Weekly poll: how big should "mini" phones be?

07 February 2021
Is the iPhone 12 mini the only true mini flagship or are there more options? Help us figure out the perfect dimensions for a mini.

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I wish they could make an upgraded 2021 version of the Xperia Ray. When it comes to size that phone was amazing, beats the XZ1 Compact I use today...

    To some people, the iPhone 12 mini really isn't that small. It's actually awkward for some to use because while the footprint is smaller, your thumb may not reach the highest parts of the display. Not exactly ideal for one-handed use if you have small hands. It's actually near the size of the Nexus 4.

    It's only considered "compact" in this era because surfboard phones became the norm. The Xperia Z3 Compact from 2014 and XZ1 Compact from 2017 are actually shorter than the iPhone 12 mini.

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      • Anonymous
      • 804
      • 07 Feb 2021

      AnonD-964130, 07 Feb 2021Nope,it is so poor that they will stop productiondon't think so

        There is a such thing as too small. People were complaining about phone sizes years ago, but they kept growing. For me anything over 73mm is too big. Under 68mm is too small. Height does play a role too, but it's the width that takes a phone from comfortable to too big. The key thing about the chart here is the fact that there are very few manufacturers. This is why consumers are complaining. Lack of choice. Under $500? Only one Android option.

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          • AnonD-964130
          • Dk5
          • 07 Feb 2021

          Anonymous, 07 Feb 2021Poor sales in Apple's books means hundreds of thousand... moreNope,it is so poor that they will stop production

            Mediatek sux, 07 Feb 2021Well ios has the ipad, surely better than anything android ... moreTablets are a different category. They don't fit inside your pocket.

              6.5" is a perfect compact phone for me. Screens these days cover almost the entire front of the phone. I have 'normal' hands. Anything less than that and my eyes can't see nothing on League of Legends. 😎

                • S
                • Steve
                • keN
                • 07 Feb 2021

                I love my 2016 SE. that is a mini phone.
                If they got rid of most of the bezel with no notch and made it all screen it would be perfect with updated specs.
                I’m not a phone whore slave like most of society.

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                  • Anonymous
                  • vG4
                  • 07 Feb 2021

                  Android-Authority, 07 Feb 2021iOS as a gaming platform??? Man You are hilarious!!! Gami... moreyounarr hilarious, iOS is the most profitable gaming platform, all games are 99% optimised for those respective phones.

                  inline android where you struggle to get 10 fps on hig settings in genshin, unlike apple

                    Android-Authority, 07 Feb 2021iOS as a gaming platform??? Man You are hilarious!!! Gami... moreWell ios has the ipad, surely better than anything android has to offer for native games and even dolphin emulator. But you could just get a surface too and have much better games.

                      AnonD-964130, 07 Feb 2021Applr will stop iphone mini 12 production as per latest new... moreIn real life, the demand for compact phones isn't there as much as you see on Gsmarena or other online portals.
                      Compact phones make up for less than 5% of the total number of phones sold. It's a niche category.

                        Kingslayer, 07 Feb 2021If I use iOS as a main phone, then the 12 mini would be a p... moreiOS as a gaming platform??? Man You are hilarious!!!
                        Gaming locked at 60hz with only 120hz touch sampling rate without air triggers or proper cooling to offset all that heat. Sure man!!!

                          If I use iOS as a main phone, then the 12 mini would be a purchase for me. But I don't. I'll always be an Android Guy. And the world changed a lot since the iPhone 5S in 2013 and first iPhone SE in 2016. And we changed ourselves in terms of our needs.

                          I understand the people who want these compact phones though. They just want their hand to be comfortable again. But since I look at iOS more as a better gaming platform than Android, the 12 mini is on the opposite spectrum on what I want from an iPhone.

                          The XR and 11 checks all the marks for me in terms of price, display ("6.1), and battery life. The fact they only have a 720p LCD is why their stamina is so good. Reminds me of the Vita phat vs Vita slim. The slim's LCD lasts way better with battery life. OLED is so overrated.

                            I have an iPhone SE1 and I noticed I've been using iOS mostly for games. Like Life Is Strange, Forgotton Anne, and Ridge Racer: Slipstream is much better on iPS for me than on Android. More fluid. I can't even buy the rest of the levels of Oddmar on my Androids.

                            The problem with my SE? It only has a 4-inch display! How can I enjoy games with a screen that small? My thumbs will cover up most of what I'm seeing and even playing an hour can kill battery by a lot while heating up faster.

                            I can understand the 12 mini's value. My hand will love it. My eyes won't. Just not something to use if you want to game and expect the shortest battery life for trying to pump a high res on such a small screen which only leads to overheat much faster. And overheat leads to faster battery degradation.

                            I'll take the iPhone 11 for $130 less. Bigger screen, way better battery life, and no mini to make it seem inferior with the brand. Colors are also nicer and I prefer the rounded edges. The 12 mini is the iPhone for kids' hands. And I'm a huge supporter for compact phones. But they also are the anti-gamer phones.

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                              • Anonymous
                              • 0w2
                              • 07 Feb 2021

                              Why not show the size In inches too?

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                                • Anonymous
                                • 043
                                • 07 Feb 2021

                                Kingslayer, 07 Feb 2021I was set buying the iPhone 12 mini but then I watched seve... moreif it had 326ppi, the internet would complain "haha the iPhone 12 mini has the same screen as the iPhone 4"

                                  I read in another website that asus plans to make mini flagships this year. Hope it's true.

                                    I was set buying the iPhone 12 mini but then I watched several battery tests for it on YouTube and read the standby time is also quite poor. It altered my decision. I believe the 12 mini's resolution is too high. The ppi should be in the 326 range. Nobody will really notice it on a "5.4 display! And the small battery can't tolerate a resolution that high.

                                    I want iOS only for gaming and I've seen how games are played on them narrower, taller screens with notch. My decision is now between iPhone XR vs iPhone 11. The best balance for screen size, battery life, and price. It looks to be the iPhone 11.

                                      aReefer, 07 Feb 2021I think you may be confusing people by going metric here wh... more Agreed. Real world examples weren't provided next to the listed dimensions either. For example: iPhone SE 1 , iPhone SE2 , S10e , Xperia compacts, ect - all could have been placed in ( ) , after the sizes.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • j83
                                        • 07 Feb 2021

                                        AnonD-964130, 07 Feb 2021They are launching one with sd 480 possibly but then ,will ... morePoor sales number for an Apple phone would be considered good sales for another manufacturer's phone.

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