Apple iPhone 12 mini review

Alternatives

If you are after a compact flagship, your choices are quite limited. And Apple's bid for this niche is long overdue.

The first alternative that comes to mind is the iPhone SE (2020). It has one of the fastest Apple chips - the A13, but everything else is borrowed from the 2017's iPhone 8. Still, Apple has already slashed its price, and the second-gen SE goes for as little as €480 or less. If the small size is a must, but you don't need a flagship iPhone or a bezel-less design, the SE is a very reasonable choice.

The Apple iPhone 12 is a full-blown flagship within a lightweight body, and for Max-like users, it could already feel as mini enough. It has everything the mini offers but comes with a bigger 6.1" screen and a larger battery. It costs €100 over the iPhone 12 mini, and it could be the size you are looking for after all.

Apple iPhone SE (2020) • Apple iPhone 12

Our verdict

This tiny iPhone was a long time coming, and we are glad it's finally here. It's also an incredible feat that the smaller model has all the great features of the bigger model.

We fear the iPhone 12 mini might be arriving a little bit too late. Mainstream smartphones have grown a lot in the last five years. The iPhone 12 already feels like a mini as it is. And the iPhone 12 mini is even smaller. The sale reports also suggest people are more interested in the iPhone 12 than the mini, further proving this point.

Still, we doubt Apple considered the iPhone 12 mini as a best-seller of the Pro Max caliber. It just adds a long-requested option for a small flagship that was unavailable for years, and it will surely add more sales to the already overwhelming iPhone 12 purchases.

The iPhone 12 mini is suitable for everyday use, and none of its shortcomings matter if you are after this particular extra small size. It can take high-quality photos and videos; it is great for videos or reading, and it will last you through a busy day on a single charge. Gaming is good, too, unless it's a very demanding app where the poor heat dissipation may lead to a bottleneck for a couple of minutes.

Aside from being compact, the iPhone 12 mini's other virtue is the fact that it's the cheapest of the iPhone 12's. Many people who just want the latest Apple hardware for its performance or future-proofing might go for this one for its 'reasonable' price.

If the price is the major draw, we can definitely understand that. If you are after the compact size, that's fine, too, but our only advice is to make sure you still want it by trying it out in person before committing to a purchase.

Don't miss our iPhone 12 upgrader's guide to see how good of an upgrade would the new iPhones make to your older iPhone.

Pros

• The cheapest in the iPhone 12 series
• The most compact flagship smartphone you'd find today
• Attractive design with great grip and premium durability
• Excellent OLED screen
• Good battery life for such a small cell
• Loud stereo speakers
• The fastest smartphone chip on the planet, 5G, too
• Good photo quality across the board, day and night
• Apple iOS 14 is fast and easy to use, 5 years of guaranteed major updates
• MagSafe is a promising accessory concept

Cons

• No charger or headphones in the box
• iOS needs better file management
• We miss TouchID as FaceID does not work with a mask on
• Prone to performance throttling
• The notch looks bigger than ever on this small phone