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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 13 vs Apple iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 13 vs Apple iPhone 15: which is the right fit? We cover performance, value, and use cases to make the call easier.
Ratings: 4.8★ vs 4.8★
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Apple iPhone 13
★4.8
(818)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021)
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)
Graphics:Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
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Apple iPhone 15
★4.8
(951)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
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Comparison: Apple iPhone 13 vs Apple iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 13
★4.8(818)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 15
★4.8(951)Best Buy
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 13 | Apple iPhone 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.8(818)Best Buy | ★4.8(951)Best Buy |
Operating System | iOS | iOS |
Software Support | Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021) | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) | Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic) |
RAM | 4GB LPDDR4X | 6 GB (LPDDR5) |
Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB NVMe | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.1" | 6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi) | 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60 Hz |
Peak Brightness | 800 nits (Typical) / 1,200 nits (HDR Peak) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor) |
Main Camera | 12MP Wide, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, Sensor-shift OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF | 48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultrawide, f/2.4, 13mm, 120-degree FOV | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) |
Telephoto Camera | No (Not supported) | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | 2x Optical Zoom Out (0.5x to 1x) | 0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 5x | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 4K @ 60fps (Dolby Vision HDR supported); Cinematic mode (1080p @ 30fps) | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth, f/2.2, 23mm, SL 3D (Biometrics) | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 3,240mAh (approximate) | 3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | 20W+ Fast Charging (50% in 30 min) via Lightning | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | 15W MagSafe Wireless / 7.5W Qi Wireless | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub-6 GHz & mmWave), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, UWB | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode |
USB | Lightning Connector (USB 2.0 speeds) | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP68 (Maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back |
Dimensions | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 in (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm) | 5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm) |
Weight | 6.14 oz (174 g) | 6.02 oz (171 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Face ID |
Extras | MagSafe ecosystem support, Stereo speakers, Dual eSIM support | Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Apple iPhone 13
Rating:★4.8(818)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021)
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)
Graphics:Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
RAM:4GB LPDDR4X
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB NVMe
Display Size:6.1"
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution:2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60Hz
Peak Brightness:800 nits (Typical) / 1,200 nits (HDR Peak)
Main Camera:12MP Wide, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, Sensor-shift OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultrawide, f/2.4, 13mm, 120-degree FOV
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported)
Optical Zoom:2x Optical Zoom Out (0.5x to 1x)
Digital Zoom:Up to 5x
Video Recording:4K @ 60fps (Dolby Vision HDR supported); Cinematic mode (1080p @ 30fps)
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth, f/2.2, 23mm, SL 3D (Biometrics)
Battery:3,240mAh (approximate)
Wired Charging:20W+ Fast Charging (50% in 30 min) via Lightning
Wireless Charging:15W MagSafe Wireless / 7.5W Qi Wireless
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6 GHz & mmWave), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, UWB
USB:Lightning Connector (USB 2.0 speeds)
Durability:IP68 (Maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front
Dimensions:5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 in (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm)
Weight:6.14 oz (174 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:MagSafe ecosystem support, Stereo speakers, Dual eSIM support
✓ Pros:
- • Excellent build quality with Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating
- • Strong battery life for its size (beat many Android competitors at launch)
- • A15 Bionic chip remains highly capable for everyday tasks and gaming
- • High-quality video recording with Dolby Vision HDR
- • Compact and lightweight 6.1-inch form factor
✗ Cons:
- • Stuck on 60Hz refresh rate (Competitors offer 120Hz)
- • Uses proprietary Lightning port instead of universal USB-C
- • Charging speed is relatively slow (Max ~20-23W)
- • No telephoto lens for optical zoom
- • Cinematic Mode video is limited to 1080p (Pro models support 4K)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Apple iPhone 15
Rating:★4.8(951)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR5)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back
Dimensions:5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
Weight:6.02 oz (171 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop
- • Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
- • Standardized USB-C port for charging and accessories
- • Dynamic Island interface replaces the notch
- • Comfortable, lightweight design with contoured edges
✗ Cons:
- • Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion 120 Hz)
- • USB-C port limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No dedicated telephoto lens (zoom beyond 2x is digital)
- • Always-On display feature is omitted
- • Charging speed is slower compared to competitors
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Overall, Apple iPhone 13 delivers better satisfaction. Apple iPhone 15 is still a quality option with specific strengths worth considering.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Apple iPhone 13 suits buyers who need Excellent build quality with Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating, Strong battery life for its size (beat many Android competitors at launch)
- Apple iPhone 15 suits buyers who want High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop, Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 13 excels if you value excellent build quality with ceramic shield and ip68 rating. Apple iPhone 15 is better if you prioritize high-resolution 48mp main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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