Apple does not disclose sales figures for its iPhones, so it is impossible to know how many phones the company has sold. However, when it launched the iPhone 12 mini last year, consultants, third-party reports and other sources of information agreed on one thing: that this model had not worked very well.
But here we are, about to end 2021 and with the analysis of the iPhone 13 mini in hand. Because yes, this year Apple has repeated the launch strategy of last year and has put four phones on the table. We liked the iPhone 12 mini, but it had a major battery problem. The mission of the iPhone 13 mini was to resolve that issue, and, spoiler alert, it has succeeded.
Design: the iPhone 13? Well smaller
iPhone 13 Mini 17
On the left is the iPhone 13 mini, and on the right is the iPhone 12 Pro.
When I took the iPhone 13 mini out of the box the same day that I put the iPhone 13 in his box, I thought, “I have already experienced this.” The feeling was the same as I had with the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini; that is, we are facing the same mobile, the same mobile, but passed through a compression machine to reduce its size.
Because for practical purposes, and if we remove the size and weight factor from the equation,new phone of Apple, the iPhone 13 mini is the same as the iPhone 13. It has the same finishes, edges, feeling in hand, premium aroma, and changes that we highlight in the review of his older brother. This includes all the good, such as the feeling of robustness and materials, and all the bad, such as the back that fills with fingerprints or the (obvious and expected) lack of a headphone jack.
iPhone 13 Mini REVIEW
Thus, we will focus on those two aspects: size and weight, from which ergonomics and user experience derive. The iPhone 13 mini is significantly smaller than the iPhone 13, at 15 millimetres high and seven millimetres less wide. The thickness, however, is the same. It is much better held with one hand and, from my point of view, it is more comfortable to use and carry in your pocket. Because of course, having a smaller mobile means a lower weight, which goes from 173 grams in the iPhone 13 to 140 grams in the iPhone 13 mini. They are 33 grams, which are not few, and it shows.
The iPhone 13 mini is tiny and light, very compact, and one of a kind like last year’s model. It is so small that I have sometimes stopped noticing it in my pocket (and suffered a small heart attack in the process). Like the standard model, the camera module (now with the lenses moved) protrudes quite a bit and, of course, makes the phone wobble if we leave it with the screen facing up on a table.
In short, it is an iPhone 13 that is more compact, lighter, equally premium and fantastic in terms of finishes. However, having a smaller screen has certain usability implications that we will talk about next.
Screen: that of the iPhone 13? Well smaller
We continue with the screen, the same as the iPhone 13, but smaller (oh, surprise). The iPhone 13 mini mounts a Super Retina XDR OLED panel with FullHD + resolution (2,240 x 1,080 pixels), which shares technology with the iPhone 13. However, having a smaller screen and a similar resolution translates into a pixel density slightly higher: 16 pixels per inch more, to be exact. It is a trifle, and it is not noticeable in any case.
We also find the smallest notch in this model, but I must admit that I do not appreciate the change as much as in the iPhone 13. It may be because of a smaller mobile, and the notch looks large, even having lost weight. Be that as it may, the changes are the same: the notch is less wide and thick, the loudspeaker has been moved to the upper area, and, unfortunately, the extra space gained is not used with more icons or information.
The brightness level matches that of the iPhone 13, while both have 800 nits of brightness (more than previous models) and up to 1,200 nits when playing content in HDR. This translates into better visibility in broad daylight, but it is not that we have noticed an incredible difference concerning the iPhone 12. We have noticed that the screen is very well calibrated at the factory and that its quality is sensational.
As for the refresh rate, you could copy and paste from the iPhone 13 review, and we would be in the same. Apple has reserved 120 Hz for the Pro models, so the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini continue with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. If the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 already seemed to us that they lagged in this regard, the feeling is even more pressing with the 13 and 13 mini.
And what is it like to use this small screen? Well, good and bad at the same time.
I speak in a personal capacity: I have not had any problem when it comes to watching videos, movies, series or playing games. I have been able to do it without squinting, and the experience of giving everything with Greninja in ‘Pokémon Unite’ has been very good. However, I acknowledge that some users may find the screen to fall short.
The iPhone 13 mini screen can be used to watch movies or play games, but it is not intended for this.
While I have not had a problem-consuming content passively, I have encountered the evils of a small screen when writing or using social networks. The keyboard seems somewhat small (usable, but small) and the experience in social networks and messaging apps can be improved because a smaller screen = less screen content = more scrolls.
In short, I do not think it is mobile for all types of users. Like the iPhone 12 mini, it seems to be a smartphone designed for looking for good performance and entering the Apple ecosystem without carrying a large mobile in their pocket.
Sound: in line with the iPhone 13
The iPhone 13, without having the best sound in its price range, convinced us. The iPhone 13 mini does, too, although this model sounds a bit worse from my point of view (or ear). Maybe it’s because the speakers are smaller or have less space, but my impression is that the standard model sounds better. It is not a very obvious difference, but it is there.
It does not have a headphone jack port or headphones included in the box to opt for Lightning headphones, a Lightning adapter – 3.5 mm jack or TWS headphones. Fortunately, the latter’s variety is wide, and currently, very solvent options can be found below 100 euros.
Like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 mini supports FLAC, Dolby Atmos, and Apple Lossless, the codec needed to better (if not to the fullest) squeeze out of Apple Music’s lossless format. It also supports spatial audio.