iPhone 13 mini I love my 13 mini, but…

[sorgo †]

Basically everything about my 13 mini I love. I love the one-handed size, the lightweight portability, the way it “disappears” in my pocket as someone else here so aptly put it. The battery life is generally quite impressive for my use-case, the high-PPI display is crisp, and the dark green finish looks beautiful (especially paired with a green Silicone Case). The cameras are great but I sometimes do miss the optical zoom on my 8 Plus of yore.

But there’s one thing missing: ProMotion. See, Apple’s much-discussed OLED pulse-width modulation implementation hasn’t given my eyes any serious trouble since the XS days (I had to return one for that very reason), but the mini’s 60 Hz OLED display sometimes makes me feel like my eyes are bleeding—mostly when scrolling. I can’t help but pick up on the choppiness especially compared to the comfortably slight, fluid blur of my ninth-gen iPad’s LCD.

So I think this year will be the one in which I pick up a 14 Pro and join the ProMotion family in hopes of finding smoother, less visually-jarring pastures. The improved cameras, longer battery life, faster chip, and redesigned Face ID array will just help sweeten the deal—and hopefully help to make keeping the unit for several years a more palatable prospect.

All that said I’m sure there will be times where a fancy 14 Pro just can’t quite fill the mini-sized hole in my heart. This device is truly a practical engineering marvel and I’m sure it will always rank among my most-beloved iPhones.

P.S.: I know that USB-C is allegedly in the works but I honestly couldn’t care less about it. Most all of what I use (AirPods Pro, Magsafe Battery Pack, iPhone, and iPad) have Lightning ports and although USB-C would perhaps quicken the occasional backup to iTunes, I’m not itching to switch anytime soon.

 

[ssledoux]

I love the mini also, but I’m likely going back to a pro. As much as I love the weight, overall size, etc., I miss having a bit more screen real estate.

I’d prefer a regular 14 for weight, but I am beyond ready to lose the notch.

 

[sorgo †]

I love the mini also, but I’m likely going back to a pro. As much as I love the weight, overall size, etc., I miss having a bit more screen real estate.

I’d prefer a regular 14 for weight, but I am beyond ready to lose the notch.

You and I are in similar boats then. The only differences being I don’t necessarily miss the real estate (especially given the high-density display) and don’t really mind the notch, especially after the redesign. That said I’m sure I will warm up to the pill.

 

[Andeddu]

I have never seen anything in relation to 60hz screens causing discomfort. Are you sure you are not a PWM sufferer? Everything is buttery smooth when I use my 12 Mini which leads me to believe that I have no PWM sensitivity.

 

[sorgo †]

I have never seen anything in relation to 60hz screens causing discomfort. Are you sure you are not a PWM sufferer? Everything is buttery smooth when I use my 12 Mini which leads me to believe that I have no PWM sensitivity.

Yes, perhaps the display’s frame-rate is just more pronounced in conjunction with the OLED pulse-width modulation—and given my past PWM sensitivity I just notice it more. We’ll see how I fare with a 14 Pro.

 

[Andeddu]

Yes, perhaps the display’s frame-rate is just more pronounced in conjunction with the OLED pulse-width modulation—and given my past PWM sensitivity I just notice it more. We’ll see how I fare with a 14 Pro.

PM could indeed help… I suppose someone who suffers from PWM who has used a PM phone could let you know if it makes a difference.

I would personally stick with an LCD panel until you’re absolutely sure you can use an OLED phone pain-free.

 

[sorgo †]

I would personally stick with an LCD panel until you’re absolutely sure you can use an OLED phone pain-free.

Yes, I know, but I do really love the other aspects of OLED. Also I’m not sure I could go back to an iPhone 11/modern SE for other reasons. I have played around a bit with a friend’s 13 Pro and can’t recall experiencing any PWM-induced discomfort.

 

[Andeddu]

Yes, I know, but I do really love the other aspects of OLED. Also I’m not sure I could go back to an iPhone 11/modern SE for other reasons. I have played around a bit with a friend’s 13 Pro and can’t recall experiencing any PWM-induced discomfort.

Try giving it an extended bit of use… you could be lucky and find the Pros usable.

The LCD screens are surprisingly good. I thought the same about OLED and love the 12 Mini’s screen but I was able to downgrade seamlessly to the SE’16 and had no issues re-adjusting to the older panel.

 

[Quarric]

My mini has been my favourite phone to date honestly, and I really liked my old 5s and first gen SE. But, and I absolutely didn’t think I’d find a but when I got it, my battery health is already at 91% I took it in to get a check over to see if there was any reason to explain it, I don’t watch loads of videos, I don’t play games on it, I don’t use a lot of social media apps and it’s not attached to a charger unless it needs it. The conclusion they offered was that as I use it as my primary computer device that perhaps the accessibility features constantly running on it are just causing that extra bit of ware on the system.
Naturally they suggested changing to a bigger phone with a bigger battery, or getting a tablet or something for home use. I tried that a few years ago and ended up giving the iPad to a family member because I just kept using my phone as the size is nicer to hold and I don’t need the extra screen size.
So for the first time I’m actually considering getting one of the larger phones for home use or for long, heavy use by my standards days, and keeping the mini as my general take most places, most of the time phone because I can’t see myself enjoying carrying a pro everywhere.
Unless the 14 pro comes with something really worth the cost to me, I’ll probably just get a 2nd hand 13pro at some point.

 

[sorgo †]

My mini has been my favourite phone to date honestly, and I really liked my old 5s and first gen SE. But, and I absolutely didn’t think I’d find a but when I got it, my battery health is already at 91% I took it in to get a check over to see if there was any reason to explain it, I don’t watch loads of videos, I don’t play games on it, I don’t use a lot of social media apps and it’s not attached to a charger unless it needs it. The conclusion they offered was that as I use it as my primary computer device that perhaps the accessibility features constantly running on it are just causing that extra bit of ware on the system.
Naturally they suggested changing to a bigger phone with a bigger battery, or getting a tablet or something for home use. I tried that a few years ago and ended up giving the iPad to a family member because I just kept using my phone as the size is nicer to hold and I don’t need the extra screen size.
So for the first time I’m actually considering getting one of the larger phones for home use or for long, heavy use by my standards days, and keeping the mini as my general take most places, most of the time phone because I can’t see myself enjoying carrying a pro everywhere.
Unless the 14 pro comes with something really worth the cost to me, I’ll probably just get a 2nd hand 13pro at some point.

Is it a 13 mini or a 12 mini? Also what kind of Accessibility features are we talking? Do you ever use non-Apple chargers or high-wattage/MagSafe charging? I’ve heard those can help wear down the battery faster.

 

[v0lume4]

Hey there. I just want to set your expectations. Pulse width modulation, which is used to control the brightness of the display, is completely separate from the refresh rate of the image on the screen.

Both your iPhone 13 mini and the iPhone 13 Pro flicker at 513Hz. Unless Apple really changes things up with their screen supplier or the handling of the dimming of the display, then you can expect the same results from the iPhone 14 Pro. So now you’ll have an even bigger screen flickering into your eyes.

Maybe it’s not even the PWM that’s bothering you. It could be partly the refresh rate of the images on the screen. I don’t know. But I just want you to know ahead of time what you’re getting into.

When scrolling with my previous phone, the Nexus 6P, that used a whopping 5.7” 16:9 OLED display and there was a slightly choppiness to it when scrolling compared to the iPhone SE that I am back on now. So I know what you’re referring to when you talk about choppiness. Perhaps you need to go use one of the Pro models in person to see if it remedies the situation for you before you commit to buying one.

For future research, Notebookcheck tests PWM in all their reviews. Here’s the 13 Pro.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review - Bombastic smartphone with minor weaknesses

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro impressed in our review, thanks to the new A15 Bionic, 6 GB of RAM, lots of storage, superb battery life, and a strong triple-camera system.

www.notebookcheck.net

 

[sorgo †]

Hey there. I just want to set your expectations. Pulse width modulation, which is used to control the brightness of the display, is completely separate from the refresh rate of the image on the screen.

Both your iPhone 13 mini and the iPhone 13 Pro flicker at 513Hz. Unless Apple really changes things up with their screen supplier or the handling of the dimming of the display, then you can expect the same results from the iPhone 14 Pro. So now you’ll have an even bigger screen flickering into your eyes.

Maybe it’s not even the PWM that’s bothering you. It could be partly the refresh rate of the images on the screen. I don’t know. But I just want you to know ahead of time what you’re getting into.

When scrolling with my previous phone, the Nexus 6P, that used a whopping 5.7” 16:9 OLED display and there was a slightly choppiness to it when scrolling compared to the iPhone SE that I am back on now. So I know what you’re referring to when you talk about choppiness. Perhaps you need to go use one of the Pro models in person to see if it remedies the situation for you before you commit to buying one.

For future research, Notebookcheck tests PWM in all their reviews. Here’s the 13 Pro.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Review - Bombastic smartphone with minor weaknesses

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro impressed in our review, thanks to the new A15 Bionic, 6 GB of RAM, lots of storage, superb battery life, and a strong triple-camera system.

www.notebookcheck.net

Thank you sincerely for the helpful information. I have a feeling it is more the refresh rate than the PWM that’s bugging me, and I can always return the 14 Pro and cancel trading in my 13 mini if anything seems amiss.

 

[ndouglas]

My mini has been my favourite phone to date honestly, and I really liked my old 5s and first gen SE. But, and I absolutely didn’t think I’d find a but when I got it, my battery health is already at 91% I took it in to get a check over to see if there was any reason to explain it, I don’t watch loads of videos, I don’t play games on it, I don’t use a lot of social media apps and it’s not attached to a charger unless it needs it. The conclusion they offered was that as I use it as my primary computer device that perhaps the accessibility features constantly running on it are just causing that extra bit of ware on the system.
Naturally they suggested changing to a bigger phone with a bigger battery, or getting a tablet or something for home use. I tried that a few years ago and ended up giving the iPad to a family member because I just kept using my phone as the size is nicer to hold and I don’t need the extra screen size.
So for the first time I’m actually considering getting one of the larger phones for home use or for long, heavy use by my standards days, and keeping the mini as my general take most places, most of the time phone because I can’t see myself enjoying carrying a pro everywhere.
Unless the 14 pro comes with something really worth the cost to me, I’ll probably just get a 2nd hand 13pro at some point.

That makes sense to get a larger phone given your use of it as a primary computing device, even if you don’t use video or media apps a lot. I’ve always shifted to my laptop and now sometimes tablet 70% or more of the work and reading situations, I’m nearsighted so I need bigger text and screens. However I’ll stick with smaller phones for portability for as long as I can.

 

[Quarric]

Is it a 13 mini or a 12 mini? Also what kind of Accessibility features are we talking? Do you ever use non-Apple chargers or high-wattage/MagSafe charging? I’ve heard those can help wear down the battery faster.

It’s a 13mini. I use the low power brick with a cable that has an auto shutoff, I’ve maybe used MagSafe charging a literal handful of times, so I don’t think it could be that. I’ve heard the same as you about them and battery wear. I’ve got voice over running 99.9% of the time
I think they suggested that because they couldn’t think of anything else to explain the drop in battery health in 11 months. I ran the same stuff on the SE2 I had before that and it hadn’t degraded that fast. Crap luck I think. I could get 7hr screen time the first few months, which was nice..

 

[ndouglas]

Is it a 13 mini or a 12 mini? Also what kind of Accessibility features are we talking? Do you ever use non-Apple chargers or high-wattage/MagSafe charging? I’ve heard those can help wear down the battery faster.

Good questions I’d like to know that too. I have an SE 2020 and it’s fine since I use other devices to supplement it, but yikes, any time I use it for navigation, listen to radio on my headphones, or anything similar for even like 30-60 minutes, it takes a significant toll on the battery. And this is after replacing the battery last January.

 

[Quarric]

Good questions I’d like to know that too. I have an SE 2020 and it’s fine since I use other devices to supplement it, but yikes, any time I use it for navigation, listen to radio on my headphones, or anything similar for even like 30-60 minutes, it takes a significant toll on the battery. And this is after replacing the battery last January.

See above. I had an SE2 before the 13mini and know exactly what you mean. That one’s battery health percent is still higher than my mini is now, though the mini still lasts longer to be fair.

 

[sorgo †]

It’s a 13mini. I use the low power brick with a cable that has an auto shutoff, I’ve maybe used MagSafe charging a literal handful of times, so I don’t think it could be that. I’ve heard the same as you about them and battery wear. I’ve got voice over running 99.9% of the time
I think they suggested that because they couldn’t think of anything else to explain the drop in battery health in 11 months. I ran the same stuff on the SE2 I had before that and it hadn’t degraded that fast. Crap luck I think. I could get 7hr screen time the first few months, which was nice..

Wow, maybe batteries are a crapshoot like displays. I’ve had my 13 mini since March and it’s still holding strong at 100% battery health. I know it’s only been several months but the battery in my iPhone 12 began degrading steadily well before it reached the several-months mark.

 

[ndouglas]

See above. I had an SE2 before the 13mini and know exactly what you mean. That one’s battery health percent is still higher than my mini is now, though the mini still lasts longer to be fair.

Ah yeah I posted just a bit after you answered that, thanks for the info. I am leaning toward getting a 13mini next (unless a newer one comes), but in the meantime I will try to eke another year or so out of my SE2, since it’s a hassle to change more than needed, and even just replacing the battery is like 3+ hours of being at the Apple store and mall, waiting for them to do it.

 

[ndouglas]

Wow, maybe batteries are a crapshoot like displays. I’ve had my 13 mini since March and it’s still holding strong at 100% battery health. I know it’s only been several months but the battery in my iPhone 12 began degrading steadily well before it reached the several-months mark.

Yeah I’d hazard to guess batteries seem to be even more of a crapshoot than displays, or at least the same crapshoot. 🤗

 

[ndouglas]

It’s gotten to where I put the phone in “low power mode” whenever I want to use it for radio or travel or anything besides staying in my pocket, lol. Not that I’m super sure that low power mode helps significantly.

 

[sorgo †]

It’s gotten to where I put the phone in “low power mode” whenever I want to use it for radio or travel or anything besides staying in my pocket, lol. Not that I’m super sure that low power mode helps significantly.

I also use Low Power Mode a lot of the time. What kind of cellular data settings are you using? 5G? I always have mine set to LTE with Low Data Mode turned on, I figure it might help save additional battery in your case.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I can't even tell the difference between a pro motion display and one without.

 

[v0lume4]

Thank you sincerely for the helpful information. I have a feeling it is more the refresh rate than the PWM that’s bugging me, and I can always return the 14 Pro and cancel trading in my 13 mini if anything seems amiss.

You’re welcome. Long love the mini 🤙🏻

 

[AVBeatMan]

I also love my 13 mini but really miss the Pro Max's. Be getting a 14 Pro Max.

 

[ericg301]

I had zero plans to upgrade from my 13 mini but I just so happened to be by an Apple Store so I popped in to look at the 13 pros. They weren’t quite as big or heavy as I thought. After panting with it for a few minutes I think I convinced myself that i could go to the 14 pro as long as the size and weight don’t increase ….