iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini review: their prices and technical sheets

Released in mid-September 2021, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are the headliners of Apple's most affordable high-end smartphones. But then, what are their advantages and disadvantages? The manufacturer has revealed almost everything about their technical sheet: analyzing it allows you to know more about the performance and services of each device. In this guide, we tell you everything. Here we go!

The jumeaux dizygotes

Let's start with what the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have in common: what doesn't change.

Operating system

Just like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 mini is powered by the proprietary iOS 15 operating system. This comes with many proprietary apps that Apple wants to be resolutely pro-privacy, such as the in-house Safari browser. or Music, a competitor to Spotify. The latter, however, requires paying a monthly fee to access its catalog, as is the case with many other services for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Jumbled together, we can cite Apple Arcade (video games), Apple TV+ (streaming), iCloud or even Podcasts.

Are the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini sturdy?

The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 have a screen protected by a Ceramic Shield glass. Under this name is actually a Gorilla Glass Victus glass, signed Corning. What's more, the iPhone 13 is also dust and water resistant up to six meters deep and for thirty minutes (maximum). Which is also the case for the iPhone 13 mini. Summary: IP68 protection index guaranteed by the IEC.

On the materials side, the synthesis is less noble: wherel’iPhone 13 Pro et l’iPhone 13 Pro Maxare surrounded by stainless steel, the frame of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is made of aluminum. Although of quality “aerospace” (yes, yes!) according to Apple, it of course bends at the slightest shock, even the slightest bit violent. So consider equipping yourself with a silicone case if you plan to move vigorously.

Also good to know: the format of the iPhone 13 and 13 mini makes their rear camera particularly protruding. So you risk scratching it without proper protection, storing it in a pocket with keys or simply placing it on a table full of bread crumbs. So keep it in mind: the iPhone 13 mini, like the iPhone 13, is a fragile electronic device and it will need to be taken care of.

Performance aces

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are powered by a proprietary processor: the Apple A15 Bionic. Apple announced it as 20% more efficient than its predecessor, which actually seems to be verified in the benchmarks even if a little exaggerated in our opinion. Designed in California, the CPU is assembled in Asia. Its parts come from several subcontractors, but final assembly is due to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. The particularity of this Apple silicon chip is that it takes the form of a SiP. Under this acronym hides the group of wordssystem in package, with the principle of integrating both the SoC, the RAM and the graphics card of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini on the same printed circuit.

With this solution, Apple gains not only in space (which affects autonomy, we will see a little later) but also in production costs. What's more, it turns out that we also owe the OS to the same company. This therefore takes advantage of this to jointly optimize hardware and software, with a result of unequaled prowess. Speed ​​and fluidity are there, with Apple even announcing without hesitation that it will beat the competition hands down.

For RAM, no change between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 or between the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini: 4 GB of RAM, no more, no less. Let's say it clearly: this is well below the average for smartphones whose price varies around a thousand euros, with Android equivalents often doubling or even tripling this figure.

Take photos with iPhone 13 and 13 mini

The photo technical sheet of the iPhone 13 gives pride of place to two Sony EXMOR sensors. The first is a 12 Mpx ultra wide-angle with ƒ/2.4 aperture, identical to the iPhone 13 mini. The second is also a 12 Mpx wide-angle, but with ƒ/1.6 aperture. Here too, the manufacturer has chosen to integrate the same lens on the iPhone 13 mini. These are the rear lenses, but on the front the components are a little different since the notch with Face ID integrates a TrueDepth camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture. Same definition. Our opinion? High quality images, without hesitation.

So there is no real noticeable difference between the camera of the iPhone 13 and that of the iPhone 13 mini. In video, they can both run Cinematic mode in 1080p at 30 fps. The zoom is also included, up to 3x depending on the settings chosen.

Connections: our opinion

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are 5G compatible but not mmWave, which means that frequency bands below 6 GHz are not supported. However, they are the fastest, although less effective at a distance. The modem of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini can also connect to Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, while the accessories most often pair with Bluetooth 5.0. NFC is also included, which is essential if you want to do without a bank card to pay for your purchases with Apple Pay. In some cities like London or Bucharest and soon Lyon, you can even unblock the metro gantry this way.

UWB (ultra-wideband) is also available on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, thanks to a dedicated chip. The interest of this technology consists, for example, in detecting where other devices which are also equipped with it are placed in space. AirDrop, in particular, offers the possibility of using it to point your iPhone 13 or mini towards a Mac to send a file in a few seconds. AirTags, small smart tags launched in April 2021 by Apple and similar to Tiles, also benefit from the UWB chip.

Our opinion on the iPhone 13

A larger screen for more comfort

THE strong point of the iPhone 13 technical sheet compared to that of the iPhone 13 mini is its larger display. This in fact has a diagonal of 6.1 inches, for a definition of 2,532 by 1,170 pixels (more or less 2K), with a standard contrast of 2,000,000:1. True Tone technology allows you to play with the colors of the iPhone 13 and its brightness depending on your environment (a light meter is present on the front of the phone). Objective: to tire your eyes less, a guaranteed result with the night mode which filters out the bruises so as not to prevent you from falling asleep at the end of the day.

This also results in a more imposing format: with a height of 146.7 mm by a width of 71.5 mm and a thickness of less than 8 mm, the iPhone 13 has an “average” size compared to that of other mobile devices released the same year. As for its weight, it is 173 g.

Battery life of the iPhone 13

Good to know: the iPhone 13 lithium battery is not removable. If it starts acting up, you will not be able to change it yourself: you will have to go to a store to ask a technician for help, which can quickly get expensive (see lower AppleCare+ prices).

The iPhone 13 would be able to last up to nineteen hours straight for video playback, compared to fifteen hours for streaming and seventy-five hours for music. These measurements are obviously difficult to verify in reality, as everyone's uses are different, but which remain very honorable on a daily basis.

Positives and Disadvantages

The pluses:

• best value for money for iPhone 13
• a large 6.1 inch screen
• iOS 15 is smoother than Android in our opinion

Cons:

• Lightning socket which will require you to have the appropriate cable
• an average speaker
• paid storage on Photos and no SD card port

iPhone 13 mini: the best compact on the market?

The ideal format for…

The nomads, obviously. Indeed, in our opinion, the technical sheet of the iPhone 13 mini easily reveals its waspish size with certainly the same thickness as the iPhone 13 but a much smaller case: only 13.16 x 6.42 cm, for 33 g less. Unfortunately, such numbers necessarily have an impact on the size of the screen, which is limited here to only 5.4 inches. It's not much, but some people will prefer it if they have small hands or small pockets.

The iPhone 13 mini is also water and dust resistant, and designed with the same materials as the classic iPhone 13. Its premium quality should therefore not be put aside. As for the design itself, it is more or less reminiscent of that of the iPhone 4 in its size and in its shapes which are more straight and aligned than the contours ofthe iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max family.

Apple listened to the criticism

Remember: when the iPhone 12 mini was released, many hoped that it would be an alternative to the SE with more power and a better overall technical sheet. This was certainly the case on many points, but not on endurance. In fact, many quickly regretted that this mini did not last all day. With the iPhone 13 mini, the situation has changed: Apple ensures that its little protégé lasts an hour and a half longer than its predecessor. You will therefore no longer have to invest in an external battery, except perhaps in the case of a long trip but which will be prepared in advance.

Pros and cons of the iPhone 13 mini

What we like about the iPhone 13 mini:

• the cheapest of all iPhone 13s
• wireless charging included
• Cinematic mode

We like less:

• the iPhone 13 mini is not a photo ace
• notch
• too small for streaming, in our opinion

The different models of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini

In the opinion of some, the iPhone 13s are the best value for money for 6.1-inch screens from Apple.

Price of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini:

• iPhone 13 mini 128 Go : 809 €
• iPhone 13 mini 256 Go : 929 €
• iPhone 13 mini 512 Go : 1 159 €
• iPhone 13 128 Go : 909 €
• iPhone 13 256 Go : 1 029 €
• iPhone 13 512 Go : 1 259 €

Colors available:

• starlight
• midnight
• bleu
• rouge PRODUCT (RED)
• rose

NB: part of the funds raised by sales of the red iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are donated to the fight against certain diseases. Originally, these included AIDS and tuberculosis, but Apple shifted its focus to the coronavirus issue in 2020.

AppleCare+: our opinion

Two years of protection against screen breakage or other damage. Excess of 29 euros for the slab compared to 99 euros for any other type of damage.

• iPhone 13 : 311,10 euros
• iPhone 13 mini : 251,10 euros

AppleCare+ insurance for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is in addition to the two-year manufacturer's warranty, which is mandatory in France and which is free.

Repair (without insurance):

• iPhone 13 : 477 euros
• iPhone 13 mini : 431 euros

To repair the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini or use the warranty, it is best to go to the Apple Store.

Apple accessories for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini:

• MagSafe coke in silicone: 55 euros
• leather case: 65 euros
• leather card holder: 65 euros
• Battery external MagSafe : 109 euros
• chargeur MagSafe : 45 euros
• chargeur double MagSafe : 149 euros
• USB-C to Lightning cable (two meters): 35 euros

Apple advises only equipping its iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with proprietary accessories. We recommend Apple accessories or those from MFi certified third-party manufacturers. Otherwise, the risk of experiencing malfunctions is greater.