There was a time, not too long ago, when every iPhone made by Apple was small. But, since the arrival of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, things have been on the rise when it comes to the size of the company’s phones.
Fortunately, there are still iPhone models that you can use with one hand, but as we saw with the launch of the new iPhone 14the end of the iPhone mini era seems to have arrived, at least in this generation.
Based on this, we wanted to develop this special article in which we help you choose the best small iPhone you can buy today. We also have another article on the best iPhone deals.
Some models are available in the Apple Store (iPhone SE there iPhone 13 mini), while others have recently ceased to be, as is the case with the iPhone 12 mini. However, it will not be difficult for you to find them in the stores of official brand distributors.
Which iPhone models are the smallest?
When it comes to talking about the current range of iPhones, we could very well divide them into three different classes of devices based on the size of their screens: small, medium and large. Here is the list with the dimensions and weight of the smallest:
- iPhone SE (2020): 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm. Weight of 148 grams
- iPhone 12 mini: 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4mm. Weight of 133 grams
- iPhone 13 mini: 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65mm. Weight of 140 grams
For comparison, here are the dimensions of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14:
- iPhone 13/ iPhone 14: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm. Weight of 173 grams
What is the smallest iPhone?
Looking at the specifications of each model, we see that the iPhone 12 mini it’s by far the smallest iPhone you can buy right now. In fact, it’s the smallest Apple released since 2016’s iPhone SE (same design as iPhone 5 and 5s).
For all intents and purposes, the iPhone 13 mini It has the same screen size as the iPhone 12 mini, but with a slight increase in weight and an almost negligible increase in phone thickness.
This extra weight could be due to the battery, which was a 2,227 mAh cell in the iPhone 12 and then increased to 2,406 mAh in the iPhone 13. Most customers will likely find this to be a consideration.
With this, iPhone 13 mini manages to add an extra almost 2 hours of video playback, 3 hours of video transmission or five hours of audio playback, which means extra time in the daily life of the user.
The best iPhone 12 mini deals
This iPhone model is no longer for sale or in the Online Store nor in the company’s Apple Store, since the announcement took place last September of the family iPhone 14.
However, many official distributors continue to sell it at a substantial discount from its regular price. In Wonderful you can find it from 649 $ while Amazon also part of 629$ depending on color and configuration.
Can I use these iPhones with one hand?
As long as your hands aren’t particularly small, you should be able to comfortably use any of the iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini with one hand.
It’s worth noting that the devices with the mini tagline are shorter than the SE because they use Face ID instead of Touch ID, so they don’t need the fingerprint sensor and home button.
This can become important if you struggle to reach the top corners of the screen, as the minis make it easier with their compact bezels.
The same goes for width, as the slimmer mini design means your grip on the device doesn’t need to be as wide as the iPhone SE. Those are small margins, but if you want that experience, you should opt to buy one of the minis.
The best small iPhone for the price
This decision would be one of the easiest to approach, as there is a clear winner which is none other than the iPhone SE (2020). The $559 entry price is significantly lower than its brand rivals.
But we have to evaluate all aspects, because the higher prices of the rest of the models are also due to the fact that Apple has doubled the storage capacity of the
The variant of iPhone SE (2020) with 128 GB of storage capacity it currently costs $629, which allows us to better extrapolate the price differences between the two models.
Also keep in mind that the SE offers many of the same internal specs as the iPhone 11 line of phones, so you can see this is a powerful device for the money you’re paying.
There are a number of other caveats to keep in mind, such as the fact that the iPhone SE doesn’t support 5G connectivity and only has one rear camera. So, if any of these factors are decisive for you, we recommend that you upgrade to the iPhone mini model.
The best small iPhone for performance
Again, this is an easy recommendation. The iPhone 13 mini benefits from being the newest of the bunch and as such is equipped with the A15 Bionic chip, which is also found in all other members of the iPhone 13 range.
Add to that extra storage, various camera improvements (including the new Cinematic Mode), a brighter screen, and longer battery life, and you’ve easily got your hands on the compact iPhone the more powerful from Apple.
It’s true that the iPhone 12 mini packs an A14 Bionic and a lot of great features, so if you see it available at a discount, you’ll be getting a powerful little iPhone for what could be quite a tempting price, with a bit less autonomy.
The Best Small iPhone for Photography
The 12 mini and 13 mini come into this debate, since the SE cannot compete with a single camera. To say that the iPhone 13 mini has the new cinematic mode to focus like in a Hollywood movie, as well as sensor shift stabilization which was previously only available on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The same goes for the 4K video format at 60 fps, since the iPhone 12 mini remains at 30 fps maximum. The photographic and Smart HDR styles are also different. So you have to assess if you will really use these extras, or if you can do without them.
If you just want a really good camera for photos and some vacation videos, then the iPhone 12 mini has plenty of the features you need, at a price that’s going to get cheaper and cheaper than its newer sibling.
Both leave behind the rather dated iPhone SE (2020), thanks to dual rear lenses and higher specs. Unless you’re hoping to create video masterpieces, the iPhone mini will deliver great results.
Verdict: Which is the best small iPhone?
The iPhone SE (2020) is a wonderful little device that offers great performance at a very affordable price (at least by iPhone standards). But over the years, we believe it will likely be replaced by a new iPhone SE 3.
That leaves the iPhone 13 mini as our big winner in the family. Yes, it’s the most advanced in terms of technical specifications, cameras and design, but it’s also the most expensive.
However, we think the expense is worth it, as it takes everything we loved about the iPhone 12 mini and solves almost all the problems, especially the one related to longer battery life.
Now that the new iPhone 14 and there was no mini version, the iPhone 13 mini It came out reinforced as the best compact mobile bet for those looking for portability and lightness.
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