It is September 2021, and Apple has finally delivered the ‘Pro’ feature the UK tech scene has been begging for: 120Hz. The iPhone 13 Pro is a 204g powerhouse finished in surgical-grade stainless steel with a new ‘Sierra Blue’ matte glass back. While it shares the A15 Bionic chip with the standard 13, the Pro variant features a 5-core GPU and 6GB of RAM, making it a technical titan for mobile gaming and video editing. It is a dense, impeccably built device that represents the first time the ‘Pro’ suffix feels fully earned through display and camera parity.
The technical headline is the ‘Super Retina XDR’ display with ProMotion. This 6.1-inch OLED (2532 x 1170) features an adaptive refresh rate that scales from 10Hz to 120Hz, providing a level of fluid responsiveness that makes every scroll and animation feel instantaneous. On the imaging front, the triple-camera system has been completely rebuilt with larger sensors and wider apertures. The new ultra-wide lens features a technical ‘first’ for the iPhone: Macro photography, allowing you to focus on subjects just 2cm away. It also introduces ‘ProRes’ video recording and ‘Photographic Styles,’ which allow you to customise the camera’s pipeline at a hardware level.
Connectivity is top-tier with 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and a significantly larger 3,095 mAh battery that provides 1.5 hours more life than the 12 Pro. It also features a new 3x optical zoom telephoto lens, bringing the total zoom range to 6x. The device retains its IP68 rating (up to 6 metres) and MagSafe compatibility. The iPhone 13 Pro is a masterclass in professional-grade mobile technology; by combining the smoothest screen in the industry with a truly versatile camera system and class-leading battery life, it set a new standard for what a ‘Pro’ smartphone should be.