Iphone 12 mini test: a unique smartphone in its kind

First expected, then claimed and fantasized, the iPhone 12 Mini is now reality, with its small size that attracts eyes. So we hastened to see what he had in his stomach. He is not tall, but he is valiant.

Iphone 12 mini test: our opinion after several weeks of use

Difficult in 2020 to find a compact smartphone on the market. When Apple announced the iPhone 12 Mini at the same time as theiPhone 12, The 12 pro and the 12 pro max, It was a nice surprise for lovers of small phones, in particular seduced by the format of the iPhone SE first by the name. By discovering the mini, we immediately wondered what Apple sacrifices had been able to make a phone so compact. It turns out that the iPhone 12 Mini has everything that the iPhone 12 has, smaller.

The iPhone 12 Mini is aptly named

He has the same design, supports 5G and has a HDR OLED screen protected by the same Ceramic Shield glass. IP68 certified, it resists dust and water and is compatible with wireless load as well as Magsafe accessories. It has the same A14 Bionic processor, turned under iOS 14 and aligns the same photo sensors. The iPhone 12 and 12 Mini are therefore identical. But one is small and the other is not.

The iPhone 12 Mini has a 5.4 -inch screen and costs 809 euros while the iPhone 12 offers a 6.1 inch screen and costs 909 euros. Most of the remarks made in our iPhone 12 test are worth for the mini. For this test, we have therefore attached to whether the convenience offered by its size is to the detriment of the features to which we have gotten used to larger phones.

Overall, small size, comfortable navigation in iOS 14 and the high screen/chassis ratio make this compact phone An almost perfect device, at least from our point of view. This small screen is perfect for use with one hand, but some may find it less comfortable to read or consult documents. And many people will find the touches of the virtual keyboard too small. For them, there is the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

We managed to slide the iPhone 12 Mini in the pocket pocket of jeans

An iPhone 5 2.0

With its flat aluminum edges and its shiny glass back, the iPhone 12 Mini looks like A premium version of the iPhone 5. In fact, it is not much larger than an iPhone 5 and it is smaller than theiPhone se 2020. The 12 mini has a much higher screen/frame ratio than the SE, which is ideal for watching videos or simply having more information displayed on the screen. On the other hand, its glass back is a magnet with fingerprints and dust of all kinds. But this is not necessarily a problem if you protect it with a shell as we highly recommend it for all phones. In addition to aesthetics, these flat edges have two advantages: they facilitate grip and allow the phone to be put on the edge to take a photo or watch a video.

The iPhone 12 Mini next to the iPhone 5 from which it borrows a lot in terms of design

Compared to the iPhone 12 and 12 pro, the screen seems tiny, and even more next to the 6.7 -inch screen of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. For some, this 5.4 inch diagonal will be insufficient and they will prefer the classic 12. For others, like us, this small screen is the main reason to opt for the 12 mini. One hand is enough to browse the entire surface of its screen. It’s very practical to navigate without having to change the grip. And we found that it was faster and precise to type text with one hand than on a big screen phone.

To see how “mini” iPhone 12 was, we slipped it into the smallest clothing pocket that we had in our wardrobe, namely the pocket pocket of jeans. He returned there, but exceeded about a quarter about a quarter. To our knowledge, no consumer phone sold today can hold in a pocket pocket.

Small but strong in photo

The size of the iPhone 12 Mini fortunately has no impact on its photo performance. In fact, it has the same high-angle, ultra-angle and selfie cameras as the iPhone 12.

In back :

• 12 megapixel sensor with grand angle lens opening at f/1.6
• 12 megapixel sensor with ultra-wide-angle lens opening at f/2.4

In the front :

• 12 megapixel sensor with great angle lens opening at f/2.2

They take Excellent photos and videos and provide quality images in all circumstances. The mini can even film in 4K at 60 images/second in 4K at 30 images/second in Dolby Vision.

We were surprised to take many more photos and videos because the phone is more discreet than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Taking photos and filming with one hand is pure pleasure. About it, We appreciated the quick settings next to the shutter to adjust the exposure, the format and the duration of a shooting in night mode, all of one hand.

Photo taken in night mode with the iPhone 12 Mini.

Note how the 12 mini manages all the details in the background.

Photo taken with the ultra-angle of the iPhone 12 Mini. The software corrects distortion in the corners without sacrificing the perspective.

We like the way the iPhone 12 Mini manages the texture of the wall and remains faithful to colors.

Selfie in night mode.

The iPhone 12 Mini does an excellent work of rendering of contrasts on this cloudy sky.

Another photo in night mode taken by the iPhone 12 Mini.

The most compact of 5G smartphones

Apple managed to integrate the same 5G antennas of 12, 12 pro and 12 pro max in the mini. Currently, the iPhone 12 Mini is the smallest 5G phone on the market. One more point for the compact apple smartphone which has yet to envy competition giants. But what about its autonomy ? Its format forces him to take on a smaller battery and the compact smartphones that we have tested so far display a famel autonomy.

Small phone = small autonomy ?

If there is a consequence to have a little phone, it is independent. Apple does not communicate on the capacity of its iPhone batteries. But it is obvious that the 12 mini has a smaller battery than the 12 or the 12 pro.

The iPhone 12 Mini holds a day of use With a single load, no more. It is therefore better to have what to recharge your battery. The smartphone is delivered without a charger but can support a power of a power of 20W. A full load will ask you 1h10 patience. Opposite, many Android smartphones recharge much faster. The iPhone 12 Mini is also compatible with the wireless charging system by induction Magsafe. Power amounts to 15W against 7.5W with a conventional charger.

The iPhone 12 Mini and the Apple Watch Series 3 watch on Magsafe Duo charger

The 12 mini incorporates the same A14 Bionic chip as the other models in the range. In use, he shows himself Fluid and reactive. He responds to video games even if he has trendy after a few minutes.

A point on competition

Impossible to find a competitor at the iPhone 12 Mini as compact and also efficient. We are therefore content to list technically alternatives up to the same price of price.

In its 5G version, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe (759 €) Takes up the arguments of its elders: staggered design, 120 Hz screen and SOC Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (Exynos 990 for the 4G model). Some concessions on the side of the photo part which is less precise but just as versatile.

More accessible, the Pixel 5 (629 €) also put on an OLED screen but an opte for a mid -range configuration with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765g SOC. Real ace of the photo, the flagship of Google makes excellent shots in low light.

Assessment after a month of use

The iPhone 12 Mini crystallizes all our expectations and transforms the test. 5G, OLED screen, SOC A14 Bionic, Ultra Grand Angle, Magsafe, Apple’s compact smartphone seduces by aligning the same technical sheet as the iPhone 12. This miniature variation allows itself in addition to nailing the beak by displaying correct autonomy. What can we blame a smartphone of this full size ? The same faults as the iPhone 12 Namely the limited storage capacity of the basic version, the slow load (20W) and the absence of a charger in the box.

Iphone 12 mini test: a unique smartphone in its kind

The iPhone 12 Mini has finally been available since the end of 2020. This compact format demanded by fans for years is a reality. Is it up to expectations ? Answer in this full test.

Posted on January 23, 2023 at 3 p.m. 13 min

At the end of 2020, Apple launched four iPhone 12. In addition to the standard model, the American declines his star smartphone in Pro, Pro Max and – for the first time – Mini versions – Mini. 01/2023 update : the iPhone 12 Mini is still available in 2023 despite the release of iPhone 13 and iPhone 14.

Why an iPhone 12 “Mini” ? Because technical means now make it possible to offer high -end smartphones in compact format. Apple thus responds to a strong demand from its users, nostalgic for iPhone 4, 5, 5s or is first of the name.

If the iPhone SE 2020 responds partly to this request but it does not pretend to come and rub the best on the market. So far, it was therefore necessary to agree to make compromises to offer a compact smartphone. This is no longer the case today. With the iPhone 12 Mini, Apple offers the best of its technology in a reduced format. I did the test of this iPhone 12 Mini for several days, here is my opinion.

Price and release date of the iPhone 12 Mini

The iPhone 12 Mini is available from 689 euros (updated price at the end of 2021) in version 64 GB. The 128 GB version is offered at 739 euros, the 256 GB at 859 euros. Like the iPhone 12, this mini version is available in five colors: black, white, blue, green and (product) red. Note that since the release of iPhone 13, these models have lost more than 100 euros compared to their starting price.

iPhone 12 mini 64 GB at the best price basic price: € 809
iPhone 12 mini 128 GB at the best price basic price: € 859
iPhone 12 mini 256 GB at the best price basic price: € 979

IPhone 12 mini design

Take an iPhone 12, compress it from all sides (it’s an image, don’t really do it …) and you will get an iPhone 12 mini. Same materials (shiny green on the back, aluminum frame), same finishes, same disposition of the keys, everything is identical.

Do not trust its screen diagonal (5.4 inch), The iPhone 12 Mini is even more compact than the iPhone SE 2020 and its 4.7 -inch screen.

By resuming the form-factor of the iPhone 12, Apple manages to integrate a comfortable screen into reduced dimensions (131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm). Is it enough not to fall into the same traps as the iPhone SE 2020 ? Yes and no.

Not all users will necessarily appreciate this iPhone 12 in reduced format. Those used to larger smartphones are likely to feel cramped. Using the keyboard for example can be complicated at first even if your brain will remember your old reflexes fairly quickly.

Multimedia lovers may feel frustration. Watch videos on such a small screen is not the best experiences. This is all the more true since the notch (whose size cannot change because of integrated technologies) occupies a large part of the surface. The players will undoubtedly be the most destabilized, the contextual information and control keys being very close.

For all the others (especially those who have always had a compact smartphone), this iPhone 12 Mini is a blessing. Fans have been demanding a high -end iPhone in compact format for years. The Cupertino firm took time to decide and judged that 2020 was the right time.

The contract is perfectly completed. The iPhone 12 Mini is light, it slides easily in a pocket and above all it can be used by a hand Without contortionist training. It thus responds to increasingly strong demand at a time when the market is flooded with XL models. By taking this opposite, Apple finds himself alone on a forgotten market. A master stroke.

Screen and audio

This year, Apple permanently abandons LCD technology (except for the iPhone SE 2020). The iPhone 12 Mini is equipped with a OLED slab Super Retina XDR Full HD+, the same as his brothers. It therefore has the same assets: infinite blacks and excellent contrasts. Its brightness caps at 625 nits like the iPhone 12. Pro models reach 800 Nits, a different difference in a daily life on a daily basis.

The screen of the iPhone 12 Mini is therefore excellent. If its small size does not necessarily meet the requirements of multimedia enthusiasts, the quality is there. Only small reproach: Apple is satisfied here with a 60 Hz refreshment rate Far from the standards of 2020.

Some will argue that IOS and optimized mobile applications are more fluid on iOS than on Android. Certainly. But the 90 or 120 Hz bring more fluidity in the scrollings, in particular on social networks, for web navigation or text reading, ie the most common uses.

On the audio side, the iPhone 12 Mini has nothing to envy to its brothers once again. From stereo speakers, The sound quality is good but not extra Especially since the compact format reduces the resonance of the bass.

In the absence of 3.5 mm jack, you will need to use a Lightning adapter (not supplied), the earphones delivered in the box (means) or opt for wireless accessories. In any case, sound quality (Dolby Atmos compatible) improves and perfectly responds to today’s uses (listening on streaming platforms).

Performance and interface

Like the rest of the family, The iPhone 12 Mini has the last A14 Bionic chip. Unlike pro versions, it only integrates 4 GB of RAM (against 6 GB). The iPhone 12 Mini therefore inherits the same configuration as the “standard” iPhone 12.

It is therefore quite logical to obtain comparable results on the various benchmarks. Like his brothers, the smallest of the family is therefore just as efficient. The compact format of the smartphone even makes it more impressive. This is only a perception truncated by its small size but the result is there. The iPhone 12 Mini is a bomb.

We could have feared a heating trend, the space available to dispel heat being smaller. It is not so. The iPhone 12 Mini ensures (almost) in all circumstances. Only long 3D game sessions are likely to significantly increase the temperature.

Like all iPhone launched this year, The iPhone 12 Mini Carbide at iOS 14. This new version of the OS is mainly distinguished by the integration of flexible widgets to the envy. I will not dwell on the software part supported in my test of the iPhone 12 Pro. Just remember that iOS 14 is still as effective, fast, fluid and well optimized.

Autonomy and recharge of the iPhone 12 Mini

Who says small smartphone says little battery. If Apple does not communicate the capacity of the iPhone battery, dismantling specialists revealed that the iPhone 12 Mini embarked a battery of 2227 mAh. This is little. Careful, Apple also warned users that the autonomy of this model would be less good than that of other models.

The American did not think so well say. If the autonomy remains correct for a smartphone of this size, it is not adapted to the uses of 2020. Also, I don’t have never managed to exceed the day in versatile use. The most connected will have to adopt (or find) the habit of taking a charger with them.

In any case, you will not be able to chain a day of work and an evening without going through the recharge box. I always had to plug my iPhone 12 mini between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. It’s better than the iPhone SE 2020 that makes the soul around 5 p.m. but it’s still below average.

Like other smartphones in the range, The iPhone 12 Mini supports all possible and imaginable charging modes. Also delivered without load block, it is compatible with Qi wireless charging (up to 7.5 W) and the new Magsafe charger. The latter caps at 12W against 15W for other models. It is a safety to avoid heating and degradation of the battery.

The latter being smaller, the time is largely reduced compared to other models in the range. For a full load, count less than an hour in wired (with a fast 18W charger), 2:30 with the classic 5W charger from Apple and a little more than 2 hours with the Magsafe charger. It’s long, very long, especially for a model that we will recharge during the day.

IPhone 12 mini camera

You hesitate between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Mini ? It is not in the photo of the photo that the models depart. Apple has managed to integrate the same photographic material into the most compact model. Thus, we find:

• a great angle 26 mm (f/1.6); 12 MP sensor (photosite of 1.7 μm); Dual Pixel; Pdaf; Sensor-Shift Ois
• an ultra-angle 13 mm (f/2.4 mm); 120 ° field of vision; 12 Mpx sensor

Same material, same chip, same software optimization (Smart HDR 3 And Deep Fusion)). You guess it, The iPhone 12 Mini is as gifted in photography as the standard model.

In good light conditions, the iPhone 12 Mini is excellent and up to the 12 pro (equipped with the same main sensor) and even rivals the best on the market.

On the other hand, the absence of telephoto and scanner Lidar does not allow it to reach the level of pro models. If the portraits are very good, the Bokeh loses naturalness compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, especially in low light. Nevertheless, like the iPhone 12, it holds high dragee in the best models on the market with digital treatment with small onions.

The 2X digital zoom is effective in good light conditions but lack of dive at night. The 5x zoom will help but do not miracle. The ultra-angle is improving compared to the iPhone 11 (less distortion, more details). Above all, it supports the night mode which will allow you to give free rein to your creativity even in low light.

Among the main faults of this iPhone 12 Mini, Note the presence of flare. Apple seems to always have so much trouble taming light sources, so you will have to get there several times to hunt the light points on your shots.

At the front, the notch contains the same equipment as the rest of the range. Selfies are therefore of good quality and self -portraits just as flattering for the ego.

Finally, The iPhone 12 Mini can film in Dolby Vision HDR. If the pro versions can run in 4K at 60 Im/s, the mini (like the standard) is limited to 4K at 30 IM/s.

You would have understood it, The iPhone 12 Mini is among the best photophones on the market in 2020. If the Pixel 5, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro or the iPhone 12 Pro models remain a notch above, it does not have to be ashamed of his photographer talents. It is all the more impressive that this photo arsenal is contained in an extremely compact product.

Apple iPhone 12 mini test: an attractive format for limited autonomy

First expected, then claimed and fantasized, the iPhone 12 Mini is now reality, with its small size that attracts eyes. So we hastened to see what he had in his stomach. He is not tall, but he is valiant.

Presentation

With its iPhone 12 Mini, Apple responds to a persistent demand for “pocket” smartphone “. With its small screen and a height of 13.1 cm, this model is clearly distinguished from all its competitors. Even Pixel 5, considered a “small” smartphone, culminates at 14.5 cm. Blessed bread for nostalgic in the early 2010s in short. Especially since if it is small, this 12 mini shares the bulk of the technical sheet of his big brothers: 5G, OLED screen, latest generation A14 chip. everything is there. Except autonomy. To contain as much technology in such a small body, Apple must have sacrificed the endurance of the mobile, which has a smaller accumulator than that of its brothers. Is that enough to make it a quality mobile. Check here.

Launched at € 809, it is positioned in front of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the Xiaomi Mi 10.

Ergonomics and design

Here is the iPhone 12 Mini, a high -end but small smartphone. It must be said that its dimensions (131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm) decide with what the current market offers us. In comparison, the iPhone 12 takes 1.5 cm higher (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm). The latest iPhone as small as this 12 mini was launched in 2013; It was the iPhone 5S (123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm). Coincidence, this model was also the last to take advantage of the flat borders, until this new generation so.

Just take charge of this 12 mini for nostalgia to operate. Sacrified on the altar of video streaming, this “compact” format allows natural and fluid navigation of one hand. Forgotten comfort on the latest generations of smartphones. With 135 g on the scale, it is also distinguished as one of the lightest on the market. Unsurprisingly, we access the buttons easily, for an ultimately exemplary grip.

In terms of finish, this 12 mini shares the Gorilla Glass glass back from the standard 12 standard model. Always on the back, it is good to note that Apple now only displays its logo. The CE and that of the barred trash can were moved to the right edge. A clever way to present an almost immaculate rear.

Compatible with Magsage technology, the iPhone 12 Mini offers a 12 W wireless load. It is also possible to go up to 20 W in wired, provided you pay a corresponding charger. As on previous models, the iPhone only offers a nano-sim port. To have a second line, you have to equip yourself with an ESIM, available from some French operators. No microSD port either, it will be necessary to do with the 64, 128 or 256 GB of internal memory. Finally, the iPhone 12 is IP68 certified; He will therefore survive a maximum 30 -minute immersion in a swimming pool.

Audio

Apple no longer offers a mini-jack 3.5 mm socket from the iPhone 7. The manufacturer then waited for the iPhone 11 to abandon the Lightning adapter to Mini-Jack. With this 12 mini, he remains straight in his boots and does not offer any of the two. True to our principles, we therefore deprive the mobile of a fifth star in “ergonomics and design”.

The stereo sound of the iPhone 12 Mini remains very good. The spatialization is excellent, the sound rather clear, allowing to be comfortable in front of videos, films or series, but also during musical listening.

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Screen

The iPhone 12 Mini offers a 5.4 -inch OLED screen at the 19.5: 9 ratio, displaying in 1080 x 2340 px for a resolution of 478 pp. This slab turns out to be very excellent and first of all benefits from a beautiful calibration. It thus offers an average delta e at 1, testifying to chromatic drifts imperceptible to the naked eye. The color temperature is positioned at 6582 K, an ideal value, extremely close to the video standard (6,500 k); It is at this color temperature that videographers calibrate their productions. The iPhone 12 Mini therefore offers a faithful colorimetry. Add a contrast rate that tends towards infinity, zero persistence, and you get a perfect screen to view content. Provided of course to be satisfied with its small size. He only misses 120 Hz, to also shine on the video game side and position himself among the best on the market.

The iPhone 12 Mini screen is capable of climbing up to 645 cd/m² and offers controlled reflectance (43 %). This allows him to stay readable even in direct sunlight. No problem either in the dark since the brightness drops to 0.1 cd/m². Finally, the screen offers a touch delay in the average (50 ms).

Performance

The iPhone 12 Mini has an A14 Bionic chip engraved in 5 nm, supported by 4 GB of RAM. It is the same paraphernalia as on the iPhone 12. Unsurprisingly, we observe similar performance. Perfectly balanced, this iPhone 12 Mini ensures impeccable multitasking fluidity or in front of a gourmet game.

As you may know, it is not possible for us to carry out our usual test battery on iOS. We cannot therefore quantify the performance of this iPhone 12 Mini as precisely as we do for Android models.

Photo

The iPhone 12 Mini offers photo equipment strictly identical to that of standard iPhone 12. To find out more about the quality of this miniature version, we advise you to direct yourself towards the test of the iPhone 12, available here.

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Autonomy

Competitive in all areas, the iPhone 12 Mini achieves a size concession on the autonomy side and only integrates 2217 mAh accumulator. As a reminder, the iPhone 12 and 12 pro contain 2815 mAh and the iPhone 12 Pro Max culminates at 3687 mAh. So inevitably, the results of this miniature version are below those of his brothers. In real conditions, with often moderate, sometimes intensive use, the iPhone 12 Mini is just a day. It will be necessary to recharge it in the evening, any battery for the curfew.

In an ecological concern, Apple decided not to provide a load block with its iPhone 12. The American manufacturer is satisfied with a USB-C to Lightning cable. A controversial choice that poses an obvious problem: it is necessary to have a load block with a USB-C output or a USB-A cable to Lightning to recharge your iPhone 12 Mini. All the more frustrating since this new generation is compatible with the 20 W fast charge. Without charging block provided, it is impossible for us to measure the real load. All we can tell you is that in the best possible conditions, with a load block 60 W – whose load is bridled at 20 W by the iPhone 12 Mini -, the mobile puts 1 h 20 min to resume all his strength. Using the famous 5 W load block, 3 hours are necessary to recharge the mobile. Whatever time indicated, it is not shiny, and far from the best performance on Android mobile (around half an hour).

Sustainability

Our sustainability score makes it possible to determine the lasting aspect of the smartphone as much for the consumer as for the environment. It is based on the repairability index, sustainability criteria (protection index, standard connectors, warranty duration and updates. ) and an assessment of CSR policies (corporate social responsibility). You will find all the details of the analysis in our article presenting the sustainability score.

The iPhone 12 Mini comes with iOS 14.1, the latest version of the Apple smartphones operating system. It is distinguished by the appearance of widgets. These are application blocks that can be placed on your screen, mixed with your applications. Like what has existed on Android for a long time now, they adopt 3 different sizes, displaying more or less information. Thus, you can display your photos, a specific musical controller (for Spotify, for example) or the latest important information relayed by a media.

An application library also appears. It allows you to store the apps you no longer want to see on your various reception screens, without permanently deleting them from your iPhone. iOS 14 also introduces the picture-in-hitting on the iPhone. Already present on the iPad for a few years already, it only appears on smartphones.

To find out more about all the new features of this new version, we invite you to orient yourself towards the dedicated article:

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