Apple iPhone 12 vs Apple iPhone 13
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 12 and the Apple iPhone 13, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Price | $172 | $244 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 2,815 mAh | 3,240 mAh |
| Wired charging | 20W | 20W |
| Storage (max) | 256 GB | 512 GB |
| Screen size | 6.1 in | 6.1 in |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 164 g | 174 g |
| Released | Oct 2020 | Sep 2021 |
Summary: Apple iPhone 12 is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). Apple iPhone 13 is ahead on battery, storage (max).
★ Which should you buy? Apple iPhone 13 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Apple iPhone 12 is the cheaper option.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR, True Tone, Wide color (P3), Haptic Touch |
| Size | 6.1 inches (6.06 inches diagonally for actual viewable area) | 6.1 inches |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 2532 x 1170 pixels, 460 ppi |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | — |
| Brightness | 625 nits typical, 1200 nits peak (HDR) | 800 nits (typical), 1200 nits (peak HDR) |
| Features | True Tone, Wide color (P3), Haptic Touch | — |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| OS | iOS 14.1 (upgradable to later versions) | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 17.2 (as of current information) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Hexa-core (2x 3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x 2.02 GHz Blizzard) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
Memory
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Internal Storage | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB NVMe |
| Card Slot | No | No |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide) |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3 | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Photographic Styles, Cinematic mode |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR with Dolby Vision (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide) |
| Features | HDR, Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control | HDR, Cinematic mode |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2815 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3240 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | Fast charging 20W (50% in 30 min), USB Power Delivery 2.0 | Fast charging 20W, 50% in 30 min (advertised); USB Power Delivery 2.0 |
| Wireless Charging | 15W MagSafe, 7.5W Qi wireless charging | — |
Body
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm (5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 inches) | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm |
| Weight | 164 g (5.78 oz) | 174 g |
| Build | Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP68 rated (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| Radio | — | No |
Launch
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|
| Announced | October 13, 2020 | September 14, 2021 |
| Released | October 23, 2020 | — |
| Status | — | Available. Released September 24, 2021 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone 12 or Apple iPhone 13?
Apple iPhone 13 — 2,815 mAh for the Apple iPhone 12 versus 3,240 mAh for the Apple iPhone 13.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 12 or Apple iPhone 13?
Apple iPhone 12 — 164 g for the Apple iPhone 12 versus 174 g for the Apple iPhone 13.
Which is newer, Apple iPhone 12 or Apple iPhone 13?
Apple iPhone 13 — Oct 2020 for the Apple iPhone 12 versus Sep 2021 for the Apple iPhone 13.
Is the Apple iPhone 12 or the Apple iPhone 13 rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 12 8/10 and the Apple iPhone 13 8/10.
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