Iphone 13 pro and pro max test: the term “pro” finally makes sense 

Now let’s talk about what’s under the hood. You will find in the iPhone 13 Pro the same configuration as that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max: no jealous. You first have theA15 Bionic with gpu penta-core (and not the quad-core GPU version of the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini). It is an excellent chipset, with six cores for the CPU and a dedicated neural coprocessor. Along with 6 GB of RAM, It is very close to the A14 Bionic of the iPhone 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max, with the difference that it is faster (until 3.22 GHz) and that it is more powerful.

IPhone 13 pro opinion

The iPhone 13 Pro is always a very competitive smartphone in 2023. Of course, it is missing the 48 MP photo lens and the Dynamic Island of the new iPhone 14 Pro (Test). But honestly, if you didn’t get used to it, you won’t you miss anything. In terms of screen, performance and others, the iPhone 13 Pro is still this year a model that holds the road.

Apple has since removed the iPhone 13 pro from its official catalog. However, you will still find many offers for the Pro model from last year to third -party sellers and mobile operators.

The cheapest version with 128 GB of memory is sometimes near the 1000 euros mark, which represents a drop from 100 to 150 euros compared to the launch price. For the large version of 1 TB, the economy is greater and is between 350 and 400 euros compared to the initial price of more than 1,700 euros.

• Go see our comparison between the iPhone 14 and Apple iPhone 13

Even if the price drop is rather disappointing, the iPhone 13 Pro is always much cheaper than the current iPhone 14. At Apple, you pay at least 1329 euros. There is therefore often not even 100 euros difference between 13 and 14 pro, which is why we recommend the most recent model.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

• See offer 1,133, € 36 (Amazon)
• See the offer (eBay)
• € 1,159.00 See the offer 794, € 99 (Amazon – used)

• Consult our complete comparison of the best Apple iPhone in 2023

Design: we don’t change a winning team

The fact that this year’s iPhone is considered a new full -fledged generation perfectly suits me. Even if Apple has fully relied on the iPhone 12 for design. Only connoisseurs will be able to spot at a glance the three differences that distinguish the iPhone 13 pro from its predecessor. These are colors, notches and photo module.

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• Successful design (in my opinion)
• Excellent finish
• IP68 certification

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• The edges of the screen always relatively thick

iPhone 13 Pro: visible changes

First of all, there are the magnificent new colors: graphite, gold, silver and my favorite: Sierra Blue. Apple remained faithful to the angular and flat design of the iPhone 12 Pro. The frame is made of shiny stainless steel and if you do not use a shell, as do almost all iPhone owners, it will be covered with fingerprints.

The second point is the notch that has become 20% smaller. However, the additional space on the screen is barely noticeable, as is the fact that the YouTube videos on the iPhone 13 Pro are currently slightly crushed in the notch in full screen mode. YouTube does not yet seem to take the reduction in the notch. However, if my colleague Stefan did not point it out to me, I would not have realized it.

Then there is the photo module on the back, which has become visibly larger to allow new products in terms of photo and video. Not only are the sensors larger, but they also exceed a little more from the case. The smartphone is therefore a bit wobbly when you put it on a table.

iPhone 13 Pro: invisible changes

Other innovations in the design and assembly of the iPhone 13 Pro mainly focused on the resistance of the smartphone. First of all, there is the screen, which is supposed to be much more resistant than the other screens thanks to the Ceramic Shield. And then there is the back of the iPhone 13 Pro, which is supposed to have the strongest glass of all smartphones. At least our test copy is always intact.

And if the iPhone had to fall into a swimming pool, it would not be a problem either: it is certified IP68 and can therefore resist an immersion of 30 minutes at a depth of 6 meters.

Protection or not protection, like all biology teachers, I advise you to use it. You will have a real peace of mind, as far as you do not put, like me, the iPhone in your pocket with several keys. Indeed, slight traces of use are almost inevitable.

Screen

Apple finally followed the trend and integrated a 120 Hz slab in its new iPhone. I can tell you: it changes everything! The iPhone 13 screen is so fluid that one wonders why the Californian manufacturer waited so long before doing it.

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• The very fluid promotion screen
• Screen brightness

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• The adaptive refresh rate cannot be manually set

The iPhone XDR screen is a feast for the eyes. The comfort of use is as we end up wondering: why only now? But before people who find this unnecessary functionality and those who say that it has been available for a long time on Android, agitated in the comments. Let me tell you one thing: Apple has not just added a 120 Hz screen in its new smartphone.

On the contrary, the iPhone screen intelligently behaves and adjusts its refresh rate depending on the situation. By scrolling, the latter can go up to 120 Hz. Conversely, if with a static element displayed, it can drop up to only 10 Hz. Of course, this saves a lot of energy and preserve autonomy, even when the screen is its maximum brightness of 1000 Nits.

Apple calls for this new promotion function, which, it is true, is not so new on the entire smartphone market. Of course, the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max also have True Tone technology, which adjusts the white balance of the screen to the ambient light and thus makes the reading more pleasant.

Interface/OS

If iPhones are so popular, it is also thanks to their operating system. With iOS 15, Apple has presented many new features, most of which have been integrated into the old iPhones, just as iOS 16 has been integrated into the iPhone 13 Pro, bringing a new breath to the smartphone.

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• The hardware and software are perfectly suited to each other.
• The use of the 120 Hz screen is very pleasant.
• The iOS 16 update provides many practical features.

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• –

In terms of data protection in particular, iOS 15 has evolved a lot. With iCloud+, many functions have been introduced on the iPhone, which mask for example the exact location of iPhone users and thus make life difficult for sharks of data.

iOS 16 does even better at this level and provides additional security functions. For example, you will now receive a warning if you really want to stick content from the clipboard in an application, and your albums in the gallery are better protected by default against prying eyes.

To find out what features have been added to the iPhone 13 Pro with the iOS 16, see our complete iOS 16 guide. And as the Apple machine continues to rotate reliably, the next version of iOS is already in the starting blocks. Discover here the features you can expect from iOS 17.

Performance

In terms of SOC, the range of iPhone 13 passes, as usual, at the latest generation of Apple chips: the A15 Bionic. Apple promises higher performance of 50 % to those of its main competitor (it is assumed that it is the Snapdragon 888) and graphic performance higher 30 %. Apart from these difficult to understand figures, all that is to remember is that the iPhone 13 Pro is extremely powerful.

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• Excellent performances in games and interface
• The complex functions of AI operate in real time
• The A15 Bionic offers exciting photo functions

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

In our full test of the standard iPhone 13 model, Camila has already discussed performance in a more detailed way. Consequently, I invite you to read it to have more details on the performance of the A15 Bionic.

Photo quality

If there was not the imposing photo module on the back, we could confuse the iPhone 13 pro with its predecessor. But what additional image quality these new larger sensors really bring?

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• Excellent image quality with natural colors
• Quick photo application as well as autofocus
• The really fun cinematatic fashion
• Telephoto with optical zoom x3 and ois

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• The confusing automatic passage between macro and telephoto modes for the close -ups
• Photographic styles can affect image quality

Larger sensors than on the iPhone 12 and a stabilized telephoto lens even in the small pro model. The iphone 13 Pro in particular leaps forward on paper with regard to the camera.

Therefore, it is not surprising for the smartphone to take magnificent photos in broad daylight. The colors are rich and pleasant, without looking exaggerated as in some Asian competitors (Cuckoo Oppo and Samsung). The automatic HDR function keeps details in the dark and bright image areas without ruining the atmosphere of natural lighting.

However, things are a little different if you use photographic styles. Depending on your tastes, the images will then all air cold, warmer or as if they were made of chewing gum, in a coherent way. If you want to give your Instagram account a coherent aspect, you can integrate them into your photos from the capture.

However, it must be recognized that photographic styles are not as refined as the photos taken with standard settings, but taking into account the large number of adjustment options, we can hardly blame Apple. If you change the contrast too much, you will have to live with areas of the sweetened image. However, if, like 99 % of people, you do not take photos according to professional standards, it should not matter.

For photos taken indoors, the quality is always good. However, slower shutter speeds are perceptible. Indeed, the photos are more quickly blurred with the subjects in motion. When it is really dark, the camera application automatically goes into night mode. With exhibition times of several seconds, this mode brings together the last photons, even in the darkest corners, and creates a respectable photo.

Appreciable fact: the iPhone 13 Pro no longer clears the scene as much as the iPhone 12 pro (max), but leaves the darkest corners really dark. Thus, the natural light atmosphere is better preserved in the photos. Like Huawei, at least on the French market, has thrown in the towel, there is currently no manufacturer who could stand up to the long hand exposure of Apple.

In fact, these praise are just as valid for the main camera as for the ultra -wide angle and the telephoto lens. However, due to smaller sensors and shorter shutter speeds required for telephoto lens, image quality decreases faster than with the main camera. This phenomenon can also be observed with almost all other smartphones.

Regarding the video, the iPhone 13 pro is still a notch in terms of video on smartphone. In addition to the excellent video quality, the new Cinematic Mode has a lot. It allows you to move the focus point in the image of a simple press of the finger.

Thanks to the precise depth card, the iPhone then exposes the subject and lets the foreground and the background disappear slowly in a Bokeh effect. The fact that it works as much as possible in Full HD at 30 FPS shows how much this function is greedy in CPU resources. To find out more about the Cinematic Mode, see the following article:

• Read also:iPhone 13 (pro): how to use the Cinematic Mode?

Autonomy

Apple promises an hour and a half of autonomy in addition to the iPhone 13 pro compared to its predecessor. Autonomy is not as solid as on the iPhone 14 Pro. But the time, Apple had already made great progress. Quick recharging has still not changed and we remain blocked at 20 poor watts.

The strengths of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• Autonomy always solid even after a year

The weak points of the iPhone 13 Pro:

• Quick recharging of only 20 W

The autonomy of the iPhone 13 Pro is very pleasant: the battery has further improved compared to that of the iPhone 12 Pro and is also better than that of the iPhone 13. Apple claims that the autonomy of the pro version improved 1.5 hours compared to the model of last year.

I can confirm this. The iPhone 13 Pro holds all day, even in the event of intensive use. It took a good 14 hours of screen on to be able to unload it completely. The new promotion function also seems to be responsible for it: as the iPhone can reduce its cooling rate to 10 Hz, the smartphone consumes much less energy during this period.

By the way, the iPhone 13 Pro is delivered without charger, as Apple has done for over a year to save waste and reduce its carbon footprint. So, if you want a charger to use the USB-C to Lightning supplied cable, you will have to invest 25 euros for 20 W charger.

Conclusion

Product tests – especially in the field of smartphones – unfortunately cannot be fully reduced to laboratory tests and key key figures.

There is always the personal preference of the tester and, of course, the specific field of application of the product. Our conclusion for 2021 was that the iPhone 13 Pro was then the best smartphone of the year. And in 2023, it gives?

In 2023, the smartphone almost does not seem to have a year and a half. The screen is beautiful, the SoC is powerful and the camera is always as efficient.

Thanks to the update to iOS 16, even the operating system seems as fresh as on the current iPhone 14 – and the design of the case has practically not changed. The only thing that could hinder the iPhone 13 Pro in 2023 is its price which has not lowered enough compared to the new price of the iPhone 14 Pro.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

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Iphone 13 pro and pro max test: the term “pro” finally makes sense !

Like every year, Apple gratifies us with a new generation of its high -end smartphones. After a few days at the editorial staff, here is our test of the iPhone 13 pro and 13 pro max. Verdict below.

After the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Here is our test of iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apart from the screen size and the battery, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are identical.

With the pandemic, the iPhone 12 had arrived with a little delay (and two stages) in 2020. Apple took advantage of a return to normal (relative) in 2021 to launch all its iPhone 13 at the same time.

Given the similarities between the models, the pro variants are represented in this test by an iPhone 13 pro Max. Design is very similar to that of its predecessors, but the iPhone 13 pro bring a number of new products that will delight the most technophile. We can already quote a smaller notch, an even better set of sensors, better autonomy and above all a promotion screen, synonymous with 120 Hz.

What is the technical sheet of iPhone 13 Pro ?

The technical sheet of iPhone 13 Pro offers among the most advanced characteristics on the market. The power of the A15 Bionic processor which we are talking about below, compares the model favorably to all of its competitors – the chip is indeed at least two years ahead of performance on the best competing Android chip competing.

– Scanner lidar
– Photographic styles
– Deep Fusion
– Flash True Tone
– Smart HDR 4
– Portrait mode
– Night mode
– Panorama mode (63 MP)
– JPEG and Heif Format
– Apple Proraw
– Ultrahd video capture up to 60FPS
– Apple Prores up to 4k at 30fps
– 8MP photo during 4K recording
– Optical stabilization
– Slow down up to 240fps in 1080p

– Scanner lidar
– Photographic styles
– Deep Fusion
– Flash True Tone
– Smart HDR 4
– Portrait mode
– Night mode
– Panorama mode (63 MP)
– JPEG and Heif Format
– Apple Proraw
– Ultrahd video capture up to 60FPS
– Apple Prores up to 4k at 30fps
– 8MP photo during 4K recording
– Optical stabilization
– Slow down up to 240fps in 1080p

On the packaging side, nothing very surprising except that the box has neither USB charger nor headphones. We just find in an iPhone 13 pro / max and a USB-C to Lightning cable. On the other hand, because we are in France, users will still have the right to Lightning wired headphones in separate packaging as required by the law requires law.

Last year, Apple decided to offer at least 128 GB of storage space for its flagships. This year, we are also entitled to an option 1 to gargantuan. Until now, only Samsung has allowed itself to offer such a quantity of storage on a consumer smartphone.

What is the price of iPhone 13 Pro ?

The iPhone 13 pro with 128 GB of storage starts at 1,159 euros. But prices have dropped in 2023. Below, you can discover the rates displayed at the various resellers for this model.

iPhone 13 pro 128 GB at the best price basic price: € 1,159

What changes on the design side with the iPhone 13 Pro ?

The iPhone 13 Pro is a device with clean lines and whose impeccable finish forces as always respect. If the iPhone 13 pro are slightly thicker, the design remains almost the same as its predecessors: only the photo block will allow the most insightful to note the difference between the two generations (the sensors are slightly wider).

As on the iPhone 12, we find this same cult design with flat edges inspired by the old iPhone 5 ! According to a majority of fans of the brand, this design was the most successful in the history of the product. The iPhone 13 Pro have a frosted glass back that raises little fingerprints (the element is shiny on the iPhone 13). The very successful finish is supplemented by a chromed metal Bezel (aluminum brushed on the iPhone 13). The association of the two is very successful.

With a weight of 203 grams, the handling of the iPhone 13 Pro is excellent. On the other hand, with the size and weight of 238 grams of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, one cannot say as much. Little hands will find it difficult to master the object. To give you an order of magnitude on the weight of the monster, the iPad 6 Mini is only 293 grams.

Only 14g separate it from its predecessor, and yet we feel a real difference in hand for these iPhone 13 Pro Max, especially in a pocket of pants. If this is where your smartphone is found most of the time, we can only advise you to try it before cracking for the XXL format.

On the back, there is a photo block made up of three cameras like on the iPhone 12 Pro (2 devices on the iPhone 13 like the iPhone 12). Suddenly, we will especially notice more impressive objectives on the new iPhone 13 pro. Besides, just compare the iPhone 13 Pro to the iPhone 12 Pro to see all the difference in terms of objectives.

On the front, if the rivals are all to offer a full screen with often a punch for the front camera, Apple continues to offer a screen with notch. Admittedly, it is smaller this year but it remains present and does not change anything on a daily basis. That said, it’s a habit to take and we tend to forget it. Furthermore, this notch has a reason for being that is not negligible since it takes ultra secure facial recognition Face ID, always as practical and fast compared to a fingerprint reader, even Touch ID.

What is the promotion screen worth ?

The OLED screen has become the new standard in the iPhone lineup – only the iPhone screen is still, in 2022, desperately LCD IPS. The iPhone 13 Pro obviously offers an OLED screen. A technology called Super Retina XDR on this model – with the key an impressive contrast rate, a brightness of 1000 nits (compared to 800 on its predecessors) and a ceramic shield protective glass.

Brightness is a real defect in OLED technology, even in the top of the range. In normal conditions, it is sufficient, but as soon as the device is consulting in full sun, everything becomes less readable. The Super Retina XDR screen is one of the best on the market. And that’s not all: as soon as you read HDR videos, brightness goes up to 1200 nits to better strengthen the striking effect of contrasts.

Other than that the definition is the same as on iPhone 12 pro. The colors are faithful and perfectly contrasting. We also find the True Tone technology which allows you to adapt the temperature of the screen according to its environment, it is super pleasant on a daily basis. There is also the haptic return, always precise and sweet.

Apple has finally rectified the shooting for this generation: the brand offers promotion technology on the two models with an adaptive refresh rate reaching 120 Hz to the delight of the most demanding users. This refresh frequency makes it possible to deliver significantly more fluid and natural animations.

However, it must be admitted that for the moment the 120 Hz remains strictly limited to Apple applications and to iOS itself – it will therefore be necessary to wait for an update on the part of the applicants of applications for the promotion to be taken into account. What will happen on a case -by -case basis depending on the applications.

On the audio side, we have Dolby Atmos stereo speakers. It was already excellent with the smartphones last year and we are always pleasantly surprised by the quality of the speakers during our iPhone 13 pro and 13 pro test. They also offer very good stereo sound management – so much so that the device can serve as a portable speaker (provided you don’t need too much volume …).

Obviously, it will always be better with headphones or external speakers but the stereo effect is very present, especially when you place itself in front of the screen and it is a real good surprise for all the little videos that Consumes quickly on the internet. Finally, without surprise, there is no 3.5mm jack audio port – a leitmotif from the iPhone 7.

What is the autonomy of iPhone 13 Pro ?

Regarding iOS 15, we redirect you to our file here which details all the innovations of the Apple operating system. As we saw with all the iPhone of the past years, Apple has always easily two lengths concerning the power of its SoC. However, it must be recognized that Qualcomm and Samsung are in the process of reducing the gap.

The last Apple A15 Bionic SOC remains a racing beast and confirms Apple’s place as one of the leaders on the SOC market. The firm always promises more power and of course a reduced energy consumption compared to its predecessor. The iPhone/iOS duo always works wonderfully and everything has always been super fluid on a daily basis, whatever the application launched.

Last year, the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 in general offered a little lower autonomy compared to its predecessors. This year, with larger batteries and a more economical SoC, we get excellent autonomy. In our iPhone 13 Pro test, we get more or less the autonomy of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The autonomy of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, it breaks all longevity records.

As we said above, exit the charger in the box but the iPhone 13 Pro remains compatible with the 20W charging. To this is added the quick-wire reload up to 15W. Android smartphones do much better this year with wired and wireless recharges even up to 120W: we don’t play in the same courtyard.

We will finally note the Magsafe which, using a sophisticated system of magnets, makes it possible to always position the wireless recharge Magsafe to deliver a stable load power of 15W.

What are the iPhone 13 pro in photo and video worth ?

In absolute terms, the photo block of iPhone 13 Pro takes up the same characteristics as the previous generation. But if we dwell on the technical side, we notice that Apple has integrated significant new products. No big surprises at first glance on the photo block since we find the three most classic cameras: an ultra-angle, a main big angle and a tele-photo.

The main camera is based on a larger 12 megapixel sensor with 1.9 microns pixels and a lens with an impressive f/1 opening.5. The whole thing translates into better performance in low light in our iPhone 13 pro test. Thus, by way of comparison, the iPhone 13 pro collects up to 49% more additional light, 2.2 times more light than on iPhone 12 pro. We find stabilization on the sensor on the two iPhone 13 pro, something that was only available on iPhone 12 Pro Max last year.

The Lidar scanner (on which augmented reality and autofocus depends) is always present. Apple takes the opportunity to update the ultra-wide-angle sensor with a larger sensor and a light lens whose opening is f/1.8. This results in 92% of light captured in addition to its predecessor.

But that’s not all since this ultra-angle module can also serve as a macro sensor. Practical. Finally, the telephoto lens now offers the equivalent of a 77mm focal length, a 3X optical zoom (against 2x on the 12 pro and 2.5x on the 12 pro max). The back of the medal is that you lose a little brightness with a goal that only opens up to f/2.8 (against f/2.4 previously).

Other than that, the stunning Deep Fusion technology delivers even more effective post-production treatment. The Smart HDR goes into version 4 which allows a better interpretation of the lights in the event of a strong difference. The portrait mode has further improved to better separate the subject from the background.

Obviously, we take advantage of the management of the Apple Proraw format. For those who have not followed everything and to put it simple, so far, on any smartphone, when you were taking photos in RAW, it was up to the user to take all the post-production. We lost all the benefits of automatic post-production and computer-assisted.

Apple Proraw allows you to have the flexibility of the RAW format but with the changes that the device would have made on a more classic file. And with, we are now entitled to that Apple calls photographic styles. These are not filters but rather kinds of recipes that give a style to a photo. Unlike a simple filter, the style also adapts to the photo and it is quite subtle but for the most demanding, it brings additional control and welcome.

And the photo in all of this ? In the ideal light conditions of our test, the iPhone 13 Pro is simply excellent. Whether it is ultra-wide-angle, wide-angle or tele-photo, the iPhone 13 Pro offers detailed and stung photos. The colors are faithful and far from the over-contracty side of certain rivals. The three focal lengths thus offer good versatility and above all, they are consistent on the optical zoom beach, whether in exposure or colorimetry.

Last year, there had been no real revolution in the field of night photo. We still noted a better mastery both in terms of colors than digital noise. With the iPhone 13 Pro, we end up with more detailed photos and above all sharper. It is quite subtle but just zoom in on the photo to see better noise management and a much better bitter than we still had last year.

Here are some examples :

On the selfie side, we find the same hardware part as on the iPhone 12 Pro with a high-angle lens and a 12 megapixel sensor. Apple also uses Faceid technology for a more realistic portrait mode. Like last year, Apple applies its Deep Fusion technology to improve selfies. For selfie videos, it’s always from 4K to 30FPS and slow motion in 1080p at 120fps. We even remember the term “slowfie” that Apple does not even deign to use.

On the video side for this test, the iPhone 13 Pro continue on the same line by being references with a stunning image quality and a most impressive video stabilization. With the new sensors, the iPhone 13 Pro are even more effective in low light conditions and there is always an excellent dynamic, which allows you to have even more details in the very contrasting areas.

Last year, Apple supported Dolby Vision in video recordings. This year, we are entitled to kinematic mode. To put it simply, it’s portrait mode but in video format. It is not comparable to what reflexes and hybrids offer with open -open goals but for the general public, it is quite impressive. There is a small learning phase to get the most out and above all, it takes a real depth of field. When the conditions are met, it is amazing especially that we can apply the effect in post-production.

And if it is not enough, Apple brought the professional video to its iPhone 13 pro. This is the format of professionals and it will take an iPhone with 256 GB of internal memory (minimum) to have access to 4K to 30FPS in Prore Video. Needless to remember that only the most experienced on video will use this mode.

But above all, we can film in Dolby Vision, ie HDR 10-bit and that is impressive. On the other hand, you will have to be careful to be able to respect the channel from start to finish since an HDR video on a non-HDR screen may appear far too overexposed.

Photos of the iPhone 13 Pro Max

Our opinion

Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max were the best iPhone available in 2021. We can even go further and award this title exclusively to the iPhone 13 Pro which then offered the best size/weight/benefits balance.

This is a habit now: we find on these iPhone 13 pro performance of high volley, an autonomy (finally) up to our expectations and an excellent quality screen with the arrival of promotion technology, synonymous with 120hz.

That’s not all since Apple continues to refine the photo part for exceptional shots, especially in low light where the iPhone 13 pro take a big step forward. The video is not outdone and the iPhone 13 pro can boast of being the best videophones currently on the market.

Admittedly, they remain expensive but, their price has dropped with the release of the iPhone 14, and should continue to decrease in the course of 2023. And in any case this category is mainly intended for those who swear by the best in the market. For those who do not pay as much attention to the photo block, they can always fall back on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini, which are also very good smartphones.

• Super Retina XDR screen
• 120Hz promotion technology
• Performances and autonomy
• Complete photo block
• Pleasant macro photos
• Design, finish and IP68
• Practical Magsafe

• The weight of the max version
• Fingers on stainless steel
• No mains charger and no super fast charging
• Always lightning
• It’s time to update the camera before

Apple iPhone 13 PRO test: all the assets of the professional pro… in pocket format !

After the iPhone 13, 13 mini and 13 pro max, it is the turn of the iPhone 13 pro to pass in the hands of the editorial staff. Better compromise between compactness, completeness and power, the iPhone 13 Pro has the theoretically everything to please those who do not want to cling to a large smartphone. But his predecessor suffers from autonomy at half mast. Is it also his case ? Answer in this full test.

iPhone 13 pro at the best price

On September 14, Apple presented four new iPhones. These are the iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 pro and 13 pro max. These are four high -end smartphones, sold from 809 euros. You can already find in our columns the test of the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Mini and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. There is therefore only the iPhone 13 pro to be dissected from every angle.

The iPhone 13 Pro replaces the iPhone 12 Pro, a smartphone that we tested in 2020. He had left us a good impression. But he had failed to convince us entirely. Two reasons for that. First the A14 Bionic SoC was heating up fairly quickly when it was requested, to play for example. Then the capacity of the battery was revised downwards, while some components were more greedy. Autonomy was felt considerably.

This year, the entire iPhone 13 range has an increase in battery capacity. The iPhone 13 Pro is no exception. The capacity of its battery increases by 10 %. What is considerable. But the screen goes to 120 Hz. And the SoC is even more powerful. Does this new battery hold the shock ? And is the rest of the smartphone up to ambition ? We will answer these two questions, and many more, in this full test.

Our video test

IPhone 13 Pro Max & Pro – Comparisons and full test !

Technical sheet

iPhone 13 Pro
Dimensions	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm
Weight	204 grams
Screen	6.1 ” Super Retina XDR OLED 2532 x 1170 pixels 460 pixels per inch 120 Hz HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Operating system	iOS 15
Sock	A15 Bionic (5nm) Hexa-core clocked at 3.22 GHz Penta-core GPU
Ram	6 GB
Storage	128/256/512 GB / 1 TO
microSD	No
Photo	Main : 12 MP sensor, 1.9 micron pixel Phase detection autofocus Objective opening at F/1.5 Optical stabilizer Sensor Shift

Ultra Grand Angle:
12 MP sensor
Objective opening at F/1.8, angle of view 120 °
Phase detection autofocus
Macro mode

Telephoto:
12 MP sensor
Objective opening at f/2.8
Optical stabilizer
Phase detection autofocus
3x and digital optical zoom 15x

Price and availability

The iPhone 13 Pro has been officially available from the September 24 as much in the Apple Store, distributors and operators. At a time when we write these lines, the online Apple Store has one month’s delivery time for the iPhone 13 Pro, regardless of the storage level, regardless of color.

The iPhone 13 Pro is available in four colors : graphite (successor to the famous sidereal gray), silver (which you find for our test), but (enough bling bling) and alpine blue, a very pretty shade, with a slight “pearl mat” effect. It is clearly the nicest color of this cuvée, even if the graphite dress remains very sober and class. You can find it in our iPhone 13 Pro Max test.

iPhone 13 pro at the best price

The pricing grid is a bit “painful” of iPhone, especially the pro range. There are 250 euros in differences between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro: the latter’s price starts at 1159 euros In 128 GB version. He then goes to 1279 euros in version 256 GB, at 1509 euros In version 512 GB and… 1739 euros For 1 TB of internal storage. The iPhone 12 Pro Max 512 GB was already over 1600 euros, which is rare in telephony. The 13 pro and 13 pro pulverize this score by flirting with the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Apart from the new storage level at 1 to, The price of the iPhone 13 Pro is identical to that of the iPhone 12 Pro, at constant storage volume. The iPhone 13 benefits from a short price drop compared to the iPhone 12 at its launch: 50 euros less on the bill for 128 GB and 256 GB models. It is not negligible. We would have liked to have the same thing with the pro models.

Studying the price at the GigaCtet is very interesting. It is quite stable on the first two levels: around 0.93 euros. 0.9375 euro to reach the level at 256 GB and 0.90 euros for the level at 512 GB. It is only necessary to pay 230 euros to obtain 512 GB of additional storage and reach the level of 1 to. Either 0.45 Euro Le GigaCtet storage. It’s half as much as other levels. This is where Apple makes a commercial “effort”. We are obviously very, very far from the prices at the GigaCtet practiced on the microsdxc memory cards.

In the box, you will obviously find the smartphone, as well as two accessories: the SIM drawer tool and the USB type-C to Lightning load cable (the same as last year). No charger or shell. Price of these two Apple Store accessories: 25 euros and 55 euros, respectively. In over -assessment, you will find the pair of earpods headphones that the brand must offer with its smartphones, a very French feature. cock-a-doodle Doo !

Design

Let’s get to the heart of the matter with the design. If you have read the iPhone 13 Pro Max test, you are already aware of what Apple has changed to the ergonomics of iPhone 12 to create the iPhone 13. In the case of the iPhone 13 Pro, visual changes are still less blatant. From the front, an informed eye could make the difference, thanks to the reduced notch and the modified telephone earphone. And from behind, there is none, apart from the exclusive color of this year, the alpine blue.

If you have a compass in the eye, you may be able to perceive additional tenths of millimeters From the iPhone 13 Pro Max in thickness, an overweight due to the new battery (which we will talk about in the part dedicated to this component). There are also 15 more grams on the scale. The iPhone 13 Pro therefore passes Above the 200 grams bar.

For the rest, you will therefore not see any difference between the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro. As with the other iPhone of 2021, we do not think this is a defect: the design of the iPhone 12 (and its variations) is inspired by the iPhone 4, excellent model despite the antennagate he was the victim. The iPhone 13 therefore takes up the achievements, including the mineral glass design and the straight metal borders, while adding the famous separations for the antennas. It’s a very successful design.

Like the iPhone 12 Pro, you findstainless steel on the slices. It’s a very noble material. He certainly participates in increasing the weight of the smartphone (30 grams of difference with the iPhone 13, which nevertheless benefits from the same dimensions). But the grip is very qualitative. It even seems more qualitative still than with the iPhone 13 and its aluminum outline. There is no change on the positioning of the technical elements.

At the back, we find a mineral glass plate. Here, the material, from the Gorilla Glass de Corning, is Brushed with a matt and iridescent effect, Unlike the iPhone 13 which is shiny. The back therefore retains less the fingerprints. Aesthetically, it’s still a little better. Mineral glass is curved for Spread the protuberance of the photo module. It’s a real beautiful engineering work. This module has six elements: three photo objectives, a Lidar camera, a flash and a microphone. We will come back to these elements.

At the front, we find a beautiful tactile slab with relatively fine borders. It exists more, especially for side borders. This is the price to pay for a completely flat and not curved screen (like that of Find X3 Pro, for example). The notch is therefore 20 % smaller here. The FaceTime sensor is deported to its left. The other Face ID elements are positioned on its right, while the slightly wider telephone earphone is repositioned above.

Screen

Now let’s examine the screen in more detail. In 2020, the iPhone 12 Pro took advantage of a larger slab (0.3 inch) than that of the iPhone 11 Pro. But there was no other novelty announced (brightness, resolution, refreshment, contrast, etc.)). This year is the opposite: size does not change, but two technical attributes are evolving.

The first is the maximum brightness, which Pass from 800 Nits to 1000 Nits (and always up to 1,200 nits punctually). On a daily basis, it will offer better readability when you are outdoors, by day, under the sun. Apple promises that, punctually, some parts of the screen can even go up to 1200 nits. With our probe, we measured maximum manual brightness Slightly greater than 600 nits. It is better than the majority of market smartphones, even high -end.

The second attribute is the rate of refreshment. It goes from 60 Hz fixed to 120 Hz adaptive. This means that not only is the maximum refresh rate higher. But it is not fixed. It can drop up to 20 Hz depending on the needs. A 24 Hz movie. A game at 60 Hz, or even 120 Hz. Photo retouching at 20 Hz. Website consultation at 120 Hz. Etc. The adaptive 120 Hz is activated by default, but you can choose to opt for 60 Hz.

This technology is not unprecedented, since it also exists in Android ecosystem. But she finally arrives on iOS. And this is good news, both for visual comfort and battery life. For the rest, there are no changes. The slab is always Super Retina XDR OLED, With a resolution of 460 pixels per inch (definition slightly higher than Full HD+) and HDR10 and Dolby Vision compatibility.

There is, as always, only one color display mode in iOS: the default. While the competition relies on different modes (SRGB, DCI-P3, etc.), the Cupertino firm opts for simplicity. Especially since this mode is simply perfect. The surveys made by our probe indicate that the screen of the iPhone 13 Pro is even better than that of the iPhone 13, which was already excellent.

The medium delta is 1, Proof of excellent color reproduction. Two of them reach a Delta E of 2: light blue and pastel red. The average gamma reaches 2.2. And it remains stable on all frequencies. It’s excellent. Finally, the average temperature is 6501 °. To one degree near, it was perfect. We are far from the 7,500 ° obtained with certain competing, even high -end smartphones … Watch out for True Tone mode which tends to distort the display of colors.

If you have difficulty seeing the colors, be aware that there are certain accessibility functions that make it possible to slightly modify the contrast and the colorimetry to adapt to your situation. These are options that you only find at Apple. If you have no visual problems, we advise you not to use them. It is also in these settings that you can deactivate automatic brightness.

Interface

Like the iPhone 13, 13 Mini and 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro benefits fromiOS 15, The latest version of the Apple smartphones operating system. In this version, you will find an interface close to that of iOS 14, with the modified widgets, the application library (for those who like the drawer of the Android apps). If you are used to iOS 14, arriving on iOS 15 is infinitely easy as the ergonomic changes are few.

Some system applications benefit from a renewed aesthetic. We are thinking in particular of Météo, long forgotten and finally brought back to date. The mode “Do not disturb”Also evolves to expand its functional spectrum, integrating all the functions of the night mode and touching more situations where you want to stay quiet. This new mode is called concentration. It is fully customizable. And it is of course shortened.

The big news of this year essentially concern artificial intelligence, with Siri, spotlight and camera that are gaining intelligence. The offline mode of Siri (when you don’t have an internet connection) includes more voice commands. Spotlight, The global iOS search engine can now look for text and objects in the photos. And Camera Now incorporates an OCR (character recognition software) which recognizes in real time words and figures (like Google Lens).

If you come from Android and want to adopt an iPhone, The transition is easier and easier, because the two operating systems are continuously inspired by each other. Of course, you do not have the same freedom, especially in terms of installation of applications. Of course, use the firm services (Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Pay, iTunes, iCloud, etc.) is recommended, but not compulsory (Netflix, Spotify, Dropbox, etc.)). Of course, connect apple devices with each other to more sense in terms of use. And this is what makes the strength of Apple’s proposal: the products, software and Apple services work better when they are connected with each other. But the other services work (even those of Google) both on iOS and on Android. So good ..

Performance

Now let’s talk about what’s under the hood. You will find in the iPhone 13 Pro the same configuration as that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max: no jealous. You first have theA15 Bionic with gpu penta-core (and not the quad-core GPU version of the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini). It is an excellent chipset, with six cores for the CPU and a dedicated neural coprocessor. Along with 6 GB of RAM, It is very close to the A14 Bionic of the iPhone 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max, with the difference that it is faster (until 3.22 GHz) and that it is more powerful.

Much more powerful even. The results obtained on the various benchmarks show a very big difference between the performance of the iPhone 12 Pro and those of the iPhone 13 Pro, which we have already noticed with the other models of the iPhone 13 generation. Like these, the iPhone 13 Pro is approaching 800,000 points on Antutu, an increase of approximately 30 %. Note that there is a slight difference when the 120 Hz mode is disabled. But it is not significant.

On the graphics side, the same thing: the new GPU of the A15 Bionic is clearly much more powerful than that of the A14 Bionic. The Wildlife test goes from 6,600 points at 9,600 points. The difference is considerable. Note, however, that the difference between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro is not very important. The additional heart on the GPU and the 2 GB of additional RAM offer the iPhone 13 Pro a slight gain. But it is not as pronounced as we thought it. We see it with the 3D Mark Wildlife tests.

Another remark on performance: we see a slight heating In terms of slices when the smartphone is strongly requested. With human impact, positioned on the best graphics and 60 images per second, the iPhone 13 pro sees its internal temperature rising. We do not have the means to measure this temperature. But, according to our experience, it is more measured than on smartphones under Snapdragon 888.

Finally, we also note that the stability of the platform is slightly lower than on the iPhone 13. And it is far lower than with the iPhone 12 Pro. It is between 60 % and 65 %. We are relatively surprised by this measure. Surprised and disappointed. Because this means that performance drops significantly between the start and the end of your game game (if it lasts a long time). The iPhone 13 Pro Max is much better in this exercise (maybe because it can dissipate heat).

Battery

Autonomy

Power requires energy to be powered. Does the iPhone 13 Pro suffer from the same problem of autonomy as the iPhone 12 Pro ? Fortunately not. Because Apple focused on this problem this year. The battery of the iPhone 13 Pro A, as with all the other models of this generation, been reinforced. Battery capacity goes to 3095 mAh. This represents a 10 % increase Compared to the battery of the iPhone 12 Pro.

Thanks to this reinforced battery, Apple promises an increase in autonomy of an hour and a half. However, with a more powerful SOC and a 120 Hz screen, is it true ? Yes, it’s true. In conventional use, we obtain autonomy between a day and quarter and a day and a half. Depending on your use and according to the parameters you choose, you can regularly reach the day and a half. Which is much better than with the iPhone 12 Pro. We believe that this is due in part on the screen which, despite the 120 Hz, consumes less thanks to its adaptive mode.

For players, the answer is slightly different. The iPhone 13 Pro offers a including autonomy Between 4 and 7 hours, depending on the game and according to the quality of the graphics. With Genuhin Impact, it’s rather 4 hours with the graphics at most at 60 images per second and rather 7 hours with the default graphics at 30 frames per second. Knowing that human impact is known to be the most gourmet mobile game of the moment and that it is not as well optimized as other games.

Recharge

After unloading the battery, it’s time to recharge it. The iPhone 13 Pro takes advantage of the same load options as other models: wired, wireless and wireless Qi. For each option, the maximum load power is different: 23 watts, 15 watts and 7.5 watts respectively. The wired load here is faster than with the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 12 Pro (20 watts for each), but less than with the iPhone 13 Pro Max (27 Watts).

For what ? Because Apple promises with each model a load of 50 % in less than 30 minutes. And as each iPhone benefits from a different battery capacity, it is necessary to adapt the power of the load to each model. We would have obviously preferred here of the same power as the iPhone 13 Pro Max in order to further reduce the immobilization time of the smartphone to reach the maximum load.

As for the iPhone 12 Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro is not accompanied by a wall charger. You must therefore buy a charger suitable for wired charging. With such a charger, you enjoyA full load in approximately 90 minutes. You reach 57 % in 30 minutes and 84 % in an hour. Without suitable wired charger, the weather is much longer. 45 minutes to reach 58 %, 60 minutes for 75 %, 80 minutes for 90 %and 120 minutes to reach 100 %. It’s very long.

It is for us the biggest technical defect of the iPhone 13 Pro: not only is the “fast” load not fast, but the phone, sold more than 1100 euros, is not accompanied by a charger which Allows you to take advantage of this load. The experience here is much less good than those offered by Asian competition.

Audio

Let’s go to the audio part. A half-tone part as always with Apple, since the good and the least good are mixed. And we see that Apple does not want to offer a better experience for a simple question of commercial positioning. We will obviously explain what we mean by that.

The iPhone 13 Pro is first of all benefiting achievements from the range. We find two speakers For a stereo experience. Of course, these are not symmetrical speakers or front speakers. We would have liked, but the design of the iPhone no longer allows this kind of frivolity. And it’s a shame: on this point, the Xperia 5 III of Sony in particular (but not only) does much better.

The first most powerful speaker is placed on the lower edge, while the smaller secondary speaker is hidden in the earpiece. The experience is rather positive, With a lot of power, fairly generous bass, acute that does not impose themselves and detail in the mediums. It’s great to watch a film for two … Less to listening to a jazz improvisation.

Another achievement of the range, the absence of a 3.5 mm jack port, while it does wonders both at Sony and Asus. Damage. Especially since the headphones Earpods Supplied with the smartphone (only in France), with their characteristic white plastic shell, date strongly: they were already offered with the iPhone 7 ! Result, the sound is correct, but nothing more.

And they are not compatible Spatial Audio, One of the great novelties of Apple Music and iOS 15 this year. A novelty that brings an excellent immersion, whether to listen to your favorite songs and especially to watch a film. This technology is based on Dolby Atmos, But goes a little further, taking into account the position of your head in relation to report the source.

Result, you will quickly surprise yourself to go for the side of the Apple Store to look at what is the price of a nice headphones compatible with Audio and Lossless. Which will only increase the cost of adopting the complete Apple experience. And it annoys a little ..

Finally on the game, A little word about microphones. There is three. One on the lower edge for audio calls. A hidden in the telephone earphone for calls Facetime. And a last placed in the photo module to Stereo capture (with the main microphone). The latter is an inheritance of the iPhone 12 Pro which also offered a. There are still too few high -end manufacturers who forget that the sound recording must be as qualitative as the shooting. Apple is not part of it. Well done.

Photo

Presentation of sensors

In 2020, the iPhone 12 Pro Max benefited from unprecedented and exclusive technology: the stabilizer Sensor shift. Even the iPhone 12 Pro did not integrate it. This year, Apple flattens the configurations of its pro range: the two models benefit from the same technologies, both. Very good news for the “standard” pro model which therefore inherits all the photographic assets of his big brother. Without exception.

Let’s go into details. The main sensor is a 12 megapixel model of which each pixel measures 1.9 micron. It’s 0.2 micron more than the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 0.5 micron more than with the iPhone 12 Pro. The difference is enormous on the light of the photos. It incorporates a sensor shift optical stabilizer and a phase detection autofocus. His goal opens up F/1 .5, One of the greatest openings offered in a smartphone.

The second sensor is also a 12 megapixel model, but it is smaller. It is accompanied by a 77 mm equivalent telephoto lens, offering a report of 3x optical zoom. Digital zoom rises to 15x. There is a phase detection autofocus and an optical stabilizer. The opening of the lens is here F/2.8. Which is less good than last year. We will see what are the consequences.

The last rear sensor is a 12 megapixel model associated with a panoramic objective (angle of view 120 °), 13 mm equivalent. Two improvements this year on this sensor. First, he benefits from an autofocus. Then his goal is brighter: he opens to F/1.8 Instead of f/2.4. The whole is always accompanied by a Lidar camera For a quick and precise focus. At the front, we find the eternal sensor Facetime 12 Megapixels with objective opening to F/2.2.

Testing

The main sensor was clearly improved this year in the pro model And it can be seen very quickly. First, the photos are brighter. The colors are more lively. And there is a better balance in a counter day. There is more detail, especially in the dark parts. At night, the effect is even more visible, with beautiful colors despite fairly complex light conditions. And that is largely thanks to the new 12 megapixel sensor, but also thanks to its new objective.

We really have fun finding the stabilizer Sensor shift of the iPhone 12 Pro Max in this model. The photos gain sharpness both by day and night, whether in a photo or in video. We quickly see all the work done by this component. We would have liked to benefit from the same stabilizer with the sensor associated with optical zoom, because the difference in sharpness is clearly visible, especially when you have to take the break for a long time.

For portraits, you benefit from a dedicated mode. THE Lidar sensor (which has the same function as a classic flight time camera) is here greatly appreciated. It allows you to cut the subject very properly and apply a bokeh effect that you can lighten or strengthen, whether During or after shooting. The portrait mode is compatible with the main sensor and the sensor associated with the optical zoom if you want to make a more framed portrait.

At night, you benefit from a night adjustment that is automatically activated in the main mode. So no need to change fashion, like at Sony. This setting makes it possible to bring a lot of light to the night photos and to reveal many details in the shadows. It is a mode that also lacks instantaneity and spontaneity: Taken nights in motion is just impossible. It is a mode that is strongly based on optical stabilizers (too bad that all sensors are not provided). You can deactivate this mode, to gain speed, or increase the break time. But the automatic setting is already very good.

As expected, the panorama sensor is brighter than that of the iPhone 12 Pro. The colors are more contrasted and the balance is improved. He also gains in precision thanks to his autofocus. On the other hand, at night, the results are more mixed, despite a night mode which allows it to bring out the details.

The Panorama sensor is associated with a new “macro” mode which is also activated automatically. It allows you to take very interesting proximity photos, with a lot of details and the color. We would have liked a little more speed in the autofocus: at this distance, the slightest movement does not forgive. The result is obviously less impressive than the Find X3 Pro microscope mode, but it was not necessarily its purpose either. This mode also demonstrates, if there was still a need to do so, that it is possible to offer a macro mode without having a dedicated sensor.

The sensor with telephoto is the least bright of all, but it offers good results. Its optical zoom allows you to approach a subject without loss of quality. And digital zoom benefits from a post treatment that catches up with a large part of the noise. Of course, there is no miracle: a digital 5x report in a 12 megapixel photo, that necessarily reduces the definition: the weight of the photo goes on average from 3 MB with the 3X zoom to 600 ko with the 15x zoom. But the result is better here than with many other phones, even at the top of the range.

The FaceTime sensor offers beautiful day self -portraits and suitable shots at night. We were less amazed by the quality of the selfies with the iPhone 13 pro than with the iPhone 13, curiously. Especially at night. Admittedly, night selfies are a difficult exercise, but the iPhone 13 seems to be more there. A material update might be welcome in the Pro range in 2022.

On video, you will find the same modes as usual, with for the first time, the kinematic mode which made so much speak during the Keynote of Apple. It is a mode that allows you to automatically change in a video the development between two subjects. Artificial intelligence detects a conducive change and the development changes without having to press the screen. Of course, you can again modify the focus after shooting to bring a little more precision. Remember that the iPhone 13 pro, like the 13 pro max, Film in Dolby Vision. It’s still quite rare.

Conclusion

The iPhone 13 Pro is undoubtedly A good evolution of the iPhone 12 Pro. We find the same assets there: portability in front of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the power of the platform, the ease in the photo and video part, the sublime screen and the refined design. These are all the assets we noted last year. Fortunately, the iPhone 13 Pro also benefits.

Apple took the opportunity to improve certain points. First of all, autonomy : the iPhone 13 Pro no longer have to be ashamed of direct competition. Afterwards the picture : there is no longer any difference between the pro and the pro max. It’s a good idea. By taking advantage of all the improvements of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro is finally Apple photophone easy to transport that he deserved to be. These are not sufficient arguments, in our opinion, to exchange your iPhone 12 pro for it. But if you want to go from iPhone 12 to iPhone 13 Pro, you will enjoy a smartphone with real arguments for you to feel a real difference … provided you have the budget !

There are of course a few “angry” subjects. The principal concerns recharge. Not only is the power of rapid load much lower than competition, but the iPhone 13 Pro is not accompanied by an adequate charger. The best experience that the firm offers on recharge is average, vis-à-vis competition, and the real experience is truncated. And that’s really a shame. Especially since the iPhone is not given, quite the contrary. Let’s not forget either The audio part : Apple is satisfied with its achievements on the speakers and the minimum union concerning the earphones delivered with the product. It brings the brand’s high -end image, but not its pecuniary reputation.