Apple iPhone 13 Pro

The iPhone 13 Pro is one of 2021’s best smartphones, even if it doesn’t quite do enough to warrant upgrading from the 12 Pro. The battery life is the best we’ve seen in Apple’s Pro iPhone, and you’re also getting top-level performance, a great camera package and a super-smooth 120Hz screen. While on their own none of the upgrades for 2021 are huge, they add up to offer a fantastic smartphone experience.

The iPhone 13 Pro’s smaller notch, 120Hz display, overhauled cameras, and other small improvements make it far from a boring annual refresh.

The iPhone 13 Pro is another highly competent Apple phone, with the most notable improvements coming in the camera department

Do I wish it didn’t start at $999 for the iPhone 13 Pro, $1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and that Apple would deign to include a charger in the box? Sure, but the reality is that we’re well into the age of four-figure flagships, and I suspect anybody buying a “Pro” phone knows they’ll pay handsomely for the privilege. While the iPhone 13 probably remains “enough” for most, the iPhone 13 Pro’s improvements make it the clear aspirational choice.

With faster screens, superb performance and long-lasting batteries, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are excellent phones. If you’re on a device older than a 12 Pro, you should consider upgrading just for the new ProMotion displays. Though the cameras also got a noteworthy improvement, I’m not sure they’re going to be the biggest draw. It’s honestly hard to spot the difference in quality between photos taken by Apple’s recent flagships.

The story of the iPhone 13 Pro is a story of iteration, sure, but iteration matters. iPhone 12 Pro owners will have to pay a lot of attention to see some of the differences and an upgrade probably doesn’t make a lot of sense. But if you’re using something older, all that iteration comes on top of the major improvements from the iPhone 12 Pro — the upgrades will be very noticeable.

Slightly better gaming performance, a smoother and brighter display, along with more and better cameras: those are all valid reasons to jump for the Pro. Just know that, more than ever before, you're getting quite a bit with the non-Pro iPhones. And if that means saving a few hundred bucks you can spend on the more important things in life, especially in these difficult times, I'd say that's a win.

By packing the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max with features many of us have wanted for years, including a display with a high refresh rate, Apple further defined the difference between its Pro and non-Pro phones. Three years ago, by comparison, the word Pro seemed more of a marketing term than an indication that the phone was any more professional than a regular iPhone.