People who want a smaller phone will be hard-pressed to find a device as compelling as the iPhone 12 mini. That's because Apple took nearly everything that worked well in the larger iPhone 12 including its high-powered A14 Bionic chipset and excellent cameras and packed them into a pint-sized frame.

Small design makes it easy to handle; Excellent performance; Beautiful screen

Lackluster battery life; Slower MagSafe charging

So cute! Smartphones are getting bigger and bigger, but Apple offers a real alternative with the iPhone 12 mini, which is unique in the high-end segment with its 5.4-inch screen. However, the small form factor also poses problems. Find out whether Apple's mini mix works out in this review.

bright and color-accurate display, fast SoC, good dual camera, accurate positioning, wide frequency coverage

OLED flickering, mediocre speakers, no mmWave in Europe, no 5G for dual-SIM, limited NFC

If you asked me which of the four different models of the new iPhone 12 you should buy without providing any further context on your needs or desires, I would tell you to buy the regular iPhone 12 without question. It has the best balance of screen size, storage, cameras, battery life, and value.

Excellent camera; Small with great build quality; Fast

Battery life is below average; Is mmWave 5G really necessary?; 60Hz screen is behind the competition

Apple's iPhone 12 mini delivers the best price-to-power ratio of any 2020 iPhone, bringing top-of-the-line features to a phone that easily fits into smaller hands.

Perfect hand-friendly form factor; Excellent performance; Better battery life than other small iPhones

Shorter battery life than larger iPhones

The iPhone 12 mini has no right being the cheapest model in Apple’s iPhone 12 family. Sure, on paper you’re spending the smallest amount on the smallest display, but – like the most engaging gadgets – the spec comparisons simply don’t capture the true charm.

Small size without power compromise; Same great cameras as on the iPhone 12; 5G supports fastest mmWave - if you can find it

Battery life could be better; No 120Hz display

Small phone fans rejoice! The iPhone 12 mini is a pocket rocket with almost everything from the regular flagship inside a beautifully compact chassis.

Stunning compact design; Gorgeous OLED screen; All core specs from regular 12

Limited battery life; Limited to 60Hz; Slower MagSafe charging

The Apple iPhone 12 Mini was, for me, a real throwback to the days of compact smartphones before we called them compact, and for many people in and around my generation whose first smartphones were the iPhone 3, 4, and 5, the size of the new 12 Mini will be enough of a draw on its own.

Compact size; A14 Bionic performance; Pleasing camera performance; The most customisable Apple software ever

Battery life is the compact compromise; Only 12W wireless charging; Entry-level 64GB model is not enough storage in 2020

The iPhone 12 Mini is one of the best compact smartphones you can buy, and it has fantastic performance and cameras to boot....

Great design Compact size Super-fast performance Incredible ecosystem Quick to charge; even at 18W

No telephoto lens iOS is limiting No power adapter in the box Hard to wirelessly charge Sub-par battery life

The iPhone 12 mini is the closest you can get to the good old iPhone 5s. And it's good!

Tiny; cute; pocketable; comfortable; Same great display as all iPhone 12 series; Same great camera as iPhone 12; MagSafe is cool and has potential; Fast performance; lots of headroom

The camera module looks a bit goofy on a mini phone; No charger; no headphones in the box; Battery can drain fast; 64 GB starting storage is OK; but feels a bit stingy; 60 Hz refresh rate

Small phone fans rejoice! The iPhone 12 mini is a pocket rocket with almost everything from the regular flagship inside a beautifully compact chassis.

Stunning compact design; Gorgeous OLED screen; All core specs from regular 12;

Limited battery life; Limited to 60Hz; Slower MagSafe charging;