iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: The iPhone 13 is often regarded as the final excellent “regular” iPhone model. It only made a few minor adjustments from the iPhone 12, but these new features vastly increased its usage. It’s an excellent all-arounder, and for the past two years, normal iPhone models have failed to match the 13’s brilliance.
However, your Phone 13 may be exhibiting symptoms of wear and tear two years after its introduction. You may be wondering whether changing your 13 for the bright, new iPhone 15 is a wise option due to a falling battery or slower performance (or perhaps just the urge to buy something newer).
We’ll go through the changes between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 15 in this post. We’ll compare specifications, camera technology, design, and features to evaluate whether it’s time to update or whether you’re better off waiting another year.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Design
When comparing the designs of the two phones, it’s difficult to discover any distinctions – at least from the rear. Both feature the same basic principles: a flat screen, flat edges (though the iPhone 15 has a slight bend there to make it easier to grasp), and a camera hump that carries two lenses in diagonal arrangement.
There are, of course, variances in color possibilities. The iPhone 13 is available in blue, pink, black, white, green, and red colors. The iPhone 15 comes in blue, pink, yellow, green, and black colors.
But don’t make a decision just yet; there are still differences to be explored. The first, and most noticeable, feature is the notch (or absence thereof). Because the iPhone 13 was the first standard iPhone with a reduced notch, the cutout is not as obvious as it is in the iPhone 12.
However, the iPhone 15 dropped the notch entirely in favor of the Dynamic Island, a feature borrowed from last year’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It means less distraction and some exciting new interactive capabilities, so it’s a big difference.
The incorporation of USB-C (at long last!) is another significant feature and design shift. The iPhone 15 is the first Apple model to include the new, universal connection, allowing you to charge it with the same cable you’d use to power other smart home technology or your Android smartphone. The iPhone 13, on the other hand, continues to use the outdated Lightning connection.
The screens of the two phones have remained unchanged. The iPhone 13 and 15 both have a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The iPhone 15 is much brighter, with a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, compared to 1200 nits for the iPhone 13.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Performance
The performance differences between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 15 may surprise you, but not in the way you may expect. Despite the fact that these two phones are two years and two generations apart, their CPUs are just one generation different.
This is due to Apple’s decision, with the iPhone 14, to maintain the normal iPhones a year behind the Pro range. This implies the iPhone 14 received the same SoC as the iPhone 13 Pro, but the iPhone 15 received the SoC from the iPhone 14 Pro.
As a result, the iPhone 13 has an A15 Bionic processor, whereas the iPhone 15 has an A16 Bionic processor. This implies that the difference in speed between the two will be less evident than you may expect – at least in terms of CPU performance. GPU-intensive workloads should feel considerably better and provide a 20-25% speed boost.
It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 15, which is two years newer, will receive software upgrades for far longer. The iPhone 13 was released with iOS 15, and the new iPhones should be updated to iOS 17. That indicates it will still be supported, but just for the next 3-4 years. The iPhone 15 will, on the other hand, receive upgrades for the next 5 years. However, because these two are just one SoC generation away, the support differences may not be as pronounced.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Cameras
The iPhone camera is worthy of an article – it is without a doubt one of the finest in the business, especially for recording videos. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 15 are no exception.
The iPhone 13 has two 12MP lenses on the rear, one broad and one ultrawide. The primary shooter was an advance over its predecessors, with a larger sensor and much enhanced low-light performance.
Fast forward two years, and Apple has refocused its efforts mostly on enhancing the primary sensor of its normal iPhone 15 lineup. For the first time in years, you’ll not only gain new features, but also a major increase in resolution. The iPhone 15 replaces the iPhone 13’s 12MP primary camera with a new 48MP sensor.
This is a big development since it allows the new iPhone to excel at two things. First, its zoom capabilities have been enhanced, as Apple employs sensor-cropping when you push the 2x zoom button, allowing you to snap a 24MP shot without sacrificing clarity. Second, the new sensor is substantially more detailed overall, and it shoots even better low-light photos.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Battery life
The iPhone 13’s generational battery life boost was one of the most significant advancements. It implies that using these iPhones is a significantly better experience since, owing to the new cells and an incredibly efficient processor, they quickly became champions of battery endurance.
The same can be said about the iPhone 15, which features a large battery and an efficient SoC. This implies that both of these phones should easily last a day without charging – maybe even longer if you use your smartphone sparingly.
The iPhone 13 has an official video playback time of 19 hours, whereas the iPhone 15 has an additional hour, bringing the total to 20 hours. Of course, your iPhone 13 may lag behind since batteries degrade with time, but it should still supply enough of energy for years to come. There isn’t much of a distinction between the old and the new in this category.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Features
We’ve previously discussed the iPhone 15’s two standout features: the Dynamic Island, which replaced the notch, and the addition of USB-C instead of the Lightning connection. However, there are a few additional enhancements you should be aware of.
Apple was ecstatic about the new iPhone 15’s satellite connectivity choices. These enable you to transmit an emergency SOS through satellite even if you are outside of your network’s coverage area. In addition, the iPhone 15 includes Crash Detection and Roadside Assistance via satellite.
Another factor to consider is camera software advancements. The new portrait mode is most likely the most crucial here. It allows you to edit your portraits after they’ve been taken, but it’s also far better at recognizing your subjects – not only humans, but also pets and objects.
The final consideration is connection. The Bluetooth standard of the iPhone 15 has been improved to Bluetooth 5.3, up from Bluetooth 5.0 on the previous generation. There’s also a new 5G modem, which could help the latest version’s battery life even more.
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 15: Stay or go?
For years, a two-year phone replacement cycle was the ideal compromise between obtaining new features and paying the greatest price for them. However, this looks to be gradually changing.
The iPhone 15 does, in fact, improve over the iPhone 13, primarily in the photography department. Are they, however, sufficient to warrant an update to your phone? We believe that the iPhone 13 still has a lot of life in it, and that keeping it for another year is definitely your best option right now.
If you do decide that your phone is due for an upgrade, you’ll be getting some nice creature comforts – better cameras, better performance and a fresh-looking Dynamic Island, as well as the convenience of USB-C.
