iPhone 13 vs iPhone SE (3rd gen)

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen)

Lifespan decides this one: the iPhone SE (3rd gen) is supported until Mar 2029 at $3.02 per month of safe use, while the iPhone 13 runs out in Sep 2028 ($9.09/month). On a which-lasts-longer question, that's not a tie — it's the whole answer.

Value Score: iPhone 13 60 · iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone 13 $249

Buy with care$9.09/mo

2021◆ Buy-by Sep 20262028

Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) $100

Buy with care$3.02/mo

2022◆ Buy-by Mar 20272029

Category by category

Display

iPhone 13 50iPhone SE (3rd gen) 50

Both displays are effectively the same class.

Performance

iPhone 13 74iPhone SE (3rd gen) 74

Performance is a wash — same chip tier.

Camera

iPhone 13 52iPhone SE (3rd gen) 40

The iPhone 13 has the stronger camera system (2 real rear lenses vs 1).

Battery

iPhone 13 45iPhone SE (3rd gen) 20

3,240mAh vs 2,018mAh — the iPhone 13 lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 13 33iPhone SE (3rd gen) 39

The iPhone SE (3rd gen) is supported until Mar 2029 — 6 months longer than the iPhone 13.

Value

iPhone 13 60iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56

Overall value goes to the iPhone 13 at $9.09 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 13	iPhone SE (3rd gen)
Price (street)	$249	$100
Display	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz	4.7-inch Retina HD LCD, 60Hz
Chipset	Apple A15 Bionic	Apple A15 Bionic
RAM	4GB	4GB
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB	64GB/128GB/256GB
Battery	3,240 mAh	2,018 mAh
Charging	20W wired (50% in ~30 min), MagSafe 15W wireless	20W wired, Qi wireless 7.5W
Rear cameras	12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide	12MP main
Dimensions	146.7 × 71.5 × 7.65 mm	138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm
Weight	174 g	144 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP67
Supported until	Sep 2028	Mar 2029

iPhone 13 full verdict →iPhone SE (3rd gen) full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.