Which Iphone is the best? (2021)

Of course, which Iphone is best largely depends on your needs as a user. For some people, the camera will be the most important thing, for others it’s the graphics – and for many, the price isn't quite unimportant, so we've chosen to look at different parameters when we've compared Apple phones.

Which Iphone has the best camera?

The Iphone 13 comes with a real update to its cameras that isn’t very noticeable in daylight, but definitely is in low light conditions. The two basic versions, the Iphone 13 and Iphone 13 Mini havetwo updated camera lenses with both wide angle and ultra-wide angle, better light-gathering ability and the ability to record video up to 4000k. The cameras consistently feature the new type of optical image stabilisation, where the camera lens is suspended in a kind of cradle, which was previously only found on the Iphone 12 Pro Max All variants also feature the new cinematic mode where the camera automatically shifts focus between subjects with an extremely tight depth of field – but also allows post-shoot editing of the focus. This is great fun if you enjoy shooting short films.

However, here the Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max stand out with additional improvements compared to their siblings:

• A third, updated telephoto lens with 3 x optical zoom
• Software update which, with the updated autofocus, for the first time allows really good macro photography with the Iphone – including during video recording
• LiDAR technology for better portraits in night mode and faster low-light autofocus

Conclusion: The Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max have the best camera all Iphones.

Read our test of the mobile here.

Choose the Pro Max if you prefer a larger screen or want to max out the battery, but otherwise there’s little difference between the two models.

Which Iphone has the best battery life?

The Iphone 13 Pro Max has by far the best battery life, and according to the manufacturer it should have up to 28 hours of video playback, or up to 95 hours of audio playback – a clear difference to all their other models. Of course, the exact number of hours of battery life you actually get in normal use is another thing, but the Iphone 13 Pro Max certainly gives you maximum battery power among the Iphone handsets.

Conclusion: The Iphone 13 Pro Max has the best battery life.

Which Iphone has the best screen?

The two most expensive variants, the Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max, have both received the most technically advanced screen update for Iphones. All of the phones in the Iphone 13 series have been given brighter OLED screens which are meant to be easier to use even in bright light, but the Pro and Pro Max have also received screens with refresh rates of up to 120 Hz, for an incredibly fast feel and a much sharper image even while you’re scrolling. The refresh rate is also adaptive, which means it will sink down to as low as 10 Hz when the screen is displaying a static image/text – saving battery life.

Conclusion: The Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max have the best screens. Choose the Pro Max if you prefer a larger screen or want to max out battery life, but otherwise there's little difference between the two models.

Which Iphone has the best graphics?

All phones in the Iphone 13 series have received updated graphics, but here too the Iphone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max stand out, as in addition to the improved graphics chip, they now have a fifth GPU core. The difference between the Iphone 12 and Iphone 13 and 13 Mini isn’t huge, but there is a significant difference when comparing them with the Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max.

Conclusion: The Iphone 13 Pro and Iphone 13 Pro Max have the best graphics. Choose the Pro Max if you prefer a larger screen or want to max out the battery, but otherwise there’s little difference between the two models.

Which Iphone has the best reception?

Both the Iphone 12 and Iphone 13 variants support 5G connection, which isn’t yet fully in place. However, the Iphone 13 has more 5G bands for better coverage and therefore works with 5G in more places, so it offers theoretically better coverage and performance – when the 5G network is fully operational.

Conclusion:The four models of the Iphone 13 series have the best reception, at least in terms of 5G.

Best Iphone for your money

For those who don't have endless money, price is an important factor when buying a phone – so which Iphone is really the best value for money? If you can’t afford the very latest updates to the graphics and the latest camera additions, but still want the best phone possible, look at the Iphone 13 Mini.

The Iphone 13 Mini has:

• Apple’s latest processor chip, the A15 Bionic, with improved CPU, built-in privacy protection and better AI
• Modern 5.4” OLED screen with enhanced brightness
• Updated camera lenses (two of them) with Apple’s modern optical image stabilisation technology
• Improved battery life over its predecessor

Although it lacks some of the very latest technical additions (see above under Which Iphone has the best technology?), the Iphone 13 Mini – and its big sister, the Iphone 13 – is a technically modern Iphone with a good camera and a modern processor. If you want just one Iphone in 2021, at the best price possible, the Iphone 13 Mini is the only reasonable option. The Iphone SE from 2020 is beginning to feel technically old, and the price difference compared to the Pro models is relatively large. To find out more about the Mini, read our test here.

Conclusion: The Iphone 13 Mini is the best value, and therefore the best Iphone for your money.

If you still want a larger screen, the Iphone 13, for about £100 more, is also a good option, and you’ll also get slightly better battery life.

Still feel a bit lost and want to learn more about Apple’s other Iphone models? In our guide Best Iphone for your needs 2021, you can learn more about all of Apple's models of Iphone 11, 12, 13 and SE.