24 hours with the iPhone 13 Pro: That's what we thought - Walla! technology

2021-09-28T02:29:27.602Z

Still impressive, but a little: we got the new and advanced flagship device from Apple, and although this year too the changes are quite small compared to the previous generation, we had a very hard time saying goodbye. The full review

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24 hours with the iPhone 13 Pro: This is what we thought

Still impressive, but a bit redesigned: a day after the global launch, we got Apple's new and advanced flagship device, and although this year too the changes are quite small compared to the previous generation, we had a very hard time saying goodbye.

And what about the camera?

Here is the full review

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IPhone 13 Pro.

NIS 4,350 for the basic model (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

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Familiar design, but with slight modifications

The biggest claim against Apple regarding the iPhone 13 series, and the iPhone 13 Pro models in particular, is the choice to continue with the design we first knew last year, when it announced the iPhone 12 Pro series - with a sharp-cut frame, straight lines and rounded edges.

And compare: side by side - the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro - and the two look almost the same, except for the photo array on the back of the device that takes up slightly more space.

Anyway, this time too the frame made of stainless steel feels great in the hand, mainly because of its sharp cut, although it is like a fingerprint magnet, and the matte finish on the back is pleasant to the touch and superior to the glossy finish incorporated in other iPhone models in the past.

Left: iPhone 13 Pro.

Right: iPhone 12 Pro.

The photography system is larger (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

However, one has to ask a question:

When was the last time you met people walking around with a smartphone - not necessarily an iPhone - without a cover?

So yes, the device is very nice, but it is not really relevant because even the biggest fans of Apple will probably add a few hundred shekels more to a cover that will keep it from falling.

The front of the iPhone 13 Pro was left with a screen the same size of 6.1 inches, but this time Apple decided to make a slight change - and reduced the gap (the black stripe at the top of the screen) by 20 percent.

In practice, in our opinion, most of you will probably not really notice the change.

The gap is smaller, but you may not notice it (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Screen and performance

Apple has never skimped on the quality of screens on smartphones, but has lagged slightly behind in recent years when it decided to stay with a refresh rate of only 60 Hz.

Now, the company has decided to take a few steps forward (late, as mentioned) and the screens in the Pro models come with support for ProMotion, which allows a dynamic refresh rate from 10 to 120 Hz, depending on the type of use.

The screens in the Pro models come with support for 120 Hz (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

This mainly means that the experience and flow of the display is much better and faster, which is great for gaming and regular use.

Overall, along with the new Apple A15 Bionic chip and compatibility with the iOS 15 operating system, the display experience is spectacular - more than any other iPhone model I have ever encountered.

Did you not get to use a screen that supports 120 Hz?

Keep in mind that it is very difficult to go back.

In terms of regular use, iPhone users will feel at home, as there is no difference in experience compared to the previous generation, or even a few generations back.

The iPhone 13 Pro we tested operated as required smoothly - with no stutters or sudden blows, and the experience felt completely natural.

Screen with 120 Hz support.

It is difficult to go back (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Photo: One of the best

Main camera with 1.9 micron sensor and f / 1.5 aperture key with Sensor-Shift support that helps capture twice as much light
Telephoto sensor with X3 optical zoom and f / 2.8 aperture key capable of shooting even at night
Ultra-wide lens with f / 1.8 aperture key capable of capturing 92% more light

Three sensors on the back of the device (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Let's jump straight to the bottom line:

it's clear that Apple is emphasizing improved photo capability.

As mentioned, the photo array on the back of the device takes up more space than last year's models, and it is easy to say that the final results are perhaps one of the best in the cellular market today.

Left: iPhone 13 Pro.

Right: iPhone 12 Pro (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Another detail that is important to mention is that unlike last year, the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max models come with exactly the same photo setup.

The two are equipped with three 12-megapixel photo sensors that show a significant improvement over the previous generation.

In any case, in photography in good lighting conditions, such as daylight or direct sunlight, the photographs are astonishing.

The images are great with accuracy in colors and details in the image, with lots of natural light that looks great, and objects that are displayed in an outstanding way.

Even when viewing photos on a large screen, computer or TV, the results are great and not even embarrassing for a DSLR camera.

Photography in good lighting conditions (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Photography with a wide lens (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Photography with a standard lens (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

In the transition to photography using the telephoto lens, you get great results by performing a 3x optical zoom or macro photography, when here too there is impressive accuracy.

And the results are so good that even a few centimeters away from the object, the lens was able to focus wonderfully on the object - almost like in microscopic photography.

Photography with 3x optical zoom (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Photography with 3x zoom (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Macro photography with the iPhone 13 Pro (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Macro photography (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

And that’s not all, as the most significant improvement was felt (as Apple promised) in harsh lighting conditions (i.e., inside a building or at night): the images that came out were brighter, with no unusual deficit or smearing, with high detail and great sharpness.

As for the front camera (selfie) the results are good as well, and even identical to the previous generation.

Night photography.

High level of detail and colors faithful to the original (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Night photography (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Another new feature that Apple has added in the new Pro series, and only available in models with a storage capacity of 256 GB or more, is the Cinematic mode ("movie").

The new feature allows you to switch between different focus centers quickly - as in movies and TV series.

This is a great feature for those who use the iPhone's camera regularly and want to add more "cinematics" to the videos.

On top of that, you can switch the focus between the objects even after you have taken a picture, but sometimes you can notice that it is a bokeh effect that is done artificially, and not always the results are perfect.

IPhone 13 Pro (Photo: Walla! Technology, Yinon Ben-Shoshan)

Bottom line

The iPhone 13 Pro takes Apple a small step further, mainly thanks to the move to 120 Hz and the reduction of the gap, but may not cause Android enthusiasts to switch sides.

However, the design (still) turns heads, the performance is great and the camera is more than excellent.

Who should upgrade to?

If you have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro you do not have a really good enough reason to buy the iPhone 13 or the iPhone 13 Pro.

Yes, despite all the noise from Apple's announcement event, as every year, there is no justification for you to pay more than NIS 4,000 for a device that will feel the same to you when you hold it in your hand - and without the environment noticing.

Do you have an iPhone XS or an older model?

This is already a worthy upgrade.