iPhone 13 reviews roundup: people love the battery and camera improvements

With mere days to go before the iPhone 13 is released into the wild, everyone wants to know whether it's worth picking up. Well, a number of critics have now posted their reviews to the web and it's looking pretty positive across the board for Apple's latest smartphone. 

The most amount of praise has been heaped upon the much-improved battery life and excellent camera, which of course Apple is known for. Positive remarks were also given to the new cinematic camera, though reviewers did lament the disappointing 1080p cap. While the design changes were classed as minimal, opinion was split on whether this was a good decision or not but it was confirmed that iPhone 12 cases now won't fit.  

Writing for Tom's Guide, Mark Spoonauer said that: "The iPhone 13’s brighter display, longer battery life and powerful cameras make it the best iPhone for the money" although noted that it would be better if it had "faster charging and the iPhone 13 Pro’s adaptive 120Hz display". Meanwhile, TechRadar's James Peckham explained that the iPhone 13 "isn’t a game changer" but applauded the "better processor" and recommended it if you’re looking for a fast and capable smartphone, and don’t need the extra features of the pricier Pro model".

• iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12: what's new?
• I'm excited to see the iPhone 13 obliterate all other competition
• iPhone 13 fuss makes me wonder if people got the upgrade memo
  

The Verge's Dieter Bohn focused on its core aspects, explaining that: "Fancy new features are fun, but the fundamentals of battery life and camera are more important. Because if you focus on the fundamentals, your whole game gets better. And the iPhone 13 has got some good game". 

Reflecting on whether iPhone 12 users should consider upgrading, David Phelan of Forbes remarked that the only reasons you might want to consider are: "If you want extra battery life and a faster processor". Although, they did note that "the cameras, already excellent on the iPhone 12 Pro, are a big step up this time." 

On the other hand, Engadget's Cherlynn Low was slightly higher on making a recommendation to make the jump, writing: "While this year’s iPhones aren’t major improvements over their predecessors, they offer just enough changes that might tempt you to upgrade, particularly if you’re still on an iPhone 11 or older." 

The iPhone 13 Pro is available to pre-order right now from £949/$999/AU$1,699 and will begin to ship globally from 24th September, 2021

• Tom's Guide - 4.5/5, The best iPhone for most people 
• TechRadar - Everything is a bit better on the iPhone 13 
• The Verge - 9/10, Yep, bigger batteries are better
• Forbes - Cinematic camera leads transformational changes to consider upgrading for
• Engadget - 91/100, A subtle upgrade that's all about the cameras