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ToggleWith small but noticable upgrades since its previous model, the iPhone 13 Pro might actually be the best Pro iPhone for tech lovers on a limited budget.
The iPhone 13 Pro is like the perfect middle child – a blend of what came before and what followed, making it a top pick if you’re torn between the iPhone 12 Pro and 14 Pro. It may not have the bargain price tag of the 12 Pro or the cutting-edge camera tech of the 14 Pro, but it strikes the right balance for those who want the best of both worlds.
So, is the iPhone 13 Pro the right choice for you?
✅ Pros
The iPhone 13 Pro has enough similarities with the iPhone 14 Pro to make it a worthwhile buy, especially when considering its reduced pricetag when buying a refurbished one.
Assuming the same 6-year update cycle given to previous iPhones, the iPhone 13 Pro should receive security updates until 2027
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a noticeable upgrade over the battery found in the iPhone 12 Pro
❌ Cons
If you’re keen on getting the most up-to-date camera technology, the iPhone 13 Pro isn’t for you.
Unlike recent Pro iPhones, the iPhone 13 Pro’s chip isn’t an upgrade over the base iPhone 13 model.
Mobile games continue to get more processor-intensive year by year. If playing games with great graphics is your thing, you’ll want something designed with gaming in mind, such as the iPhone 15.
iPhone 13 Pro: First Look
Unique Features
The iPhone 13 Pro packs a punch with some serious upgrades over the 12, from robust camera sensors to a sturdier build. But the real showstoppers? A silky-smooth 120Hz display that’ll make everything look lightning-fast, and the camera system’s ProRes video recording – perfect for budding filmmakers.
Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for being budget-friendly, and hardcore videographers might want to check out the iPhone 15 Pro’s fancy new tricks. But if you’re after a sweet spot between performance and price, the iPhone 13 Pro might just hit the bullseye for you.

Design and Build
The iPhone 13 Pro is every bit the modern smartphone, boasting a large display and a sleek, slim build. Apple’s iconic rounded corners subtly intrude on the screen, though this becomes slightly more noticeable on the larger iPhone 13 Pro Max.
The tried-and-true ‘Ceramic Shield’ glass is a touch tougher than previous versions, but let’s not forget—it’s still glass, and now it stretches even closer to the edges of the device. Despite that, it holds up surprisingly well in drop tests, even outperforming the iPhone 12 Pro.
How affordable is the iPhone 13 Pro?
Affordability is arguably the biggest hurdle for the iPhone 13 Pro. Sandwiched between the cheaper iPhone 12 Pro and the feature-packed iPhone 14 Pro, it struggles to stand out. However, when compared to the standard iPhone 13, this model starts to shine. The upgrades may be minor, but in 2025, especially with refurbished options, the price gap narrows considerably.
For most users, the 128GB version should more than suffice—unless you’re deep into pro gaming or heavy video recording. And if you find yourself needing extra storage, Apple’s affordable iCloud plans are a solid backup solution.
Model | Price | Our Price* |
iPhone 13 Pro | £949 (128 GB) | |
iPhone 13 Pro Max | £1049 (128 GB) |
Where is the Best Place to Buy an iPhone 13 Pro?
Prices for brand new phones can be shockingly high, not to mention the environmental impact phone production has on the Earth. That’s why we suggest buying your next phone refurbished from The Big Phone Store!
Aside from being far more sustainable, you can make huge savings, with some phones (Like the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro) being up to 50% cheaper than new! It’s a no-brainer

Unlike many Android phones, iPhones don’t come with expandable storage – which means there is no option to add storage with a microSD card.
For most users, we think 128GB is absolutely enough.
Once you take away the storage space you need to cover the bare minimum functions, you’re left with a comfortable 100GB. That’s enough for up to 30 hours of Full HD video, up to 22,000 photos, or 5 huge mobile games
Processing Power: The A15 Bionic Chip
The iPhone 13 Pro is powered by the A15 Bionic chip—the same processor found in 2022’s iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, as well as the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini. While it includes limited AI processing and offers impressive speed- but what does that mean?
In short, it means a lot! The iPhone 13 Pro more than earns its ‘Pro’ status, handling processor-heavy tasks like 4K video recording and mobile gaming with ease. It even comes with an upgraded 6GB of RAM, compared to the 4GB in the standard iPhone 13, giving it an extra performance boost.
Launched with iOS 15, and assuming Apple’s typical 6-year update support, the iPhone 13 Pro should keep running smoothly and securely until 2027, making it a solid long-term investment.

3.23 GHz | 6GB RAM
Battery and Charging
The iPhone 13 Pro’s 3,095mAh battery is rated to last up to 20 hours of streaming video—according to Apple’s internal tests, anyway. Of course, real-world results can vary depending on factors like screen brightness and network usage. Still, that’s a significant leap over the 15 hours you’d get with the standard iPhone 13.
In terms of charging, the 13 Pro doesn’t disappoint. It supports fast charging (with any official Apple charger) and wireless charging via the universal Qi standard. Plus, Apple’s custom battery optimisations ensure it outlasts many leading Android flagships, mile for milliamp-hour, giving you more life from every charge.
Phone batteries can degrade as you use them, depending on a huge number of factors such as your charging habits and how you take care of your device. You can protect your phone battery by enabling the smart battery optimizations and optimized charging on your iPhone.
When you’re buying a refurbished phone, battery health can vary depending on the grade of the phone. At The Big Phone Store, our refurbished iPhones have a MINIMUM of 85% battery health – and if you’re not satisfied with that, we even offer battery replacements on all our refurbished iPhone models!
Camera
iPhone 13 Pro Camera Specs |
Main Lens (OIS, AF): 12MP, ƒ/1.5 |
Wide Lens (120° FOV): 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
Telephoto Lens: ƒ/2.8 aperture |
Selfie (TrueDepth): 12MP, ƒ/2.2 |
The iPhone 13 Pro boasts 3 rear-facing camera lenses: a primary “Wide” lens, a “Telephoto” lens, and a 120 degree “Ultrawide” lens. All three of these feature a 12MP sensor, and so does the TrueDepth selfie camera (used for FaceID)
The iPhone 13 Pro has the same 12-MP camera sensor found on the iPhone 14, however it lacks the Photonic Engine (AI image processing) features found on the newer models.
Display: ProMotion
The Super Retina XDR display found on the iPhone 13 Pro also features ProMotion – Apple’s new adaptive refresh rate feature. With this feature, your screen will increase in speed all the way up to an impressive 120Hz (that’s 120 frames per second to you and me).
Super Retina XDR displays have a pixel density of about 460ppi (pixels per inch) – which for a phone held at a normal distance from your face, is a higher resolution than the human eye.
Here’s how far you need to zoom in before you can see the individual pixels on the screen:

Sustainability
Apple uses carbon offsetting to make their own operations 100% carbon-neutral, and have the ambitious goal of offsetting the total carbon footprint of all of their products by 2030.
The iPhone 13 Pro has a slightly larger carbon footprint than the iPhone 13, but if you’re buying refurbished, that isn’t something you need to worry about.
Of course, every brand-new phone manufactured has a harmful impact on the environment. By buying refurbished, you make sure there’s demand for one fewer phone in the world, cutting your environmental impact down close to zero.
– Steve Athwal, Sustainability Expert
Summary: Should you buy the iPhone 13 Pro in 2025?
You should buy the iPhone 13 Pro if...
If you’re a keen mobile gamer looking for an affordable iPhone that still handles everything you can throw at it, the iPhone 13 Pro is for you.
You should avoid this phone if...
If you’re a casual user, a refurbished iPhone 13 offers most of the same features at a lower price, and the similarly-priced iPhone 14 offers some impressive upgrades over this model. If you’re a video creator, you should consider a more recent model such as the iPhone 15 Pro – and keep an eye out for a refurbished model to get the most for your money!