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Updated January 10, 2024·
If a larger screen is important to you, the iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display compared to the 5.4-inch display of the iPhone 12 mini, which may also result in a slightly better overall experience when watching videos or browsing. However, the iPhone 12 mini is more compact and lightweight, which might be more comfortable for carrying and using with one hand. Both phones have the same processor and rear cameras, so performance and photo quality will be similar, but the iPhone 12 has a longer battery life than the mini, meaning it should last longer on a single charge. If price is a crucial factor and you prefer a smaller device, the iPhone 12 mini is the more budget-friendly option, while the iPhone 12 costs more but provides a bigger screen and longer battery life. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 12
- The Apple iPhone 12 has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 12 mini.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 12 mini
- The Apple iPhone 12 mini has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 12.
Key differences
Battery
6.2 Hours
5.1 Hours
The Apple iPhone 12 has 6.2 hours of battery life. The Apple iPhone 12 mini has 5.1 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 12 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Apple iPhone 12 mini is 5.4 inches.
Cost
$600
$300
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Apple iPhone 12 has a price of $600 and the Apple iPhone 12 mini costs $300.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
7.3
7.3
The Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 mini both have good overall cameras quality.
The Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini boast impressive cameras primarily due to their strong selfie capabilities which are considered very important, with both offering high-resolution photos and advanced software contributing to a satisfying photo-taking experience. While other factors like dynamic range and low light performance across both photo and video are also well-regarded, their camera versatility is more modest compared to other features, yet still contributes to their overall good camera performance.
Photo Quality
7.1
7.1
The Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 mini both have good photos.
The Apple iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini both take good photos largely because they share the same outstanding photos software experience and dynamic range, which ensures that images have balanced lighting and color details across various scenes. Additionally, both phones have excellent selfie capabilities, further solidified by their strong low light performance, enhancing photo quality in less-than-ideal lighting situations.
Video Quality
7.2
7.2
The Apple iPhone 12 and Apple iPhone 12 mini both have good videos.
The Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini both take good videos as they share similar high marks in Video Resolution/framerate, Video Software experience, Video Stabilization, Video Dynamic Range, Video Low Light Performance, and Microphone Quality, all bolstered by the A14 processor and iOS ecosystem. Despite their small size difference, both iPhones offer Dolby Vision for HDR video, reinforcing their capabilities for producing excellent video quality in various conditions.
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How the Apple iPhone 12 and the Apple iPhone 12 mini compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 12 | Apple iPhone 12 mini |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $300 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Apple | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | iOS | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 23, 2020 | November 13, 2020 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 5.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2340 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 476 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A14 | A14 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 64 GB | 64 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7.3/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.2 Hours | 5.1 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 2815 mAh | 2227 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 12 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.78" x 2.81" | 5.18" x 2.53" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.78 oz | 4.76 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Purple, Green, White, Black, Red | Blue, Purple, Green, White, Black, Red | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Custom ROM Support | |||
Custom ROM Support | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 12
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Dig into reviews and images
Pocket-lint
Stuart Miles | March 2022
"The iPhone 12 offers many of the important things that you want from the iPhone: a decent camera, 5G, great screen, fast processor. For the group of people who want a new iPhone without the price tag of the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 13 range, this is a great choice. There's no settling for second best with this smartphone."
Apple iPhone 12 mini
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
James Peckham | September 2022
"If you’re going to opt for an iPhone and you want a smaller device without buying up the latest iPhone 13 mini, this is the perfect option for you – and it’s one of the smallest 5G phones on the market too. The camera is versatile, the screen is fantastic, it comes with reams of power and the added benefits of 5G and MagSafe mean this is a phone that will last you for years to come."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 12 or the Apple iPhone 12 mini
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Phones evaluated
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Recommendations made
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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