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iPhone 13 & 13 mini in 2026: Are they still worth it?
The iPhone 13 and 13 mini, released in 2021, remain solid options in 2026, especially in the second-hand market. Although battery life is an issue, especially on the 13 mini, their performance, cameras, and software support make them valuable. The iPhone 13 is a better option than the 13 mini due to its better battery life. For current users, there is no urgent need to upgrade, but if they do, the iPhone 17 is an excellent option.
1. 📱 Introduction to the iPhone 13 and 13 mini in 2026: Are they still relevant?
- ✅ The iPhone 13 and 13 mini were excellent upgrades from the iPhone 12, with improvements like more storage and a smaller notch.
- ✅ In 2026, these phones are approaching 5 years old, but still offer value.
- ✅ The 13 mini is probably Apple's last small form factor flagship phone.
- ✅ The video will analyze their performance in 2026, whether users should upgrade, and whether they are worth buying.
00:00 - 01:36
1. 📱 Introduction to the iPhone 13 and 13 mini in 2026: Are they still relevant?
- ✅ The iPhone 13 and 13 mini were excellent upgrades from the iPhone 12, with improvements like more storage and a smaller notch.
- ✅ In 2026, these phones are approaching 5 years old, but still offer value.
- ✅ The 13 mini is probably Apple's last small form factor flagship phone.
- ✅ The video will analyze their performance in 2026, whether users should upgrade, and whether they are worth buying.
01:37 - 03:26
2. 💰 Second-hand prices and purchase considerations for the iPhone 13 and 13 mini
- ✅ A used iPhone 13 can be found from $200 to $250 on eBay.
- ✅ The 13 mini is surprisingly just as expensive, if not more so, due to the lower supply.
- ✅ Buying in 2026 depends on personal circumstances, but the regular iPhone 13 is a solid option as a budget iPhone.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 mini is a better buy than the 12 mini due to the better battery life and smaller notch.
- ✅ The 13 mini is faster and will get at least an additional year of software support.
03:27 - 05:07
3. 🤔 Should you upgrade from an iPhone 13? Battery health and performance in iOS 26
- ✅ If you currently use the iPhone 13, there is no urgent need to upgrade.
- ✅ The iPhone 17 would be an excellent upgrade option.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 will continue to be a good performer for the next few years, with updates up to iOS 28.
- ✅ On iOS 26, the iPhone 13 performs well, although not as fast as before.
- ✅ Check the battery status in the settings; if it's below 80%, you'll notice shorter battery life.
- ✅ Battery replacement is an option, but it can cost almost half the value of the phone.
05:08 - 07:36
4. 🆚 iPhone 13 vs. 13 Pro and iPhone 14: Comparison and value
- ✅ The iPhone 13 Pro has a more premium design and a ProMotion display, but the 13 and 13 mini feel similar.
- ✅ The iPhone 14 brought almost nothing new over the 13, except better cameras and more RAM.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 and 13 mini offered better value than the iPhone 12 when they came out.
- ✅ The iPhone 17 makes the 16 look like terrible value.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 mini was sold until September 2023, while the larger 13 was discontinued in the fall of 2024.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 and 13 mini still provide the core iOS experience and are almost as capable as the iPhone 17 Pro.
07:37 - 10:21
5. ✨ Design, screen, and hardware of the iPhone 13 in 2026
- ✅ The iPhone 13 has a beautiful design with a glossy glass back and a flat-sided aluminum frame.
- ✅ It can be distinguished from the 12 by the diagonally oriented camera lenses and the smaller notch.
- ✅ The 6.1-inch screen of the iPhone 13 looks great, being sharp and vibrant.
- ✅ The 5.4-inch OLED screen of the 13 mini is just as good, just smaller.
- ✅ Both phones are identical, with no benefits to opting for the larger model.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 Pro has a 120Hz ProMotion display, which offers a smoother iOS experience.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 is powered by the A15 Bionic chipset and 4GB of RAM.
10:22 - 12:43
6. 📸 iPhone 13 camera performance in 2026: Still good?
- ✅ The 12-megapixel selfie camera offers more than adequate selfies.
- ✅ The rear has two 12-megapixel sensors: the main wide-angle and the ultra-wide-angle.
- ✅ The quality of the ultra-wide-angle is lower than that of the main lens.
- ✅ It lacks the 3x zoom telephoto lens of the 13 Pro.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 is capable of capturing solid images in the right conditions, ideally with good lighting.
- ✅ Indoors or in low-light scenarios, it may struggle, but still produces satisfactory results.
- ✅ Smartphone cameras have seen quite a few improvements in the years since this device, but the iPhone's cameras were still very good in 2021.
12:44 - 14:38
7. 🔋 Battery life of the iPhone 13 and 13 mini in 2026: A weak point
- ✅ Battery life is the problem with any older smartphone, especially for the iPhone 13 mini.
- ✅ You'll only get a day of use out of the 13 mini if you're a light user.
- ✅ A friend with a 13 mini at 78% battery health has to live in low power mode all the time.
- ✅ On an average day, he used 132% of his battery, having charged it at noon with only 2 and a half hours of screen time.
- ✅ The battery drains quickly due to hotspot usage.
- ✅ The phone shuts down randomly once it reaches 10%.
- ✅ A battery replacement would help with the random shutdowns and get a little more life out of it.
14:39 - 16:29
8. 👍 Conclusion: Are the iPhone 13 and 13 mini still worth it in 2026?
- ✅ The iPhone 13 mini got a couple of extra hours of video playback over the 12 mini.
- ✅ Power performance is where your phone will likely feel its age the most.
- ✅ Everything else about this phone has held up fantastically well to the point that it's not just a usable experience in 2026, but a genuinely solid experience to boot.
- ✅ With software support until iOS 28, it's an excellent smartphone for around $200.
- ✅ The iPhone 13 is still one of the best buys available in the used iPhone market.
- ✅ If you get a unit in good shape with a healthy battery at a reasonable price, go for it!
- ✅ The iPhone 13 and 13 mini are still worth it in 2026.
- ✅ Apple did well with its 2021 iPhone lineup.
16:30 - 17:01
9. 🗣️ Invitation to participate and closing
- ✅ The presenter invites viewers to share their experiences with the iPhone 13 or 13 mini in the comments.
- ✅ He encourages viewers to like the video and subscribe for more tech content.
- ✅ He mentions a Discord server to discuss with other tech enthusiasts.
- ✅ He thanks the channel members for their support and all the viewers for their time.