Almost from the moment it was announced, the iPhone 12 Mini elicited excitement and garnered praise from fans and tech writers alike because they are apparently tired of large phones. And while I generally love big screens, I can see the iPhone 12 Mini’s appeal after testing it for the past day and a half. This is a phone that can fit into most pockets and be used with one hand with ease.
Apple iPhone 12 series: Specifications and Comparison
Specifications
Apple iPhone 12 Mini
Apple iPhone 12
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Build
Aluminum mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Aluminum mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Stainless Steel mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Stainless Steel mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Dimensions & Weight
7.4 x 131.5 x 64.2mm
133 grams (Global)
135 grams (USA)
7.4 x 146.7 x 71.5mm
162 grams (Global)
164 grams (USA)
7.4 x 146.7 x 71.5mm
187 grams (Global)
189 grams (USA)
7.4 x 160.8 x 78.1mm
226 grams (Global)
228 grams (USA)
Display
5.4″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 476 PPI
6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,532 x 1,170 resolution, 460 PPI
6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,532 x 1,170 resolution, 460 PPI
6.7″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,778 x 1,284 resolution, 458 PPI
SoC
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
RAM
4GB
4GB
6GB
6GB
Storage Options
64GB
128GB
256GB
64GB
128GB
256GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
Battery & Charging
2,227 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
2,815 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
2,815 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
3,687 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
Security
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Tertiary: 12MP telephoto
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Tertiary: 12MP telephoto
Front Camera(s)
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
Port(s)
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Audio
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
I unboxed the iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max at the same time, and while the plus-sized phone felt exactly as I expected it to in the hand, I was caught off guard by just how dainty the iPhone 12 Mini is. Not since the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S3 eight years ago have I held a flagship phone with premium components this small.
You know that place-your-pinkie-under-the-phone-to-support-it grip that we’ve all mastered in the last few years? I don’t have to do that with the iPhone 12 Mini, because measuring just 64mm (2.5-inches) across from left to right and weighing just 133g (0.3 lbs) means this is a phone I can wrap my fingers around and grip securely with ease.
I can also reach the top of the screen with my thumb with just a slight stretch, without having to loosen my grip the way I do with other recent iPhones. This is helpful with iOS because you need to swipe down from the top to activate the Control Center.
Not since the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S3 eight years ago have I held a flagship phone with premium components this small
Before I got my hands on the iPhone 12 Mini, I wondered if its 5.4-inch screen would be too small for reading, but iOS’s UI inherently displays content at a larger scale compared to Android (this also means everything looks a bit too large on the iPhone 12 Pro Max). There are options to increase the font size if needed.
But because the notch that houses the Face ID system remains the same size across all the iPhone 12 series, this means the 12 Mini loses the most percentage of screen real estate to that notch.
The iPhone 12 Mini’s 5.4-inch display on top of the 12 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch display.
Other than its petite size, everything about the iPhone 12 Mini is identical to the standard iPhone 12 with the exception of one thing, so there’s no need to cover every detail here again. If you’re interested in seeing how the iPhone 12 Mini’s cameras or processor performs (they’re top notch), then please read my iPhone 12 review from two weeks ago.
Battery life could be a problem
That one exception I mentioned in the last paragraph is the battery life. The battery on the iPhone 12 Mini is even smaller (2,227 mAh) than the standard iPhone 12’s, and this will likely be a problem. I had trouble getting the iPhone 12 to last an entire day for me when connected to 5G, and with the iPhone 12 Mini, I am concerned it won’t even make it to dinner time.
That was indeed the case on my first full day with the phone — the battery icon turned red (under 10%) — by 8 PM. I will have to test it for longer to see if that was an anomaly or not, but let’s just say I doubt it was. At least you’ll have three ways to charge the iPhone 12 Mini: wired Lightning charging, Qi wireless charging, and MagSafe.
Early impression: the most powerful small phone in a long time
The iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12 Pro, and 12 Mini.
With Apple’s A14 Bionic and a very capable camera, the iPhone 12 Mini is easily the most powerful small phone in many years. Personally, once the novelty of being able to palm the entire phone wears off, I’ll want to jump back to a larger screen. But for those who have complained about phones being too large; for women with very shallow pockets (literally, not figuratively); or for those who want the newest iPhone at the cheapest price possible, the iPhone 12 Mini is the one to get. Just make sure you carry a charging cable or portable battery pack with you.
The iPhone 12 Mini is the smallest flagship in years. Despite it’s petite size, it packs arguably the most powerful SoC in smartphone right now, along with one of the very best cameras.
Apple’s biggest ever iPhone, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, is here. Unlike the previous two “Max” iPhones, there’s more that separates the iPhone 12 Pro Max from other devices in the iPhone 12 series than just a larger screen. I’ve been using it heavily for the past 36 hours, and here are my thoughts on Apple’s latest and greatest.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max.
I have also been testing the iPhone 12 Mini, so if you’re interested in my thoughts on that petite little thing, you can read it over here (soon).
Apple iPhone 12 series: Specifications and Comparison
Specifications
Apple iPhone 12 Mini
Apple iPhone 12
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Build
Aluminum mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Aluminum mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Stainless Steel mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Stainless Steel mid-frame
Glass front and back
“Ceramic Shield” for glass protection
Dimensions & Weight
7.4 x 131.5 x 64.2mm
133 grams (Global)
135 grams (USA)
7.4 x 146.7 x 71.5mm
162 grams (Global)
164 grams (USA)
7.4 x 146.7 x 71.5mm
187 grams (Global)
189 grams (USA)
7.4 x 160.8 x 78.1mm
226 grams (Global)
228 grams (USA)
Display
5.4″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 476 PPI
6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,532 x 1,170 resolution, 460 PPI
6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,532 x 1,170 resolution, 460 PPI
6.7″ Super Retina XDR OLED Display
2,778 x 1,284 resolution, 458 PPI
SoC
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
Apple A14 Bionic SoC
2x performance cores
4x power efficiency cores
5nm process node
4-core GPU
16-core Neural Engine
RAM
4GB
4GB
6GB
6GB
Storage Options
64GB
128GB
256GB
64GB
128GB
256GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
Battery & Charging
2,227 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
2,815 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
2,815 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
3,687 mAh battery as per certification listings
15W Wireless Charging with MagSafe
7.5W Qi Wireless Charging
Security
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Face ID (TrueDepth camera for facial recognition)
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Tertiary: 12MP telephoto
Primary: 12MP
Secondary: 12MP, Ultra-wide angle
Tertiary: 12MP telephoto
Front Camera(s)
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
12MP, f/2.2
Port(s)
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Proprietary Lightning port
Audio
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Audio formats supported: AAC‑LC, HE‑AAC, HE‑AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E‑AC‑3), Dolby Atmos, and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Design: It’s big, but not that big
The iPhone 12 Pro Max carries the same design language as the other three iPhone 12s, so it’s a rectangular glass-and-metal sandwich slab with four flat sides.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max (right), iPhone 12 Pro (middle) and iPhone 12 Mini (left).
Much has been made by the media about how big the iPhone 12 Pro Max is — its 6.7-inch OLED panel is the largest Apple’s ever used on a phone — but personally, I don’t find it too unwieldy or intimidating to hold. I think it’s because I handle a lot of big phones — my SIM card has called these devices home in the past few months: Huawei Mate 40 Pro,LG Wing,Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Although the iPhone 12 Pro Max mostly looks like a super-sized version of the iPhone 12, the camera system sees three hardware upgrades: The main 12MP camera uses a larger image sensor, one that Apple claims is 47% larger than the main sensor in the other three iPhone 12s. The main camera also has a new IBIS (in-body image stabilization) system instead of “just” OIS (optical image stabilization) as seen in the other devices in the iPhone 12 series. Finally, the telephoto lens has a longer 2.5x zoom (65mm focal length equivalent).
The other improvements Apple already applied to the other iPhone 12s — faster f/1.6 aperture and the ability to shoot night mode on every lens — are here too, of course. This means the iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s most fully decked out camera system — at least on paper. I’ll talk more about the cameras later.
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
And because the phone is larger, the battery in it is also larger than the rest. The rest of the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s components and hardware features are the same as the iPhone 12 Pro, so you’re still getting that stainless steel railing (that attract fingerprints like crazy), 5G support, “Ceramic Shield” screen, 5nm Apple A14 Bionic, strong haptic engine, and support for Apple’s MagSafe chargers. I’ve written a half dozen articles on the iPhone 12 including a full review, so I don’t think I have to dwell too much on the hardware — just know that this is one of the most premium-feeling phones on the market. Instead, I want to dedicate a couple of paragraphs to my frustrations with the device due to Apple’s stubbornness.
Software: The iPhone 12 Pro Max is hard to use with one hand not because of its size, but because of iOS
Earlier, I said the iPhone 12 Pro Max didn’t feel too huge in my hand. But the phone is still hard to use with one hand, and it’s because of iOS. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and LG Wing are every bit as tall as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but they don’t bother me too much because I simply place all my apps at the bottom of the screen where my thumb can easily reach them. If I need to pull down the notifications panel, I don’t have to reach for the very top of the screen as I can just swipe down from anywhere on the home screen.
iOS doesn’t let us do either of these things. Apps must sit in a top-down, left-to-right grid. This means that unless I fill my entire home screen with apps, I don’t have any apps in the bottom half of my home screen except for the dock. I can’t place more apps in the dock, because it’s limited to four apps.
The LG Wing is just as tall as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but I can use the phone with one hand with ease because I can just place apps at the bottom half of the screen.
Activating the control center requires swiping down from the very top of the upper right corner of the screen, which is just impossible for most human thumbs to reach while still gripping the phone tightly. Apple’s solution is “reachability,” which brings the screen down about halfway but doesn’t narrow the width of the content, so typing with one hand on a wide phone like the 12 Pro Max is still tough. I want to reiterate that it doesn’t have to be this way: I can use a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with one hand perfectly fine. It’s iOS’ draconian design that makes the iPhone 12 Pro Max hard to use with one hand.
I also wish Apple would bring over some of iPadOS’ split-screen multitasking gestures to the iPhone 12 Pro Max since the screen is so large. As it is now, you’re just viewing the existing content in a larger size, but you’re not actually viewing more content.
Cameras: Improvements are present if you look hard enough
I have been testing the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro over the past month, and I found them (particularly the latter) to be very, very good shooters, even if I generally preferred the color science produced by the Google Pixel 5 more, or that the Huawei Mate 40 Pro still produced noticeably more detailed zoom shots and ultra-wide shots.
The reason is that the iPhone 12 Pro still shoots the most consistent photos across all three lenses, does not oversharpen or overprocess human skin, and can capture the most stable videos in terms of stabilization, exposure, and focus. When I heard the iPhone 12 Pro Max would have a larger sensor, better zoom, and stabilization, I was excited. And so it is with a tinge of disappointment for me to report that, for the most part, the photos produced by the iPhone 12 Pro Max do not differ too much from the iPhone 12 Pro in regular real-world shooting conditions.
Let’s start with the main camera because that’s where most of the upgrades are found. During the day, the iPhone 12 Pro Max captures identical photos to the iPhone 12 Pro (or the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini, since they’re all the same sensor). But even when the sun sets, the photos are virtually indistinguishable unless you blow them up on a computer screen and pixel peep. For example, below are two images captured by the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 12 Pro.
They both look very close in terms of lighting and balance, and it’s only when I blew up the images and zoomed in did I see that the 12 Pro Max’s image retained better texture of the buildings.
iPhone 12 Pro Max image zoomed in (left) and iPhone 12 Pro image zoomed in
Here’s another set:
Just like the first set, you’d need to zoom in and search for areas where the 12 Pro Max image (left) is slightly cleaner.
iPhone 12 Pro Max and 12 Pro shots zoomed in.
I took up over a dozen test shots like this around the city, and I couldn’t really see noticeable differences between images captured by the iPhone 12 Pro Max or 12 Pro except for two niche situations: shots taken in a really dark alley, and another in a pitch-black room with all lights off (the first two samples in the album below).
That the 47% larger sensor and IBIS system (which Apple says helps prevent micro-jitters when taking night mode shots) produces just slightly better low light images is kind of disappointing. But the silver lining is that this is a testament to Apple’s growing prowess in computational photography because all the iPhone 12 devices automatically turn on night mode in low light scenes. This means Apple’s night mode is so good that it’s compensating for the smaller sensor and relatively-inferior stabilizing system.
Apple's night mode is so good that it's compensating for the smaller sensor and relatively-inferior stabilizing system
And once I gave up trying to take niche low light shots just to see where the iPhone 12 Pro Max wins, I enjoyed the experience a lot. So what if the 12 Pro Max’s main camera isn’t much better than the 12 Pro’s? The latter is already one of the very best cameras on the market. Below are more photo samples captured by the 12 Pro Max — these shots are all perfectly balanced, with lively colors and no noise. I also like the natural creamy bokeh when I get close to a subject or object.
The other camera hardware improvement — the longer telephoto zoom — works as advertised. Any zoom beyond 2x, and you can see that the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s image is sharper. The maximum zoom of the 12 Pro Max is also 12x instead of 10x in the 12 Pro or 5x in the regular 12 and 12 Mini.
The longer zoom’s 65mm focal length makes for a more natural portrait framing too, in my opinion.
Early impression: Don’t pick the iPhone 12 Pro Max just for the cameras
If you’ve already decided you want an iPhone 12 and are deciding between the four, don’t let the cameras be the deciding factor. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has Apple’s most ambitious camera hardware system ever, but Apple’s computational photography, like Google’s, has gotten so good that hardware has been made less important. For most people, most of the photos they take will look the same whether they’re shooting with the 12 Pro Max or 12 Mini.
The 12 Pro Max and the 12 Mini
However, do get the 12 Pro Max if you want the best battery life. This is important this year because 5G has proven to be a battery drain. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have been barely getting me through a whole day’s use on a single charge, and the iPhone 12 Mini has consistently run out of juice by dinner time. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the only new iPhone that can go the distance. Also do consider the 12 Pro Max if you consume a lot of videos on your phone, because this is the largest screen ever, and the stereo speakers are excellent.
Ultimately, it appears that the assumption most of us in tech media made after the iPhone 12 launch event — that the iPhone 12 is the right iPhone for most people — is indeed the correct take.
The biggest iPhone ever has the most ambitious camera system Apple's ever made. While the cameras are slightly improved over the standard iPhone 12 Pro, a better reason to pick up this device is for the excellent battery life and brilliant screen
