iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12 (2026): refurbished comparison & advice
Can't decide between a refurbished iPhone 13 and iPhone 12? We compare chip, battery, display and camera so you can make the right choice quickly.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-07-15
iPhone 13 vs iPhone 12: how big is the difference, really?
At first glance, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 look almost identical: same size, same screen diagonal, same notch-style display. Yet the differences lie in the details you notice every day — battery life, low-light camera performance and chip speed. For refurbished buyers, that matters, because the price gap between the two models is often smaller than you might expect. We've laid out the key differences so you can make a well-informed choice.
Chip: A15 Bionic vs A14 Bionic
The iPhone 13 runs on the A15 Bionic, while the iPhone 12 runs on the A14 Bionic. Both chips are still more than fast enough for everything you'd normally do on a phone: messaging, browsing, social media and editing photos. The difference is in the margins: the A15 is more efficient and has more headroom for demanding apps and future iOS updates. If you plan to use the phone for several years, that extra performance reserve will work in your favour.
Battery: a clear win for the iPhone 13
This is the most noticeable difference in everyday use. The iPhone 13 has a significantly larger battery and lasts considerably longer on a full charge than the iPhone 12. With refurbished devices, this matters even more: a healthy battery combined with greater factory capacity means less anxiety about battery percentages by the end of the day.
Display and design
Both phones feature a 6.1-inch OLED display and look virtually identical at first glance. Look a little closer and you'll notice that the iPhone 13 has a brighter screen and a smaller notch, giving you just a little more usable display area. On the back, the iPhone 13's camera lenses are arranged diagonally rather than vertically as on the iPhone 12 — a direct result of the sensor-shift OIS stabilisation that Apple introduced with this model.
Camera: a step forward
Both phones perform well in daylight, but the iPhone 13 pulls ahead in low-light conditions. Thanks to the larger sensor and sensor-shift stabilisation, evening and night shots come out sharper and with less noise. If you often take photos indoors or after dark, this is the most tangible advantage of choosing the iPhone 13.
Our advice
Still on the fence? Go for the iPhone 13 if you want the smartest buy: better battery life, a bit more performance and a phone that'll stay relevant for longer. Choose the iPhone 12 if budget is your top priority — refurbished, it remains an excellent and reliable phone for everyday use.
At The Phone Shopper, both models are professionally refurbished with a 50-point quality check, a 2-year warranty including the battery, a 30-day return window and free shipping.
Prefer to browse the full range first? Discover all refurbished phones at The Phone Shopper.
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