iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13
Short answer: the iPhone 13 is the better buy if the price gap is small. It has the faster A15 Bionic, a bigger 3240 mAh battery (vs 2815 mAh), sensor-shift stabilisation on the main camera, Cinematic mode, a smaller notch and 128GB base storage. The iPhone 12 looks almost the same and is still a good starter iPhone if budget is tight.
Updated 24 October 2026
Design and build
Both have a 6.1 inch screen, flat aluminium frame, glass back, Ceramic Shield front and IP68 rating. Height and width are identical at 146.7 x 71.5 mm. The iPhone 13 is slightly thicker (7.65 mm vs 7.4 mm) and heavier (174 g vs 164 g).
The easiest way to tell them apart is the back: the iPhone 12 cameras sit vertically, while the iPhone 13 cameras sit diagonally. The iPhone 13 also has a 20% smaller notch.
Display
Both use a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 1170 x 2532, 60Hz, with up to 1200 nits HDR peak. Apart from the smaller notch on the iPhone 13, you will not see a difference. Neither has 120Hz or Always-On display.
The screens are sharp enough for text, Netflix and photos, and both handle HDR video well. If a smooth 120Hz screen matters to you, you need to move up to the iPhone 13 Pro or a newer Pro model.
Performance and chipset
The iPhone 12 uses the A14 Bionic and the iPhone 13 uses the A15 Bionic, both 5 nm with a 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU. The A15 is faster and more efficient, which also helps battery life.
For WhatsApp, YouTube, online classes and PUBG at normal settings, both are smooth. The A15 gives you more headroom for future iOS versions.
Cameras
Both have a 12MP main and 12MP ultra-wide on the back and a 12MP front camera. The iPhone 13 moves sensor-shift stabilisation, previously a Pro Max feature, to its main camera, and uses a bigger sensor. Night photos are cleaner and video is steadier.
The iPhone 13 also adds Cinematic mode, which blurs the background in videos at 1080p. Both record 4K 60fps with Dolby Vision.
Battery and charging
The iPhone 12 has a 2815 mAh battery and the iPhone 13 has 3240 mAh. Combined with the efficient A15, Apple says the iPhone 13 lasts about 2.5 hours longer. Both support 20W wired fast charging (about 50% in 30 minutes) and 15W MagSafe through Lightning.
On used phones, battery health is just as important; read our iPhone battery health guide (iPhone Battery Health: How to Check It and What Is Normal).
Specs side by side
- Chipset: A14 Bionic vs A15 Bionic
- Display: 6.1 inch 60Hz OLED vs 6.1 inch 60Hz OLED
- Notch: standard vs 20% smaller
- Main camera: 12MP OIS vs 12MP sensor-shift OIS
- Video extras: none vs Cinematic mode
- Battery: 2815 mAh vs 3240 mAh
- Base storage: 64GB vs 128GB
- Weight: 164 g vs 174 g
- Port: Lightning vs Lightning
- Launch software: iOS 14 vs iOS 15
Software and updates
Both still run current iOS in 2026. The iPhone 13 launched a year later, so it should receive roughly one extra year of major updates. Neither supports Apple Intelligence. If you plan to keep the phone for more than two years, the iPhone 13 is the safer pick.
Storage also matters for long use. The iPhone 12 started at 64GB, which fills up quickly with WhatsApp media and iOS updates, while the iPhone 13 starts at 128GB. If you pick an iPhone 12, try to get a 128GB unit.
Non PTA and SIM notes in Pakistan
Our iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 units are used Non PTA phones with original IMEIs, checked before dispatch, with 95–99% battery health shown on the page. A Non PTA iPhone is not registered with PTA's DIRBS, so a local SIM works only for a limited time unless you register it and pay the PTA tax. Wi-Fi and every other feature work normally. See our PTA tax guide (PTA Tax on Mobile Phones: How It Is Calculated and Paid).
Both have one nano-SIM plus eSIM. Every order comes with a 7-day checking warranty.
Who should buy which
Buy the iPhone 12 if you want the cheapest reliable 6.1 inch iPhone with OLED and 5G, and you are a light user.
Buy the iPhone 13 if you want better battery backup, steadier night photos, more base storage and longer updates. To see the next step up, read iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14 (iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14).
