iPhone 13 mini vs iPhone 12 mini: what has changed?

Don’t be fooled by the (almost) identical appearance. There are a lot of differences between the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini. These are the main improvements.

iPhone 13 mini vs iPhone 12 mini: these are the changes

Are you looking for a compact, yet powerful iPhone? Then you have to be quick. Rumor has it that Apple plans to kill the iPhone mini by 2022. In other words: it seems that the iPhone 13 mini will not get a successor.

With that thought in mind, you are therefore dependent on this model, or its predecessor. We therefore thought it was high time to put the two against each other. This is our iPhone 13 mini vs iPhone 12 mini comparison.

Design and screen: slightly less mini

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have a much better ProMotion display (with 120Hz refresh rate), but the iPhone 13 and 13 mini have not. This year’s two entry-level devices therefore ‘just’ have a 60Hz screen, just like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. That is of course a pity, because a higher refresh rate provides a smoother image.

The OLED screens of the 12 mini and 13 mini are therefore almost identical: both measure 5.4 inches. A small difference is the maximum brightness. The iPhone 13 mini goes up to 800 nits, while the 12 mini stays at 625 nits. In principle, you can read the screen of the new iPhone better in bright sunlight.

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In terms of design, little has changed either. However, the colors have changed slightly. The green iPhone 12 mini has been replaced by the pink iPhone 13 mini and some colors have been slightly modified. For example, the blue and red hue of the iPhone 13 mini is different from that of the 12 mini.

By the way: the iPhone 13 mini is a few millimeters thicker than the iPhone 12 mini. As a result, the device is also slightly heavier: 141 grams compared to 135 grams. So it’s not much of a difference, but the 13 mini is slightly less ‘mini’ than its predecessor. On the other hand, the notch, the ‘bite’ from the screen that includes the selfie camera, has shrunk slightly.

→ Also interesting: These are all the differences between the iPhone 13, mini, Pro and Pro Max

Battery: new mini lasts longer

We were very enthusiastic about the iPhone 12 mini in our review, except for one thing: the battery life. During normal use, the device emptied very quickly and that is of course not what you expect from such an expensive device.

Fortunately, Apple has paid more attention to this with the iPhone 13 mini. The company never reveals how big the battery capacity of a new phone is, but thanks to leaked information we know that the new mini has a battery of 2425 mAh. In comparison, the 12 mini remains at 2227 mAh.

We have not yet been able to test it ourselves, but Apple claims that the 13 mini lasts 1.5 hours longer than its predecessor. In total, the device could stream 13 hours of continuous videos. Let’s hope this marketing promise is true, because in that case the 13 mini will last longer than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which can last up to 12 hours.

→ Further Reading: iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro: Which One Is Right For You?

Camera puts the finishing touches on the i

The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini both have a dual 12-megapixel camera on the back. With the new model, the sensors are placed diagonally, while with the 12 mini they are horizontally one below the other.

Not only the appearance has changed, Apple has also been tinkering under the hood. For example, the lenses of the iPhone 13 mini collect more light. This is especially nice for when you regularly make videos in the dark.

Also cool: the iPhone 13 mini, like all other new iPhones, has optical sensor stabilization. The bottom line is that photos and videos look less jerky, because the lens is physically corrected for possible movements.

Furthermore, all new iPhones have some new photo and video functions, such as Cinematic Mode. During filming, this mode automatically shifts the focus, just like sometimes happens in cinema films. The camera automatically focuses on someone else (when they are speaking).

→ Also read: iPhone 13 (Pro) camera: the 6 new functions in a row

Hardware: faster and more storage

Every new iPhone generation is faster than its predecessor, so logically the same goes for the iPhone 13 mini. The device is powered by the A15 Bionic, a smartphone chip made by Apple.

According to the first tests, the A15 Bionic is slightly faster than the A14 Bionic, the chip of the iPhone 12 mini. Whether you actually notice this difference in practice remains to be seen. After all, the 12 mini was (and is) unprecedentedly fast.

What is important is the larger storage capacity. The iPhone 13 mini starts at 128GB, twice as much as the iPhone 12 mini. That is of course good news, because 64GB storage capacity is so full. Unfortunately, nothing has changed in the amount of RAM (working memory) of 4GB.

→ Also interesting: iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: the 6 main differences

Conclusion: iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone 13 mini

Don’t be fooled by the (almost) identical appearance. There are indeed important differences between the iPhone 12 mini and 13 mini. The latter, for example, has a (slightly) better screen, longer battery life, more powerful hardware and more refined cameras.

In summary, the smallest iPhone 13 is objectively a better phone than its predecessor. That’s not to say the 12 mini isn’t worth it. It is a very nice phone that will last for years to come. The only obvious downside is the lack of battery life. If you don’t mind this, the 12 mini is still worth considering.

To buy

Are you planning to buy the iPhone 13 mini? It starts at 809 euros. For 929 euros you get the version with 256GB storage. The largest variant, with 512GB storage, costs 1159 euros. You can easily filter all Dutch offers and deals for the 13 mini via the price comparison below.

Of course, the iPhone 12 mini has since fallen in price. You can buy the device from around 610 euros at Dutch (web) stores. A refurbished iPhone 12 mini starts at about 650 euros. Such a device has been in use before, but technically in new condition.