I bought the 13 mini in June, replacing my 13, bought in March. I miss the bigger screen a bit, but overall I'm more comfortable with the mini.
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iPhone 13 mini The iPhone 13 Mini may be the last of its kind, let’s say goodbye to the best iPhone ever made
- Thread starter CrazyForCashews
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I'm planning on getting a 13 mini once the 14 has been released and the prices come down. Just hope it sticks around in the lineup and they don't discontinue it! Coming from an 8 Plus which I bought because of the second camera and the extra gig of RAM, but as time has gone on I'm sick of the size of it. Always liked the mini but had a real proper look and play with it in a phone shop near me, and compared to my 8 Plus it's perfect. Almost the same size as my 5 from years ago, but all screen. Can't wait.
Nicely done @CrazyForCashews 👍
I'm not ready to say goodbye to my Green 13 Mini.
Beautiful in my hand — caseless — and it is all I want from a smart phone.
I hope to spend quite a few more years with it.
Of course, if Apple never makes a "small" phone again I will have to bow to the inevitable one day… but until then I am happy — 13 Mini in hand. Best iPhone since the 5S.
I’m using a 13 Pro Max and a Mini right now, the Pro Max is my leisure machine for friends and family. The mini is being used for calls from recruiters etc. I love them both equally but the mini really is a pleasure to work with even for my big clunky fingers. I’m seriously debating when I upgrade to the 14 PM in a few months and making my 13 PM my calls from recruiters and hopefully work by that point into a divert all calls device on a prepay sim when I don’t want to carry anything big with me but need to be in touch with everyone
Such first world problems
iPhone minis are trash, they can't even view battery percentage in iOS 16 /s
The wife has a 12 mini and she likes it but will likely switch to a 13 soon.
The wife has a 12 mini and she likes it but will likely switch to a 13 soon.
Always used one of the bigger phones but got a 13 Mini when the green came out earlier this year and have been impressed with it. The small size makes it easier to carry and hold while using but at the end of the day I will probably go back to a bigger size next time I upgrade. The batter life is not the best and for some apps more screen real estate is appreciated. Not in a hurry to jump to a 14 as soon as they come out, but the 13 Mini will be a one and done for me even if future iPhone models have a Mini version.
for caseless use I hate the camera bump on such a small phone
It should have been flat and symmetrical
It should have been flat and symmetrical
Why don't apple just keep the mini line? There's clearly a market for it. Yes it might be smaller than the other models but people still want them.
Or maybe they will come out with new updates every 2 years or so.
Or maybe they will come out with new updates every 2 years or so.
Whenever I handled the mini at a store, I'm always amazed how densely packed it feels in my hand. It's a sleek and solid phone, and I'm waiting for it to be discounted when the 14 is released.
The only concern I have would be battery life. Cannot cheat physics, small phone has smaller battery.
The only concern I have would be battery life. Cannot cheat physics, small phone has smaller battery.
The OP sure is...something. Did your 13 mini take you out to a romantic dinner? Lol.
Glad you enjoy your phone. Sucks about the mini line but it was expected. It appears to have sold poorly.
Glad you enjoy your phone. Sucks about the mini line but it was expected. It appears to have sold poorly.
That market is very small in contrast with other demographics. The cost to manufacture, market, and sell appears to not have made their forecast.
If all I did was text and make phone calls, I'd be totally in the "mini"/smaller phone camp. But since I use my phone for so much more, trying to interact with iOS apps or web apps with a smaller screen after using a Max-sized iPhone is a hard no for me. Yeah, I suppose I'd eventually "get used to it" but why would I want to? LOL.
Ok but the display size of the mini is a fair amount (about 35%) larger than the iPhone 5s.
The mini display size compares more closely to the 8 Plus.
I wasn't worried nor cared about a bigger screen on my phone back then. I cared abound handling and portability back in those days. That size was great to handle and text one handed. Plus the best first gold ever on an iPhone.
I went 5S (2016) > SE1 (2019) > 13 Mini (2022). I also have an SE1 128Gb I use as an iPod. It's my size of phone, and when it is discontinued I'll probably see if I can find one as a backup for when my main phone dies... but in an ideal world, the 13 Mini will stay for one more year, then reappear as an SE in 2025.
I too am surprised by how good FaceID is, even in the nearly-dark... except that it doesn't work when the phone is upside down!
I too am surprised by how good FaceID is, even in the nearly-dark... except that it doesn't work when the phone is upside down!
Very nice write up! I have both 13 PM and 13 mini, but just sold the 13 PM as the new 14 will be coming. Have been impressed with the 13 mini using it more these days, makes me wonder if I even need a bigger phone! I am pretty certain apple will sell the mini for at least another year...
I envy you going caseless. I prefer to go caseless. It's the closest I come to the freedom of walking nude around the house.
Aaaaanyhoo, I used to go caseless until my SE 2016. I felt the same way about it that I felt about the 5 design all along: the sharp edges made it a little uncomfortable in the hand. Not terrible...just it felt more comfortable with the case on. My next phone was an SE 2020, which I always felt was too thin, too round at the edges, a drop waiting to happen. But also it was my first phone with a camera bump. CURSE YOU CAMERA BUMP!!!!! I'm just the kind of personality that gets driven CRAZY by the wobble. So a case fixed that.
Now the 13 mini. In agreement with the original poster, a wonderful, wonderful phone. But the bump is still there, and no case can even it out without being crazy bulky. I did get a leather case and that helps mitigate it enough: I can put it down on a surface and though it is not flush it has no wobble unless I specifically try to create one.
I fear there will never be another iPhone like my beloved 5c. What a joy to hold and to look at!
How strong is the MagSafe wallet attached to the Mini? Is it hard to slide off and remove?
Oh my goodness, the green 13 Mini is gorgeous... and you go case-less too? Come over here and lemme give you a hug!
I too plan to use my 13 till the very end. Probably not going to even update to iOS 16 as 15 is quite snappy enough.
Agree, not a fan of camera bumps but hey at least it makes a phone easier to pick up from a table or surface as is the case with the 13 Mini!
That's history, we've been sleeping together since we met!
Haha, pretty much the same phone evolution I rocked with: OG SE -> iPhone 8 -> 13 Mini
I'm also using my OG SE as a dedicated iPod. Can't beat that headphone jack and really good DAC.
I might be going through a mid life crisis but I sold my iPhone 13 Pro Max today and bought an iPhone 13 Mini to finally scratch that itch I’ve been feeling these past couple of years. I of course purchased it from Apple in case I decide to move to the 14 once announced but day 1 and I’m loving it. I notice certain things that I was used to with my Pro Max but it’s a real contender to be kept moving forward.
In terms of screen width, the mini is a bit closer to the 5S than to the Plus. The mini has significantly more screen height than the 5S though, although one has to consider that the usable height on the mini is a bit reduced due to the rounded corners and the notch, and due the way the iOS UI works on the post-Home-button iPhones (bottom bar, taller top bar). For that reason, the Plus arguably has slightly more usable height than the mini, despite the screen being slightly less tall.
Mini (blue) vs. Plus (green) screens:
Mini (blue) vs. 5S (green) screen:
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I've had a 13 Mini for a couple weeks now, here are my impressions and mini review:
Preach!
Okay, I agree it's an awesome phone, but I won't go that far, lol.
I wish I could. I really really really wish I could. I much prefer to go caseless. But the camera bump...I just cannot get over the wobble. Cannot. I get it, the physics of cameras requires it. The alternative would be to make the phone thicker, and I don't think I would enjoy one thick enough to eliminate the bump. I know, battery would be great and all, but I wouldn't make that trade-off all the way to flush. So, regrettably, a case it is.
Lol, I dig the honeymoon period enthusiasm!
Going to get nitpicky here: the OG iPhone SE and the iPhone 8 already had a baby: the iPhone 2020. Literally a more advanced phone in the iPhone 8 body. I think the 13 mini is better than that.
I only realized this after I had left my SE 2016 behind. After using the SE 2020 for a while, it felt cramped.
Let me be clear: I love my 13 mini. I think it's a great phone. But I think I do prefer the slightly wider ratio of the 8. More on this below, when I get to the one part of the mini that I do find--relatively--the most disappointing.
I agree that flat sides are better. But here there is another element: how "sharp" are the corners? I felt the iPhone 5 series was too sharp, and just a little uncomfortable. The 4 series somehow avoided this: probably because the phone was a little thicker and it mitigated it. The mini has JUST ENOUGH curvature. But it's moot for me anyway: I've got a case, as I mentioned above.
Perfection? The iPhone 5c.
One of the things I didn't like about the 5 series (including the SE 2016) was that it was too light. It didn't give the impression of solidity, felt like a prop. I know, who cares. This is something that makes an impression subconsciously. I paid hundreds of dollars for a piece of tech: at some level I want to FEEL it. It's not really lightness that's the thing, but density. The 4 was the very best in this regard: the materials used made it feel like a real, solid piece of tech. It was reassuring.
(in fact, that's another reason I went with the 5c instead of the 5S back in the day: it was just a little heavier, and it made a big difference)
I like the weight of the 13 just fine, much better than the 5 series. And I agree with the comment about the glass being grippy and secure. I like that (or would sans case).
You know what iPhone also had really secure, perfect materials that gave you a great grip with no case help? The iPhone 5c.
Just to make sure it's stated, I believe the camera had to be rearranged to make room for the larger sensor, they could no longer put them squared up. I think.
OK, I have to admit I hadn't thought of that last bit, and I think that would be an issue with a caseless phone. Score a point in favor of the accursed camera bump!
You mean blue.
OK, this is a good place to talk about the screen dimensions. Most of what you are saying I agree with perfectly. Screen is great, but it has been for years. When they went from the 3GS to the 4 it was just...holy moly. But it's good they keep improving. But I am less of a fan of the dimensions compared to the 8. We lost a little width for length, and I don't think that was a good tradeoff. I feel that with things like web pages (or ebooks), I feel cramped. I don't read ebooks on my mini: I use my iPad.
(And I'll say it here: there are some things I do on other Apple devices instead of the phone. I don't mean it as to suggest that the iPhone is not a decent place to do these things, just that it COULD be better.)
Count me as not bothered by the notch.
BUT.
BUT BUT.
I miss the home button. I miss having the lower chin, some place to rest my thumb (or to go home) without obscuring any of the screen. More on this below when it comes to Touch ID vs. Face ID. But the chin made two things possible: the real estate to keep the screen clear of the essential home navigation, and the friendlier aspect ratio.
Roger that, enthusiastically seconded.
I was trying to choose between a 13 mini and a 13 pro. I love all the things you're saying about the mini. The only thing I felt I was missing, the ONLY thing...was the telephoto lens.
So over HERE is a bucket of photos I take when I want my best quality. I'm not a pro, but I'm sometimes in situations I want the best possible photo quality. That bucket is for my DSLR.
And over HERE is a bucket of photos I take on the run. Where quality isn't an issue at all. That bucket is for my phone.
And over HERE is the bucket in the middle. Think family gatherings. Highest quality isn't crucial, but there has to be a certain level of quality. I'm taking a trip to Italy soon, that all goes in this bucket. Am I really going to take a better photo of the Colosseum than I can find with a quick Google search? No. So this isn't in the high-quality bucket. This, up to now, has also been the domain of my DSLR. I just didn't like the stuff coming out of my iPhone well enough.
What I wanted was to be able to do that middle bucket with my phone. And I thought I would need the telephoto lens to do that. I opted to forego it (look on this forum and elsewhere for critiques of the Pro's handling of telephoto shots, a very interesting topic). Jury is still out...but I think I made a fine decision. Love the photos out of my mini.
I have no opinion on these topics, I'm afraid.
Also significant over the SE 2020. I am a big fan of the 13 mini battery. I charge each night, and that's all I need on, say, 95% of days.
All right. This is where the biggest sore spot is. I was very nervous about going from Touch ID to Face ID. I've had the mini now for several months, and I am used to the new dynamics of waking and unlocking the phone. Face ID is...fine. But it is not as good as Touch ID. The gap is not as big as I feared it would be, but Touch ID remains the easier interface.
With Touch ID I need one action with my thumb. Place it on the home button. From there I can press it to wake, leave it right there to authenticate, and press to go home. It might as well be one motion. And I can do it at any angle, or even in my pocket. With a Face ID phone I need to touch the screen to wake, then make sure I'm in the field of view (and looking at it: it requires your attention to be on it), and then do a swipe up from the bottom to go to the home screen. This is a step back from Touch ID.
This really messes with Apple Pay as well. Double-clicking the sleep/wake button isn't a very natural thing. Your mileage may very of course. But I find it off-putting. I am constantly accidentally taking screen shots or putting the phone to sleep. I have to think about how to hold the phone to do it successfully. Then I have to authenticate, which works well but has its limits. And only then do I tap the reader.
Tell it I want to pay -> authenticate -> tap. This is not the natural way to go about a purchase.
With Touch ID, I put to the reader FIRST. THEN I authenticate. Tap -> authenticate. Much smoother, and more natural. Apple Pay took a BIG step back going from Touch ID to Face ID. Now, fortunately, I have an Apple Watch, and I can use that without futzing with the phone. But the phone should be much better at it.
This is my biggest single problem with the 13 mini (which, really, isn't a problem with the mini specifically but with the whole design language of the home buttonless iPhones). My other problems are at the margins. This one is a real one, and I hope they improve it somehow.
So, with the one real caveat, I love my 13 mini. I probably could have advised people to just skip to this last line.
Preach!
Okay, I agree it's an awesome phone, but I won't go that far, lol.
I wish I could. I really really really wish I could. I much prefer to go caseless. But the camera bump...I just cannot get over the wobble. Cannot. I get it, the physics of cameras requires it. The alternative would be to make the phone thicker, and I don't think I would enjoy one thick enough to eliminate the bump. I know, battery would be great and all, but I wouldn't make that trade-off all the way to flush. So, regrettably, a case it is.
Lol, I dig the honeymoon period enthusiasm!
Going to get nitpicky here: the OG iPhone SE and the iPhone 8 already had a baby: the iPhone 2020. Literally a more advanced phone in the iPhone 8 body. I think the 13 mini is better than that.
I only realized this after I had left my SE 2016 behind. After using the SE 2020 for a while, it felt cramped.
Let me be clear: I love my 13 mini. I think it's a great phone. But I think I do prefer the slightly wider ratio of the 8. More on this below, when I get to the one part of the mini that I do find--relatively--the most disappointing.
I agree that flat sides are better. But here there is another element: how "sharp" are the corners? I felt the iPhone 5 series was too sharp, and just a little uncomfortable. The 4 series somehow avoided this: probably because the phone was a little thicker and it mitigated it. The mini has JUST ENOUGH curvature. But it's moot for me anyway: I've got a case, as I mentioned above.
Perfection? The iPhone 5c.
One of the things I didn't like about the 5 series (including the SE 2016) was that it was too light. It didn't give the impression of solidity, felt like a prop. I know, who cares. This is something that makes an impression subconsciously. I paid hundreds of dollars for a piece of tech: at some level I want to FEEL it. It's not really lightness that's the thing, but density. The 4 was the very best in this regard: the materials used made it feel like a real, solid piece of tech. It was reassuring.
(in fact, that's another reason I went with the 5c instead of the 5S back in the day: it was just a little heavier, and it made a big difference)
I like the weight of the 13 just fine, much better than the 5 series. And I agree with the comment about the glass being grippy and secure. I like that (or would sans case).
You know what iPhone also had really secure, perfect materials that gave you a great grip with no case help? The iPhone 5c.
Just to make sure it's stated, I believe the camera had to be rearranged to make room for the larger sensor, they could no longer put them squared up. I think.
OK, I have to admit I hadn't thought of that last bit, and I think that would be an issue with a caseless phone. Score a point in favor of the accursed camera bump!
You mean blue.
OK, this is a good place to talk about the screen dimensions. Most of what you are saying I agree with perfectly. Screen is great, but it has been for years. When they went from the 3GS to the 4 it was just...holy moly. But it's good they keep improving. But I am less of a fan of the dimensions compared to the 8. We lost a little width for length, and I don't think that was a good tradeoff. I feel that with things like web pages (or ebooks), I feel cramped. I don't read ebooks on my mini: I use my iPad.
(And I'll say it here: there are some things I do on other Apple devices instead of the phone. I don't mean it as to suggest that the iPhone is not a decent place to do these things, just that it COULD be better.)
Count me as not bothered by the notch.
BUT.
BUT BUT.
I miss the home button. I miss having the lower chin, some place to rest my thumb (or to go home) without obscuring any of the screen. More on this below when it comes to Touch ID vs. Face ID. But the chin made two things possible: the real estate to keep the screen clear of the essential home navigation, and the friendlier aspect ratio.
Roger that, enthusiastically seconded.
I was trying to choose between a 13 mini and a 13 pro. I love all the things you're saying about the mini. The only thing I felt I was missing, the ONLY thing...was the telephoto lens.
So over HERE is a bucket of photos I take when I want my best quality. I'm not a pro, but I'm sometimes in situations I want the best possible photo quality. That bucket is for my DSLR.
And over HERE is a bucket of photos I take on the run. Where quality isn't an issue at all. That bucket is for my phone.
And over HERE is the bucket in the middle. Think family gatherings. Highest quality isn't crucial, but there has to be a certain level of quality. I'm taking a trip to Italy soon, that all goes in this bucket. Am I really going to take a better photo of the Colosseum than I can find with a quick Google search? No. So this isn't in the high-quality bucket. This, up to now, has also been the domain of my DSLR. I just didn't like the stuff coming out of my iPhone well enough.
What I wanted was to be able to do that middle bucket with my phone. And I thought I would need the telephoto lens to do that. I opted to forego it (look on this forum and elsewhere for critiques of the Pro's handling of telephoto shots, a very interesting topic). Jury is still out...but I think I made a fine decision. Love the photos out of my mini.
I have no opinion on these topics, I'm afraid.
Also significant over the SE 2020. I am a big fan of the 13 mini battery. I charge each night, and that's all I need on, say, 95% of days.
All right. This is where the biggest sore spot is. I was very nervous about going from Touch ID to Face ID. I've had the mini now for several months, and I am used to the new dynamics of waking and unlocking the phone. Face ID is...fine. But it is not as good as Touch ID. The gap is not as big as I feared it would be, but Touch ID remains the easier interface.
With Touch ID I need one action with my thumb. Place it on the home button. From there I can press it to wake, leave it right there to authenticate, and press to go home. It might as well be one motion. And I can do it at any angle, or even in my pocket. With a Face ID phone I need to touch the screen to wake, then make sure I'm in the field of view (and looking at it: it requires your attention to be on it), and then do a swipe up from the bottom to go to the home screen. This is a step back from Touch ID.
This really messes with Apple Pay as well. Double-clicking the sleep/wake button isn't a very natural thing. Your mileage may very of course. But I find it off-putting. I am constantly accidentally taking screen shots or putting the phone to sleep. I have to think about how to hold the phone to do it successfully. Then I have to authenticate, which works well but has its limits. And only then do I tap the reader.
Tell it I want to pay -> authenticate -> tap. This is not the natural way to go about a purchase.
With Touch ID, I put to the reader FIRST. THEN I authenticate. Tap -> authenticate. Much smoother, and more natural. Apple Pay took a BIG step back going from Touch ID to Face ID. Now, fortunately, I have an Apple Watch, and I can use that without futzing with the phone. But the phone should be much better at it.
This is my biggest single problem with the 13 mini (which, really, isn't a problem with the mini specifically but with the whole design language of the home buttonless iPhones). My other problems are at the margins. This one is a real one, and I hope they improve it somehow.
So, with the one real caveat, I love my 13 mini. I probably could have advised people to just skip to this last line.
I use the wallet with an Apple silicone case and have found the wallet stays on pretty good. It is not hard to slide to remove.