In the market for a new iPhone? You're in the right place. We're here to help you decide which Apple iPhone is worth the upgrade based on your budget and preferences — from the luxurious iPhone 13 Pro to the entry-level iPhone SE.
Today's iPhone Lineup
- Best iPhone for Most People: Apple iPhone 13
- The Range-Topping iPhone: Apple iPhone 13 Pro
- The Most Affordable iPhone: Apple iPhone SE
- The Most Compact iPhone: Apple iPhone 13 mini
- The Ultimate iPhone: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Budget-Friendly Big-Screen iPhone: Apple iPhone 11
Apple recently unveiled an updated iPhone SE with the same design as the outgoing version, but with a beefier A15 Bionic chip and 5G. Adding 5G to the SE ensures that, save for the iPhone 11, every new iPhone has up-to-date cellular network connectivity. The latest starter iPhone debuted alongside a refreshed iPad Air and an all-new Mac Studio desktop.
During the Peek Performance product event, the tech giant also introduced new green finishes for the iPhone 13 and iPhone Pro. Dubbed Alpine green, this iPhone 13 Pro option reminds us of the iPhone 11 Pro.
It's important to note that we included contract-free pricing for each iPhone. You can also opt to order the product and pay monthly installments to your phone carrier. The trade-in program that Apple and its carrier partners offer is also excellent — depending on what your outgoing phone is and which iPhone model you pick, it might cost you next to nothing to upgrade. (For example, T-Mobile will give you up to $700 for a 4-year-old iPhone X).
Whether you're looking to snag your first smartphone or set your iCal for Apple's new launches every year, check out our decoded guide to the best new iPhones available today. Because, after all, there's an iPhone out there for everyone.
Best iPhone for Most People
Key Specs
• 6.1-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED display with 460 pixels per inch
• A15 Bionic chip with all-new Neural Engine
• Up to 512GB of storage
• Dual 12MP camera, 12MP front-facing camera
The iPhone 13 is a fantastic option for an upgrade for most consumers since it's packed with cutting-edge hardware specs at an agreeable price. The highlights include Apple’s latest A15 Bionic chipset with a next-generation Neural Engine, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, excellent stereo speakers, a powerful dual camera, and solid battery life.
Starting at $799, the iPhone 13 is competitively priced by today’s top-shelf smartphone standards. It's the best pick in its price range by an overwhelming margin.
Compared to the stellar iPhone 12 that it replaces, the iPhone 13 has a more powerful chipset, a more sophisticated camera, an upgraded 5G setup with more bands, and a brighter Super Retina display. Overall, the device’s ability to capture best-in-class images and video is why you consider it, even if you currently own an iPhone 12.
Apple offers the iPhone 13 in several eye-catching colors: pink, blue, green, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED. The starter iPhone 13 comes with ample 128GB of storage, which is a significant upgrade compared to previous models. You can spec it with up to 512GB of memory.
The Range-Topping iPhone
Key Specs
• 6.1-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED display with 460 pixels per inch, ProMotion
• A15 Bionic chip with all-new Neural Engine
• Up to 1TB of storage
• Triple 12MP camera, 12MP front-facing camera
The iPhone 13 Pro has the same design as its predecessor but a more powerful chipset, a brighter display with ProMotion tech, and a better triple camera with an expanded zoom range. The range-topping iPhone 13 Pro has a more luxurious build than the iPhone 13, headlined by a steel frame and glass back with a matte finish. You can order the product in graphite, gold, silver, Sierra blue, and Alpine green.
ProMotion is what sets the Super Retina XDR OLED display of the iPhone 13 Pro apart from all other iPhones. The feature brings an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, resulting in smoother and faster onscreen interactions. It was previously available only on iPad Pro models.
Compared to the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro has a beefier A15 Bionic chip with more GPU cores. Combined with the smoother display, the powerful graphics make the product a better mobile gaming rig.
On the other hand, the Pro's camera has not only a zoom snapper, but also bigger image sensors, brighter optics, and a LiDAR. The latter allows the flagship iPhone to snap better portrait photos, and to deliver next-level augmented reality experiences.
If its price tag falls within your budget, this is the iPhone to get. The entry-level iPhone 13 Pro comes with 128GB of storage. Power users can level up to a whopping 1TB of memory — a first for an iPhone.
The Most Affordable iPhone
Key Specs
• 4.7-inch Retina display with True Tone
• A15 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine
• Up to 256GB of storage
• 12MP camera, 7MP FaceTime HD Camera
Starting just a tad above $400, the latest iPhone SE is an excellent buy for users who don't need or want the most tricked-out smartphone. It has the same compact and familiar design as its predecessor, but vastly more futureproof hardware. You can grab one in midnight, starlight, or (PRODUCT) RED.
Equipped with the same A15 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine as the iPhone 13, the iPhone SE is the most powerful smartphone in its price range ... and well beyond. Like all new iPhones, it has a water-resistant housing, built-in stereo speakers, and fast wired and wireless charging support. MagSafe support, however, is not available.
The new iPhone SE can capture excellent images with its primary camera and selfie snapper, as well as portrait photos with a blurred background. It can also record crisp 4K video with high-quality stabilization and stereo sound.
It’s important to note that the SE is the only iPhone with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The feature is fast and reliable, but a bit old-school when compared to the Face ID of the pricier iPhones. Face ID-equipped iPhone models have bigger displays with a different aspect ratio than the SE, offering more immersive iOS, app, and gaming experiences.
The Most Compact iPhone
Key Specs
• 5.4-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED display with 476 pixels per inch
• A15 Bionic chip with all-new Neural Engine
• Up to 512GB of storage
• Dual 12MP camera, 12MP front-facing camera
The iPhone 13 mini, as its name suggests, is the smartphone to buy if you're looking for a smaller-sized model that doesn’t skimp on features. It has the same design, craftsmanship, specs, and performance as the iPhone 13, but a smaller 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display.
With a starting price tag of $699, the mini is also the most affordable member of the new iPhone 13 product family. It's available in pink, blue, green, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED.
As the name might suggest, the product’s size is its most impressive selling point. Because it has such a compact display, it's perfect for one-handed interactions, allowing your thumb to easily stretch from the top of the screen to the bottom. Even if it seems like a small detail, while testing the product, I enjoyed being able to crank out texts and emails with one hand, without fear of dropping the device.
Compared to last year's iPhone 12 mini, the new generation brings a more powerful chip, better camera, and longer battery life. The iPhone 12 mini is still available for $100 less, but given the newcomer's next-level performance and camera quality, I wouldn't recommend it unless you find an incredible deal.
The Ultimate iPhone
Key Specs
• 6.7-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED display with 458 pixels per inch, ProMotion
• A15 Bionic chip with all-new Neural Engine
• Up to 1TB of storage
• Triple 12MP camera, 12MP front-facing camera
Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max is today’s biggest and most capable iPhone. Thanks to a much bigger screen and longer battery life, it is a luxurious productivity and entertainment powerhouse worth the extra $100 over the iPhone 13 Pro. This is the Pro iPhone to get as long as you don’t mind its size and heft (it weighs more than 8 ounces).
Having the biggest Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion tech ensures that the range-topping iPhone is the best for gaming, watching videos, and staying productive on the go. The captivating screen is also great for editing photos and videos captured by the best-in-class triple camera.
The 13 Pro Max has the biggest battery of any iPhone. Depending on how you manage your screen-on time, it can last for 2 full days between charges, making it a great option for those who are constantly on the go (or hate charging up). The product’s battery performance is a worthy tradeoff for its considerable size and weight.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is available in the same color and storage options as the smaller iPhone 13 Pro — graphite, gold, silver, Sierra blue, and Alpine green. It starts at $1,099 for a model with 128GB of storage.
Budget-Friendly Big-Screen iPhone
Key Specs
• 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display with 460 pixels per inch
• A13 Bionic chip with a Neural Engine
• Up to 128GB of storage
• Dual 12MP camera, 12MP front-facing camera
For $300 less than the iPhone 13, the iPhone 11 offers robust hardware specs and a user experience to match. It has a large Retina display, a top-tier camera setup, and a powerful chip. Until the arrival of the iPhone 12, the iPhone 11 was our favorite iPhone model.
This is the model that we recommend for budget-conscious buyers who are looking for a big-screen iPhone with dependable features and specs, but don't think that 5G is a priority. More than 2 years after its launch, it’s still among the finest products in its price range.
The iPhone 11 is available in more colors than any iPhone 13 model: black, white, purple, yellow, green, and (PRODUCT) RED. You can spec it with up to 128GB of storage.
Here’s Everything Else We Love About Apple’s iPhone Lineup
→ Specs & Performance
The iPhone's hardware specs and overall performance are second to none — giving Apple loyalists good reason for their dedication to the tech giant. An OLED display panel, which delivers vibrant colors and even more captivating HDR-enhanced content, now comes standard on most iPhones — and it makes a major difference.
→ Connectivity
From the iPhone 12 onwards, all iPhone models have 5G — budget permitting, we highly recommend that you opt for it. The next-generation network connectivity brings faster data speeds and many other advantages over the older 4G LTE standard. All currently available iPhones have futureproof Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 on board, too.
→ Water-Resistance
From the iPhone 7 onwards, every iPhone has a robust water resistance with an official IP rating. The latest models are even tougher than their rating suggests: They're capable of surviving depths of up to 6 meters (20 feet) — deeper than an Olympic diving pool.
→ Accessories
MagSafe arrived alongside last year's iPhone 12 lineup, and is also available in the succeeding generation. It's a convenient magnetic tech for accessories, and is available in everything from convenient chargers to cool protective cases and handy snap-on wallets.
We're also constantly impressed by the wide range of accessories available for iPhones, from wallets to charging stands to eco-friendly cases. This allows you to customize your gadget to fit your individual personality.
→ iOS Software
If investing in a futureproof device is a priority to you, you're in luck. Every iPhone comes with many years’ worth of iOS firmware and security updates, allowing even generations-old Apple smartphones the ability to stay up to date. For comparison, most Android smartphones come with firmware and security updates for only 2 to 3 years.
→ Environmental Impact
Before you buy, keep in mind that Apple is packaging the latest iPhones in more compact boxes without a charging adapter, in order to reduce their environmental impact. If you don't have a solid charger lined up for your new device, we have you covered with plenty of affordable options. And if you want to avoid accumulating more cables in your life, every new iPhone is also compatible with wireless charging.
