As the festive season approaches, most consumers will be looking for great deals on Apple devices. While it is difficult to score a deal on newer iPhone models, the iPhone 13 has frequently been discounted and this year, it could well be among the most discounted smartphones during the festive season. That begs the question: Should you get the iPhone 13 over other smartphones, and if yes, which one should you gift this festive season?
iPhone 13 vs other smartphones
While other smartphones seem to be better value or offer better features than iPhone 13, the smartphone from Apple stands out on its own. Whether it is the balanced performance, versatile camera, decent battery life or software/hardware integration, the iPhone 13 gets a lot of things right. The first thing to know about the iPhone 13 is that it is powered by the Apple A15 Bionic chip, which is fast and efficient even by today’s standards.
The processor ensures the iPhone 13 delivers smooth performance whether you are gaming or multitasking. There is also a dual rear camera system with support for Night mode and Smart HDR 4 that helps the device capture high-quality images and videos. The iPhone 13 also works exceptionally across the whole Apple ecosystem and it is a great gift especially if you are giving it to someone who already used other Apple devices.
With support for 5G and Apple’s proven ability to support its devices for a long period with regular OS updates and the ability to replace the battery at 80 per cent battery health, it is difficult to argue against getting the iPhone 13 at a discount as a gift this festive season. The only caveat is that it is three generations old now and thus may not be able to compete with newer models.
iPhone 13: Other smartphone challengers
The iPhone 13 is not without competition and the most obvious one is the Galaxy S23. With the Galaxy S23, you are getting a flexible camera system, a 120Hz AMOLED display, and Samsung’s OneUI which has changed the definition of customisation on smartphones. If Samsung doesn’t appeal to you then the Google Pixel 8 is another worthy challenger that combines hardware and computational photography to deliver another great imaging experience. The stock Android is great but Magic Eraser and Real Tone are something unseen in the smartphone camera space.
Among affordable flagship smartphones for gifting, you cannot ignore the OnePlus 11 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. The OnePlus 11, in particular, has a refreshing new look and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset delivers flagship performance while the Hasselblad-tuned camera system is impressive but not in the same league as iPhone 13 or Pixel 8. Xiaomi 13 Pro, on the other hand, is all about cameras and three on its back. The MIUI interface might seem to limit the device but it offers a lot for its price.
