iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Which Budget iPhone Is the Best Value?

Only a few weeks ago, Apple revealed the brand new iPhone 15 models. The new lineup brought a lot to the table and surprised us all with many new features.

As usual, Apple kept some of its older non-pro iPhones on the market, dropping the iPhone 12 off the list and moving the 2021 iPhone 13 into its $599 price slot. Sadly, that also meant the end of the iPhone 13 mini; only the standard 6.1-inch model has remained on the market.

While the $429 iPhone SE is usually considered the entry-level iPhone model, the iPhone 13 means Apple actually offers two different budget iPhones. With both available, you’re probably wondering which is the best model to buy since both offer a lot of similar features.

If you don’t know which is the right iPhone for you, we’re here to help. Here are the most important things to consider before buying the iPhone SE or the iPhone 13.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Price

If you’re only looking for the best price available, the iPhone SE is the clear winner. 

While both iPhones are considered budget-friendly — at least by Apple standards — the iPhone SE is the cheapest option, starting at $429. However, there’s a catch.

You see, the iPhone SE starts with 64GB of storage. That’s way too low for today’s standards unless you really don’t plan to do a lot with your iPhone. If you want more storage, you’ll need to pay at least $479, which gets you the 128GB model. 

Mind you, this is still cheaper than the iPhone 13, which starts at $599 for the 128GB model. But if you’re someone who needs at least 256GB of storage, then you’ll need to spend at least $579 for the iPhone SE or $699 for the iPhone 13. The iPhone SE maxes out at 256GB, but you can still opt for a 512GB iPhone 13 if you’re willing to spend $899 — but at that point, you’re in iPhone 15 territory.

Overall, if you’re looking for the cheapest iPhone that Apple is selling, the iPhone SE is your best choice.

Winner: iPhone SE

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Performance

When it comes to internal power, both devices offer great performance right off the bat.

Both iPhone models feature the A15 Bionic chip, which is a powerful processor that’s only two years old. Apple doesn’t talk about RAM, but it’s been reported that both the iPhone 13 and the iPhone SE have 4GB of RAM, so performance should be very similar between them.

So, the bottom line is that no matter which iPhone you choose, you should experience excellent performance. 

Winner: Tie

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Design

From here on out, we start to see the real difference between the two devices. 

For starters, we’ll take a look at the design of both models, and this is where the iPhone 13 really shines. 

The iPhone SE looks and feels like an older iPhone — and for a good reason. Apple used the body of the 2017 iPhone 8 and simply upgraded the internals. 

This means that you basically have an iPhone 8 with an A15 chip inside. It still has the same Touch ID sensor in the home button, a relatively small 4.7-inch LCD Retina Display, a smaller battery, and a single camera on the back. So, not the best design in this day and age.

The iPhone 13, on the other hand, has a more modern and premium look and feel. It’s the same general design Apple has used since the iPhone 12, and the iPhone 14 still uses it, which means it’s way better than the iPhone SE.

You’ll get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen on the iPhone 13, with a larger battery and a two-camera system on the back.

Moreover, the iPhone 13 features Face ID, which you probably already know if you love or hate. This means you’ll have a big notch at the top, but this probably beats the larger top and bottom bezels on the cheaper iPhone SE.

This is one of the biggest reasons to choose one iPhone over the other. If you prefer smaller devices, the iPhone SE will be your best option. On the other hand, if you like more modern, bigger devices, the iPhone 13 should be a no-brainer.

Winner: iPhone 13

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Cameras

This is another big reason to choose the iPhone 13 over the iPhone SE. As we mentioned, the iPhone SE only features a single camera on the back.

This is a 12-megapixel camera with an f/1.8 aperture. It’s basically the same camera found in the 2017 iPhone 8, and while Apple has improved the pictures it takes thanks to better image processing in the A15 Bionic chip, you already know you won’t get professional-looking photos with this phone.

The front-facing camera isn’t something to write home about either. You have a 7-megapixel camera that can record in 1080p HD that features Smart HDR 4. This will be decent for FaceTime calls, but it’s definitely not the best.

On the other side, we have the iPhone 13 with two cameras on the back. This iPhone features a 12-megapixel main camera with an aperture of f/1.6, plus a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with an f/2.4 aperture.

On the front, the iPhone 13 has a 12MP camera with TrueDepth and support for 4K videos, Smart HDR 4, Animoji, and Memoji. 

Additionally, the iPhone 13 also has other useful features like Night mode, Cinematic mode, and HDR recording. 

With all of this said, if you don’t really know or just don’t care what all these features are, then you’re probably better off with the iPhone SE. It can still take good snapshots for casual use, but if you really want to take beautiful photos, the iPhone 13 is the best option, hands down.

Winner: iPhone 13

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Battery Life

Another place where the iPhone 13 really shines, at least compared to the iPhone SE, is battery life.

Apple never really says the size of the battery on any iPhone, but the company does talk about battery life. With a single charge, the iPhone SE should last up to 15 hours, whereas the iPhone 13 should last for around 19 hours. 

Granted, these aren’t exact numbers, especially if you’re a power user. What’s true is that if you use your iPhone a lot, you won’t have much screen time with the iPhone SE.

Even if it’s brand new, the iPhone SE’s battery won’t last as long, which means you’ll need to keep a charger with you. 

Granted, the iPhone 13’s battery isn’t as great as more recent models, but it’ll definitely last longer. And if you’re someone who’s always on the move, paying for the iPhone 13 is recommended.

Winner: iPhone 13

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Longevity

Since the iPhone 13 and the iPhone SE came out in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and both have the same A15 chip, they’ll likely get all the same future software updates.

Usually, iPhones tend to get five to six years of software updates, so we should expect support for new updates for at least three or four more years. 

With that said, the iPhone 13 has better chances of supporting future features than the iPhone SE. The reason is the hardware. We already know the more limited cameras on the iPhone SE rule out support for features like Cinematic mode, Focus & Depth Control, FaceTime gesture reactions, and mask-aware Face ID, to name a few.

That means that, even if the iPhone SE supports iOS 18 or 19 when they come out, you may not be able to use all of the new features that are available.

Winner: iPhone 13

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone SE: Which One Should You Get?

So, which iPhone is the best option for you? The more budget-friendly iPhone SE or the more future-proof iPhone 13?

If you want the best value for the least amount of money, the iPhone SE is the obvious choice. That is if you can handle all the “buts.”

With the iPhone SE, you get great performance and support for future software updates, but you will have to compromise when it comes to the cameras, display quality, and battery life. 

If none of these things matter to you, then you’ll get a better bang for your buck with the iPhone SE.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a great iPhone that will give you a ton of extra features without spending that much money, the iPhone 13 is perfect for you.

You’ll get amazing cameras, great battery life, and a larger display. Of course, that means you’ll need to pay extra for all of these things. If that’s not a problem for you, then you should get the iPhone 13. 

Overall, if you’re a more advanced user, the iPhone 13 is better for you. If you just want an iPhone that can handle all the basics without breaking a sweat and last you a long time, the iPhone SE is the better option.