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Apple currently offers eight different iPhone models: from the iPhone SE to the iPhone 11 to the new iPhone 13 generation. I’ll reveal which device suits you best.
As every year, when a new iPhone comes onto the market, the question arises whether you should spend a lot of money on the latest generation and thus also the latest features, or whether you should save up and buy an older model. Apple currently offers eight different models – we’ll tell you which model suits you best.
iPhone SE
- Price at Apple: from 399 $ (64 GB)
- Colors: White, Black, PRODUCT (RED)
- For whom: iPhone beginners; Users who like the “old” design
The second attempt to open up a price segment at the lower end of the scale for the iPhone was a success. What Apple did wrong with the iPhone 5C – yesterday’s hardware in a plastic case – worked better with the iPhone SE in 2016. At that time, the current hardware of the iPhone 6 and 6S in the high-quality housing of the iPhone 5: a box-office hit was born. Four years later, which roughly corresponds to a super cycle of the iPhone, Apple is repeating this strategy and installing components in the iPhone SE (2020) that would otherwise be used in higher-quality devices, especially the A13 chip, which is already the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro controls. In addition, there is the wide-angle camera of the top iPhones from 2019 on the back, although the ultra-wide-angle and double zoom are missing. You also have to make compromises on the front: the housing of the iPhone 8 contains an LCD screen, including a home button with Touch ID. However, this is not that impractical, especially in pandemic times, and, unlike the Face ID of the other devices, also works with a mask (of course not with gloves, even if they have fingertips made of conductive material). Thanks to the glass back inherited from the iPhone 8, the iPhone SE can also be charged by induction, but the new Magsafe charger does not stick to it.
iPhone 11
- Price at Apple: from 499 $ (64 GB)
- Colors: Purple, Green, White, Black, Yellow, (PRODUCT) RED
- For whom: iPhone beginners with a new design; everyone who wants the cheapest possible upgrade to an iPhone with Face ID
You may be surprised that Apple kept the iPhone 11 on sale. But its successor, the iPhone 12 (see next chapter), differs again significantly – and Apple apparently does not want to include any major price gaps in its range. Compared to the iPhone XR, the iPhone 11 has improved significantly again. The 6.1-inch hybrid design with Face ID and liquid retina display has remained, but a second camera has been added to the rear. This is not a zoom camera, but a super wide-angle, i.e. 0.5x zoom, as the photo app also shows. This means that portrait photos of animals, plants, and objects are also possible since the two cameras have a parallax, which makes the mathematical separation of foreground and background easier. The A13 Bionic processor, which Apple also built into the iPhone 11 Pro, which also had a third camera (double optical zoom), is also involved. However, Apple withdrew this model from the market, just as the iPhone X and iPhone XS (Max) disappeared from the shelves after just one year. The wide-angle camera of the iPhone 11 can take impressive night shots.
iPhone 12 Mini
- Price at Apple: from 599 $ (64 GB)
- Colors: Purple, Blue, Green, White, Black, PRODUCT (RED)
- For whom: Everyone who wants the currently smallest, modern iPhone as cheaply as possible
The iPhone 12 Mini was a real eye-catcher last year, primarily because of its new, angular design and its size. With a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display, it is almost the same size as the iPhone SE, which only has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display. Despite all expectations, the 12 Mini did not sell that well. Apple never gave reasons for this, but we suspect that the rather small battery was a valid reason for many users to decide against buying it – even if the 12 Mini had a number of new features onboard: 5G, an ultra-wide-angle Camera, A14 chip and last but not least: Magsafe. The iPhone 12 Mini has already become a bit cheaper with the introduction of the iPhone 13 Mini, but you should weigh the price premium and think twice about whether the new features in the 13 Mini (see below) are worth the money for you.
iPhone 12
- Price at Apple: from 699 $ (64 GB)
- Colors: Purple, Blue, Green, White, Black, PRODUCT (RED)
- For whom: For everyone who wants a bigger screen as cheaply as possible
The iPhone 12 is still part of the line-up, which actually surprised us. Because the differences between iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 are not that great. Like its little brother, the 12 Mini, the iPhone 12 offers the new angular design and, like its successor, the iPhone 13, has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. Except for the size and the battery life, the 12er does not differ that much from the iPhone 12 Mini. However, with the introduction of the iPhone 13, the price of the iPhone 12 also fell a bit. So if you want an angular iPhone with 5G that is not mini as cheaply as possible, then the iPhone 12 is the device of your choice.
iPhone 13 Mini
- Price at Apple: from 699 $ (128 GB)
- Colors: Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, PRODUCT (RED)
- For whom: Everyone who wants the smallest iPhone with the latest features
With the 13 Mini, Apple wants to fix the errors that have occurred with the iPhone 12 Mini. In other words: a larger battery that lasts two hours longer than its predecessor with a total of 17 hours of video playback. The future will show whether Apple will succeed in bringing the 13 Mini more to the people. In addition, there are of course other features that make the new mini much more attractive: a 20 percent smaller notch, the new A15 chip, improved 5G and, above all, the new cinema mode in 1080p with 30 fps, with which you can enjoy even more beautiful video -Get recordings. Also great: Apple has increased the entry-level storage sizes: the iPhone 12 Mini maybe 100 $ cheaper in comparison, but the 13 Mini – in addition to the new features already listed – also has twice as much storage from the start: 128 GB. If you do not value the new features and a small battery is not a problem, the iPhone 12 Mini is a much better choice.
iPhone 13
- Price at Apple: from 799 $ (128 GB)
- Colors: Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, PRODUCT (RED)
- For whom: Everyone for whom the 13 Mini is too small and the 13 Pro too much
The iPhone 13 is like the iPhone 13 Mini to the iPhone 12 Mini. For 100 $ more you get a significantly smaller notch in the latest generation, improved 5G, the new, more powerful A15 chip, and a battery that has been improved by two hours with a total of 19 hours of video playback. Apple has also increased the entry-level memory size for the iPhone 13: The smallest possible version now has 128 GB of memory available. If you don’t value the new features and you can manage with 64 GB of storage, you can save around 100 $ by buying an iPhone 12 from Apple, but our price comparison shows that the iPhone 12 is already cheaper.
iPhone 13 Pro
- Price at Apple: from 999 $ (128 GB)
- Colors: Sierra Blue, Silver, Gold, Graphite
- For whom: Everyone who wants the latest (pro) features in an iPhone
Since Apple no longer sells Pro models from the 12 generations, there is in principle no need to ask whether you should go for a previous model or the latest generation. If you want a Pro model and the corresponding Pro features, you inevitably have to resort to a 13 Pro or the larger iPhone 13 Max – unless you buy the iPhone 12 Pro from a provider other than Apple.
Like the iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13, the 13 Pro also has a notch that is around 20 percent smaller than its predecessor, an improved camera system with more powerful lenses, and an improved optical zoom (6x, the iPhone 12 Pro only had 4x optical Zoom range), the new cinema mode, the A15 chip, and a significantly improved battery: Apple promises up to 22 hours of video playback, compared to 17 hours for the iPhone 12 Pro. Something has also changed in the memory selection, but only the real pro users benefit from it. If you want, you can now buy an iPhone 13 Pro with 1 TB of storage. However, this should only be a small target group; the standard 128 GB should be sufficient for most users.
iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Price at Apple: from 1099 $ (128 GB)
- Colors: Sierra Blue, Silver, Gold, Graphite
- For whom: Everyone who wants the latest (pro) features in the largest iPhone
What can be said about the iPhone 13 Pro also applies to its big brother, the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Those who prefer a particularly long battery life will get the most from the 13 Pro Max. Here, Apple has been able to increase video playback by a full eight hours compared to the previous model: from 20 hours to 28 hours. In addition to all the other new features (see iPhone 13 Pro), this sounds quite tempting, of course, but be aware that the Pro Max does not fit in every pocket.