A comparison of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 11 is just what you need if you're wondering if the new iPhone is worth the upgrade.

If you've foregone the iPhone 12 upgrade cycle, you'll find that the iPhone 13 review and iPhone 13 mini review include a number of worthwhile improvements. These include a brighter display, longer battery life, and a more capable camera.

But in terms of model, design, price, and overall performance, you can expect exactly what. Also, does it make sense to upgrade in a couple of years or so?

If you are buying a new iPhone, the iPhone 11's discounted price of $499 is quite attractive.

With all four iPhone 13 models now available for purchase, the time has come to make a decision. Before you do, be sure to read our full rundown of the showdown, and if you're looking for the iPhone 13 Pro, check out our iPhone 13 Pro review and iPhone 13 Pro Max review.

The iPhone 13 comes in four models: the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, 6.1-inch iPhone 13, 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. This comparison will focus on the mini and regular iPhone 13.

The iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 and comes with 128 GB of storage, while the iPhone 13 costs $799 for the same 128 GB. Both models can be upgraded to 256GB and 512GB of storage for an additional $100 and $300, respectively.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 11 currently costs just $499, and the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are no longer available. iPhone 11 comes with 64GB of storage, with a 128GB option selling for $549.

The iPhone 13 is available for purchase now, and you can check the iPhone 13 Deals page for the lowest price discounts on all new models.

The iPhone 13 has several important design differences versus the iPhone 11. For one, the notch has been reduced by 20%, resulting in a slightly larger screen area. Also, like the iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 features a Ceramic Shield display that protects the iPhone from damage caused by drops.

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 11 are IP68 waterproof, so there is no need to worry about splashing or getting drenched. However, the water resistance of the iPhone 13 is a bit stronger: the iPhone 13 can withstand up to 6 meters while the iPhone 11 can withstand up to 2 meters.

When comparing the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 to the iPhone 11, it is pleasing to note that the newer model is a bit sleeker. iPhone 13 measures 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches and weighs 6.14 oz. while the older iPhone 11 measures 5.9 x 3 x 0. 33 inches and 6.84 ounces.

The iPhone 13 is available in five colors: red, starlight, midnight, blue, and pink. iPhone 11 is available in six colors: black, green, yellow, purple, red, and white.

The iPhone 13 display has several advantages over the iPhone 11. For one, brightness has reached 795 nits compared to iPhone 11's 625 nits. Therefore, one should be able to see the iPhone 13 display better in sunlight.

Also, the resolution is sharper, at 2532 x 1170 pixels on the iPhone 13 compared to 1792 x 828 pixels on the iPhone 11. In addition, the iPhone 13's screen is clearly superior to the iPhone 11's, with improved contrast and a smaller notch.

This is where the iPhone 13 truly stands out against the iPhone 11. For one thing, the new ultra-wide sensor captures 47% more light than the iPhone 12. The 12MP main wide-angle camera also features sensor-shift image stabilization, previously available only on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Additionally, the iPhone 13's wide-angle camera has an f/1.6 aperture, while the iPhone 11 has f/1.8, which improves overall low-light performance.

The iPhone 13 also features "Photographic Styles," which reflect personal preferences in photos with real-time rendering. Think of it as a filter on steroids.

The coolest new camera feature in iPhone 13 is Cinematic mode, which dynamically moves the focus to follow the subject in the video. As the subject moves, so does the focus. When the subject moves, the focus moves. If the subject looks away, the focus moves to where the subject is looking.

HDR Dolby Vision support and improved color and contrast should improve the overall video quality of the iPhone 13.

The iPhone 13 supports 5G, which the iPhone 11 does not. This means that it will be able to take advantage of faster 5G networks, which are continuing to expand both domestically and around the world.

In terms of raw performance, the A15 Bionic is once again the fastest chip in the phone. This 5nm chip should significantly outperform the 7nm A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11, especially when it comes to graphics-intensive games and more demanding tasks such as video editing. However, the A13 Bionic is fine for everyday use.

For example, in Geekbench 5, the iPhone 13 scored 4,129 in the multi-core test and 1,684 in the single-core test. iPhone 11 scored 3,251 and 1,333, respectively. In addition, it took the iPhone 13 25.9 seconds to transcode 4K video to 1080p in the video editing test, compared to 45 seconds for the iPhone 11.

The larger performance leap came from the iPhone 13's 16-core Neural engine, up from the iPhone 11's 8-core. This helps with everything from image signal processing to iOS 15's Live Text camera feature.

In a web surfing battery test, the iPhone 11 lasted longer at 11 hours and 16 minutes. 5G connections tend to consume more power; the 5G-enabled iPhone 13 lasted 10 hours and 33 minutes, well above the iPhone 12's 8 minutes and 25 seconds.

Both the iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 support 20W charging and can charge to 50% in 30 minutes. Expect faster charging.

The iPhone 13 is not a dramatic leap forward compared to the iPhone 11, but there are enough improvements to make it worth the upgrade. The biggest changes in our opinion are 5G connectivity, a brighter display, enhanced wide and ultra-wide cameras, and more calculated photo features like cinematic and night modes. The increased storage capacity of the base model is also a welcome change.

If you're waiting for something really different, you might want to wait for the rumored iPhone 14. But if you want to upgrade now, the iPhone 13 is likely to be a viable option.