Should You Buy A Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro? Is It Worth It?
Buying a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro is an economically viable decision. However, it has some pros and cons.
In this article, we will be discussing the features and the common problems that you might face if you decide to use a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro. Here we go.
iPhone 13 Pro Overview
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were sister phones that were released by Apple Inc. This duo was part of the 15th generation of iPhones. Therefore, there is a rich technical history and innovation roadmap behind the manufacturing of these phones.
At the time of its release, the iPhone 13 Pro was part of the flagship lineup of Apple iPhones. The phone was supposed to succeed the excellent iPhone 12 Pro. The phone was released at an event held in Apple Park, Cupertino, California, in September 2021.
iPhone 13 Pro incorporated some significant updates, such as improved battery life. This better camera is powered by AI, a cinematic mode that is capable of capturing videos at 1080p/30 fps, and a whole new chipset.
In this article, we will explicitly talk about the significant pain points of owning a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro.
Technicalities
Technicality is a significant issue when it comes to buying a gadget. You can only expect to buy a gadget by knowing its technicalities. Therefore, it is essential to know every tiny detail of the gadget that you will be purchasing.
Hence, the following section will list some of the significant technical aspects of the all-new iPhone 13 Pro. We would be discussing points like the design, hardware, display, chipset, batteries, camera, and software.
This should give you a lay of the land of the things that you could expect from this phone. Let us dive right in!
Design Choices
As a user, the very first feature that you would come in contact with is the overall design choice. Apple follows a uniform design pattern. As a result, you will notice the same design pattern that the company chose while designing the iPhone 12 series.
The design choice remains the same. However, iphone 13 Pro comes with bigger cameras. As a result, the rear camera hub seems more significant than it was. This makes the phone seem different from its predecessor.
However, the designers decided to make the front camera notch around 20% smaller than before. This makes the front camera module look more sleek. The body of the phone comes in stainless steel. As a result, the phone feels and looks premium.
Hardware
Apple is known for its impeccable design choices and hardware. This is something that you will be able to notice with this phone as well. In other words, the phone comes with a fantastic hardware setup that was unparalleled by 2021’s standards.
iPhone 13 Pro, like its bigger sibling, iPhone 13 Pro Max, comes with an Apple-designed A15 Bionic chipset. This Bionic chipset features a 16-core neural engine, 5-core GPU, and a 6-core CPU that comes with 2 Performance spores and four efficiency cores. This chipset also features the next-gen image processor unit that produces crisp and clear pictures.
At the time of its release, the Antutu score for the processor was 846,433. Therefore, you can understand the overall power figure of a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro.
Display
iPhone 13 Pro comes with a 6.06-inch or 154 mm screen. However, apple markets its screen size as 6.1-inch. The display comes with Gorilla glass and can withstand pretty much all forms of wear and tear up to a certain level.
This 6.06-inch screen comes with a resolution scale of 2532 × 1170 pixels, which amounts to a total of 2.9 megapixels. This resolution scale comes with a 460 PPI. The phone comes with a Super Retina OLED XDR display, which ensures crisp visuals and optimum brightness levels.
The XDR OLED screen can turn up brightness as high as 1,200 nits. Therefore, you will not have any problem reading the screen under any condition.
Batteries
We have pointed it out countless times and will do it again. Batteries are the fastest depreciating asset of any gadget. In fact, studies show that your iPhone battery might lose around 50% of its vitality in the very first year.
Therefore, you need to take all the following figures with a grain of salt if you are planning on buying a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro. At the time of the phone’s release, the brand claimed that the iPhone 13 Pro would have around 1.5 hours more battery life than its predecessor, the iPhone 12 Pro.
Regardless of its ownership status, your refurbished iPhone 13 Pro would come with an 11.97 Wh or 3,095 mAh battery. However, if you are buying an old phone, expect to see some depreciation in the said figure,
Cameras
iPhones are known for their impeccable camera quality. At the time of its release, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max featured the best camera in the industry. Therefore, expect something unique when it comes to the camera department.
iPhone 13 Pro comes with four individual cameras: Three cameras at the back and a selfie camera at the front. The rear cameras come with specialized sensors that allow more light to enter the camera. This truly changes the game when it comes to low-light photography. The ultra-wide camera at the back comes with the autofocus feature for the first time.
The front camera comes with a specialized sensor that can read your facial features. This makes the camera setup in sync with the current technological standard.
All the cameras come with a specialized computational photography engine known as the Smart HDR 4. This system allows the camera to use the computational power of AI to enhance the user experience better.
Software
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were solid phones when it came to the software side of things. Both phones received some fantastic feedback when it came to their processing unit and software.
The iPhone 13 series originally came with iOS 15 software. This software was a good fit for the phone series. However, it was jaded to a great extent. As a result, people were having difficulty unlocking the iPhone 13 series to their full potential.
Eventually, the iPhone 13 series received software updates and currently runs on an iOS 17 architecture. However, the next generation of the Qi2 wireless charging variant comes with an iOS 17.2.
Hence, see that your phone is updated before making any form of transaction.
General reception
Understanding the general reception of a phone is critical to understanding the reason behind its success. Not only that, but it can also help you know some of the pre-existing problems that you could expect to see on the phone.
The iPhone 13 mainly received positive reviews at the time of its release. In fact, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max were two of the most sought-after phones of their generation.
The general reception of the phones was primarily positive in nature. This was because the phone featured a better camera, display, etc. In fact, several reviewers claimed that the iPhone 13 Pro series featured the ‘best camera in a smartphone.’
Common Problems Of Refurbished iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro is a well-designed phone that has some fantastic features under its sleeves. However, it would help if you remembered that the phone was discontinued back in September 2022. Hence, what you are buying is a pre-owned or a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro.
As a result, it is essential to know some of the problems or errors that you might face while using a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro. Therefore, we list some of the most common and annoying issues that you might face while using a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro.
Here we Go!
Activation Error
The activation error is one of the most common errors that you can encounter when owning a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro. There could be a million different reasons for this error. However, the most common cause is a choppy connection to a network.
The best way to deal with this problem is by letting your phone switch off and then manually switching it on. Restarting might work. However, manually switching on and off while giving a minute of downtime is a better and more suitable alternative.
Battery Problems
Battery issues are the second most common problem that most iPhone users face at some point during their usage. iPhone 13 Pro comes with an excellent battery pack. However, many refurbished phone users claim that the battery can become unreliable from time to time.
Try optimizing your phone’s battery if you think that it is not operating at its 100% capacity. Try to switch off background applications and other unwanted applications to make sure that your battery is working fine.
Charging Error
Charging issues are rare. However, it has been a concern for many users. This is a complex problem that requires a complex solution. The charging issue is more of a hardware issue. Therefore, you might have to take your phone to a mechanic.
One of the biggest reasons behind charging errors is a damaged port. However, sometimes it could be a faulty charger as well. Therefore, consider checking your charger before taking your phone to a mechanic. It might save you some headaches and money.
Touchscreen Problem
The next problem that you might need help with while using a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro is touchscreen problems. Again, this is a complex problem that might require a complex workaround.
If the problem is persistent, try to use the screen with a clean set of hands. Wipe the screen with a piece of spare towel and see if the screen is working. If the scream still does not work, you should take it to an expert who can help you with the problem.
Bluetooth Problems
Bluetooth problems are annoying. This is one of the mainstays of refurbished iPhone 13 issues. This is a problem that a new iPhone user, as well as a refurbished iPhone user, might face.
The best way to deal with this problem is to update your device. This will reset the phone and help you deal with the Bluetooth issue. Otherwise, resetting your Bluetooth settings might also prove fruitful.
WiFi Problems
Connectivity is one of the most dominant issues that many users face. Most of these problems are due to incompatibility and can be fixed by updating. Therefore, you should check your WiFi device first.
However, in some cases, these problems are due to other reasons like mainframe issues or software issues. Hence, you do not have to panic. Factory reset your phone in order to accommodate newer settings.
Facial Identifying Error
iPhone 13 Pro was released at a time when the facial recognition feature was still developing. However, the brand decided to use this new technology in their 15th-generation iPhone series. Therefore, it was common for the system to malfunction. As a result, users complained that the phone did not recognize their facial features.
This is a glitch and not a technical defect. All you need to do is update your camera settings. In some cases, dirt and gunk on the front cam also produce similar effects. Hence, it would be best if you considered cleaning your front camera from time to time.
Overheating Problems
iPhones suffer from rampant overheating problems. This problem persists in old and refurbished iPhones. Hence, do expect your phone to overheat from time to time. This is a common problem that has no fix but has a workaround.
If your phone overheats and the message appears, leave your phone alone for at least 10 minutes. After the phone cools down, check for the applications that were running in the background and were consuming the most battery. If you do not need the application, uninstall it. You will be fine.
The Final Thought
In summation, buying a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro is an excellent economic choice but comes with a cost. The cost is straightforward, but it needs some attention. Therefore, we have decided to educate potential refurbished iPhone buyers about the pitfalls of owning refurbished iPhones.
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