Macworld - USA (2021-12)

76 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2021

FEATURE REVIEW: i PHONE 13

a real power user, the extra graphics core
might make an impact. For most users, the
standard A15 will be a workhorse. Add with
a starting storage of 128GB (twice the
iPhone 12’s base storage) and it’s hard to
complain about any of the specs.
Battery life is even more impressive.
On paper, Apple says the iPhone 13 will
get two more hours of video playback and
four more hours of streaming video, but
those numbers don’t really tell the whole
story. In benchmarks, the iPhone 13 lasted
nearly eight and a half hours, which is a
good deal longer than the iPhone 12 Pro
and nearly as long as the iPhone 12 Pro
Max. That’s kind of mind-blowing and
easily the biggest generational leap in
battery life. The Pro models still last longer,
but it’s not a stretch to say it’s the most
important upgrade in the iPhone 13.
Battery life wasn’t exactly an issue with
the iPhone 12, but with enough use, you
probably needed to reach for a charger
toward the end of the day. That’s not even

a passing thought with the iPhone 13. On

one day of particularly heavy use, I spent

significant time using Apple Maps and

Apple Music, took lots of photos, played

some games, and did all of the other usual

things I do while leaving the brightness

higher than usual (it was a particularly

sunny day), and I barely hit the red when I

was ready to go to bed. And when I forgot

to charge it, I still had enough juice to get

through my morning before a quick charge.

It’s safe to say battery life won’t be a

concern with the iPhone 13. Like the

processor, Apple has delivered more than

we actually need, and with the rare

exception of traveling overnight without a

charger, iPhone 13 users won’t need to pay

much attention to the battery icon

anymore (though I still wish Apple would

bring the percentage back).

INCREMENTAL CAMERA

UPGRADES

Along with the battery, the camera is the

biggest improvement over the iPhone 12.

Apple is using the same basic hardware—

dual 12MP wide and ultra-wide cameras

with 2x optical zoom out—but the technical

aspects have changed. The sensor in the

wide camera is larger, the sensor in the

ultra-wide camera is faster, and the system

now has sensor-shift stabilization rather

than the previous lens-based stabilization.

While you will take better pictures with

BATTERY LIFE

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362

491

555

412

HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER

iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13

iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone XS 264