iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE 2020: Specs

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By Rilwan Abdullahi

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020)

The iPhone 12 event took place on October 13th, and Apple announced four new phones this year. That’s right, there’s a mini among them, which should delight aficionados of small phones. You might be wondering about the iPhone SE (2020). Compact phones appear to be making a comeback in some form or another, which means more options. Isn’t that great?

Let’s imagine you’d like to buy an Apple tiny phone but aren’t sure which one to get. Rather to making snap selections or remaining stuck in a technological rut, take a big breath and read our full comparison of the two compact phones, the iPhone SE (2020) and the iPhone 12 mini.

Main differences between the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone SE (2020):

  • 5.4″ 2340 x 1080 pixels OLED vs 4.7″ 1334 x 750 pixels LCD display
  • Apple A14 5nm vs Apple A13 7nm chipset
  • 4GB of RAM vs 3GB of RAM
  • 5G vs 4G LTE modem
  • 12MP main + 12MP ultrawide dual-camera system vs 12MP single camera
  • 2227mAh vs 1,821mAh battery
  • 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm vs 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm
  • $699 vs $399

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) design and display

  • 5.4″ 2340 x 1080 pixels OLED vs 4.7″ 1334 x 750 pixels LCD display

There is one notable distinction between the two compacts. The presentation. The iPhone SE (2020) has a 4.7-inch screen “While the screen is bright and pleasant in general, it is not an OLED, and the PPI is only 326, which is poor by today’s standards. The iPhone 12 mini, on the other hand, joins the OLED bandwagon with a larger 5.4-inch display “panel with a higher pixel count, resulting in a pixel density of roughly 476 PPI That is a far more respectable outcome.

The iPhone SE (2020) was panned for its outmoded appearance, which had two massive bezels above and below the screen. Another significant distinction between the two devices is this. The iPhone 12 tiny features Apple’s notch design, which was first introduced with the iPhone X, and while it’s smaller than its larger brothers, it’s still present. This means that the iPhone small is the best option if you want the current iPhone design.

Looking at the display metrics, we can see that both screens are fairly good, with the only difference being the display technology – OLED vs LCD. The iPhone SE (2020) can get a little brighter, but the OLED display on the mini can turn off black pixels and darken. The color accuracy of the iPhone SE (2020) is slightly greater, but the overall color temperature of the iPhone 12 mini is warmer and more natural.

Despite having a larger screen, the new iPhone 12 small is even more compact than the iPhone SE (2020).

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) performance

  • Apple A14 5nm vs Apple A13 7nm chipset
  • 5G vs 4G LTE modem
  • 4GB of RAM vs 3GB of RAM

The A13 Bionic chipset in the iPhone SE (2020) is a monster, especially when you consider the phone’s display resolution. Everything seems to fly by, and you’d believe that no one requires extra power in a small phone. Apple, on the other hand, does not agree with you on this point. The iPhone 12 small, like its larger brothers, is equipped with the cutting-edge A14 Bionic technology. On September 15, Apple launched the 5nm A14 alongside the iPad Air 4, claiming that it is superior to the iPhone 11’s 7nm A13 Bionic in every manner.

The company that makes the new chips, TSMC, has provided some figures. This 5nm technology is 15 percent quicker and 30 percent more energy-efficient than the prior 7nm processors (Snapdragon 865+), according to fabrication data. When compared to the A12 Bionic utilized in the iPad Air 3, the A14 Bionic offers a 30% improvement in CPU performance and uses a new four-core graphics architecture for a 30% quicker graphics boost, according to Apple. Benchmarks show that the A14 outperforms the A13 by 19 percent in CPU performance and 27 percent in graphics performance. You can see how both phones performed in our performance tests in the graph below.

The iPhone SE (2020) isn’t quite sluggish (in fact, it’s lightning fast), but the iPhone 12 tiny is the fastest of them all. Another factor to consider is that the mini has somewhat more RAM than the SE (2020).

Another significant distinction is the availability of 5G technology. That insane network speed that everyone is raving about. The iPhone 12 mini’s 5G modem works with Verizon’s mmWave network as well as other 5G-ready carriers’ low- to mid-bands. It’s a significant advantage that makes the iPhone 12 tiny future-proof. On the other hand, the iPhone SE (2020) only has a 4G LTE modem, which means lesser network speeds.

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) cameras

  • 12MP main + 12MP ultrawide dual-camera system vs 12MP single camera
  • 7P vs 5P lenses
  • Bigger sensor/pixels for better low-light shots
  • Larger F/1.6 vs F/2.4 ultrawide angle lens aperture

The iPhone SE (2020) includes a 12MP main camera with optical image stabilization on the back, and it also supports the Smart HDR option for photographs with rich colors. When smartphones strive to cram as many cameras as they can onto their backs, it’s an old-school strategy. It’s dubbed “the greatest single-camera system ever in an iPhone” by Apple, and it takes pretty decent photos. The dual-camera setup on the rear of the iPhone 12 small is a significant boost.

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) battery life

  •  2,227mAh vs 1,821mAh battery

The iPhone SE (2020) was widely panned due to its small battery capacity. It boasts a 1,821mAh battery, which, when combined with the new A13 beast of a CPU, raises battery life issues. Our battery test on the iPhone SE (2020) validated these fears, with battery life ranging from adequate to poor.

The iPhone 12 small, on the other hand, has a 2,227mAh battery, which is a substantial upgrade over the SE (2020). The exact size of the battery was kept a secret by Apple, but a leaked document from the Brazilian certification body ANATEL revealed the mystery. Furthermore, the iPhone 12 mini’s OLED display is more energy efficient than the SE’s LCD (2020). The iPhone 12 mini’s battery life should be improved thanks to the new A14 chipset’s improved power efficiency.

Apple iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) price

  • $699 ($729) vs $399

If you think the iPhone SE (2020) is losing in this comparison thus far, you’re probably right. The iPhone 12 mini is shaping out to be the ideal little phone: powerful, even smaller than the SE (2020), with an OLED display, improved camera system, more RAM, and a newer chipset, among other features. However, there is one area in which the iPhone SE (2020) excels, and that is the pricing.

The iPhone SE (2020) is the cheapest A13 Bionic variant, costing $399. You can get an incredibly speedy phone at a very reasonable price. The iPhone 12 small was priced at $699, which is significantly higher. The price of the iPhone 12 small is also a touch murky, as the $699 price tag appears to be for carrier-locked units. The iPhone 12 mini’s base SIM-free model costs $729, which is far too much when compared to the iPhone SE (2020).

If you like compact phones and want a no-compromise Apple device, though, with a modern design, a better display, a bigger battery, and the fastest chipset out there, the iPhone 12 mini is the one to get.

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