AppleiPhone 13 Pro (256GB) - Graphite

This will be a long and detailed review. I am writing this to guide those who are hesitant whether to get an iPhone or not, and which iPhone to get. I will start by focusing on the iPhone 13 Pro model, but I will speak more generally towards the end, especially when comparing iOS versus Android Products.iPhone 13 Pro Overview:I had the chance to unbox this device and set it up as my new main device. Prior to this I was using a Samsung Note and a Realme smartphones.- Box Contents and Eco-Friendliness:The iPhone 13 Pro box contains paper leaflets, sticker, a cable, and of course phone. The phone itself is wrapped in recyclable material rather than eco-unfriendly plastic. Part of the switch to Apple is what I personally see as an effort from them to go green, in addition to other reasons I will discuss below.- Design and Build Quality:The iPhone 13 Pro is simply amazing in terms of design. Holding it feels almost like holding the previous 12 Pro model, albeit the 13 Pro comes with noticeable bigger cameras and smaller notch.The body is flawless and the graphite option is the best in my view as I like neutral-lowkey'ish colours. The other colours are equally appealing but the graphite just felt suitable for my personal tastes. The side frame is stainless steel and the whole phone feels really solid. I have seen JerryRig's video where he tries to bend the iPhone 13 Pro and phone managed to survive and stay fully intact. Jerry also used a lighter to try and burn the screen, and it didn't! Despite being exposed to continuous lighter flames for around a minute (You should check it out).Compared to the 12 Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro is slightly heavier (209g vs 189g) and slightly thicker (7.7mm vs 7.4mm).- Specs:Stats are the last thing I consider recently since most flagships pack the latest technology and all fly through tasks easily. We seem to live in an age where the hardware capabilities is outweighing the requirements of most, if not all, apps and games.The iPhone 13 Pro packs a 3095 mAH battery which is bigger and better than the previous iPhone 12 Pro's battery. It has a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 120HZ refresh rate (Finally they left the old 60HZ rate). The refresh rate is variable, meaning that drops for less demanding apps, which adds to the preserving of energy. The display is very bright and can be seen easily and clearly in bright daylight. It has a brightness of 1000nits with a peak of 1200nits. It packs the latest Apple A15 bionic 5 nanometer chip. This chip provides fast performance and adds to iPhones' AI capabilities. The GPU has five cores compared to four in the 12 Pro. The iPhone 13 Pro comes with 6GB of RAM but we know that doesn't really matter since it is faster than phones with 12GB of RAM. So enough with the dull specs and lets talk about the actual performance!- Speed and Responsiveness:The iPhone, iPad and MacBook family is well-known for its flawlessness in terms of responsiveness, and this iPhone 13 Pro is no different. Expect a very fast performance that wouldn't degrade for years. Apps open fast and all operations happen seamlessly. Although the iOS 15 is relatively a new update, there isn't much bugs around, and a couple small bugs highlighted by customers have already been patched.- Battery Life and charging:The iPhone only comes with a lightning cable, so if you never owned an Apple device you may need to get a wall plug. The iPhone only requires 23W load, but it still supports a convenient level of fast charging, making it able to go from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes. I think Apple could have gone way higher in terms of load, and way lower in terms of charging time, but that would equally reduce the shelf life of the battery and makes it degrade quickly, so a sweet middle spot is more convenient for long term owners. A fully charged iPhone 13 Pro would sustain you for the whole day, with around 30% remaining at the end of the day. My test is based on a day of regular surfing, watching videos, taking pictures and videos (like stories and reels), and casual gaming (like candy crush). The battery performance is way better than the 12 Pro in my opinion, and second just to the 13 Pro max.Note: there are phones that go from 0% to 60 or 80% in way less time than the iPhone 13 Pro. As I have said those phones are speculated to degrade the battery life span faster and release a lot of heat, but it is up to you to decide your preferences, especially if you constantly forget to charge your phone at night and you require very fast charging.- Camera Quality and Modes:Over the years, iPhones never possessed the best camera title. Rather, they managed to earn the best round-up camera performance. For instance, there are telephoto lenses better than the iPhone 13 Pro telephoto, and a wide angle that's better than the iPhone 13 Pro. however, in my view there is no phone that combines a robust multi-lens performance as good as the iPhone does. If you want a versatile camera, an incredible bokeh effect, a crisp and sharp video with the best stabilisation I ever tried, and an amazing post-production processing and editing, then I am certain no phone can outweigh the current iPhone 13 Pro and Pro max. The quality is simply amazing and the software support accompanying the camera app is what sets this years head of the rest. I advise you to check videos that showcase the camera performance.- Software Support and iOS 15:There are many people out there who don't understand why people pay much for iPhones. These people are usually unaware of the seamlessness created by the Apple eco-system. Having an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and to a lesser extent a watch and earbuds, is the only resort for you to understand how the ecosystem works. I was suspicious a year ago but once into the ecosystem, I am certain that there is no other combination of devices out there that can achieve the same ecosystem.The iOS 15 update, and soon the Mac Monetary update, are expected to take this ecosystem to an even higher league. For instance, and at this particular moment, I can copy the text I am writing on my MacBook and just press paste on my iPad or iPhone and it will paste. I can use my iPad as a secondary screen by pressing a single button. I can create a work routine or a set of actions once I activate Focus Mode, and my devices can even inform people on iMessage that I am busy or not available. I can start a task in one device, work on it somewhere else with another device without the need to login again or try to get access or upload stuff here and there.The ecosystem is indeed a closed system. This can be discouraging for some but it equally creates a chain of cohesive actions that facilitate your daily tasks.I will not talk much about iOS 15 and leave you the pleasure to explore that. Else you can check relevant videos to see the new features.- PrivacyPerhaps one of the main reasons that dragged me towards Apple in general is their emphasis on data protection and privacy. The new Private Relay and Hide my Email features are nothing but evidence on how serious Apple is about privacy. I feel more secure inside this ecosystem and more in control of what I want to share/not share with other parties.- Final Verdict:The final verdict is mixed and conditional. The main thing to say is that the iPhone 13 Pro, like the other flagships in the markets, packs the latest technology available. Whether it is right for you or not depends on how you answer the following:1. Do you own other Apple products? If you already own a MacBook, and iPad, an Apple Watch, or a combination of all then the iPhone would make things even better.2. Do you own an iPhone and you are uncertain about upgrading: If you have an iPhone 11 or lower then I would advise you to upgrade if you can afford the 12 Pro. The major differences would be the battery life, the display, and the cameras. These are MAJOR differences and will make you feel a huge difference. If you own the iPhone 12 Pro I would advise you to not upgrade, unless you really crave the latest technology and cannot live without the new cameras and higher refresh rate. You won't feel a MAJOR difference, but the difference will be noticeable.3. Are you switching from Android to iOS? My short answer will be: If you don't mind a closed system that would function better if you own other Apple products then definitely go for it. The future of privacy and protection seems better with the iPhone (personal view). Plus, with the iPhone you get loads of software updates and Apple will not discontinue their support after two years like most others do. Switching from Android/Windows to Apple is gradual and starts with one device. I started with one device and now own 4 devices that make my life easier.4. Should you go with the mini, the 13, the 13 Pro or the 13 max? If your current phone is smaller than the iPhone 13 and you hate bulky and big devices then go with the mini. If your priority is having the latest all rounder without necessarily flexing in terms of performance then go with the 13. If you want the most iPhones can offer, you game a lot, or you are into photography like me then go with the 13 Pro. If the 13 Pro looks small in your eye and you want something that falls between a smartphone and tablet in terms of size, along with the highest battery capacity possible then consider the 13 Pro Max. But before you decide on this, think about your budget and whether you can afford your preferred phone or not.5. Should you go for the 12 Pro over the 13 Pro? At this particular time NO. The 12 Pro is still expensive and I wouldn't pay that much for it. If you can afford a brand new 12 Pro then save a little more and get a 13 Pro. If you want a 12 Pro wait till January and prices may go lower.6. If you think that the iPhone is expensive then check other brands and you will realise that they are charging the same amount or almost the same amounts without offering the same level of support and updates.I may update this review as I use my phone and discover new stuff. I hope you find this helpful and I hope I managed to assist you in making a decision. I will include samples of pictures taken by my 13 Pro soon, I may also include a video or two.Important: If you read this review and found it helpful you might find my Apple Watch Series 7 review helpful as well. Just click on my profile picture and you will see it as the first review on my profile.

Very good product!

Very happy with this phone.Is my first iPhone, as I always had Windows Phone and then Android, but now I don't think I could go back.Apple is super pricey so I think I will keep this phone for many years, but generally, I'm happy and the color is stunning.Great battery life, great photos, and videos, very smooth.

Having loved from an iPhone X to this one has been a whole new world specially in battery life, very happy.

Bought for my eldest daughter to replace an iPhone 11 which had a cracked screen (since fixed and that phone now with my youngest daughter). This is a lovely phone and she's over the moon with it - as alwasy Amazon was exceelent, delivery was next day and we've had no problems at all.

No complaints. Saved me a trip to the apple store!

Great price

They depreciate really fast in value.