iPhone 12 mini How many Mini owners here?

[DeepIn2U]

Had iPhone X…tried 13 Mini, ultimately went with 14 Pro but the Mini is the best form factor of an iPhone that exists, period.

I want to own both but I probably won’t just because of this stupid forced eSim thing. It’s too annoying to go back and forth with my carrier so it wouldn’t make sense to own two phones for me…except when traveling overseas.

I like the Mini when I’m out running or walking around a lot but I like the Pro when I’m at home or not super active.

I wish the Mini gods would bless us with a Pro-like Mini but with proportionally-sized cameras. 120hz of course. I can live without the best battery life.

You would think there would be more phones this size, especially in the Android world where there are so many niche phones, but it just doesn’t exist. Even the Zenfone 9 isn’t really the same at all.

You’re right about the Zenfone9 and Sony has a rumores upcoming Xperia at 5.5” next year sometime but not likely until fall/winter.

Apple, since the iPhone 6 has mostly been following the Android phone size reference to appease the Chinese market. Even the 14 Pro Max and Plus have not had stellar sales according to reports such as Bloomberg outside of China. This is interesting.

I find it odd you prefer the iPhone 14 Pro when at home, at that point, personally I’d rather choose a tablet or use my computer but that’s me. Each to their own.

Every time I read someone wanting an iPhone mini pro I shudder. Each of the minis released had the SAME cpu as the pros where only gpu count on die differed, only battery size and missing telephoto camera is affected. A mini pro? Yet so many wanting one would scream on my Tuan tops for abysmal battery size and terrible battery performance.

The mini has the highest pixel density of all the iPhone’s except the Max (possibly). It has miniaturized parts of the regular iPhone and performs EXCEPTIONALLY well compared to the pro for most tasks!

The want a mini pro, but one is already out there. They just cannot see it.

 

[nStyle]

Every time I read someone wanting an iPhone mini pro I shudder. Each of the minis released had the SAME cpu as the pros where only gpu count on die differed, only battery size and missing telephoto camera is affected.

Really all I want is 120hz, the cameras are good enough, although I’m confident they could fit a telephoto in there. The OS just feels so much smoother and faster. I’m not an all-day phone user so I’ll take the slight battery life hit.

I find it odd you prefer the iPhone 14 Pro when at home, at that point, personally I’d rather choose a tablet or use my computer but that’s me. Each to their own.

Because I still use my phone at home at various times of the day and when I’m at home I don’t care about the size because it’s not going in my pocket. The Mini’s size is best appreciated when out and about.

 

[snipr125]

You’re right about the Zenfone9 and Sony has a rumores upcoming Xperia at 5.5” next year sometime but not likely until fall/winter.

Apple, since the iPhone 6 has mostly been following the Android phone size reference to appease the Chinese market. Even the 14 Pro Max and Plus have not had stellar sales according to reports such as Bloomberg outside of China. This is interesting.

I find it odd you prefer the iPhone 14 Pro when at home, at that point, personally I’d rather choose a tablet or use my computer but that’s me. Each to their own.

Every time I read someone wanting an iPhone mini pro I shudder. Each of the minis released had the SAME cpu as the pros where only gpu count on die differed, only battery size and missing telephoto camera is affected. A mini pro? Yet so many wanting one would scream on my Tuan tops for abysmal battery size and terrible battery performance.

The mini has the highest pixel density of all the iPhone’s except the Max (possibly). It has miniaturized parts of the regular iPhone and performs EXCEPTIONALLY well compared to the pro for most tasks!

The want a mini pro, but one is already out there. They just cannot see it.

Yes the iPhone Mini has the highest PPI of any Apple device at 476 ppi. The max iPhones are 460 ppi. It’s not a lot in it, but the Mini holds the record for sharpest screen on any Apple product period.

 

[klasma]

the Mini holds the record for sharpest screen on any Apple product period.

With the caveat that the UI is internally rendered at 1125 pixels (iPhone X/XS/11 Pro resolution) and downscaled to 1080 for the mini display. So sharpness is relative. It’s only the sharpest when playing 1080 video fullscreen. The mini would have needed 496 PPI to display the resolution natively without downscaling.

 

[1rottenapple]

Damn I’m a mini fan for two years but right now I bought the 14 pro. It’s pretty cool!!! First day with this. I’ll try this for 14 days but I’ll likely keep it. Sorry guy lol

 

[xxFoxtail]

Damn I’m a mini fan for two years but right now I bought the 14 pro. It’s pretty cool!!! First day with this. I’ll try this for 14 days but I’ll likely keep it. Sorry guy lol

If I can go back in time, I’d return my 14 Pro in the 14 day window and go back to my mini. Everyone told me I’d get used to it, but I didn’t. The mini still works better for me.

 

[valinda]

I went from 13 pro to 14 pro max. Returned the 14 pro max, and bought a green 13 mini. Let’s see how long I can hang on to this mini. I do like it. When I get the urge for a big phone I just switch the SIM card to my S22 ultra.

 

[1rottenapple]

If I can go back in time, I’d return my 14 Pro in the 14 day window and go back to my mini. Everyone told me I’d get used to it, but I didn’t. The mini still works better for me.

I’m in the extended return period so I’m using this for a while. So far I like it. But yah I still love the mini.

 

[ISignedUpToAskThis]

Finally back with a 13 mini after trying out a 14 Pro for 10 days. Posted a few thoughts a page or two back but thought I'd give my final verdict.

I really like the 14 Pro, it feels and looks great and definitely comes across as a much more premium device than the mini. The pill cutout looks good and better than the notch but Dynamic Island is largely a gimmick and isn't utilised very often by most apps. Although, the Face ID check animation was nice. The cameras were also a noticeable improvement, however I found battery life wasn't much better than the mini - which was surprising.

Practically though, the 14 Pro is just a little too cumbersome. Using the phone is a constant battle with your hands/pinkie, and holding it for phone calls is more of a chore than the mini. It's weighty, and with a case would make it even bulkier. Putting it in a trouser/pant pocket was distracting and No idea how Pro Max users live with that size of device. 120hz display made no noticeable difference for me whatsoever, I'm using a 13 mini right now and don't see any difference.

So there's a lot to like about the 14 Pro, but ultimately for a phone, the 13 mini wins. Battery life is good, it can be used one-handed and never feels like its taking up too much space in a pocket. It's how a phone should be. As lots of people suggest, a "14 pro mini" with the look/feel of the pro as well as the pill cutout would have been perfect but most of the features I appreciate are just in the mini.

 

[Roadster Lewis]

It doesn't seem like the 14 Plus has done that well either, I definitely hope that Apple brings back a smaller (non-folding) form factor. The main feature tempting me to upgrade is the GPS SOS, as I am often away from phone signal on my mountain bike. However, I like the Mini, as it fits in my pockets easily when I am out on my bike...

 

[Bento.Box]

I have my 12 mini since late 2020 now. Besides minor issues (e.g. AP mode is unstable) and some general iOS issues I'm quite happy with it. It's a lot more stable and has fewer issues than any android phone I had.

I rank it my #2 phone so far, behind the Blackberry Q10 (which had a QNX based OS).

I still find it funny how it is called "mini", even though it's quite medium-sized with a huge display (both physical size and number of pixels). However, all (android) competitors at that time were not able to offer this high amount of integration and their phones ended up significantly larger, making them less desirable.

With 256GB of Storage, it also replaced my ipod Classic 160GB, so I have one device less to carry around.

 

[TrevorinUK]

Just wanted to see how many here actually own a Mini. I do and i love it, my favorite iPhone ever. I can hold it normally and reach the top corners. Really hope Apple brings it back next year.

Count me in...I have iPhone 12 mini, went for it purely because it is easier to handle with one hand and takes up less room in a pocket etc.
Have had larger iPhones in the past and although the extra screen estate is useful, I always felt they were unwieldy beasts to handle.

 

[ISignedUpToAskThis]

Every time I read someone wanting an iPhone mini pro I shudder. Each of the minis released had the SAME cpu as the pros where only gpu count on die differed, only battery size and missing telephoto camera is affected. A mini pro? Yet so many wanting one would scream on my Tuan tops for abysmal battery size and terrible battery performance.

The reason I want a "pro mini" is the much better/premium build quality and feel of the pro phones and the 3 camera setup.

I want the size/weight/screen size of the mini, with the premium feel of the pro, it's nothing to do with the performance. I'd even be happy with a 60hz screen and the same battery life the 13 mini has.

 

[DeepIn2U]

With the caveat that the UI is internally rendered at 1125 pixels (iPhone X/XS/11 Pro resolution) and downscaled to 1080 for the mini display. So sharpness is relative. It’s only the sharpest when playing 1080 video fullscreen. The mini would have needed 496 PPI to display the resolution natively without downscaling.

Where do you get the 1125 pixels UI from? It’s NOT the same as the iPhone X/XS/11.

13 mini is 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density).

13 mini vs 11 Pro:

Compare Apple iPhone 13 mini vs. Apple iPhone XS - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

13 mini vs XS/X

Compare Apple iPhone 13 mini vs. Apple iPhone XS - GSMArena.com

m.gsmarena.com

With iOS 16.0 there was minor Ui issues with notifications that was resolved with 16.0.1.

If I can go back in time, I’d return my 14 Pro in the 14 day window and go back to my mini. Everyone told me I’d get used to it, but I didn’t. The mini still works better for me.

The 14 Pro is appealing, I may get one for work (corporate paid) or the 13 Pro unsure yet as I rather my personal 13 mini not go back on MDM due to a note I posted and when removed didn’t keep on iPhone nor sync with Outlook Notes.

The thing that bugs me THE most of the 14 Pro, even beyond the weight, is that HUGE thick border bezel! It’s larger than the 12/13 Pros and seems to really stand out more. The 13 mini’s border is the thin it’s along with the 14 Pro max. Why is it so thick on the 14 Pro?! Any white based wallpaper screen or background on a website being viewed it stands out too much for me.

Hoping the hardware to Dynamic Island gets better, smaller more hidden in time. Also hope it’s not a 1x jump chump and it’ll continue to be further supported and evolve.

It doesn't seem like the 14 Plus has done that well either, I definitely hope that Apple brings back a smaller (non-folding) form factor. The main feature tempting me to upgrade is the GPS SOS, as I am often away from phone signal on my mountain bike. However, I like the Mini, as it fits in my pockets easily when I am out on my bike...

Word!!
But do what I did. Get S8 Watch and you’ll have crash and GOS SOS.

Note:

1. Emergency SOS requires a cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with an internet connection from your Apple Watch or nearby iPhone.

 

[klasma]

Where do you get the 1125 pixels UI from? It’s NOT the same as the iPhone X/XS/11.

13 mini is 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density).

The mini is physically 1080x2340, but it internally renders at the X/XS/11 Pro resolution of 1125x2436 (so that apps don’t have to add support for yet another resolution), which is then downsampled to the 1080x2340 of the physical display, introducing some minimal blur.

See here: https://www.ios-resolution.com/. The logical resolution of the mini is 375x812 with scale factor 3, meaning 1125x2436. Those logical resolutions is what app developers have to accomodate.

See also https://hacknicity.medium.com/how-ios-apps-adapt-to-the-various-iphone-12-screen-sizes-e45c021e1b8b the section “iPhone 12 mini Standard Zoom”: “A 1080×2340 pixel screen would suggest a new resolution of 360×780 points, but the iPhone 12 mini actually shows a scaled down iPhone 11 Pro resolution of 375×812 points. This means that the iPhone 12 mini does not introduce a new resolution. However, since the actual physical screen in pixels is not an integer multiple of the resolution in points there will always be some scaling artefacts. With a 3x screen they will hopefully be difficult to see.”

You can verify this by taking a screenshot on the mini and saving it. The resulting image will be 1125x2436 pixels, not the 1080x2340 displayed on the physical screen.

The mini situation is similar to how the 6/7/8 Plus internally renders at 1242x2208, but downsamples to 1080x1920 for display, as illustrated here: https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-iphone-resolutions.

This downsampling approach was criticized at the time the 6 Plus came out in 2014, but in the end it wasn’t really noticeable on the actual display. However, when comparing PPI and sharpness, it’s something to take into account.

 

[DeepIn2U]

The mini is physically 1080x2340, but it internally renders at the X/XS/11 Pro resolution of 1125x2436 (so that apps don’t have to add support for yet another resolution), which is then downsampled to the 1080x2340 of the physical display, introducing some minimal blur.

See here: https://www.ios-resolution.com/. The logical resolution of the mini is 375x812 with scale factor 3, meaning 1125x2436. Those logical resolutions is what app developers have to accomodate.

See also https://hacknicity.medium.com/how-ios-apps-adapt-to-the-various-iphone-12-screen-sizes-e45c021e1b8b the section “iPhone 12 mini Standard Zoom”: “A 1080×2340 pixel screen would suggest a new resolution of 360×780 points, but the iPhone 12 mini actually shows a scaled down iPhone 11 Pro resolution of 375×812 points. This means that the iPhone 12 mini does not introduce a new resolution. However, since the actual physical screen in pixels is not an integer multiple of the resolution in points there will always be some scaling artefacts. With a 3x screen they will hopefully be difficult to see.”

You can verify this by taking a screenshot on the mini and saving it. The resulting image will be 1125x2436 pixels, not the 1080x2340 displayed on the physical screen.

The mini situation is similar to how the 6/7/8 Plus internally renders at 1242x2208, but downsamples to 1080x1920 for display, as illustrated here: https://www.paintcodeapp.com/news/ultimate-guide-to-iphone-resolutions.

This downsampling approach was criticized at the time the 6 Plus came out in 2014, but in the end it wasn’t really noticeable on the actual display. However, when comparing PPI and sharpness, it’s something to take into account.

Do you have an official Apple Developers reference?!

 

[klasma]

Do you have an official Apple Developers reference?!

Here you go, see the table "Device screen sizes and orientation" on this page, indicating the 1125x2436 pixels resolution for the iPhone mini: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/foundations/layout/

 

[gianton]

Just sold my 14 pro and bought a 13 mini, so glad to be with a small device again.

 

[Roadster Lewis]

Word!!
But do what I did. Get S8 Watch and you’ll have crash and GOS SOS.

Note:

1. Emergency SOS requires a cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with an internet connection from your Apple Watch or nearby iPhone.

I mainly want it for when I am out of cellular connection.

 

[donnie.]

I LOVE the Mini, and different versions of it have been my main computer for the past 12 years. Right now I'm running two of them, both M1's, with Apple monitors.

Back in the days of loud fans, I loved the idea that I could tuck the Mini away in an enclosed space nearby and have absolute quiet computing. (Though that isn't really an issue anymore with the M1.) Also, the ability to switch out monitors has been a big plus for me.

iMacs are beautiful machines, but as far as the power/value combination of a Mini, I don't think it can be beat. (Apple does need to do an update, though!)

 

[klasma]

I LOVE the Mini, and different versions of it have been my main computer for the past 12 years. Right now I'm running two of them, both M1's, with Apple monitors.

Back in the days of loud fans, I loved the idea that I could tuck the Mini away in an enclosed space nearby and have absolute quiet computing. (Though that isn't really an issue anymore with the M1.) Also, the ability to switch out monitors has been a big plus for me.

iMacs are beautiful machines, but as far as the power/value combination of a Mini, I don't think it can be beat. (Apple does need to do an update, though!)

This thread is about the iPhone mini, not the Mac mini (nor the iPad mini).

 

[donnie.]

This thread is about the iPhone mini, not the Mac mini (nor the iPad mini).

Oh my... Thanks for letting me know! Don't know how I misread that. I guess I have Mac Mini on the brain.😂

 

[1rottenapple]

Oh my... Thanks for letting me know! Don't know how I misread that. I guess I have Mac Mini on the brain.😂

Lol I scrolled up to check the title after reading your post

 

[DeepIn2U]

Oh my... Thanks for letting me know! Don't know how I misread that. I guess I have Mac Mini on the brain.😂

No worries, quite frankly I'm a mini lover.
iPhone Mini
iPad Mini (thinking of repurchasing one next year if it finally gets the M1/M2 heart transplant; doubtful though).
Mac Mini - owned a few over the years still best value for the dollar and still performs quite well in Corei7/M1 form; awaiting Mac Mini M2 Pro or will get the Mac Studio M1/M2 Pro discounted.

shorty's yup love em too, ever since Wizard of Oz and Fantasy Island (OG).

man this iPhone 13 mini really has incredible performance and battery life. Wondering how the top games would peform, Genshin I heard is taxin for any iPhone and smartphone out there, maybe PUGM?

what high end games on iPhone 13/12 Mini has others been using?

 

[1rottenapple]

No worries, quite frankly I'm a mini lover.
iPhone Mini
iPad Mini (thinking of repurchasing one next year if it finally gets the M1/M2 heart transplant; doubtful though).
Mac Mini - owned a few over the years still best value for the dollar and still performs quite well in Corei7/M1 form; awaiting Mac Mini M2 Pro or will get the Mac Studio M1/M2 Pro discounted.

shorty's yup love em too, ever since Wizard of Oz and Fantasy Island (OG).

man this iPhone 13 mini really has incredible performance and battery life. Wondering how the top games would peform, Genshin I heard is taxin for any iPhone and smartphone out there, maybe PUGM?

what high end games on iPhone 13/12 Mini has others been using?

I don’t really game on my iPhone. Last one was xs max pubg was great on that. Screen is too small but iPad mini was great with pubg.