Compact Apple smartphones seem to be over: there was no iPhone 14 mini. But before the predecessors get too old, now might be a good time to buy one.

The iPhone 12 mini vs. the iPhone 13 mini // Source: Frandroid

When the iPhone 14 appeared, our fears were confirmed: there was no iPhone 14 mini. Although Apple’s compact smartphones were a huge success, it wasn’t a commercial success. This caused the company to quit after only two iterations. However, the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini are very good in several respects and this could be the last time you buy them. To make your choice easier, we’ve compared them.

The two models compared were tested on Frandroid:

Why now is a good (and last) time to buy an iPhone mini

Officially, only the iPhone 13 mini is still available in the Apple Store. Everything indicates that it will disappear in a few months, in September, during the presentation of the iPhone 15. In addition, there should also be no iPhone 15 mini: compact smartphones from Apple, that’s the end of it (at least for the time being).

In fact, you can still buy the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini. Although they were launched almost two or three years ago, they are still good deals, especially in refurbished condition.

Credit: FRANDROID / Anthony WONNER

First off, these are Apple’s latest compact models. They feature a 5.4-inch panel, smaller than the 6.1-inch of the iPhone 14, for example. Among the rumors surrounding the iPhone 15, none mention the return of the mini version to the range. If you want to enjoy a compact iPhone for a few more years, maybe now is the right time.

Especially since buying iPhones from a few years ago doesn’t necessarily equate to self-harm. Apple is known for its software succession, both in terms of updates and security patches. iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini will be compatible with iOS 17 when it launches in a few months. As far as iOS updates go, they still have a good few years to go, somewhere between four and five.

Our video tests

The iPhone 12 mini review

YouTube link Subscribe to Frandroid

The iPhone 13 mini review

YouTube link Subscribe to Frandroid

Technical data sheets for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini

design

The format of the two Apple smartphones is very similar, but there are some differences. First, the iPhone 13 mini is slightly thicker than its smaller brother: 7.65mm versus 7.4mm. In both cases it’s quite thin, and that more imposing thickness is justified by a slightly larger battery. This is also reflected in the weight, with a difference of 6 grams (140 grams on the 13 versus 134 on the 12): it’s very light anyway.

Source: Frandroid – Brandon Lopes

For the rest, they are visually the same and their small screen allows these devices to be operated with one hand up to the top of the screen. Finally, these two smartphones have an attractive design and excellent workmanship.

Screen

These two models offer a 5.4 inch OLED screen in 18:9 format with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels and therefore a resolution of 476 DPI. If the screen is small, its resolution is very good, making it easy to read what is written on it. These two models only offer a refresh rate of 60 Hz, where the competition has long performed significantly better.

The iPhone 13 mini running iOS 15 // Source: FRANDROID

Still, there’s one notable difference between the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini: brightness. The first only achieves 604 cd/m², while the second manages 800 cd/m². In both cases, these are very good and well-calibrated screens.

Software: The iPhone 13 mini logically in front

There is nothing to say about iOS: the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini have the same interface, the same software functions. iOS has been around for years and is one of the reasons Apple sells so many iPhones.

On the software side, however, the iPhone 13 mini has an advantage: it was released a year later. Logically, it will benefit from updates and security patches for at least another year.

Performance

In terms of sheer performance, it’s obviously the iPhone 13 mini that comes out on top. The simple explanation is that it packs a newer chip (and therefore more power): the A15 Bionic, while the iPhone 12 mini is happy with the A14 Bionic. On the RAM side, both models have the same capacity, namely 4 GB.

Storage can be a problem here: the iPhone 12 mini starts with 64 GB of storage, while its big brother has at least 128 GB. If you opt for the 12 Mini, prefer 128GB minimum storage instead, it will be less restrictive. If you can get 256GB on any of these models, that’s even better.

photo

In the photo they are the same, with these photo sensors:

• A 12 Mpx wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/1.6, supported by mechanical stabilization;
• A 12MP ultra wide-angle lens (x 0.5) with an aperture of f/2.4 and a 120° field of view;
• Front: 12 MP TrueDepth camera with f/2.2 aperture.

Source: Frandroid / Arnaud Gelineau

The difference is not so much on the technical sheet side, but rather on the side of the software used to process photos and videos. The extra power of the iPhone 13 mini includes, for example, better night photo processing, a cinematic mode for videos (which blurs the background in real time) and photography styles (tone presets and temperature).

So yes, the iPhone 13 mini is better than the iPhone 12 mini in photos and it makes perfect sense.

battery

Autonomy is perhaps one of the unique downsides of the mini versions of the iPhone compared to their big brothers. Anyone who says compact size means a smaller battery, and you notice that when you use it.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini // Source: Arnaud Gelineau for Frandroid

The iPhone 12 mini offers a day of autonomy for mixed use (social networks, news, navigation, video, video games, etc.). The iPhone 13 mini is a bit more enduring, especially on intense days. You can even increase the autonomy up to a day and a half before the battery runs out. After that it has to be recharged.

refill

When it comes to charging performance, Apple isn’t exactly known for its outstanding performance. 20W on both the 12 mini and 13 mini, that pales in comparison to the competition. After 30 minutes of charging the iPhone 12 mini, 60% of the battery is restored. For the 13 Mini, a full charge takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Source: Frandroid – Brandon Lopes

We’re also entitled to wireless charging with the MagSafe protocol, a magnetic charger that attaches to the back of the smartphone. With a Qi wireless charger we can get a maximum charging power of about 15W and a limit of 7.5W.

network and communication

These two smartphones are 5G compatible, no problem on that point. Each has a NanoSIM connector and supports eSIM (dematerialized SIM card). On this point there is a difference between the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini: the second can use two eSIM cards at the same time (but disabling the physical SIM), while the first can only be satisfied with one SIM and one eSIM. Note that you can store up to eight eSIM cards on an iPhone.

Source: Frandroid – Brandon Lopes

When it comes to signal reception, both are very good. As for the rest of the connectivity, we are entitled to Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Ultra Wideband and GPS (GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou) on both models.

iPhone 12 mini vs. iPhone 13 mini: Which to choose?

There is no real correspondence between the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini and it makes perfect sense: there is a generation difference. The only significant advantage of the iPhone 13 mini is its autonomy: thanks to a larger battery, its endurance is improved. A great advantage of a mini model since its autonomy is limited by its size.

Source: Frandroid / Arnaud Gelineau

The price difference remains. If you take the 128 GB version for both models, the iPhone 13 mini is sold on the Apple site for 809 euros. The iPhone 12 mini (with 128 GB) no longer appears in the official catalogue. In addition, it does not appear to be for sale new: you have to be content with refurbished models. If we accept this concession, it is possible to find it between 400 and 475 euros. A refurbished iPhone 13 mini can be found for 500 to 600 euros. If you want to buy it directly on the Apple site, it is significantly more expensive: 689 euros. It’s not for nothing that the refurbished market is almost exclusively made up of iPhones: their operating system is updated and they’re well designed.

With all these prices, the decision is quite easy. If you don’t want a refurbished model under any circumstances, you have no choice but to use an iPhone 13 mini. If buying a refurbished device doesn’t scare you, it depends on your budget: if it’s very tight and you don’t use your smartphone intensively, the iPhone 12 mini might be for you. However, if you use it frequently and can afford to break the bank, a refurbished iPhone 13 mini seems like the right balance of a newer (and better) model and a great price.

Source: Frandroid / Arnaud Gelineau

Last element to consider: temporality. If you are interested in the new iPhone 13 mini, you should get it before the iPhone 15 is scheduled to be released in mid/late September. After its release, the iPhone 13 is likely to disappear from Apple’s catalog and it will become increasingly difficult to find it. You can wait until after the iPhone 15 to buy a refurbished iPhone mini: in general, the prices of previous generations go down after the release of a new model.

Would you like to join a community of enthusiasts? Our Discord welcomes you, it’s a place of mutual help and passion for technology.