The best cheap iPhone is almost gone – get one while you can
It’s time to splurge on the iPhone 13 , because with the launch of the iPhone 16 series, Apple has consigned its 2021 iPhone to the tech bone orchard. But I’m here to tell you that you should grab one while you can.
That’s because the iPhone 13 was our pick for best budget iPhone until Apple officially discontinued it. And for good reason.
Despite being three generations old now, the iPhone 13 is still a very capable smartphone and a great entry point into the walled garden of iOS and the Apple ecosystem. It combines a fairly sleek design with the best screen for a phone’s size – that’s 6.1 inches – some very capable cameras and a chipset that I doubt you’d make you sweat even today unless you threw the most demanding apps or near-console-quality games at it.
That’s why I’ve written before about why this is a phone that anyone looking to make the switch from Android to iPhone should consider , as it’s a capable but not overly expensive first Apple handset. And for those with older iPhones, say an iPhone X or iPhone 11, it’s a great phone to buy if you want to avoid the high prices of the latest iPhones; such is the benefit of Apple slashing the prices of its older iPhones every time a new generation comes out.
Sure, there are caveats to the iPhone 13, namely its 60Hz display, which felt dated for a phone of its class in 2021 (and feels even more dated on the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus), and a now-defunct Lightning port. But otherwise, I think it’s a fantastic phone, with the staying power to last you another generation or two if you don’t hate Apple Intelligence so much – and I’d caution against jumping on this Cupertino-themed AI train too quickly, as I’m not entirely convinced that artificial intelligence tools, even in the best AI phones, are as good as I’d like them to be.
That’s why I still think the iPhone 13 is worth it, even if you just want a backup Apple phone.
Let the hunt begin
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Of course, you’ll want to act quickly before the iPhone 13 disappears altogether. I’d recommend checking out retailers like Best Buy and Currys in the US and UK respectively. You could also hunt down a refurbished iPhone 13 – Amazon tends to offer pretty robust refurbished units. And check our iPhone deals page to see if any iPhone 13 models pop up there.
I’d also recommend keeping an eye out for iPhone 13 units to be heavily discounted as we approach Amazon Big Deals Days in October and enter what I’m now calling Black Friday season — essentially six weeks of deals. I suspect that retailers will be looking to sell off old Apple inventory during these sales events, and the iPhone 13 is definitely one of them.
If you miss the iPhone 13 boat, then I suspect your next best hope for an affordable yet capable iPhone will come in the form of a next-generation SE model. We’ve been referring to it as the iPhone SE 4 , and while rumors surrounding its potential existence have been sketchy, if it does eventually arrive – likely next year – we could be looking at a phone that’s not all that different from the iPhone 13, and could even channel the iPhone 14 in terms of design. Watch this space.
