I actually prefer LCD to OLED. The colors on my 12 PM look washed out next to my SE 2020 and the SE gets brighter. I know the PM has more nits but the 12 PM display isnt as bright to begin with. Not to mention the awful yellowish tint on every OLED iPhone Ive owned or seen. Just looking at them side by side on the main Google search page is crazy. Dont get that on the LCD, whites are crisp with no yellow tint. The OLED display is definitely sharper and text is clearer, but I still tend to favor the LCD overall.
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iPhone 12 mini From 6s to 12 mini – reflections on how little has changed
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The reason I'd argue the mini is a little expensive is that the battery is so small. You're going to use so much of its capacity each day, and therefore wear it out much sooner. Unless you're an all day phone user, the 12 Pro Max is going to have a lot more battery left at end of day, thus many less cycles over the years, lasting longer.
I don't know if it's overpriced, but long term, knowing you're more likely to deal with the battery sooner is something to think about.
I don't know if it's overpriced, but long term, knowing you're more likely to deal with the battery sooner is something to think about.
And costs $370 more than the mini. Seems like a lot to pay for a better battery.
The Mini is no more expensive, or overpriced, than any other iPhone.
I find it funny how some people say that the Mini is overpriced. It’s the cheapest OLED iPhone available.
I agree.
I never liked the new gestures (went from a 6 to an 11, then the 12 Pro Max) at first, but now they feel so natural.
It's like dealing a deck of cards, with all of the swiping
.
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You're completely right, I just know I have a phone that unless I send it in for a new battery has become useless in three years times. It would be hard to destroy a max battery that quickly.
But you buy a phone based on your needs. If you're someone that's spends many hours a day consuming media/playing games then you won't be buying the Mini.
And that's me. If, somehow, the battery capacity were to be reduced to an unusable level, a battery replacement is way more economical than splurging for an unneeded and unwanted overly huge Max.
I went from an iPhone 6S to an iPhone11 ten days ago and have been very happy with it. The mini was tempting but at $699 compared to my used (mint condition) at $490, it was a no brainer. I like the size of the mini but am confident that I'll get used to the larger phone. I will admit that I remember the price of my 6S and spending twice as much for the latest version did not appeal to me, everyone has their own process when spending their money.
I don’t see how it could possibly be 'flatter', but anywho, I find the speakers to be really good (even better than my previous X and XS). I listen to podcasts from my home country for hours when I’m moving around the house (lock-down and all).
All these so called 'incremental' upgrades some of you keep talking about may not immediately be some kind of wow factor, but after some time you’ll start noticing how much all these 'incremental' changes help with the overall user experience (unless you’re an extremely light user, in which case you probably don’t need a high end phone anyway). Just last week a friend of mine spilled her drink all over my mini. I rinsed it off under the sink and a bit later it was good as new. Try that with a 6s.
Less bass effect is what I mean with “flatter” sound. This is very possible with tighter room inside that’s not possible for bigger components.
I just bought a mini today myself to use in bed and as a second phone. I'm certainly not a hater of it. Love it a bunch! It reconfirmed to me though, the max is the best for daytime for me. The screen is just so nice. These are all great though.
I just got a Mini today too. I now have the Max, Mini and SE 2020. Its only been two hours but I already know which one Im keeping....the Mini. Been using the Max since launch day but Ive grown tired of it. Its just too big, heavy and awkward to use as my main device despite the amazing camera system. Love the SE but not crazy about the display and old school design. The Mini is perfect IMO. 95% of the goodness from the 12 Pro models, but in a much smaller, lighter and cheaper package.
I dont watch movies or play games on my phone. I just do calls, texts, emails, social media, light web browsing and casual photos/videos. I have my Canon mirrorless cameras if I need serious photos and I have my iPad Pro 12.9 if I need a larger portable device. Im surprised the mini has sold so poorly, but its a bit pricey, especially with the SE 2020 for nearly half the price. I will wait a few weeks until the honeymoon phase is over but as of now, the Mini is probably my favorite iPhone of all time.
Whining about iPhone prices is comical! Everyone knows they cost to much, but if you want that ? you got to pay to play!
What happened to your amazing Note 20 ultra that you were ranting and raving about in a bunch of posts last year ? ? ?
Its amazing to think that the iphone on the right, costs the same as the iphone on the left and middle combined!
That's awesome.
I do love my Max much and keeping it for my daily phone. I do watch videos on it some, and I think the Pro feels super quality. The stainless steel and heft are just so nice, IMHO.
I like the mini a lot, but I'm just using it in bed as an iPod right now.
It's terrific that Apple has so many options now!
Camera on 12 mini also a clear step up from X. Which itself blows away the 6s on all dimensions not just camera.
So honestly I can’t see why anyone puts 6S and 12 mini in the same frame....
Exactly. It’s all the fine details of the top model in a truly pocket size.
If one doesn’t care about the very best display and camera , and the FaceID then one doesn’t have to pay for it - the SE2020 is the low entry ticket model.
And that’s what folks don’t understand - that it is a “mini” as in “mini pro” - not “mini price”.
Small size does not mean it’s a price fighter model or aimed at price-sensitive customers. Quite the opposite - it’s aimed at keeping happy the Apple premium customers who Werel dissatisfied with the steady growth in size and weight and delaying their upgrades. I musefletter know a few people who bought the older iPhone SE for thai reason, a couple of then would have bought the SE2020 if the mini hadnt been released.
In this product is the joy that hasn’t really been there since the days of the 5S: a really high-quality device that discretely serves you well and does not command attention or take up space.
Here, the real issue is Apple has been sloppy with its product naming strategy and that is what’s making the positioning of this item unclear. They should have thought more carefully across all the product names.
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Yeah, while the improvements are mostly objective, the value of each of them is very subjective.
I’d say generally speaking phone improvements these days are most appreciated by phone enthusiasts and photo takers. Not professional photographers per se, but I think phones have tapped into the everyday person’s desire to share their lives and experiences, and has enabled them to do so visual with good quality cameras, essentially turning the mainstream into photo takers. And so the ability to take better and better photos is widely valued (but still subjective).
I’d say generally speaking phone improvements these days are most appreciated by phone enthusiasts and photo takers. Not professional photographers per se, but I think phones have tapped into the everyday person’s desire to share their lives and experiences, and has enabled them to do so visual with good quality cameras, essentially turning the mainstream into photo takers. And so the ability to take better and better photos is widely valued (but still subjective).
I agree.
As someone who works in the creative fields and being familiar with professional cameras, I am rather amazed how tiny sensor and computational photography enhancement works these days.
I jumped from iPhone 6 straight to 12 mini, the auto HDR and low light processing is something I never imagine to have in a smartphone few years ago.
This is of course talking about phone photography in general, not just on iPhones.
Yes, I love my Canon DLSR, and no phone camera will ever be able to match it in terms of image quality due to physics, however in terms of HDR and Exposure, current smartphone cameras are just unbeatable.
Great honest review!!
This is the reason I haven’t updated yet. I’m still using my 6s I got from 2015. It still works perfectly and I’m even on 14.4.2
I’ve been extremely lucky, as I’ve always used the thin fit case from Spigen so no protection at top or bottom and never used a screen protector. My phone looks brand new and still very snappy and does everything I need. Touch ID always works and quick.
I do want a larger screen but don’t want to lose Touch ID. The 12 mini is out because it’s smaller than my 6s with only marginal screen increase. The mini also has poor speakers. I’ve seen many vids and compared to the 11 and 12 pro the 12 mini speakers are weak.
I’d like to wait for the 13 however there are no guarantees that Touch ID will return. I’m considering a 11 pro refurbished. The form factor is most closely resembles the 6s. Although it’s much heavier than the 6s, the battery life I’ve seen is very good beating even the 12 pro. The only drawback is the weight and the older intel modem inside.
Enjoyed reading your review.
I can definitely attest to this, the 12 mini speakers are not that great (SE2 speakers are better), but they get the job done. This is probably due to the 12 minis small size though as speaker diaphragms need room to breathe etc. Apart from this though, the 12 mini is up there as one of the best iphones of all time in my opinion.