Vratislav Holub In November, the two last models from this year's generation of Apple phones - iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max - entered the market. In today's review, we will therefore focus on the smallest model of the apple range, for which the apple picker must prepare at least 22 thousand crowns. But is this investment worth it? Aren't compact sizes quite archaic in 2020? So today we will shed light on exactly that in detail and talk about all the benefits and cons.
Packing in a hurry
When the iPhone 12 mini entered the market, you could almost immediately read our unboxing and first impressions in our magazine. Apple has now decided on a very interesting step, which has met with mixed feedback. It no longer includes headphones and a charging adapter in the package itself, citing environmental reasons as the reason. At the same time, there was an appropriate reduction of the box itself, which, specifically in the case of the 12 mini model, looks quite cute, which I enjoy incredibly.
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Design
As is customary, even before the presentation of the new iPhones, all sorts of information about what the new pieces could look like appeared on the Internet. At the same time, all these leaks agreed on one thing, namely that the design of the new models will return to the iPhone 4 and 5, specifically to the sharp edges. In October, it was then revealed that these reports were true. However, the iPhone 12 mini is still slightly different from its colleagues. It offers much more compact dimensions and at first glance it looks like a real little thing. This is also related to Apple's claim that it is the smallest phone with support for 5G networks. So what is the look of the "twelve mini?" Design in general is a subject that can be looked at completely differently by everyone. Anyway, from my point of view, Apple did a great job with this piece, and I have to admit that I really enjoy the design of the iPhone 12 mini. I owned an iPhone 5S for a long time and was extremely satisfied with it.
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When I now hold this hot new item in my hand, I feel a wonderful nostalgia. In particular, I alternate feelings of happiness and enthusiasm, because this is exactly the model that I personally have been waiting for since 2017. I also dare to say that I am not the only one who sees the 12 mini in exactly the same way. After all, I can see that in my surroundings. A lot of acquaintances have so far been among the relatively satisfied owners of the first generation iPhone SE, which they have now exchanged for this year's little one, with which they are extremely satisfied. I would like to hone in on the coloring itself. If you read our aforementioned unboxing, you surely know that the iPhone arrived in our office in black. During the presentation itself, when Apple showed us the possible color variants, I thought that I probably wouldn't even be able to choose from them. But the black one fits the iPhone wonderfully, it looks elegant at first glance and at the same time is neutral, which makes it suitable for every situation and every outfit. If you are still thinking about buying a new iPhone and can't choose the right color, I definitely recommend you to look at the models side by side.
The iPhone 12 mini continues to boast aircraft-grade aluminum frames and a glossy glass back. In this regard, I was quite disappointed when my aforementioned joy was quickly replaced by sadness. The mentioned back itself literally works as a fingerprint catcher, due to which the phone is downright ugly after a few minutes of use from behind. Every imprint, every smudge, every imperfection sticks to it. Of course, this is a relatively minor problem that can be avoided by using a cover or case, but it is certainly a shame. In my opinion, the iPhone offers a refined, elegant and luxurious design, but unfortunately its back makes it worse. I would still like to stick with bezels around the display. The transition to a square design brought with it a great little thing - the frames are now not so noticeable compared to the curved edges, but I believe that they could definitely be made smaller. Especially on such a small display, it doesn't look pretty at first glance. But I don't see this problem as a big minus. I am of the opinion that it is just a matter of habit, because after the first few days of using the phone I got used to it and continued to see no problem with it. We must also not forget to mention that Apple has decided to move the European certification symbols from the back of the iPhone to its frame in the aforementioned aircraft aluminum, which makes the back look better - if you ignore the smudges.
Weight, dimensions and use
It's no secret that the iPhone 12 mini gained its popularity almost immediately thanks to its compact dimensions. Specifically, the phone measures 131,5 mm x 64,2 mm x 7,4 mm and weighs only 133 grams. Thanks to this, in my hand it very strongly reminds me of the aforementioned iPhone SE model of the first generation from 2016. I would also like to point out that the thickness of these two models differs by only two tenths of a millimeter. If we also put the iPhone 12 with a 6,1″ display and the 12 mini next to each other, it is clear at first glance that Apple is trying to target a completely different target group with this piece, which in my opinion has been neglected until now. Fans of more compact dimensions have been out of luck since 2017, and if we don't count the second-generation iPhone SE from this year, this little thing would be their only choice.
I have to honestly admit that the phone is literally amazing to hold. This is mainly due to its compact dimensions and the mentioned return to the roots, where sharper edges are simply great and hold well. I would also like to add here that you have absolutely nothing to worry about - the phone does not cut in any way and simply sits in your hand. Here again we can see a slightly different current of the apple company. While other manufacturers are constantly working on bigger and bigger phones, now we have the opportunity to have the iPhone 12 mini, which offers the latest technology and brutal performance in tiny dimensions. This can be appreciated especially by apple pickers with smaller hands, or, for example, also by women of the fairer sex.
Let's look at it from the other side. What if you are about to switch from a phone with a larger display to a mini model? In that case, it will be a lighter trial by fire. I myself use an iPhone X with a 5,8″ display every day and I have to admit that the transition to a 5,4″ display was not exactly easy. Again, I must add that this is only a habit and nothing serious is involved. But if I have to describe my first hour of using the iPhone 12 mini, I have to admit that I was slowly unable to write a single coherent sentence without a mistake, while even the otherwise useful auto correct could not help me. Because the display is smaller, the letters on the keyboard got mixed up and using it was quite a pain. But as I already mentioned, this is just a habit and after about an hour or two I didn't have the slightest problem with the iPhone. I would therefore like to emphasize that this year's mini model is simply not for everyone. If you're a fan of bigger displays/phones, even if this phone were the best in every way, it still won't suit you. In my opinion, with this piece, Apple is targeting Apple users who use the phone only for occasional viewing of social networks, news and occasionally look at some multimedia content or play some game. You have to know for yourself if you belong to this group. However, I have to admit that the iPhone is very pleasant to use, its design with sharp edges is really great and practically does not limit me in anything.
Display
The quality of displays continues to improve year after year, and not only for products with the bitten apple logo. In this regard, we were all pleasantly surprised this year when the Apple company boasted that this year's cheapest iPhone will also be equipped with an OLED panel. Apple specifically reached for its most sophisticated mobile display, which is the Super Retina XDR. We could see it for the first time last year with the iPhone 11 Pro. Therefore, when we compare the iPhone 12 mini with last year's cheapest iPhone, which was the iPhone 11 with an LCD Liquid Retina display, at first glance we see a literally huge leap forward. Personally, I think that there is no longer a place for classic LCD displays in mobile phones in 2020, and if I had to choose, for example, between the iPhone XS and the iPhone 11, I would rather go for the older XS model, precisely because of its OLED panel.
Apple certainly didn't skimp on this year's little one. That is why it contains only the best that is currently available on the market, including the aforementioned display. Super Retina XDR on the 12 mini model offers a resolution of 2340×1080 pixels and a resolution of 476 pixels per inch. But personally, what I appreciate most is the incredible contrast ratio, which is 2 million to one, the amazing maximum brightness of 625 nits, while in HDR mode it can climb up to 1200 nits, and the support for Dolby Vision and HDR 10. So let's compare the display in detail with the mentioned "eleven." Its Liquid Retina display offers a resolution of 1729×828 pixels with a fineness of 326 pixels per inch and a contrast ratio of 1400:1. The maximum brightness is then the same 625 nits, but due to the absence of HDR 10, it cannot "climb" higher. Fortunately, I have the opportunity to put these two models right next to each other and look at any differences. And I have to admit I was shocked. This year's iPhone 12 mini is not even a step behind, and its display is proof of that. Looking at both phones, the difference can be seen unbelievably. The same applies when comparing our little one with the X/XS version. Both models offer an OLED panel, but the iPhone 12 mini is undoubtedly several levels ahead.
In addition, the display of this year's iPhones appears optically larger, which is caused by the transition to the aforementioned angular design. In contrast, rounded edges give the impression that the frames are larger. Even so, the iPhone 12 mini seemed to me at first glance that the frames themselves are relatively large, and I believe that they could be made a little smaller. But again, I have to admit that this is a relatively small mistake, which I got used to rather quickly. I would like to stick with the rather harshly criticized upper cut-out or notch, which (not only) Apple users have been complaining about since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017. In this cut-out, the so-called TrueDepth camera, which is undoubtedly technologically ahead, is also hidden in this cut-out. Thanks to this, Apple phones offer Face ID biometric authentication and can create a 3D face scan. That's exactly why the notch is just a little bit bigger. I must admit that when unpacking the iPhone 12 mini, I immediately noticed how large the notch is in relation to the display. It looks much bigger on such a small phone. It just depends on which camp you fall into. Personally, I'd rather work with a phone that has a larger top notch than lose Face ID or its effectiveness.
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I'd like to stick with Face ID and the top notch for a while longer. In particular, older models with rounded edges masked the notch itself quite skillfully. But here we encounter the novelty of the new iPhones. This is because it offers an iconic angular design, which is optically reflected in the notch itself, which looks a little bigger. Its size has been almost the same since 2017, and I have to admit that if Apple decided to reduce it, even if only by millimeters, I would definitely not be angry. In my opinion, this is nothing catastrophic, because the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
This year's generation of apple phones came with one more very interesting novelty. Specifically, we are talking about the so-called Ceramic Shield, or sophisticated technology where there are nanoparticles of ceramic material on the display. From there, Apple promises up to four times better drop resistance than its older phones. Is there any way to recognize this news? I have to admit that I didn't notice a single difference, both to the touch and to the eye. In short, the display still looks the same to me. And if this technology even works? Unfortunately, I can't confirm that to you, because I didn't do the durability testing.
Unrivaled performance
Apple certainly didn't skimp on this year's cheapest iPhone. That's exactly why he equipped it with his best mobile chip, Apple A14 Bionic, which can take care of unrivaled performance. For example, if we were to compare the mini version with the classic "twelve", we would get completely identical phones that differ only in size. The aforementioned chip appeared for the first time in the redesigned iPad Air, which was introduced this September. And how is his performance? Whether you are a fan of the apple company or not, each of you must admit that Apple is simply miles ahead of its competition in the field of chips. This is exactly what was confirmed with the arrival of the new generation iPhone 12, which once again pushes performance to unimaginable dimensions. Apple even claims that the A14 Bionic chip is the most powerful mobile chip ever, which can easily put even some processors from classic desktops in your pocket. The iPhone 12 mini is still equipped with 4GB of memory.
Geekbench 5 benchmark:
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Of course, we subjected the phone to the Geekbench 5 benchmark test. The result was quite surprising, as we got 1600 points from the single-core test and 4131 points from the multi-core test. If we were to compare this result with the values from our iPhone 12 review, we can notice that these are even higher values, although both phones are identical except for their size. However, not everyone is a fan of these benchmarks, which is also my case - I personally prefer to see how a phone or computer performs in the real world. Having tried several different iPhones in my life, I knew what to expect from this new piece. And that's exactly what was confirmed. The iPhone 12 mini runs incredibly fast and I didn't encounter a problem during the entire testing period - that is, with one exception. In short, everything is beautifully fluid, applications are quickly turned on and everything works as it should.
That's exactly why I decided to flood the iPhone properly. So I reached for the game service Apple Arcade, where I chose the impressive game The Pathless. I was again pleasantly surprised by the result. The combination of the first-class chip with the Super Retina XDR display literally brought me to my knees. The game title looked great in every way, offered beautiful graphics, everything again ran smoothly even on a smaller screen I had no problems playing. But once I encountered a minor error. In one passage, several miscellaneous objects piled up around my character, and I experienced a noticeable drop in frames per second. Fortunately, this moment lasted a maximum of one second and then everything ran as it should. I didn't encounter anything similar even during the next playthrough, when I tried other titles as well. I'd like to stick with the gameplay on a phone with a display like that. Again, this is a highly subjective opinion that may vary from user to user. In my opinion, however, you will be able to play occasionally on the iPhone 12 mini model, without the slightest problem. However, they will be met by more demanding players who play practically every day and give it their all. For such users, playing on a 5,4″ display will literally be a pain, and if you fall into this category, it is definitely worth investing in a larger model. I encountered something similar while playing the game Call of Duty: Mobile, where the smaller display was no longer enough for me and put me at a disadvantage compared to my opponents.
Storage
Although we encounter a number of improvements in Apple phones year after year, the Cupertino company keeps forgetting one thing. The internal memory of the iPhone 12 (mini) starts at just 64 GB, which in my opinion is simply not enough in 2020. We can then pay extra for 128 GB for 23 crowns and for 490 GB storage, which will cost 256 crowns. The iPhone 26 Pro (Max) models are a little better. These already offer 490 GB of internal memory as a base, and it is possible to pay extra for 12 GB and 128 GB of storage. Why, in the case of our little one, we start with the aforementioned 256 GB, I simply cannot understand. In addition, when we take into account the strong potential of apple phones, which can take care of first-class photos and 512K videos with 64 frames per second, it all makes no sense to me. Such files can fill up the storage almost immediately. Of course, someone can argue that we have iCloud cloud storage at our disposal. However, I have personally met a number of users for whom this solution is quite insufficient. They often need to access the files immediately and, for example, do not have an Internet connection, which can become a huge obstacle. I hope that we will see at least a partial improvement in the coming years. Now we can only hope.
Connectivity
In recent years, there has been quite a lot of talk about the arrival of 5G network support. The competition was able to implement this trick already last year, while apple-makers had to wait - at least until now. Intel and its backwardness and disagreements between Apple and the California company Qualcomm were mainly responsible for the absence of this support. Fortunately, this dispute was resolved and the two giants reunited. That's exactly why the iPhone 12 has Qualcomm modems, thanks to which we finally met the arrival of support for the much-vaunted 5G networks. But there is one catch. I currently have an iPhone 12 mini in my hand, I can enjoy all its features, but I am not able to test the strength of the 5G connection in any way. The coverage in the Czech Republic is so poor that I would have to drive across half of the country for it.
It could be interest you
Flying around the world with Apple Another rather interesting novelty is the revival of the MagSafe name. We can remember it mainly from older Apple laptops. Specifically, it was the magnets in the power ports that automatically attached the cable to the connector and, for example, in the event of a trip, nothing happened. Something similar also made its way to Apple phones this year. There are now practical magnets in their backs, which bring with them a truly extensive range of different options. We can use this novelty in the case of accessories, when, for example, the cover is automatically attached to the iPhone, or for "wireless" charging, which can charge the iPhone 12 with a power of up to 15 W. However, this is limited to 12 W in the case of the mini model. I have to admit, that I don't see anything revolutionary in this technology at the moment. I can easily put on the cover myself, and if I want to bother with attaching the charger and disconnecting it, I'd rather go for the classic fast charging with a cable. But I definitely wouldn't condemn MagSafe. I believe that this innovation has enormous potential, which Apple will be able to use incredibly in the coming years. I think we definitely have a lot to look forward to.
Camera
In recent years, all smartphone manufacturers have focused primarily on the camera. We can see this, of course, even with Apple, which is constantly moving forward. Specifically, the iPhone 12 mini is equipped with the same photo system of cameras that we could find in the classic 12. So it is one 1,6MP wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/12 and a 2,4MP ultra-wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/27. The ultra-wide-angle lens has received a corresponding improvement, which can now take in 12% more light. When I then look at the quality of the images themselves, I have to admit that Apple has succeeded incredibly well. Such a tiny phone can take care of first-class photos that will definitely excite you. I'd like to point out again that the camera is the same, so the iPhone 12 mini can handle the same shots you could see in our earlier iPhone XNUMX review.
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The quality of the photos is simply beautiful in daylight and artificial light. But we are already used to this from older models. However, the so-called night mode, which is new on both lenses, saw an amazing move forward. The quality of these images is downright grandiose and I believe that they will excite (not only) many apple lovers. If we compare the night images with, for example, the iPhone X/XS, which does not yet have night mode, we will see an indescribable shift. Just two years ago we didn't see anything at all, while now we have full-fledged photos. He also improved the portrait mode in a certain way. In my opinion, a better chip is behind it, specifically the A14 Bionic, which can take care of better photos.
Daylight shots:
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Portrait mode:
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Images under artificial light:
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Night mode (iPhone XS vs iPhone 12 mini):
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Front camera:
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Shooting
It is generally known about Apple that its phones can take care of first-class video that has no competition. The same is the case with the iPhone 12 mini, which shoots literally fantastically. The video quality itself has once again been able to move forward, mainly thanks to the collaboration with Dolby. Thanks to this, the iPhone 12 (mini) can record in Dolby Vision mode in real time, which goes hand in hand with HDR shooting. The phone can then handle editing such videos without a single problem or jam. You can watch our small video test below.
Battery
Probably the most talked about part of the new iPhone 12 mini is its battery. Ever since the introduction of this model, the Internet has been talking about its durability, which was subsequently confirmed by the first foreign reviews. You definitely didn't take any napkins. The mini version is equipped with a 2227mAh battery, which at first glance is undoubtedly not enough. If we add to that the advanced Super Retina XDR display and the A14 Bionic chip, it is quite clear that a demanding user can juice up this phone quite quickly. But personally, I think that the iPhone simply got into the hands of the wrong people who do not belong to the target group. As I mentioned above, I consider myself to be an undemanding user who only occasionally looks at social networks during the day, writes a message here and there, and I'm practically done. That's exactly why I decided to do two very interesting tests.
In the first case, I used the iPhone 12 mini in the standard way I normally use my phone every day. So in the morning I unplugged it from the charger and went to work. Along the way, I listened to a few podcasts and occasionally looked at what was new on social networks, namely Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Of course, I wrote several messages during the day and in the evening I tried to play games like Fruit Ninja 2 and The Pathless to relax. I then finished the day around 21pm with 6 percent battery. This is precisely why I believe that the battery of the iPhone 12 mini is more than sufficient and can offer the user a one-day endurance without a single problem. I added gaming to the test just to see how it would affect the battery itself. So if you fall into the target group, you won't have the slightest problem with endurance. In the second test, I tried it a little differently. Right after waking up, I indulged in one Call of Duty: Mobile game, I "clicked" a few photos along the way, at work I spent most of my time playing games, editing videos in iMovie, and in general, you could say that I squeezed my phone to the maximum . And I must confirm that in such a case the battery is insufficient. In about two hours, my iPhone was completely dead, and even low battery mode didn't save me. But when I went on a trip the next day, during which I took the vast majority of pictures, I didn't have a single problem with endurance.
So I would like to reiterate that the iPhone 12 mini simply isn't for everyone. With this model, Apple is targeting a specific group of people that it has so far neglected. In some cases, however, a weaker battery is also an advantage - specifically when charging. I often encountered a situation when I needed to go somewhere, but my phone was completely dead. Fortunately, the iPhone 12 mini does not have a single problem with this, because its charging speed is incredible and will definitely please every user. During fast charging, I was able to charge the iPhone to 50% within fifteen minutes, after which the speed started to decrease. After that I got to 80-85% in about an hour. I didn't see a single difference with wireless charging after that. Charging to 100% takes roughly the same time as the iPhone 12, i.e. around 3 hours.
Sound quality
The iPhone 12 mini offers stereo audio, just like its older counterparts. One speaker is located in the aforementioned upper cutout and the other is in the lower bezel. On first listening, I found the sound quality quite decent and satisfactory, but it certainly wouldn't please an expert. When I put the iPhone 12 mini next to the iPhone XS, the sound seems stronger to me, but it seems somehow cheaper and "tiny," and I certainly mustn't forget the significantly worse quality of the bass tones. But I'm no sound expert, and if I hadn't tested the audio directly, I definitely wouldn't have noticed any differences. Even so, I am not afraid to rate the audio itself positively.
Summary
So how to evaluate the iPhone 12 mini overall? It probably doesn't make sense to compare it with previous generations, because they are conceptually very different phones. While last year we got a 6,1″ giant for the cheapest iPhone, this year we only get a 5,4″ little one. This is a noticeable difference, for which I definitely have to praise Apple. It seems to me that the Californian giant finally listened to the pleas of apple lovers who craved an apple phone that would offer the latest technology and first-class performance in compact dimensions. And finally we got it. This model reminds me very much of the second-generation iPhone SE concepts that started to appear on the Internet back in 2017. Even back then, we longed for a phone that would offer an edge-to-edge OLED display, Face ID, and the like in the body of the iPhone 5S. I would like to point out once again the absolute dominance of the Apple A14 Bionic chip, thanks to which the iPhone is ready to offer its user first-class performance for several years. Of course, the night mode has also undergone huge changes. He can take care of really first-class photos that literally took my breath away. At the same time, it is necessary to be very careful with the mini model. In short, this piece is not intended for the aforementioned demanding users, for whom its use would literally be a pain. But if you're in the same group as me, I'm sure you'll be incredibly happy with the iPhone 12 mini.
California giant ?♂️
Fuck that giant… good review
The word giant is used 10 times in the article :D
If the battery is a misunderstanding and the phone has fallen into the wrong hands, Gigant should perhaps write this on the box: The device is not intended for those who are interested in a phone that lasts all day... and we'll see in 2 years when 5G and health are everywhere batteries at 80%…
Well, we'll see, then save those 2 years on the Powerbank:)) maybe then they'll offer the better battery that will be in the new 13 next year for replacement;)
I have been using the phone since it came out and I am completely satisfied. The battery lasts the whole day just fine and I use the phone a lot
I am also satisfied, only those who do not have it and use some Chinese shunt write negative comments here
Pravda
With that cheap plug, we don't need a charger every 12 hours.
A cheap shunt! 12h definitely not! Feel free to carry a kilo 100000mAh in your pocket in a Chinese copy, they will always only be cheap copies after 2007! It's just that someone launched a touch phone on the market and it will stay that way, and I don't want a Chinese car either!;)
Terrible review, so many repetitive words and twists on one page? Less is sometimes more
To be honest, I really miss the comparison with the iPhone 8 in the review, because its owner could really be the "target"