then, the iPhone 14 Plus's $799 starting price is the same as the iPhone 15 – one of Apple's latest models. The iPhone 15 sports a wide array of new features, such as the Dynamic Island, a 48-megapixel camera, a USB-C port, and more, making for a much more attractive and future-proof purchase.
The iPhone 13 is still highly capable for everyday use, and iPhone 14 shares the vast majority of the iPhone 13's most versatile features, such as the A15 Bionic chip, OLED Super Retina XDR display, Ceramic Shield, Night mode, MagSafe, and IP68 water resistance, so it is generally better to save the $100 and get the older model, or opt for the iPhone 15 instead.
Article Link: iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 14 Buyer's Guide: Comparing Apple's Mid-Range iPhones in 2023
The 13 maybe at $599 as a first phone for a kid, however I would be hard pushed to even buy that instead of the 15, considering how much better the 15's are
This was a test to see if we were awake yet.
My 13 Pro is happily running the very latest, and I didn't need to buy another phone. Suck on that, sucker! 🤣
My 13 Pro is happily running the very latest, and I didn't need to buy another phone. Suck on that, sucker! 🤣
No, just the best iPhone with a lightning port for ever! 😜
it's an update, "adapted" to the iphone15 release.... nothing new, happens on many similar websites...
Don’t forget, the iPhone 13 is the last US iPhone with a physical SIM card slot. Important for those who travel.
Just as a point of comparison, with the 15s out now, its hard to justify buying a 15 when a 14 via AT&T installments 36mo is $10.99, ie $395 total. I'm assuming of course no trade in my scenario.
I could however buy an iPhone 11 ~ $300 and trade it in for iPhone 15 free upgrade from AT&T. That requires up front cash to buy the iPhone 11 but then you've got a free iPhone 15 36mo later.
The difference in either scenario is paying $10.99/mo for the next 3 years and $0 up front and iPhone 14 vs $300 up front and $0 next 3 years and having an iPhone 15 instead. Its also the difference in features.
I could however buy an iPhone 11 ~ $300 and trade it in for iPhone 15 free upgrade from AT&T. That requires up front cash to buy the iPhone 11 but then you've got a free iPhone 15 36mo later.
The difference in either scenario is paying $10.99/mo for the next 3 years and $0 up front and iPhone 14 vs $300 up front and $0 next 3 years and having an iPhone 15 instead. Its also the difference in features.
Happy with the 14 over the 15. Got the one feature I was looking for, satellite emergency and roadside assistance. 6 Gig of ram over the 4 I had in a 13. Daily battery life in the 13 was noticeably diminishing at 88%. And get to continue to use our lightening cables a couple more years before having to buy more USB-C cables for cars, power bricks, power stations, etc.
You can't lose either way. They're both great phones. Anyone who argues otherwise is just kidding themselves.
💯 I landed with iPhone 14 for $5/mo for 36 for my daughter. Sweet deal IMO.