iPhone 12 Mini Long Term Review: A Fantastic Small iPhone

The tiniest iPhone I own has been my constant companion for almost a year now and I’ve grown to love it. Ever since the iPhone XS Max, iPhones have gotten bigger. Apple unveiled its tallest flagship ever last year, iPhone 12 Pro Max. But I went for the tiniest one in the lineup, iPhone 12 mini.

Whenever someone asks me, why did I do that, I don’t answer, I simply hand them my iPhone and say, “Well, see what you think!”

iPhone 12 mini is undoubtedly not everyone’s cup of tea since most people prefer to watch videos, play games, and scroll social media on a large screen. But mini is certainly for minimalists like me, whose daily screen time rarely exceeds five hours.

Another significant reason the 5.4-screen is not preferred as much as the iPhone 12 and Pro models is the compromise in the battery. A smaller screen means a smaller battery pack. And that’s where the iPhone 12 mini falls short among lovers of small phones.

However, it isn’t too bad for those who adore small phones!! You got the iPhone you always dreamt of, and finally, it was there!!

Putting my fanboy pride aside, I’m sharing an honest account of owning and using this pocket-friendly device over the long haul. Keep tuned!

iPhone 12 mini Design & Display Review: Impressive

Apple’s iconic iPhone 4 design made its way back to the iPhone 12 lineup, making it a popular pick. With regards to its design, it brings up a sense of nostalgia if you owned an iPhone 4 in the past. Otherwise, the camera design is identical to its previous year iPhone 11. The design is flat-edged, matte aluminium with a mostly glossy back and non-curved display. Taking hold of it, you can feel that the new design is more grippy than the iPhone 11, which may help prevent accidental falls.

The iPhone 12 mini feels even smaller and lighter in size when held next to iPhone SE 2020 from the same year, even though the latter has a 4.7-inch display.

The device is easy to reach from every corner of the screen with one hand. Because of this, using the iPhone 12 mini is effortless, fun, and productive.

The tiniest flagship in the iPhone 12 lineup packs a powerful 5.4 inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. A scratch-resistant ceramic glass encases the super bright HDR10 screen. The OLED display appears richer and pictures look more vibrant than the IPS LCD display from the previous year.

Of course, the screen has an unappealing notch at the top. And it stings even more while watching videos that you already own a smaller phone, only for the notch to be the same as the regular iPhone. A flaw like that could deter some from owning this device, but I guess if you use it on a daily basis, you’ll get used to it.

As much as I’d like iPhone 12 mini to have a high refresh rate, it lacks that feature compared to its Android rivals. OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi all offer 90Hz and 120Hz screens for mid-range & flagship smartphones. Given the price range at which the iPhone 12 is currently sold, it is a must-have feature.

Source: trustedreviews.com

iPhone 12 mini Battery & Charging Review: Average

The battery is believed to be one of the major factors why the iPhone 12 mini has been deemed a failure in 2020. The battery is 2227 mAh, which doesn’t last as long as you’d like.

After 2 hours of watching videos, listening to music for an hour, and browsing social media and the web later, I had 11% battery left at the end of the day. I tested the battery by watching YouTube for three hours straight and clicking pictures for an hour, the battery drained significantly by 60%. Other factors, such as high brightness all day, will wear down the battery faster than usual.

If you are a bulky media consumer and planning to get this tiny iPhone, you can get a feel for what it will be like. In the end, it comes down to making sure your battery stays optimal with your usage.

Apple no longer ships power adapters and EarPods with the iPhone 12 lineup. MagSafe has been introduced as a replacement for wireless charging. The system is integrated into the back of the iPhone and is capable of connecting to a wireless charger and other magnetic attachments, such as cases, leather wallets, sleeves, etc.

iPhone 12 mini and its siblings charge in the same way when it comes to wireless charging. A noticeable difference is in the power speed. The iPhone 12 mini charges at a speed of 12W using a wireless charger compared to a 15W fast charging for the others in the series. It takes almost half an hour for iPhone 12 mini to reach 50% when used with a 20W adapter. Using a MagSafe charger, it charges at a snail’s pace, only 30% in the same amount of time.

Also, the 20W adapter is what you need to purchase separately.

Source: XDA Developers

iPhone 12 mini Camera Review: Outstanding

The camera is one of the key reasons why I own an iPhone. Despite Google Pixel and Huawei being considered the finest camera smartphones out there, iPhone’s camera is undisputedly the best.

iPhone 12 mini packs a dual-camera setup on the back, a 12 MP 26mm f/1.6 wide lens and a 12 MP f/2.4, 13mm ultrawide lens. The selfie camera on the front is HDR 12 MP with an f/2.2 aperture.

As for the camera setup, it is not different from the big brother iPhone 12.

On the other hand, the iPhone 11’s main camera has an f/1.8 aperture. A wider aperture on iPhone 12 mini means better photos in low-light conditions. Night Mode is now available on Apple’s iPhone 12 series on all the cameras, wide-angle, ultra-wide, and rear cameras. The new camera has more light-capturing capabilities than its predecessor in addition to Night Mode, Deep Fusion, and improved HDR.

I’ve tested iPhone 12 mini camera in daylight and low-light conditions. I’m quite pleased with the results. As there is hardly a difference you can notice in the daylight pictures of iPhone 12 Mini and last year’s iPhone 11, photos in Night Mode have significantly improved!

Photos clicked by me.

When it comes to video recording, iPhone 12 Mini can record 4K videos with @60fps. The videos come sharper, brighter with an enhanced dynamic range and true colours. Due to the cinematic video stabilization, the videos are extremely stable.

iPhone 12 mini Performance Review: Top-notch

There is no doubt that performance on the iPhone 12 series is top-notch, whether you get the Max or Mini. All credit goes to the A14 Bionic, also integrated into the iPad Air 4th generation. The smaller iPhone certainly benefits from the fast processor as well.

With the iPhone 12 mini, I’ve never encountered lag, whether I’m playing Call of Duty, recording a 4K video, or scrolling through Instagram or Snapchat. Even 4K HDR videos run smoothly. While playing games for two hours straight, my device never heated up.

I own a base variant when it comes to storage. I like the way storage is managed since I’m not used to clogging up my App Library with unnecessary apps or games. Otherwise, the 128GB or 256GB variant is the best option for you.

A rare example of a small smartphone that provides such high performance, the iPhone 12 mini is an honour to own.

iPhone 12 mini Software Upgrade from iOS 14 to iOS 15: Seamless

iOS 14 made significant changes to the home screen, making it a groundbreaking update in the history of iOS. App Library, Redesigned widgets and App Clips. The long-awaited compact design for calls and Siri. With iOS 14, the iPhone user experience improved significantly.

iPhone 12 mini came with iOS 14.1 installed. To date, the user experience has been seamless from iOS 14.1 to iOS 15.2. Throughout this period, several software updates were released which improved bug fixes and added new features to the ecosystem apps.

I have been enjoying iOS 14’s widgets the most since I can now add or move them to my Home Screen.

Had it been with iOS 13 or any other previous iOS version, I don’t think I’d have enjoyed iPhone 12 mini as much as I did with iOS 14.

Image Source: trustedreviews.com

Verdict

While massive-sized smartphones get all the attention, small smartphones have their own fan base. In addition to its admirers, the iPhone 12 mini appeals to people who don’t want to spend extra bucks for the regular iPhone 12.

The device appears to be small and compact, as well as easy to use on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are downsides as well. Limited battery life, bigger notch and slower MagSafe charging capacity. If you think you aren’t a heavy gamer, social media guzzler or smartphone addict, you may overlook the downsides.

Likewise, if budget isn’t a concern for you, iPhone 13 Mini can prove the perfect miniature smartphone with its larger battery and narrower notch.

Nonetheless, the 2020’s mini could prove a deal-breaker too as pros outperform cons.

iPhone 12 Mini Pros

• A14 Bionic, Powerful Performance
• Outstanding Cameras
• OLED Super Retina XDR Display
• 5G Capability (Future Benefit)
• Iconic Design with Ceramic Glass Protection

iPhone 12 Mini Cons

• Average Battery Life
• Wider Notch
• Slow MagSafe Charging Capacity

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