Difference between iphone 12 mini and iphone 13 mini

iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone 13 Mini

The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 13 Mini are small in size but big on performance. The Minis are packed with Apple's advanced features, but have a smaller size—and smaller price tag—than other iPhones.

If you like compact phones that are easy to carry, you'll love these two devices. Released just a year apart, how big of a difference is there between the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini? Here are the main differences and how to choose between the 12 Mini vs 13 Mini.

iPhone 12 Mini size and display

When it comes to the iPhone 12 Mini, size definitely matters. Both the 12 Mini and 13 Mini are easy to hold or slip into your pocket, measuring 5.18 inches high by 2.53 inches wide. The iPhone 13 Mini is just slightly thicker than the 12 Mini (a 0.01-inch difference). The iPhone 12 Mini is lighter at 4.76 ounces, compared to the iPhone 13 Mini which weighs 4.97 ounces.

Both the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini have a 5.4-inch display. The smaller screen is nice for users who prefer to use their phone with one hand. If you watch a lot of video content on your phone though, you may prefer a larger screen size.

While the screen size is the same, there is a difference in the iPhone 13 Mini’s brighter display. Both phones feature OLED screens, but the iPhone 13 Mini offers 800 nits of typical max brightness, compared to 625 nits for the 12 Mini. According to Apple, the updated screen on the iPhone 13 Mini improves readability for users, even in direct sunlight.

iPhone 12 Mini vs 13 Mini storage

The iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini may be the same size, but one packs a bigger punch when it comes to storage. The iPhone 12 Mini is available with 64, 128, or 256GB. The iPhone 13 Mini starts with a larger capacity and comes in 128, 256, or 512GB versions.

If you want maximum capacity in a Mini iPhone, the 13 Mini may be a better choice thanks to its larger storage capacity options. However, if you use cloud storage or don’t tend to save a lot of photos and data on your phone, you can save some money by opting for a smaller storage capacity on the iPhone 12 Mini.

iPhone 12 Mini vs 13 Mini colors

While these Minis are look-alikes, they do come in different color options. Both the iPhone 12 and 13 Mini are available in red. However, the rest of the iPhone 13 colors are different. 

The iPhone 12 and 12 Mini colors are:

  • Black

  • White

  • PRODUCT(RED)

  • Green

  • Blue 

  • Purple

The iPhone 13 and 13 Mini colors are:

  • Midnight

  • Starlight

  • PRODUCT(RED)

  • Blue

  • Pink

  • Green

Colorful options are available for both Minis, but the tones are quite different. Overall, the iPhone 13 colors are more muted and not as bright as the iPhone 12 finishes. Both the 12 and 13 Mini offer a ceramic shield front to help protect the body of the device and a glass back to support wireless charging.

iPhone 12 Mini vs 13 Mini performance and battery life

Both the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini offer impressive performance, packing the same advanced technology as their respective base models into a fun-size version. One difference between these two Minis is that the iPhone 13 Mini has the newer Apple A15 Bionic chip, while its predecessor is powered by the A14 chip. 

In terms of daily performance, the main thing users will notice about the A15 chip is the improved efficiency and longer battery life in the iPhone 13 lineup. The 13 Mini has a larger battery than the 12 Mini, and the A15 chip is better at managing power, so you’ll get a few more hours of use from the 13 Mini.

According to Apple, the iPhone 12 Mini lasts up to 15 hours of video playback, 10 hours of video streaming, or 50 hours of audio playback. The iPhone 13 Mini offers up to 17 hours of video playback, 13 hours of video streaming, or 55 hours of audio playback. Both take about the same amount of time to charge, and both are fast-charge capable if you’re in a hurry (and willing to shell out for the adapter, sold separately).

Is it worth upgrading from iPhone 12 Mini to 13 Mini?

The iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini are both designed for users looking for compact smartphones that don’t sacrifice performance. They share many of the same features, including a dual 12MP camera system with Wide and Ultra Wide lenses. 

The newer iPhone 13 Mini offers an improved screen, double the storage capacity, and longer battery life than the iPhone 12 Mini. For heavier users, it may be worth the upgrade. No matter which Mini you choose, you can save money and help reduce e-waste by buying a refurbished iPhone.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

Why is Apple iPhone 12 Mini better than Apple iPhone 13 Mini?

  • 1 more microphone(s)?
    3vs2
  • 600MHz faster GPU clock speed?
    1800MHzvs1200MHz
  • 8MB bigger L2 cache?
    16MBvs8MB

Why is Apple iPhone 13 Mini better than Apple iPhone 12 Mini?

  • 9.47% more battery power?
    2438mAhvs2227mAh
  • 7.46% faster CPU speed?
    2 x 3.2GHz & 4 x 2GHzvs2 x 3.1GHz & 4 x 1.8GHz
  • 256GB more internal storage?
    512GBvs256GB
  • 1.6h longer battery life?
    14hvs12.4h
  • 175 nits brighter?
    800 nitsvs625 nits
  • Has camera/microphone privacy options?
  • 12.94% higher multi-core Geekbench 5 result?
    4644vs4112
  • Has Mail Privacy Protection?

Price comparison

User reviews

Overall Rating

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

20 User reviews

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

17 User reviews

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

Features

Design

We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products.

The thickness (or depth) of the product.

The width represents the horizontal dimension of the product.

The height represents the vertical dimension of the product.

The device is protected with extra seals to prevent failures caused by dust, raindrops, and water splashes.

The first number of the IP rating refers to protection against dust, while the second number refers to protection against liquid. E.g. a first number of 6 denotes that it is completely dustproof, and a second number of 7 denotes that the device can withstand full immersion in water.

The waterproof depth rating indicates how well the device is protected against water ingress and water pressure. Devices which can withstand more water pressure are better for swimming or diving.

Volume is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by the product's chassis or, in simpler terms, the space the product occupies.

The minimum temperature at which the device can perform to the optimal level.

Display

The bigger the screen size is, the better the user experience.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays are formed of organic materials that emit light. They have higher contrast ratios and wider viewing angles compared to LCDs. AMOLED and POLED are types of OLED displays.

IPS (In-Plane Switching) is a technology used for LCDs. It was designed to overcome the main limitations of conventional twisted nematic TFT displays: limited viewing angles and low-quality color reproduction. PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching) is a type of IPS screen developed by Samsung, with increased brightness and lower production costs.

Pixel density is a measurement of a screen's resolution, expressed as the number of pixels per inch (PPI) on the screen. A higher pixel density translates into more clarity and sharpness for the images rendered on the screen, thus improving the quality of the viewing experience.

Resolution is an essential indicator of a screen's image quality, representing the maximum amount of pixels that can be shown on the screen. The resolution is given as a compound value, comprised of horizontal and vertical pixels.

The frequency at which the screen is refreshed. Higher frequency results in less flickering (less noise) and more natural movement representation in action-intense scenes.

A nit is a measurement of the light that a display emits, equal to one candela per square meter. Brighter displays ensure a screen's contents are easy to read, even in sunny conditions.

Damage-resistant glass (such as Corning Gorilla Glass or Asahi Dragontrail Glass) is thin, lightweight, and can withstand high levels of force.

9.Gorilla Glass version

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Apple iPhone 12 Mini)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Apple iPhone 13 Mini)

Gorilla Glass is one of the most popular brands of chemically strengthened glass, manufactured by Corning. Several versions have been developed, the newer ones being more durable and providing better damage resistance.

Performance

The internal storage refers to the built-in storage space available in a device for system data, apps, and user-generated data. With a large amount of internal storage, you can save more files and apps on your device.

Random-access memory (RAM) is a form of volatile memory used to store working data and machine code currently in use. It is a quick-access, temporary virtual storage that can be read and changed in any order, thus enabling fast data processing.

3.AnTuTu benchmark score

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Apple iPhone 12 Mini)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Apple iPhone 13 Mini)

AnTuTu is one of the most important benchmarks for Android devices. The score reflects the overall performance of a device by summing up results of individual tests that various parameters, such as RAM speed, CPU performance, 2D & 3D graphics performance.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). Source: 3DMark.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). The Unlimited version runs off-screen so that factors such as display resolution don’t affect the score. Source: 3DMark.

Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark developed by 3DMark that tests the graphical performance of a device (using the Vulkan API on Android/Windows and the Metal API on iOS). The Extreme version is much more graphically-demanding than the standard Wild Life benchmark. Source: 3DMark.

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor's multi-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor's single-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

The CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second can be executed by a CPU, considering all of its cores (processing units). It is calculated by adding the clock rates of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors employing different microarchitectures, of each group of cores.

Cameras

The number of megapixels determines the resolution of the images captured with the main camera. A higher megapixel count means that the camera is capable of capturing more details. However, the megapixel count is not the only important element determining the quality of an image.

The number of megapixels determines the resolution of the images captured with the front camera. A higher megapixel count means that the front camera is capable of capturing more details, an essential factor for taking high-resolution selfies.

Optical image stabilization uses gyroscopic sensors to detect the vibrations of the camera. The lens adjusts the optical path accordingly, ensuring that any type of motion blur is corrected before the sensor captures the image.

The maximum resolution available for videos shot with the main camera. Although it may be possible to choose among other frame rates, those recordings usually have lower resolutions.

With a wider aperture the sensor can capture more light, helping to avoid blur by enabling a faster shutter speed. It also provides a shallow depth of field, allowing you to blur the background to focus attention on the subject.

A dual-tone flash has LED lights with different color temperatures, delivering a better color balance to photos and videos.

A BSI (backside illuminated) sensor is a camera image sensor which captures better quality images in poor lighting conditions, and offers better overall sharpness and image quality.

When recording movies they stay focussed and sharp.

Phase-detection autofocus is much faster than a contrast detection autofocus, allowing for sharper images.

Operating system

This privacy feature alerts you with a small notification when an app copies data from your clipboard.

This privacy feature allows you to share your approximate location with an app instead of your precise location.

You can enable or disable an app’s access to the camera or microphone on your device. There are also indication icons to show you when an app uses the camera or microphone.

Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email. It also hides your IP address from senders.

Theme customization allows you to easily change the appearance of the user interface (UI). For example, by changing the system colors or the app icons.

Some apps track your activity even when the app is not in use. This privacy feature allows you to block this tracking, either across all apps or on a per-app basis.

This setting (in the default browser) allows you to block cross-site tracking cookies and data to help protect your privacy.

On-device machine learning is used to recognize people, places, and more in the Photos app. The algorithms run on the device, where this sensitive data is then kept. Competing services upload the photos and perform this on their servers, which requires the sharing of personal data.

This means you don’t have to wait for the entire game to download first, as the later stages of the game download while you are playing.

Battery

Battery power, or battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store. More battery power can be an indication of longer battery life.

It supports a wireless charging standard such as Qi. To charge the device, you simply put it down on a compatible charging pad.

Fast charging technologies, like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge or MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge a device. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just 30 minutes.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed. In order to achieve the advertised charging speed, it is important to use a compatible charger.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed. In order to achieve the advertised charging speed, a compatible wireless charger must be used.

The device can be used as a wireless charging station to power other gadgets.

Charging speeds are expressed in watts (W), a measure of electrical power. A higher wattage results in a faster charging speed.

The battery is removable and can be replaced by the user if broken.

The ultra power-saving mode, also called low power mode, is an effective way to extend the battery life of the device. Usually, it involves limiting screen brightness and contrast, disabling location services, restricting connectivity, and turning off nonessential apps.

Audio

With a standard mini jack socket, you can use the device with most headphones.

Devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better experience.

aptX is a codec used for transmitting audio wirelessly with Bluetooth. It is developed by Qualcomm, and supports 16-bit audio at a bit rate of 384kbps.

LDAC is a codec developed by Sony for Bluetooth audio. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high resolution audio. It can also automatically adjust to a lower bitrate of 330kbps or 660kbps to increase stability.

aptX HD is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. It supports high quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

aptx Adaptive is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps), which means it can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio or reducing interference from other devices.

A built-in FM radio tuner allows you to listen to most of the live-broadcasted FM radio stations without using the internet.

More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.

Phones with physical keyboards have dedicated media keys, such as: play, stop, next, previous, volume up/down, etc.

Features

The fifth-generation wireless technology delivers higher speeds and lower latency than the previous, fourth-generation tech.

The download speed is a measurement of the internet connection bandwidth, representing the maximum data transfer rate at which a device can access online content.

3.upload speed

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Apple iPhone 12 Mini)

The upload speed is a measurement of the internet connection bandwidth, representing the maximum data transfer rate at which a device can send information to a server or another device.

The USB Type-C features reversible plug orientation and cable direction.

Newer USB versions are faster and have better power management.

NFC (near-field communication) allows a device to perform simple wireless transactions, such as mobile payments. Note: this feature may not be available in all markets.

Wi-Fi 6, released in 2019, is based on the IEEE 802.11ax wireless LAN standard. Designed to operate in all frequency bands between 1 and 6 GHz, it offers higher data rates and lower latency compared to previous Wi-Fi technologies.

Wi-Fi 6E was announced in 2020 and has several advantages compared to Wi-Fi 6. In addition to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, it can operate on the 6GHz band, which provides faster speeds and extremely low latency.

802.11ac wireless works on the 5GHz frequency range. It offers higher transfer rates, improved reliability, and improved power consumption. It provides advantages for gaming and HD video streaming.

Price comparison

Is iPhone 12 mini better or iPhone 13 mini?

13 mini lasts 1.5 hours more than 12 mini. Nearly identical design and styling, newer phone is a bit thicker and heavier. Same 5.4" screen size, 60Hz on both, but newer phone gets brighter. Faster Apple A15 vs A14 on the older model, but same 4GB RAM.

Is it worth getting an iPhone 13 mini?

Tom's Guide Verdict. The iPhone 13 mini is the most powerful small phone ever. It packs in great cameras and better battery life, plus 128GB of storage to start and class-leading performance.

Are the iPhone 12 and 13 mini same size?

The overall dimensions of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are the same as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, but the camera array of the new smartphones is just a little bit wider — by millimeters — but it's enough to mean that the old cases won't fit. No the other way around.