iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 mini: The $599 comparability

Not everybody can afford the most recent iPhones from Apple, particularly with costs approaching or exceeding $1,000. The reality is that most individuals don’t want the most recent fashions and Apple has enticing costs for the older ones. For instance, Apple nonetheless sells the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini, and each telephones begin at $599, which is rather more pleasant to your pockets.
Let’s check out the primary parts of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 and the way they evaluate that will help you resolve which mannequin to purchase.
iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 mini: specs
iPhone 12 | iPhone 13mini | |
---|---|---|
Present | 6.1-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED 2532 × 1170 pixel decision at 460 dpi |
5.4-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED 2340 × 1080 pixel decision at 476 dpi |
Dimensions | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 inches | 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 inches |
Weight | 5.78 ounces | 4.97 ounces |
Colours | Black, Blue, Inexperienced, Product (RED), Purple, White | Blue, Inexperienced, Midnight, Pink, Product (RED), Starlight |
Processor | A14 bionic | A15 bionic |
Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
Rear digicam | Twin 12MP Large: ƒ/1.6 aperture Extremely huge angle: ƒ/2.4 aperture Optical picture stabilization Good HDR 3 for pictures |
Twin 12MP Large: ƒ/1.6 aperture Extremely huge angle: ƒ/2.4 aperture Sensor-Shift Optical Picture Stabilization Good HDR 4 for pictures |
Frontal digicam | 12MP true depth aperture f/2.2 Good HDR 3 for pictures |
12MP true depth aperture f/2.2 cinematic mode for movies Good HDR 4 for pictures |
Video recording | 4K video recording at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps HDR Dolby Imaginative and prescient as much as 30 fps |
4K video recording at 24fps, 30fps, or 60fps HDR Dolby Imaginative and prescient as much as 60 fps cinematic mode |
biometric safety | face identification | face identification |
connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 5G LTE Bluetooth 5.0 Lightning |
Wi-Fi 6 5G LTE Bluetooth 5.0 Lightning |
wi-fi charging | MagSafe, Qi | MagSafe, Qi |
waterproofing | IP68 | IP68 |
SIM card | Twin SIM (nano and eSim) | Twin SIM (nano and eSim) Twin eSIM |
Battery length | 17 hours of video playback | 13 hours of video playback |
Worth | $599/$649/$749 | $599/$699/$899 |
iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: Design and colours
iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini characteristic the identical flat-edge design, however the mini is smaller and lighter. The 2 lenses on the rear digicam bump are vertical on the iPhone 12. On the iPhone 13 mini, they’re diagonal.
Coloration presents are totally different. Even three colours which have the identical title on each fashions (blue, inexperienced, and Product (RED)) are totally different shades.
Each the iPhone 12 (left) and the iPhone 13 mini can be found in 6 colours.
Apple
Our selection: The design variations aren’t many to affect someway. Lens placement isn’t a difficulty, the additional weight on the iPhone 12 isn’t sufficient to sway a choice. It’s actually a matter of measurement and which shade you favor – the colour palettes for every telephone are totally different. However in the event you put a case on the iPhone, you could not care in regards to the shade of the telephone.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 mini: Show
Each the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini have a Tremendous Retina XDR show, a 2,000,000:1 distinction ratio, True Tone, and P3 shade assist. One distinction is that the iPhone 13 mini is 28 % brighter, with a typical peak brightness of 800 nits, whereas the iPhone 12 is rated at 625 nits. Each telephones have a most HDR brightness of 1200 nits.
Our opinion: When you typically end up in a scenario the place you have got issue seeing the display screen in a brightly lit surroundings, think about the iPhone 13. Though it’s smaller than the iPhone 12, its brighter show will make it simpler to see in these conditions. , however the iPhone 12’s display screen continues to be greater than ample for on a regular basis use.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 mini: Cameras
That is the place the iPhone 13 has some variations that would affect your determination. Customers who take their pictures and movies very significantly could be swayed by the brand new digicam options.
The explanation the iPhone 13 mini rear digicam lenses at the moment are diagonal is so Apple can set up a sensor-shift optical picture stabilization system. It improves upon the usual optical picture stabilization discovered within the iPhone 12. The primary rear digicam specs on the 2 telephones are the identical: 12 MP huge (ƒ/1.6 aperture) and ultra-wide (ƒ/2.4 aperture). , however the primary digicam has a bigger sensor for higher low-light efficiency. The entrance cameras have the identical specs (12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture), however the selfie digicam on the iPhone 13 mini helps newer options than the 12.
iPhone 13 mini now options what Apple calls Photograph Kinds, which may change shade tones with out affecting pores and skin tones. You possibly can apply a mode known as Wealthy Distinction, and the shadows in a photograph darken and the colours deepen. The Vibrant model makes pictures brighter, whereas the Heat model enhances gold tones, and the Cool model emphasizes blue colours.
A key new video characteristic is cinematic mode, which creates a shallow depth of area – the topic stays in focus whereas the background is blurred. You possibly can change the main focus from one particular person to a different and you may even edit the impact on the iPhone to regulate the blur or change the main focus. Cinematic mode runs at 1080p at 30 fps.
Apple
Our selection: For customers who make cameras the highest precedence, the iPhone 13 mini is the way in which to go. The cameras are higher and the brand new options are nice for content material creators who need to do extra with their pictures and movies. Nonetheless, in case your use case is extra about snapshots and brief video clips, you’ll discover an ideal digicam on the iPhone 12.
iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13 mini: battery life
For the reason that iPhone 13 mini is smaller than the iPhone 12, it has a smaller battery. In keeping with info offered by Apple to Chemtrec, the iPhone 13 mini battery is listed with a capability of 9.34 watt hours, in comparison with 10.78 Wh for the iPhone 12, a rise of 15 %. Nonetheless, Apple’s specs state that each the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini supply 17 hours of video playback. However the iPhone 13 mini is rated at 13 hours for video streaming, which is 2 hours greater than the iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 presents 65 hours of audio playback (10 extra hours). In our assessments, the iPhone 12 lasted about eight and a half hours, about two hours longer than the iPhone 13 mini.
Each iPhones assist MagSafe and Qi wi-fi charging. When you use a 20W or increased charger, each telephones can add as much as 50 % cost in half-hour.
Our selection: Both telephone is sort of able to getting you thru a day and extra. When you ceaselessly use your telephone as a instrument for work or private tasks, the iPhone 12’s bigger battery is extra reassuring.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 mini: Processor
Apple did one thing attention-grabbing when it talked in regards to the processor within the iPhone 13 mini: it in contrast the efficiency of the brand new A15 Bionic to “the competitors” as an alternative of the A14 Bionic within the iPhone 12. That’s most likely as a result of it could actually amplify claims towards the competitors, whereas that comparisons with the A14 Bionic might not be that significant from Apple’s perspective. We’ve run our personal assessments of the A15 chip within the iPhone 13 and it exhibits a modest 11 % enhance over the A14 Bionic within the iPhone 12.
The A15 Bionic, just like the A14 Bionic it replaces, has 6 CPU cores (2 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores), a 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. That’s one much less GPU core than on the iPhone 13 Professional, but it surely shouldn’t make a lot of a distinction in something aside from high-end video games and apps.

The iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic presents a pleasant enhance over its predecessor, however you won’t discover the distinction if you have already got an iPhone 12.
Apple
Our selection: Whereas the geeks amongst us criticize CPU efficiency, the reality is that for a number of generations, the iPhone has been greater than quick sufficient to deal with on a regular basis use: accessing social networks, utilizing the digicam, net looking, messaging instantaneous, video calls. , and extra. The iPhone 12 is sort of quick for these duties, in addition to heavier duties like processing video and enhancing video games.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 mini: Storage
That is the place the value variations stand out. Each telephones begin at $599, however at this value the iPhone 12 has 64GB of storage, whereas the iPhone 13 mini has 128GB. A 128GB iPhone 12 prices $649, $50 greater than the 128GB iPhone 13 mini. Each fashions can be found with 256GB, however the iPhone 12 prices $749, which is $50 greater than the $699, 256GB iPhone 13 mini. The iPhone 12 shouldn’t be out there with 512GB, whereas the iPhone 13 mini has a 512GB model for $899.
Our selection: When you think about simply the storage, the costs of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini appear unusual. We don’t suggest getting a 64GB telephone – that’s not sufficient storage for most individuals, particularly in the event you plan on taking quite a lot of pictures and movies. The 128GB and 256GB iPhone mini are higher offers than the 128GB and 256GB iPhone 12.
However the bodily measurement of the telephone performs an element right here. When you want the big measurement of the iPhone 12, be ready to pay slightly extra.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 mini: Conclusion
With iPhone 13 mini, you get a couple of extra options than iPhone 12: extra digicam choices, a quicker processor, and a lower cost per gigabyte of storage. And it’s in a smaller bundle, which is the important thing distinction between the 2. However the iPhone 12 continues to be an ideal telephone, and in case your use case is extra fundamental, it’s the higher selection. Your A14 Bionic is fairly quick, so don’t fear if it’s outdated, and in the event you’re upgrading from a a lot older iPhone, you’ll nonetheless get a major leap in efficiency.