iPhone 11 vs iPhone 13
Last updated
Specs from Apple.com
Category Scorecard
Size Comparison
Scaled at 1.2px per mm. The iPhone 11 is 4.2mm taller and 4.2mm wider — noticeably larger in hand.
Full Specifications
| Specification | iPhone 11 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch year | 2019 | 2021 |
| Display | 6.1-inch · LCD · 60Hz | 6.1-inch · OLED · 60Hz |
| Display type | LCD | OLED |
| Resolution | 1792x828 | 2532x1170 |
| PPI | 326 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness | 625 nits typical | 800 nits typical; 1,200 nits peak HDR |
| HDR display | No | Yes |
| True Tone | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on display | No | No |
| Notch style | Classic notch | Classic notch |
| Chip | A13 Bionic; 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine | A15 Bionic; 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine |
| Main camera | 12MP, f/1.8, OIS | 12MP, f/1.6, OIS |
| Ultrawide camera | 12MP | 12MP, f/2.4, 120° field of view |
| Telephoto camera | Not published | Not published |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 |
| Video max | 4K/60fps | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60fps; Cinematic mode at 1080p/30 |
| Battery (video) | Up to 17 hours | Up to 19 hours |
| Apple fast-charge adapter requirement | 18W-or-higher adapter for Apple's fast-charge claim; maximum device draw not published | 20W-or-higher adapter for Apple's fast-charge claim; maximum device draw not published |
| MagSafe charging | No | Yes, 15W |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 | WiFi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Crash Detection | No | No |
| Satellite SOS | No | No |
| Dynamic Island | No | No |
| Camera Control | No | No |
| Action Button | No | No |
| Night Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Intelligence | No | No |
| Apple lineup status | No longer sold by Apple, checked 2026-09-14 | No longer sold by Apple, checked 2026-09-14 |
| Biometrics | Face ID | Face ID |
| Frame / back | aluminum / glass | aluminum / glass |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 150.9 × 75.7 × 8.3 mm | 146.7 × 71.5 × 7.65 mm |
| Weight | 194 g | 174 g |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Launch price | $699 | $799 |
The OLED, camera, and battery gains from iPhone 11 to iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 replaces the iPhone 11's 6.1-inch LCD (326 PPI, 625 nits) with a 6.1-inch OLED at 460 PPI and 800 nits, runs the A15 Bionic two generations ahead of the A13, adds about two hours of video playback (19 vs 17 hours), MagSafe, and improved main and ultrawide cameras. It changes the display, chip, battery rating, and camera system from the iPhone 11.
Display
The iPhone 13's display is a substantial step up. 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. Photos, videos, and text look richer and sharper on the 13 side by side.
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. The newer A15 architecture also gives the 13 more headroom for demanding current apps.
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 larger charging change 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 use an 18W-or-higher or 20W-or-higher adapter for Apple's fast-charge claim; maximum device draw is not published. 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 iPhone 11 is an older platform; check current iOS compatibility before buying.
Value
The iPhone 13 launched at $799 and the 11 at $699, but the relevant question is the live second-hand price for comparable condition and storage. The 13 remains one of the better OLED options in the used market. iPhone 11 units are generally cheaper but come with the LCD display limitation, no 5G, and older hardware. For anyone currently on an iPhone 11, the jump to a used 13 can be a clear quality-of-life improvement.
Who Should Buy Which: iPhone 13's longer runway versus iPhone 11's price
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 to prioritize a newer hardware baseline and current iOS compatibility — check Apple's compatibility list for both models before buying
Case Compatibility
iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 cases are NOT compatible. The two phones have 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the iPhone 13 a big upgrade from the iPhone 11?
Yes, the iPhone 13 is a substantial upgrade from the iPhone 11 across every major category. The display jumps from LCD (1792×828, 326 PPI, 625 nits) to OLED (2532×1170, 460 PPI, 800 nits) — a visible quality difference in color accuracy, contrast, and brightness. The A15 Bionic chip is faster than the A13 Bionic, and the battery improves from 17 hours to 19 hours of video playback. The 13 also adds MagSafe wireless charging and a smaller notch.
What is the biggest difference between iPhone 11 and iPhone 13?
The biggest difference is the display technology. The iPhone 11 uses an LCD panel (Liquid Retina) at 326 PPI and 625 nits brightness, while the iPhone 13 uses an OLED Super Retina XDR panel at 460 PPI and 800 nits. OLED delivers true blacks, higher contrast ratio, more accurate colors, and a noticeably sharper, more vivid image than the iPhone 11's LCD.
Do iPhone 11 cases fit the iPhone 13?
No. iPhone 11 cases do not fit the iPhone 13. The two phones have different camera systems (the 11 has a wide + ultrawide dual camera while the 13 has a diagonal dual-camera arrangement with a larger sensor footprint), different notch sizes, and slightly different overall dimensions. Cases are not compatible between these models.