The iPhone 13 lineup has a new color in time for spring… or St. Patrick’s Day really, if you think about it. Either way, the fresh finish is available as of this writing for anyone interested in buying one of the best phones in green. And we have one of your first hands-on looks.
Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro now come in green hues, though the colors come off considerably different given the material differences between Pro and non-Pro iPhones. Alpine Green on the iPhone 13 Pro is a muted matte shade that skews dark in person, while simply “green” on the iPhone 13 is still a forest green but benefits from a vibrant sheen and color-matched edges.
Before the latest Apple event, I wondered if the company’s designers would look to Pantone’s 2022 color of the year for guidance amid speculation a new iPhone 13 color was coming. Except for said color, “Very Peri,” is a candy-like purple that’s almost a true match for the iPhone 12 option added last spring. A repeat seemed unlikely and sure enough, rumors of a green iPhone 13 proved true.
But unlike the limited launch of the purple iPhone 12, the new color extends across the entire iPhone 13 series to introduce a second signature option for the Pro models. I thought I loved the textured Sierra Blue glass back on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but there’s something so stunningly subtle about the way Alpine Green reflects in sunlight.
It reminds me of the green Apple Watch 7, which doesn’t come off four-leaf clover green but a similarly dark shade that could be mistaken for black or dark gray. It’s sophisticated without being boring, and versatile but not too safe. Every time I’ve seen someone sporting a green Apple Watch 7 in the wild, they’ve earned my trust in their fashion sense. (If you know me, that’s saying a lot.)
The green of the regular iPhone 13 isn’t quite as cosmopolitan, but it’s still tasteful. There’s no misinterpreting it for anything but, well, green, and that’s great for green-lovers. Of course it also means you’ll want to pick up one of the best iPhone 13 cases with a clear or mostly-transparent appearance. Unless you spend a lot of time near foliage — knowing me I’d lose the phone due to camouflage. Unfortunately it’s happened with a white iPhone in the beach sands before, but I digress.
Take a closer look at the green iPhones on video, courtesy of our TikTok account. (Be sure to follow Tom’s Guide on TikTok for hands-on reviews and behind-the-scenes footage.)
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Compared to the announcements of the iPhone SE (2022), iPad Air 5 and even the fancy Mac Studio setup, this iPhone 13 color perhaps isn’t very exciting. The iPhone 13 has had about six months to marinate in the market, whereas Apple just debuted some all-new devices.
That said, if you’re planning to buy an iPhone soon, I imagine it’ll be nice to have another option among all the iPhone 13 colors on the display table. Just be sure to check that you’re getting on the best iPhone 13 deals first.
