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iPhone 12 Pro Is the iPhone 12 pro a wise buy right now?
- Thread starter cuzo
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My current primary phone is an 11 Pro Max. Got brand new, February 2021. My secondary phone is a 6s+ and only this year has it finally maxed out at iOS 15. That's a 2015 phone. Battery was replaced in November 2021 after six years.
The only thing I am missing out on is 5G, which really isn't a big issue as 5G is still in it's early phases. I was a guinea pig for Sprint when they rolled out LTE, so I'll stay on a mature LTE network for a while before switching to a 5G phone.
Take from that whatever you will.
I quite enjoyed my 12 Pro when I had it, especially coming from the 11 I used before it. I will say, however, it was just a solid phone all around. Not amazing or incredible mind you, but a good phone all in all. When I switched to the 13 Pro Max it was generally an upgrade for the screen... higher resolution, 120Hz and of course a bit bigger. The 5G modem is a bit, well lacking I guess you could say on the 12 Pro compared to newer versions. The modem is quite power hungry but I believe as newer versions came out it got a bit more efficient each time.
I would give a passing grade to the 12 Pro, it's a high B+ or low A- type device. It's pretty good if you can get one for cheap.
I would give a passing grade to the 12 Pro, it's a high B+ or low A- type device. It's pretty good if you can get one for cheap.
I don’t think anyone can tell you anything helpful if we don’t know what decent means to you and what you expect from the device.
Like, compared to what Android? There are thousands of android devices out there from $50 to $2000. And what about the iPhone 12? For how much you can find one and in what condition?
Like, compared to what Android? There are thousands of android devices out there from $50 to $2000. And what about the iPhone 12? For how much you can find one and in what condition?
Realistically the iPhone 12 is no worse a performer than the 13 or 14. The only noticeable difference is battery longevity alongside more base storage capacity on the newer phones.
I would personally go for the 13 for those reasons.
I got the 14 Pro Max and I have a Garmin Venu watch. When I installed the Garmin software on the phone and connected the watch, it really dumbed it down in the area of text messages. It took away the ability to swipe to dismiss notifications and I could no longer respond to text messages. I checked with Garmin and their support told me that this is how it works on the iPhone. I asked if this was because of Apple or Garmin and of course the person I talked to did not know. For this reason, I moved on to an Apple Watch.
You can still read text messages but cannot respond to them. You can dismiss notifications but you have to swipe all the way down and tap Dismiss. And I have only tested this on a Venu watch. I suppose it's possible that other Garmin watches work better but I suspect that they can't.
It depends solely on how good a deal you can get. You're buying a two year old phone; it will be de-supported two years sooner. Keep that in mind. Also, the 12 was the first 5G iPhone; it suffers from a bit of first-generation-itis in the form of reduced battery life and network performance. Keep that in mind as well.
What is your current model and how long do you intend to keep it? 1-2 years I think the 12 is a great choice, any longer and you’d probably find more value in the 13. Battery life comments are true at least for the reg 12, the phone never had great battery life even fresh out the box in its release year, and I’ve never had a phone where the battery health has depleted so quickly. It’s solid in other aspects and a worthy buy for 1-2 years.
About 550 on swappa in good condition which is not too bad, I have a Samsung s21 fe now and a galaxy watch and s7 tablet.
I'll just get the 13 probably.
Totally agree. I would say if it’s within your budget, go for the 13 pro. It is a big improvement compared to 13 and you probably won’t miss anything from the 14/14pro line.
I think the newer model the better, primarily in terms of expected service life. But if the discount is steep enough getting an older phone might be sensible from a value standpoint. I'd estimate that value at around $200/yr. for my own purposes.
Besides the battery, the 12 Pro Max was solid for me. I still have mine. It was fast enough for me but having to charge 2-3 times a day was a deal breaker for me and prompted me to upgrade to the 14 Pro Max.
At that price forget Swappa, for $50 more you can buy brand new iPhones 12 from Apple, or if you patient enough, you can get Apple refurb for even less, but that takes some effort to find it when they get them in stock.
Unfortunately, I don't believe student discount applies to iPhones, but yeah, I would check Apple refurb store or regular store before buying used. It is not uncommon to find used iPhones listed for close to what Apple new or refurb pricing is.