Apple starts selling refurbished iPhone 13 models in the US
Refurbished iPhone 13 models are now available in the US. The devices can be purchased directly from Apple's website.
Apple released the iPhone 13 series in September 2021. The company stopped selling the Pro and Pro Max versions of the iPhone 13, after announcing the iPhone 14 in September 2022. While you may still find the older models on shelves at stores, a refurbished version would be more affordable.
Refurbished iPhone 13 prices
The iPhone 13 refurbished model's price starts at $619. The iPhone 13 Pro version costs $759, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max carries a price tag of $849. These prices are for the 128 GB trim. The iPhone 13 Pro 256 GB variant costs $849, the 512 GB model is available at $1019, and the 1 TB version has been priced at $1189. The iPhone 13 Pro Max 256 GB model costs $929, the 512 GB is priced at $1029, and the 1 TB version costs $1269.
I couldn't find the basic iPhone 13 model at the online store at the time of writing this article, but MacRumors shared a screenshot of it, so it is possible that the basic model is out of stock at the moment. But, the question is, should you get one?
Is a refurbished iPhone 13 worth it?
I would say it is. For starters, a price of $619 is basically an $80 discount when compared to that of a new one ($699). It may not seem like a huge deal, but why not save that money? You can invest that on some accessories, like a good case, a screen protector, a 3.5 mm headphone adapter, a spare cable, a USB Type-C charger, etc.
The refurbished models of iPhones are in great condition, they are basically new devices which are thoroughly checked by Apple, the only difference is that the refurbished mobiles come in a white box instead of the standard one. All refurbished models are unlocked, so you can use them with any mobile carrier. The best part is that the refurbished iPhones come with the same warranty as regular models do, you can even get AppleCare+ for the devices for accidental damage protection, theft and loss.
Should you buy an iPhone 13 in 2023?
Yes, I picked a new iPhone 13 for myself recently after spotting a good deal (around $600). Here are my arguments as to why I didn't go for the iPhone 14 which costs $799.
The iPhone 13 and 14 are practically identical physically, and the internals are quite similar, they have the same processor, cameras, display, etc. Compared to the 13, you only get a marginal upgrade (2 GB of additional RAM, 1 extra GPU core, Crash detection, Emergency SOS via satellite) in the iPhone 14, none of which were important for me. The older phone is still great in terms of performance, battery life, the camera quality is stellar, and the device will likely get iOS updates for another 4 years or so.
I'll leave it to you to decide whether the extra $100 (or in my case $200) for those features are worth it. Unless you travel a lot, I'd say it isn't a great buy. The iPhone 15 launch is about 6 months away, and Apple will probably slash the prices of the iPhone 14 by then. If you want a new device right now, you might as well get the refurbished iPhone 13 Pro for $749, which is still $50 cheaper than the regular iPhone 14, but has a bigger battery, and a telephoto lens with optical zoom. If you are a teacher or a student, I'd also recommend keeping an eye on the Education discounts that Apple offers for a better price.
