iPhone 11 vs iPhone 13
Updated March 21, 2026 · Full spec comparison
iPhone 11
1
categories won
iPhone 13
10
categories won
Quick Verdict
The iPhone 13 is a clear generational upgrade from the iPhone 11 in every meaningful way. The most visible improvement is the display: the 11 uses an LCD panel at 326 PPI and 625 nits while the 13 uses OLED at 460 PPI and 800 nits — colors are dramatically richer, blacks are true black, and the screen is brighter and sharper by a wide margin. The A15 Bionic chip in the 13 is two chip generations ahead of the A13 Bionic, delivering substantially faster performance and better machine learning capabilities. Battery life improves from 17 to 19 hours, the 13 adds MagSafe wireless charging that the 11 lacks, and both main and ultrawide cameras see major sensor improvements. If you're still on an iPhone 11, the 13 is one of the most rewarding used-market upgrades available at its current price.
Size Comparison
Rendered to scale at 1.3px per mm. The iPhone 11 is 4.2mm taller and 4.2mm wider — noticeably larger in hand.
Specs Comparison
| Spec | iPhone 11 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A13 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| Main Camera | 12MP f/1.8 | 12MP f/1.6 (faster) |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Display | 6.1" LCD 326 PPI | 6.1" OLED 460 PPI |
| Battery Life | 17 hrs video | 19 hrs video |
Category Breakdown
Display
This is the most dramatic difference between the two phones. The iPhone 11 uses Apple's Liquid Retina LCD technology at 1792×828 pixels and 326 PPI — the same pixel density as the original iPhone 4 Retina display, which means individual pixels are just visible at normal holding distance. The iPhone 13 uses a Super Retina XDR OLED panel at 2532×1170 and 460 PPI, delivering true blacks (no backlight bleed), a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 versus the 11's 1,400:1, and peak brightness of 800 nits versus 625 nits. The OLED difference is immediately visible side-by-side — photos, videos, and text all look noticeably richer and sharper on the 13.
Performance
The A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 is two generations ahead of the A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11. In Geekbench multi-core, the A15 scores roughly twice the A13, and the GPU improvement is even larger — the 13's 4-core GPU (or 5-core in some models) handles complex rendering, games, and video processing substantially faster. For everyday tasks like social media and messaging, both phones are fluid, but demanding apps, photography processing, and gaming show a clear performance gap. Future iOS versions are also more likely to maintain smooth performance on the newer A15 architecture.
Camera
The iPhone 13 uses a faster f/1.6 main aperture versus f/1.8 on the 11 — that's a meaningful improvement in low-light performance, letting 36% more light hit the sensor in each frame. Both phones have 12MP main sensors and 12MP ultrawide cameras, but the 13's larger sensor and improved image signal processor produce cleaner images, especially in night mode and Cinematic Mode video (absent on the 11). The iPhone 11 does not have an optical zoom telephoto lens and neither does the 13, keeping both in the wide+ultrawide dual-camera category, but the 13's output quality surpasses the 11 in every lighting condition.
Battery
Apple rates the iPhone 13 at 19 hours of video playback and the iPhone 11 at 17 hours — a modest 12% improvement. The more significant charging upgrade is MagSafe: the iPhone 13 introduced Apple's magnetic wireless charging ecosystem with 15W charging, while the iPhone 11 supports only Qi wireless charging at up to 7.5W. Both phones support 18-20W wired charging. Given that both phones are now several years old, real-world battery capacity will depend heavily on cycle count in any used unit.
Design & Build
The iPhone 11 is physically larger — 150.9×75.7×8.3mm and 194g versus the 13's 146.7×71.5×7.65mm and 174g. The 11 is 4.2mm taller, 4.2mm wider, 0.65mm thicker, and 20g heavier. Both use aluminum frames and glass backs, both have Lightning connectors, and both carry IP68 ratings. The iPhone 13 has a smaller notch (reduced 20% from the 12's notch, further reduced from the 11's larger cutout) and adds 5G connectivity the iPhone 11 doesn't have. The 11 is no longer supported on the latest iOS as of iOS 17.
Value
The iPhone 13 launched at $799 and the 11 at $699, but in 2026 the relevant question is second-hand pricing. iPhone 13 units in good condition can be found for well under $400, making this one of the best-value OLED iPhones on the used market. iPhone 11 units are cheaper still but come with the LCD display limitation, no 5G, and an aging chip approaching the end of iOS support. For anyone currently on an iPhone 11, the jump to a used 13 at a modest premium is a significant quality-of-life improvement.
Who Should Buy Which
Keep the iPhone 11 if:
- •Budget is very tight and your 11 is fully functional with a healthy battery.
- •You prefer a larger phone body — the 11's 75.7mm width gives more surface area for content.
- •5G coverage in your area is limited or non-existent, removing one of the 13's advantages.
Upgrade to iPhone 13 if:
- •You want OLED — the display quality difference is immediately visible and makes every photo, video, and UI element better.
- •5G matters to you — the iPhone 11 is locked to 4G LTE in a world where 5G is increasingly the standard.
- •You want MagSafe — the magnetic accessory ecosystem (wallets, car mounts, chargers) is only available from iPhone 12 onward.
- •You want continued iOS updates — the A15 Bionic will remain supported for years, while the A13's support cycle is ending.
Case Compatibility
iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 cases are NOT compatible. The two phones have significantly different dimensions (the 11 is 4.2mm taller and 4.2mm wider), different camera bump layouts and sizes, and different notch cutouts. The iPhone 13's camera module arrangement differs from the 11's side-by-side dual-camera setup. Cases designed for one model will not fit the other correctly — camera cutouts will be misaligned and the case dimensions won't match the phone body.