iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Should you upgrade to Apple’s latest model?

Apple announced its new iPhone 16 Pro this week, and it comes with an impressive arsenal of hardware updates. Like every year, springing for the latest and greatest is tempting, but it can be costly. If you’re like me and have an iPhone 13 Pro from several generations back, you probably wonder if the upgrade is worth it. 

Also: Everything Apple announced at iPhone 16 event: AirPods, Apple Watch Series 10, AI, more

The answer depends on what you need from your phone (and what condition your 13 Pro is in). Assuming it’s still in good shape, the major differences between the two come down to the massive jump in hardware available on the 16 Pro. That means more memory, a significantly faster processor, a bigger battery, and a much better camera. Oh, and you get access to Apple Intelligence. Let’s take a look at these two devices side by side and highlight the differences.

Specifications

You should buy the iPhone 16 Pro if…

1. You want a better camera 

To put it bluntly, the camera on the iPhone 16 Pro blows the 13 Pro out of the water. The 48MP fusion camera on the 16 Pro is capable of producing high-resolution photos and videos, which, along with the 5x tetra prism zoom lens (and 25x digital zoom) has the potential to create some truly exceptional images. 

The iPhone 16 series also introduces a new Camera Control button, bringing a physical element to photography that will certainly resonate with some folks. For example, a light press on the button will focus on the subject, while a hard press snaps the shot. Pressing and holding will take video.

Also: Apple adds Google Lens-like Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 16 camera

Conversely, the camera on the 13 Pro is no slouch, but it just doesn’t compete with the top-tier hardware Apple included on the 16 Pro. Also, the camera on the 16 Pro is identical to the one on the 16 Pro Max, making the Pro a good option if your main motivation for getting a new phone is to upgrade your camera. 

2. You’re here for the AI (and you use Siri)

Apple is releasing a handful of new AI features with Apple Intelligence, its company-first generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) technology, but it’s only going to be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and up. If you use Siri and you want to take advantage of all the new features going into it, you’ll want to upgrade. 

Also: 6 reasons why iOS 18 makes the iPhone 16 a must-upgrade for me

The new and improved Siri has awareness of on-screen content and can communicate far more easily with more complex voice commands. Additionally, it can respond to physical gestures like nodding your head and is able to switch between text and voice inputs, which is a first for the virtual assistant. 

To top it off, Apple insists that all of this is only the beginning, with Visual Intelligence (its answer to Google Lens) and Chat-GPT integration coming later this year. 

3. You want better performance 

The A18 Pro processor on the iPhone 16 Pro is a big jump forward in raw power and battery efficiency compared to previous models, and those numbers get bigger the further you go back. For example, the A18 Pro is 30% faster than the A15 Bionic chip on the 13 Pro, and despite being lighter, has more power and lasts longer. 

If your 13 Pro is running out of space or starting to feel sluggish, the upgrade will feel like a big leap forward, especially because all the new features rolling out with Apple Intelligence will need all that power supplied by the A18 Pro chip. 

Additionally, Apple has been working to position the iPhone as a serious gaming device, and the new chip’s ray-tracing support, better frame rates, and more sophisticated heat dissipation support that fact. If you are into mobile gaming, the 16 Pro is a beast.

You should stick with the iPhone 13 Pro if…

1. Your phone is still holding up in 2024

Don’t get it twisted; the iPhone 13 Pro is still a great phone. It’s not even that old; these phones were released in 2021. If you’re like me and you make it a point to take care of your tech, there’s no reason to upgrade your phone if your current one is still doing just fine. While it’s true that the hardware on board the 16 Pro is powerful, high-end hardware doesn’t always equate to longevity. 

Also: The iPhone 16 is undeniably great hardware – but you should still probably skip it

Also, it’s no surprise that Apple Intelligence is not fully ready yet. Many of the features Apple discussed at its keynote aren’t yet available, reducing the sense of urgency on running out and getting a new 16 Pro.

2. You’re on a budget

The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $1,000 for the lowest-tier memory configuration and goes up to $1,500 for the most expensive 1TB version. These are not cheap phones, by any stretch, and most people will want to justify the purchase before making the purchase. 

There are some good trade-in deals this year, but if you’ve just finished paying off your old phone, it might be smarter to wait until the next line of devices comes out. The iPhone 13 Pro still has a solid hardware package, with the A15 Bionic chip’s six-core CPU competitive enough to compete against even newer smartphones on the market. 

Alternatives to consider

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