Tag: buyers
VinFast’s bid to attract US buyers includes 4 all-electric SUVs and maybe a sports car
VinFast showcased four battery-electric SUVs at the LA Auto Show this week, and even hinted at a sports car, as the Vietnam-based automaker pushes ahead with its plan to break into the U.S. market. The four EVs, which ranged in size from small five-passenger crossovers to large seven-passenger SUVs, is part of the company’s effort […]
VinFast’s bid to attract US buyers includes 4 all-electric SUVs and maybe a sports car by Abigail Bassett originally published on TechCrunch
2022 M1 iPad Air vs. M2 iPad Pro Buyer’s Guide
The introduction of the previous, fourth-generation iPad Air in September 2020 brought the device much closer to the iPad Pro in terms of design, and with the most recent model, the iPad Air gained the same M1 chip as the previous iPad Pro, bringing them even closer together. The latest iPad Pro models introduced a relatively small number of new features, such as the M2 chip, Apple Pencil hover, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3, but it means that the high-end iPad models are now differentiated a little more from the iPad Air model that Apple unveiled in March 2022.
Should you consider purchasing the iPad Air to save money, or do you need the high-end features of the iPad Pro? Our guide answers the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you.
Comparing the iPad Air and iPad Pro
The iPad Air and iPad Pro share a large number of key features, such as an all-screen design with flat sides, a 12MP rear Wide camera, a 12MP front-facing Ultra Wide camera, and a USB-C port:
Similarities
- Industrial design with flat edges
- Liquid Retina display with 264 ppi, full lamination, oleophobic and anti-reflective coating, P3 Wide Color, and True Tone
- M-series chip with next-generation Neural Engine
- 5G connectivity
- ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide rear camera, with digital zoom up to 5x for photos
- ƒ/2.4 12MP front-facing Ultra Wide camera with 2x optical zoom out and Center Stage
- 4K video recording at up to 60 fps, extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, 3x video zoom, slo-mo video support for 1080p at up to 240 fps, and time-lapse video with stabilization
- “All-day” 10 hour battery life
- USB‑C connector
- Compatible with Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, and Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Apple’s specification breakdown shows that the two iPads share many of their most important features. Even so, there are an even larger number of meaningful differences between the iPad Air and iPad Pro that are worth highlighting, including their displays, authentication technologies, and rear camera setups.
Differences
iPad Air
- Touch ID built into the top button
- 10.9-inch display
- Liquid Retina LED display
- 500 nits max brightness (typical)
- M1 chip with 8-core, 3.2GHz CPU and 8-core GPU
- Neural Engine
- Media engine for hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
- Video encode and decode engine
- Image signal processor (ISP)
- 8GB of memory
- 68.25GB/s memory bandwidth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Wi‑Fi 6
- Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity
- ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide rear camera
- Smart HDR 3
- Digital zoom up to 5x
- 3x video zoom
- ƒ/2.4 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with 2x optical zoom out and Center Stage
- Two speaker audio landscape mode
- USB‑C connector
- Up to 256GB storage
- Available in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue
- Price starting at $599
iPad Pro
- Face ID enabled by TrueDepth camera
- 11-inch or 12.9-inch display, with 120Hz ProMotion technology
- Liquid Retina LED display (11-inch) or Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display (12.9-inch)
- 600 nits max brightness (11-inch) or 1,000 nits max brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness (12.9-inch)
- Apple Pencil hover
- M2 chip with 8-core, 3.49GHz CPU and 10-core GPU
- 40 percent faster Neural Engine
- Media engine for hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
- Higher-bandwidth video decode engine
- Video encode and decode engine
- ProRes encode and decode engine
- “New” image signal processor (ISP)
- 8GB or 16GB of memory
- 100GB/s memory bandwidth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Wi‑Fi 6E
- Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G connectivity
- ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide and ƒ/2.4 10MP Ultra Wide rear cameras
- Smart HDR 4
- True Tone flash
- ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps
- Digital zoom up to 5x and 2x optical zoom out
- Video zoom up to 3x and 2x optical zoom out
- Audio zoom
- LiDAR scanner
- ƒ/2.4 12MP TrueDepth Ultra Wide front-facing camera with 2x optical zoom out, Center Stage, Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji
- Stereo recording
- Four-speaker audio
- USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt/USB 4
- Up to 2TB storage
- Available in Silver and Space Gray
- Price starting at $799
Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see what exactly both iPads have to offer.
Design
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro use Apple’s most recent all-screen product design language, also seen on the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 lineups, the iPad mini, and 10th-generation iPad, featuring industrial squared-off edges and flat sides.
The 10.9-inch iPad Air is almost exactly the same size as the 11-inch iPad Pro, despite having a smaller display, resulting in it having slightly thicker bezels around the screen.
Although the design of the two iPad models is similar, the iPad Air is available in a wider range of colors. The iPad Air is available in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue, while the iPad Pro is only available in Silver and Space Gray.
Authentication
A key difference between the iPad Air and iPad Pro is authentication technology. The iPad Air features Touch ID, while the iPad Pro features Face ID.
The iPad Air has a Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded in the iPad’s top button. The iPad Pro’s Face ID is facilitated by the TrueDepth camera array in the top bezel.
Unlocking is something that may be used dozens of times every day, so it is important to choose your preferred method of authentication if you feel particularly strongly about it. That being said, both Touch ID and Face ID are now refined technologies that work well, and most users will probably be happy with whichever they have.
Displays
Display Sizes
The iPad Air features a 10.9-inch display, while the iPad Pro has the option of either an 11-inch display or a 12.9-inch display.
The difference in screen size between the 10.9-inch iPad Air and the 11-inch iPad Pro is virtually negligible. These models are around half a pound lighter than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and will be best for users focused on portability and easy handheld use.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro, on the other hand, is best for users who are intending to use their iPad more like a laptop, likely on a table or with a keyboard accessory such as the Magic Keyboard. In particular, multitasking is a much better experience on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s large display.
Display Technologies
Both the iPad Air and the 11-inch iPad Pro feature Liquid Retina LED displays with 264 ppi, full lamination, oleophobic and anti-reflective coatings, P3 Wide Color, and True Tone. The 11-inch iPad Pro can get 100 nits brighter than the iPad Air and features ProMotion technology for up to 120Hz refresh rates.
The biggest advancement in display technology is available with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This model has all of the display features included with its smaller sibling, including 120Hz ProMotion, but uses a fundamentally different underlying display technology: mini-LED.
Apple calls the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s mini-LED screen a “Liquid Retina XDR display.” Mini-LED allows the 12.9-inch iPad Pro to reach up to 1,000 nits full-screen brightness, 1,600 nits peak brightness, and a 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio. The display can reflect what can be seen in the real world by capturing the brightest highlights and subtle details in even the darkest images, allowing users to view and edit true-to-life HDR and Dolby Vision content, which is especially important to creative professionals, including photographers, videographers, and filmmakers.
The iPad Air’s Liquid Retina display will be sufficient for the vast majority of users, but some may prefer the responsiveness of ProMotion on the iPad Pro for tasks such as gaming. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s high-end Liquid Retina XDR display, on the other hand, is best for users who consume a lot of HDR content, creative professionals, and those who want the best possible display.
M1 vs. M2
Both the iPad Pro and iPad Air offer a high level of performance, but the iPad Pro features the M2 chip – Apple’s latest custom silicon chip primarily designed for the Mac, enabling ProRes video recording and media acceleration for the first time on an iPad.
Apple says that the M2 chip takes the performance per watt of the M1 even further with an 18 percent faster CPU, a 35 percent more powerful GPU, and a 40 percent faster Neural Engine.
Mac Otakara shared Geekbench 5 results for the new iPad Pro that confirm about a 15 to 16 percent increase in multi-core performance over the previous model (8,516 score for 12.9-inch model with M2 chip vs. 7,326 for the 12.9-inch model with M1 chip):
Regardless, both of the chips are Mac-class and offer a high level of performance that should be able to meet most users’ needs, with more meaningful advancements being reserved for ProRes workflows.
Memory
The iPad Air has 8GB of RAM, while the iPad Pro has either 8GB or 16GB, depending on which storage configuration you choose. iPad Pro configurations with either 1TB or 2TB of storage contain 16GB of RAM, while all other storage configurations contain 8GB of RAM. 8GB in the iPad Air will be adequate for casual users, but 16GB will be better at handling multiple windows of the same application and a range of intense background tasks.
Ultimately, iPadOS is very good at memory management and it is questionable how far apps can take advantage of extra memory, so it is unlikely that the amount of RAM in your iPad will be important in most cases.
Storage
The iPad Air offers the option of either 64GB or 256GB storage, while the iPad Pro offers 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB. The maximum 256GB of storage in the iPad Air will be enough for many users, but for those power users who intend to store a large amount of data on their iPad, the option is available with the iPad Pro.
Cameras
Rear Cameras
A major area of difference between the two iPad models is their camera setups. The iPad Air features a single ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide camera. The iPad Pro has the same ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide camera as the iPad Air, but also adds a ƒ/2.4 10MP Ultra Wide camera and a LiDAR scanner.
As well as being able to zoom in digitally five times, the iPad Pro can also optically zoom out up to two times, thanks to its Ultra Wide lens. The iPad Pro can record 4K ProRes video, and also features a True Tone flash.
LiDAR allows the iPad Pro to measure the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away, operating at the photon level at nano-second speed. This makes the iPad Pro capable of a “new class” of improved AR experiences with better motion capture, understanding of the environment, and people occlusion.
Users who like to use their iPad as a large viewfinder for photography or heavy users of AR will appreciate the iPad Pro’s more advanced camera setup, but for the majority of users who do not use the iPad’s rear camera very often, the iPad Air’s single Wide camera is more than good enough.
Front-Facing Cameras
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro have a ƒ/2.4 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with 2x optical zoom out. The iPad Pro’s TrueDepth camera also enables Portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji.
Both devices offer Center Stage for video calls with the front-facing camera. Center Stage uses the iPad’s larger field of view and the machine learning capabilities of the M1 and M2 chip to recognize and keep users centered in the frame. As users move around, Center Stage automatically pans to keep them in the shot. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to fit everyone into the view.
Other than Portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji, the two front-facing camera setups are identical and there is no reason to get one over the other.
Speakers and Microphones
The iPad Air has two-speaker audio in landscape mode, while the iPad Pro has wider four-speaker audio. If you use your iPad for consuming lots of music and videos with the built-in speakers, the iPad Pro will deliver a slightly better experience.
The iPad Pro can record audio in stereo and features “studio-quality” mics, which may be important for some users who record music or lectures using their iPad. Even so, the iPad Air has a proficient speaker and microphone setup that will be sufficient for most users.
Wireless Connectivity
The iPad Pro betters the wireless connectivity specifications of the iPad Air with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and mmWave 5G in the United States. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, and sub-6GHz 5G on the iPad Air will realistically be sufficient for most users, but if you have distinct needs for better specifications in this area, such as a high-speed 5G cellular connection in the United States, the iPad Pro could be a more worthwhile choice.
Ports
The iPad Air features a standard USB-C port, while the iPad Pro features a Thunderbolt port. USB-C on the iPad Air can transfer at a speed of 10Gb/s, while Thunderbolt supports speeds of up to 40Gb/s. As well as being considerably faster, Thunderbolt opens up the potential for compatibility with a much broader range of Thunderbolt-only accessories such as external hard drives and monitors. Thunderbolt also is backward-compatible with USB-C, so the two ports look identical.
Even though Thunderbolt is much faster than the iPad Air’s standard USB-C port, most users likely do not have Thunderbolt accessories that can take advantage of these speeds. For this reason, the iPad Air is again the best option for most people in terms of port options.
Accessories
Both the iPad Air and iPad Pro support accessories such as the Apple Pencil 2, as well as Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio and Magic Keyboard. Since they both support the same accessories, there is no reason to buy one model over the other when it comes to the likes of keyboards or trackpads.
Apple Pencil hover is a new, iPad Pro-exclusive feature that allows for cursor-like interaction when the Apple Pencil is brought close to the screen. As such, this may be an important factor for keen illustrators, note-takers, and Apple Pencil enthusiasts.
It should also be considered that accessories such as the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard have to be purchased separately from the iPad, so will push up the overall price. Therefore, if the iPad Pro, which starts at $799 for the 64GB 11-inch model, is already moving out of your price range and you want an accessory such as the $299 Magic Keyboard, you may need to opt for the iPad Air, which starts at $599, to bring down the overall cost.
Other iPad Options
If the iPad Air is too expensive at $599, you may want to consider the 10th-generation iPad, which starts at $449. This iPad has a 10.9-inch display, the A14 Bionic chip, 4GB of memory, Center Stage, and is compatible with accessories such as the Magic Keyboard Folio and the first-generation Apple Pencil. While it lacks features like a laminated display, the M1 chip, and 8GB of memory, the 10th-generation iPad is a great alternative to the mid to high-end iPads, offering a balanced mix of features.
- iPad 10 vs. iPad Air Buyer’s Guide: Is the $150 Difference Worth It?
- iPad Air 5 vs. iPad Mini 6 Buyer’s Guide
On the other hand, if you are looking for the smallest, most portable iPad, you should consider the iPad mini, which features a smaller 8.3-inch display and the A15 chip, for $499.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the iPad Air is the better option for the majority of users, simply on the basis of value for money. For most people, the additional $200+ needed to buy the iPad Pro will not be justified to get the likes of Face ID, a more versatile rear camera system, four-speaker audio, a ProMotion display with refresh rates up to 120Hz, and Apple Pencil hover.
Some iPad Pro features, such as LiDAR, the Ultra Wide rear camera, larger storage options and up to 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt connectivity, will only be practically useful to a small niche of iPad users and most users will never use some of these high-end features. Many features such as the True Tone flash, mmWave 5G connectivity in the U.S., Audio zoom, and stereo audio recording may not be meaningfully utilized by many users.
Professionals who have a clear use case for needing larger amounts of RAM and storage, Thunderbolt connectivity, and mini-LED for HDR content will benefit from buying the iPad Pro. Prosumers will also enjoy features such as 120Hz ProMotion for smoother scrolling and gaming, deeper blacks and more vivid colors with the mini-LED display, and LiDAR for AR experiences, even if they are not necessary, and those who want a larger 12.9-inch display for content consumption or better multitasking will similarly need to go with the higher-end iPad Pro model.
Prosumers and professionals who want the iPad to replace their laptop or computer should likely choose the 12.9-inch iPad Pro if they are pairing it with the Magic Keyboard due to the added screen space for multiple applications. This larger iPad Pro is considerably different to the iPad Air, setting itself apart with mini-LED and a much larger display.
Beyond these individual circumstances, the iPad Air is the best option and will be more than ample for most users’ needs. With the iPad Air, users can get an all-screen design, the M1 chip, practical features like USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with the core Apple accessories.
This article, “2022 M1 iPad Air vs. M2 iPad Pro Buyer’s Guide” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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iPad 9 vs. iPad 10 Buyer’s Guide: Is the $120 Difference Worth It?
The 64GB and 256GB ninth-generation iPad models continue to be available for $329 and $479, respectively. They are still offered in the same Silver and Space Gray color options, meaning that there has been no change to the pricing or available configurations of the device.
The entry-level iPad is an important device in Apple’s lineup, particularly for the education market, because it provides an accessible on-ramp to basic computing on the iPad at a low price point. Despite being successive generations of the same device, there are substantial differences between the ninth- and 10th-generation iPad that justify their $120 difference in price, which may make it difficult to choose which device is best for you.
So should you consider buying the ninth-generation iPad to save money, or do you need the 10th-generation iPad instead? This breakdown serves as a clear way to see all the similarities and differences between the two devices.
Similarities
- Touch ID
- Retina display (264 ppi) with True Tone and 500 nits max brightness (typical)
- Apple silicon chip with 6-core CPU (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores) and 4-core GPU
- Digital zoom up to 5x, 3x video zoom, slo-mo video support for 720p at 120 fps, and time-lapse video with stabilization
- 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera (ƒ/2.4 aperture) with 2x zoom out, Center Stage, Retina Flash, Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, Cinematic video stabilization, and 1080p HD video recording up to 60 fps
- Two speaker audio
- Up to 10-hour battery life
- 64GB and 256GB storage options
- First-generation Apple Pencil support
Differences
9th-Generation iPad (2021)
- “Old” iPad design (like first-generation iPad Air, 2013)
- 7.5mm thickness
- Weight of 487/498 grams
- Space Gray and Silver color options
- Touch ID home button
- 10.5-inch Retina display (2160-by-1620)
- A13 Bionic chip (2019)
- 8-core Neural Engine
- 3GB RAM
- 8MP Wide rear camera (ƒ/2.4 aperture)
- HDR for photos
- 1080p HD video recording at up to 30 fps
- 12MP portrait Ultra Wide front-facing camera
- Two-speaker audio
- Lightning port
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; speeds up to 866 Mbps
- 4G LTE connectivity (cellular models)
- Smart Keyboard support
- Starts at $329
10th-Generation iPad (2022)
- “New” iPad design with flat sides (like iPad Pro, 2018)
- 7mm thickness
- Weight of 477/481 grams
- Silver, Pink, Blue, and Yellow color options
- Touch ID top button
- 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display (2360‑by‑1640)
- A14 Bionic chip (2020)
- 16-core Neural Engine
- 4GB RAM
- 12MP Wide rear camera (ƒ/1.8 aperture)
- Smart HDR 3 for photos
- 4K video recording at up to 60 fps
- Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps
- 12MP landscape Ultra Wide front-facing camera
- Landscape two-speaker audio
- USB-C port
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps
- 5G connectivity (cellular models)
- Magic Keyboard Folio support
- Starts at $449
Overall, the 10th-generation iPad will be the more suitable device to buy for most people. With a faster chip and more memory, the 10th-generation iPad will be the better long-term purchase through annual software updates, not to mention 5G connectivity on the cellular models. Apple appears to be gradually transitioning to USB-C across all of its devices, so buying a device with this port instead of Lightning may be helpful in years to come. The design of the 10th-generation iPad is also considerably more future-proof, fitting in well with any of Apple’s modern iPad or all-screen designs.
The larger display, better performance, USB-C port, and Magic Keyboard Folio support may also make the 10th-generation a more useful productivity-focused device. The landscape front-facing camera will be better for video calls, while the rear camera offers more advanced photography and videography capabilities. It is also worth noting that some users may simply prefer the 10th-generation iPad’s modern design and vibrant array of color options.
By comparison, the ninth-generation iPad offers a good balance of the most important basic iPad features, but in an older design with slightly less advanced technologies. Prospective customers that simply need a new iPad at the lowest possible price are unlikely to care about many of these differences, so it may not be worth the extra $120 in some cases. Generally, where possible, it will be worth the upgrade to the newer model – especially if you plan to use the iPad heavily for years to come.
This article, “iPad 9 vs. iPad 10 Buyer’s Guide: Is the $120 Difference Worth It?” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 Mini Buyer’s Guide: Comparing Apple’s Two $599 iPhones
At $599, both devices sit above the $429 iPhone SE in Apple’s product lineup, adding features like OLED displays and Face ID. The iPhone 13 mini is a more modern device than the iPhone 12, and features the same battery life as the larger device despite having a smaller internal battery, but it does come at the cost of display area.
As the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini share a large number of features, should you consider purchasing the older model to save money? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhones is best for you.
Comparing the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 Mini
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini share a large number of key features, such as OLED Super Retain XDR displays, Face ID, 5G connectivity, MagSafe, and Ceramic Shield. Apple lists these identical features of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini:
Similarities
- OLED Super Retina XDR display with HDR, True Tone, P3 wide color, and Haptic Touch
- Face ID
- 6GHz 5G connectivity (and mmWave in the U.S.)
- Six-core A-Series Bionic chip
- 4GB of memory
- Dual 12MP ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide and ƒ/1.6 Wide cameras with two-times optical zoom out
- Photography features including Night mode, Deep Fusion, True Tone flash with Slow Sync, Portrait mode, and more
- Videography features including 4K video recording at up to 60fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision, Audio zoom, slo-mo video up to 240fps at 1080p, Night mode Time-lapse, and more
- Ceramic Shield front
- IP68 rated splash, water, and dust resistance
- Aerospace-grade aluminum
- MagSafe and Qi wireless charging
- Lightning connector
- Up to 17 hours battery during video playback
- Available with 128GB and 256GB storage options
- Available in (PRODUCT)RED
Apple’s breakdown shows that the iPhones share a large number of notable key features. Even so, there are some meaningful differences between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini, such as their processors and display brightness, that will be important when weighing up which device to choose.
Differences
iPhone 12
- 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display
- 625 nits max brightness (typical)
- A14 Bionic chip
- Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM)
- Optical image stabilization for video
- Smart HDR 3 for photos
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 30fps
- Weighs 164 grams
- Available in Purple, Blue, PRODUCT(RED), White, and Black
- Available with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options
iPhone 13 mini
- 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display
- 800 nits max brightness (typical)
- 20 percent smaller notch
- A15 Bionic chip
- Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) and dual eSIM support
- Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video
- Smart HDR 4 for photos
- Photographic Styles
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 60fps
- Cinematic mode video recording with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
- Weighs 141 grams
- Available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Green, and PRODUCT(RED)
- Available with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options
Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see what exactly both iPhones have to offer.
Design and Colors
Both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 mini have the same industrial design with squared-off edges and a flat aluminum band around the sides. The devices use aerospace-grade aluminum on the edges and a single piece of polished glass on the rear. The iPhone 13 mini’s dual rear cameras are offset against each other diagonally, as opposed to the iPhone 12’s vertical orientation.
The iPhone 13 mini features a 20 percent smaller notch for the TrueDepth camera array, which frees up more display area and makes the cutout less obtrusive. Other than the rear camera positioning and the smaller notch, the devices look otherwise the same.
As a smaller phone, the iPhone 13 mini is shorter and narrower than the iPhone 12. The size of the iPhone 13 mini makes it much more pocketable than the iPhone 13.
Another factor that demarcates the difference between the two devices is their weight. The iPhone 13 mini is 23 grams (0.81 ounces) lighter than its larger counterpart, at just 141 grams (4.97 ounces) in total. If you want the smallest and lightest possible iPhone, the iPhone 13 mini will be a better choice than the iPhone 12.
The iPhone 12 is available in Purple, Blue, Green, White, and Black, while the iPhone 13 mini is available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, and Green. Both are also available in PRODUCT(RED). The two shades of Blue are similar, as are White and Starlight, and Black and Midnight. As similar-looking devices, preference for either the iPhone 12 or the iPhone 13 mini in terms of design and colors will come down to personal taste.
Display
The iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 mini both have a OLED Super Retina XDR display with HDR, True Tone, P3 wide color, and Haptic Touch. The only difference with the iPhone 13 mini’s display is that it is able to get 175 nits brighter during typical non-HDR use, but this is not a major reason to get the newer model.
The most noticeable difference between the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 is the size of their displays. The iPhone 13 mini has a display size of 5.4-inches and the iPhone 12 has a display size of 6.1-inches. This means that the larger phone will be able to show more content on the screen, with the UI elements of apps spaced further apart and items such as the keyboard being bigger.
Nevertheless, the smaller phone is easier to use with one hand. For example, the Control Center is easier to reach at the top of the screen, and users may feel more comfortable swiping around iOS on a smaller display with a firmer grip.
The main reason to prefer the iPhone 13 mini will be because of its better fit in the hand and easier one-handed use. Likewise, those that want a larger display for media consumption, being the same size as the iPhone 14, will clearly prefer the 6.1-inch iPhone 12.
A14 vs. A15
The iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip brings a modest performance improvement over the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12. Benchmarks show that the A15 in the iPhone 13 offers around 10 percent better single-core performance and 18 percent better multi-core performance compared to the iPhone 12’s A14 chip. In graphics tasks, the iPhone 13 performs roughly 15 percent better than the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12.
These performance improvements with the A15 are iterative rather than a substantial reason to upgrade alone. The A14 is still an extremely capable chip, and in day-to-day use, the two devices are likely to perform similarly, although the A15 chip may be supported for longer and perform better over time.
Dual SIM
Both devices support dual SIM, with one physical nano-SIM and an eSIM, but the iPhone 13 mini is also able to support two eSIMs simultaneously. If you need to switch between two eSIMs, you will need to get the iPhone 13 mini to get this functionality.
Cameras
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini have dual 12MP rear cameras with a ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide and a ƒ/1.6 Wide camera. The iPhone 13 mini’s Main camera features a larger sensor than the iPhone 12, capable of capturing 47 percent more light for less noise and brighter images, and the Ultra Wide features a new sensor to capture more detail. The Main camera also contains sensor-shift optical image stabilization technology for smoother video and improved image quality.
Although the devices can both record Dolby Vision HDR video, the iPhone 13 is able to record this up to 60 fps, as opposed to the iPhone 12’s 30 fps.
The iPhone 13 mini features Cinematic mode, which allows users to record video with a shallow depth of field at 1080p and 30fps. Cinematic mode can rack focus to seamlessly shift the focus from one subject to another when capturing video. It holds focus on the subject while blurring the background, and can automatically change the focus when a new subject is about to enter the scene. Blur and focus can be adjusted after capturing video as well through the Photos app.
The iPhone 13 mini also supports Photographic Styles, which are smart, adjustable filters that can do things like boost or mute colors without affecting skin tone. Styles apply selectively to an image, unlike a filter that is applied to the entire image. Photographic Styles include Vibrant (boosts colors), Rich Contrast (darker shadows and deeper colors), Warm (accentuates golden undertones), or Cool (accentuates blue undertones). Tone and Warmth are customizable for each style, so you can get the exact look that you want.
While the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini feature cameras with similar specifications, the iPhone 13 mini offers Dolby Vision HDR video at a higher frame rate, Cinematic mode, and Photographic Styles, as well as hardware improvements such as a larger sensor and sensor-shift stabilization. The iPhone 12’s camera is still highly capable, but with more photography and videography options and improved image quality, the iPhone 13 mini is the better option.
Storage
A key area to consider when weighing up the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini is storage. While both devices start at $599, the iPhone 12 features a base storage configuration of 64GB, while the iPhone 13 mini offers 128GB of storage for the same price. The iPhone 12 with 128GB of storage costs $649 and at 256GB it costs $749, $50 more than the iPhone 13 mini with the same amount of storage. If storage is a priority for you, it may be better to get the iPhone 13 mini since higher storage quantities come in at a lower price across the board.
The iPhone 12 is also not available with a 512GB configuration, unlike the iPhone 13 mini. This means that if you need more than 256GB of storage, you will need to get the iPhone 13 to have the option of a larger 512GB storage capacity.
Final Thoughts
The iPhone 13 mini’s upgrades over the iPhone 12 are mostly iterative, offering refinements in terms of a brighter display, a smaller notch, performance improvements, and new camera software features. The more significant upgrades include the camera hardware, but at face value there is likely not enough to justify getting the new model over the iPhone 12 for those who mainly want a larger display. The iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic chip and dual-camera setup are still highly capable for everyday use, and the device shares an overwhelming majority of the iPhone 13 mini’s most versatile features, such as a 17-hour battery life, 5G connectivity, Night mode, MagSafe, and IP68 water resistance.
However, when looking at the 128GB and 256GB storage options only, since these options are available with both models, the iPhone 13 mini costs less than the iPhone 12. If you need more than 64GB of storage and do not want a larger display, you should buy the iPhone 13 mini – especially considering that it comes with additional features and is a year newer. If 64GB of storage is sufficient for you, it will be a case of deciding if the iPhone 13 mini’s selection of improvements and extra storage are worth sacrificing a larger display.
This article, “iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 Mini Buyer’s Guide: Comparing Apple’s Two $599 iPhones” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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