Alright, let's dive into a head-to-head comparison of the Apple iPhone 13 and the Honor 90. We're going to cut through the marketing buzz and get down to the nuts and bolts of what these phones offer in the real world.
1. Specifications Breakdown
Here's a detailed look at the key specs, focusing on their practical implications:
| Feature | Apple iPhone 13 | Honor 90 | Real-World Implications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 146.7 × 71.5 × 7.7 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | The Honor 90 is noticeably taller and slightly wider, which translates to a larger feel in hand. The iPhone 13 is more compact. |
| Weight | 174g | 183g | The iPhone 13 is slightly lighter, which could be preferable during extended use. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.1" | 6.7" | The Honor 90 provides a more immersive viewing experience with its larger display, ideal for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1170x2532 | 1200x2664 | The Honor 90 offers slightly sharper text and images due to its higher resolution, though the difference is not huge. |
| PPI | 460 | 435 | The iPhone 13 has a slightly higher pixel density, resulting in slightly sharper visuals, though both displays are crisp. |
| Technology | OLED | AMOLED | Both offer excellent contrast and vibrant colors, with AMOLED being slightly more advanced, but very similar in day to day use. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | The Honor 90 offers smoother scrolling and animations, which feels more fluid and responsive in daily use. |
| Brightness | 1200 nits | 1600 nits | The Honor 90 has a significantly brighter display, making it much easier to use outdoors, especially in direct sunlight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) | The A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 is more powerful, handling demanding tasks, like gaming, much more efficiently. |
| AnTuTu Score | 1,256,049 | 701,227 | The iPhone 13 significantly outperforms the Honor 90 in benchmark scores, indicating faster app loading and smoother multitasking. |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 644 | Apple's GPU offers better graphics performance, making it superior for gaming and graphics-intensive applications. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera | 12MP, f/1.6 | 200MP, f/1.9 | The Honor 90 boasts a much higher resolution, potentially capturing more detail in well-lit conditions. The iPhone 13 has a wider aperture that is better for low light. |
| Selfie Camera | 12MP, f/2.2 | 50MP, f/2.4 | The Honor 90’s selfie camera has a much higher resolution. The iPhone 13, with a wider aperture may be better in low light. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 12MP, f/2.4 | No | iPhone 13 has a dedicated wide angle lens, which is useful in many situations. Honor 90 does have a combined Wide Angle + Macro lens. |
| Portrait Mode (Depth) | No | 2MP, f/2.4 | Honor 90 has a dedicated depth sensor which provides better bokeh effects for portraits. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | No | 12MP, f/2.2 | Honor 90 has a wide-angle and macro capabilities with a single lens, great for close ups and wider shots. |
| Video | Up to 4K@60fps | Up to 4K@30fps | Both shoot 4K video, but iPhone offers better frame rates. Honor 90 only has digital stabilization, where the iPhone offers optical and digital stabilization. |
| DXOMark | N/A | 122 (Overall) | The Honor 90's camera scores well on DXOMark, indicating solid photo and video quality. The iPhone 13 does not have an official score. |
| Battery Life | |||
| Capacity | 3240mAh | 5000mAh | The Honor 90 has a much larger battery capacity, suggesting significantly longer battery life, depending on usage. |
| Charging | 20W Fast Charging | 66W Fast Charging | The Honor 90 charges much faster, reducing downtime and keeping you on the move. |
| Wireless Charging | 15W MagSafe & 7.5W Qi | No | The iPhone 13 offers convenient wireless charging options, especially with MagSafe technology. |
| Software | |||
| Operating System | iOS 15 (upgradable to 18) | Android 13 | The iPhone uses iOS, which is a consistent and closed ecosystem. The Honor 90 uses Android, which is more open and customizable. |
| Connectivity | |||
| WiFi | WiFi 6 | WiFi 6 | Both phones offer similar, modern WiFi standards |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | Honor 90 has a slightly newer and better Bluetooth, with better codec support. |
| GPS | Yes with GLONASS, QZSS, Galileo | Yes with GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | Similar GPS functionality, but Honor 90 supports Beidou, and iPhone supports QZSS |
| SIM | Dual SIM, eSIM supported | Dual SIM, no eSIM | iPhone supports eSIM in addition to nano SIM |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 128/256/512 GB | 256/512GB | Both phones come in 256 or 512GB, but the iPhone has a lower 128GB model. |
| RAM | 4GB | 8/12/16GB | The Honor 90 provides substantially more RAM, allowing better multitasking and better app performance. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone allows for expandable storage, so choose your model's internal storage carefully. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, Stereo speakers | Noise cancellation microphone | iPhone 13 offers better audio, with more spatial sound and clearer voice capture. |
| Security | |||
| Features | Face ID | Fingerprint sensor | The iPhone 13 uses Face ID, whereas the Honor 90 uses a fingerprint sensor. |
| Sensors | Proximity, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass | iPhone has more environmental sensors, while the Honor has more biometric. |
| ### 2. Key Insights |
- Apple iPhone 13:
- Strengths: Superior performance with the A15 Bionic chip, a more compact design, advanced video stabilization, convenient MagSafe wireless charging, and a polished iOS ecosystem.
- Competitive Advantages: It excels in gaming, app performance, and video recording quality and is backed by the stability of the iOS ecosystem.
- Trade-offs: It has a smaller display, lower refresh rate, less battery capacity, slower charging, and less RAM.
- Honor 90:
- Strengths: Larger, brighter display with a 120Hz refresh rate, significantly larger battery, much faster charging, higher resolution camera sensors, and more RAM.
- Competitive Advantages: It offers a more immersive display experience, much better battery life, and faster charging times.
- Trade-offs: Lower benchmark scores, less optimized video stabilization, and lacks an official wide-angle lens (but makes up for it with the ultrawide and macro).
3. User Profiles and Recommendations
- iPhone 13:
- Best For: Users who prioritize performance, video quality, and integration within the Apple ecosystem.
- Use Cases: Gamers, content creators focused on video, those who need a powerful and reliable daily driver, Apple loyalists.
- Honor 90:
- Best For: Users who prioritize a large display, long battery life, fast charging, and good camera capabilities for everyday use.
- Use Cases: Media consumers, social media users, photography enthusiasts who like versatility, and those who value longer usage times between charges.
4. Buying Decision Framework
Here are three questions to help guide your decision:
How much do you prioritize performance and gaming capabilities?
- If performance and gaming are your primary concerns, the iPhone 13 is the better choice.
How important is screen size, battery life, and charging speed to you?
- If you prioritize a large, smooth display, long battery life, and fast charging, then the Honor 90 is the better choice.
Are you committed to a particular software ecosystem?
- If you prefer the iOS ecosystem and its seamless integration, go with the iPhone 13. If you are more open to Android and its customizability, consider the Honor 90.
My Choice
If I had to choose between these two, I would personally go with the Apple iPhone 13. While the Honor 90 certainly has some compelling features, especially with its larger screen, faster charging, and excellent battery life, my priority tends to be on raw performance and video quality. The iPhone 13's A15 Bionic chip is a beast, handling any task you throw at it with ease. The video quality from the iPhone is incredibly reliable and something I need in my day to day, and the Apple ecosystem is also something I prefer. Although, the significantly better battery life of the Honor 90 is definitely a tempting counterpoint. Ultimately, the slightly smaller display doesn't bother me too much since I do most of my viewing on larger screens.
That said, both of these are great devices and it truly depends on what you value most in a smartphone. The Honor 90 is a fantastic option, and for some users, it would be a far better pick.
