Apple unveiled four new iPhone models this fall, but it’s definitely worth upgrading.
Despite being the smallest flagship iPhone since the iPhone 5, the iPhone 12 Mini is a leading device and one of the best devices Apple has ever manufactured.
This is a welcome respite for the years of ‘bigger is better’ maximalism in which Apple leaned, which left customers like me sad for the days of earlier when smaller devices were the talk of the town.
Having owned an iPhone 4, 6, 8, XS and 11 Pro over the years, this reporter can confidently call the iPhone 12 Mini my favorite. It has some drawbacks, but overall, the Mini stands out head and shoulders above the rest.
Although smaller phones usually have worse features than their larger counterparts, the iPhone 12 Mini is virtually identical to the iPhone 12 in all respects. It has the same top cameras, the same OLED screen, the same materials and build. and the same 5G antennas. It even has the same leading processors as the 12 and 12 Pro models, making it as fast and responsive as any iPhone you can buy.
The only noticeable difference is the size, with the Mini featuring a 5.4-inch display compared to the large 6.1-inch display of the 12. The exchange of my iPhone 11 Pro for the mini immediately crystallized something that I have long suspected: my last two phones were too big. Not only is it capable of reaching all four corners of the screen without adjusting my grip, but the 135 gram Mini is 30 percent lighter than the comparable sturdy 188 gram 11 Pro.
No one will ever accuse a larger iPhone of being heavy, but after more than a month of using the Mini, I found the slight, niggle discomfort in my hands and wrists – which I have long attributed to ‘ A Twitter addiction and texting habit – disappears. .
The pocketability is also dramatically improved, and it’s nice to be able to slide my phone into my pocket without creating a huge bump or seeing it protrude above. Similarly, I feel my phone stuck with one hand for photos and text messages, then it is safer than in years.
However, there are some trade-offs for the size. Although it is more comfortable to hold and use, the Mini is undoubtedly less enjoyable to look at photos. The smaller screen can sometimes feel cramped, especially for those who have become accustomed to larger phones. I have found that I use the phone less to view photos and videos and instead select them on my computer.
The battery life of the Mini is nothing to write home about, as Apple had to fit all the components, chips and antennas into the smaller body, to reduce Apple’s size. Although brand new, the Mini’s battery lasts noticeably less than even my year old iPhone 11 Pro. While my old iPhone would take me up to 8 or 21 hours without giving me a low battery warning, the Mini would get me up to 18 hours or so.
This is by no means a deal, and adjustments like keeping the dark mode on can help extend battery life, but it’s something to watch out for for power users who use intensive apps on their phones all day.
5G, which Apple has been bragging about incessantly, is not nearly widespread enough to enable decision-making for someone on the fence about a new phone. Except for the form factor change, the phone is not noticeably faster than its predecessor, even if it says it is on a high-speed network.
At $ 729, the Mini is not cheap, but it feels like a direct bargain next to the $ 1299 iPhone 12 and $ 999 iPhone 12 Pro. Reducing my monthly payments and at the same time reducing wrist discomfort is a welcome development after I got used to bigger 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 do not want a giant smartphone. Hopefully the Mini form factor is here to stay.