Apple crammed a lot of features into the For anyone upgrading from an iPhone 11, XS, or older, any entry in the iPhone 13 family is an easy recommendation.
That said, there is one important factor to consider before buying. 120Hz displays have become all the rage over the last few years. They allow for smoother scrolling, more responsive games, and are now a staple on flagship Android devices. Unfortunately, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini do not have a 120Hz refresh rate of any kind. Instead, they're stuck with the traditional 60Hz speed that we've had for years.
Only The iPhone 13 Pro Models Have 120Hz
If that comes as a disappointment, it may be worth upgrading to the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max. The two Pro variants come with 120Hz displays — making them the first iPhones ever to do so. Whenever someone's scrolling or interacting with an iPhone 13 Pro, the display ramps up to 120Hz to make it feel noticeably faster. The processor in the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro is exactly the same, but having a display that's twice as responsive is a big deal. What's even cooler is the LTPO display technology behind the two Pro models.
When someone isn't interacting with the iPhone and is looking at a photo/reading an article, the refresh rate goes all the way down to 10Hz to help conserve battery life. If the display was constantly running at the full 120Hz, battery life would take a huge hit. But since it can scale down as needed, you get that extra smoothness and great endurance. It's a win-win.
Furthermore, that 120Hz functionality has gotten better since the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max launched in late 2021. After the phones launched, only certain applications took advantage of the 120Hz smoothness. Some apps run at 120Hz just fine, others still show 60Hz animations, and it's been a constant pain. Thankfully, this is something Apple's improved. All iPhone apps can now run at the full 120Hz — resulting in smoother scrolling and animations regardless of what app you're using.
Is it worth upgrading to an iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max just for the 120Hz capability? That ultimately depends on each person. Some people are very sensitive to fast refresh rate screens, whereas others can't tell the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz. If you can, try using a regular iPhone 13 and 13 Pro at the nearest Apple store, Best Buy, etc. Test them out side-by-side, figure out if the change in fluidity is worth spending more money on, and go from there. The Pro models have other upgrades too — like a telephoto camera and even longer battery life — but 120Hz is certainly a big advantage.
How To Turn On 120Hz On The iPhone 13 Pro
The 120Hz refresh rate is turned on for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max by default, but in case the screen seems to be scrolling sluggishly, it's worth checking Settings. To enable the refresh rate on the iPhone 13 Pro models, go to Settings, tap 'Accessibility' and then 'Motion.' Make sure the toggle next to 'Limit Frame Rate' is turned off. To disable the 120Hz display on the iPhone 13 Pro, just turn on the toggle next to 'Limit Frame Rate.'
In case iPhone 13 Pro s find that their frame rate frequently drops to 60Hz, Low Power Mode may have been enabled. Low Power Mode turns off a few key features to preserve battery life, including the 120Hz refresh rate. When enabled, the battery icon turns yellow. To turn off Low Power Mode, go to Settings, scroll down to 'Battery' and turn off the toggle next to 'Low Power Mode.'
iPhone 14 Doesn't Have A 120Hz Display Either
Before the launch of the iPhone 14 series, there were speculations that Apple would adopt 120Hz displays for all models. Unfortunately, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus (which replaces the iPhone mini) stick to standard 60Hz refresh rates, with only the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max getting 120Hz displays. In fact, Apple even went one step further by adding an always-on display to the iPhone 14 Pro, which is enabled by dropping the refresh rate down to 1Hz. Both fast refresh rates and always-on displays are increasingly common on even cheaper Android phones, so it's disappointing that Apple isn't bringing these features to all its iPhone models.
In fact, a report has claimed that Apple will not be bringing 120Hz displays to the iPhone 15 (and presumably, the iPhone 15 Plus) either. This appears to be a decision based on the display supply chain. However, the good news is that Apple could be bringing the new Dynamic Island to all iPhone 15 models, a feature that's currently restricted to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Source: Apple