Apple released four new iPhone models this fall, but just one is no doubt worth upgrading to.
Despite being the smallest flagship iPhone since the iPhone 5, the iPhone 12 Mini is a scene stealing device and one of the best handsets Apple has ever produced.
It’s a welcome change from the years of “bigger is better” maximism that Apple has leaned towards, leaving customers like me wistful for the days of yore, when smaller handsets were the talk of the town.
Having owned an iPhone 4, 6, 8, XS, and 11 Pro for years, this reporter can confidently call the iPhone 12 Mini my favorite. It has a few downsides, but overall the Mini is head and shoulders above the rest.
While smaller phones normally have worse features than their larger counterparts, the iPhone 12 Mini is virtually identical to the iPhone 12 in every way. It features the same premium cameras, the same OLED screen, the same materials and the same construction. and the same 5G antennas. In fact, it has the same advanced processors as the 12 and 12 Pro models, making it just as fast and responsive as any iPhone you can buy.
The only noticeable difference is the size, with the Mini having a 5.4-inch screen compared to the huge 6.1-inch screen on the 12. By swapping my iPhone 11 Pro for the mini, I got something right away. crystallized that I long suspected: my previous two phones were too big. It’s not just the ability to reach all four corners of the screen without having to adjust my grip, that’s a plus, the 135 grams Mini is 30 percent lighter than the comparably hefty 188 grams 11 Pro.
No one would ever accuse a larger iPhone of being heavy, but after more than a month of using the Mini, I noticed the slight, gnawing discomfort in my hands and wrists – which I had long attributed to a Twitter addiction and texting habit – disappeared.
Pocketability has also been drastically improved, and it’s nice to be able to slide my phone into my front pocket without creating a huge bulge or seeing it sticking out from the top. Likewise, it feels safer to hold my phone with one hand for photos and texting than it has in years.
However, there are a few size tradeoffs. Although it is more pleasant to hold and use, the Mini is undoubtedly less beautiful to look at photos. The smaller screen can feel cramped at times, especially for those who have become used to larger phones. I found myself using the phone less to look at photos and videos, opting to do so on my computer instead.
The Mini’s battery life is nothing to write home about, as putting the same components, chips, and antennas in the smaller case required Apple to reduce the size of the battery. Although it’s brand new, the Mini’s battery lasts noticeably less than even my year-old iPhone 11 Pro. Where my old iPhone would carry me through to 20 or 21 hours without giving me a low battery warning, the Mini gets me up to 18 hours or so.
It’s not a deal breaker by any means, and tweaks like keeping dark mode on can increase battery life, but it’s something to be aware of for power users running intensive apps on their phones all day long.
5G, which Apple brags about incessantly, is nowhere near widespread enough to play a role in decision-making for someone on the fence about a new phone. Aside from the form factor change, the phone isn’t noticeably faster than its predecessor, even when it says it’s on a super-fast network.
At $ 729, the Mini isn’t cheap, but it feels like a steal next to the $ 829 iPhone 12 and the $ 999 iPhone 12 Pro. Reducing my monthly payments while reducing wrist discomfort is a welcome development after getting used to larger and more expensive Apple products.
With the iPhone 12, Apple has expanded an olive branch to users with smaller hands, smaller pockets, or those who just don’t want a giant smartphone. Hopefully the Mini form factor will stay here.