Apple iPhone 12 Mini

A mini marvel with all the performance high-hats as its larger sibling.

The perfect phone for those who prefer a smaller phone: wonderfully compact and a superb all-rounder.

If you’re looking for an iPhone 12 and think picking up the mini version will save you £100/$100, then I think you’re looking at it wrong. You shouldn’t buy this iPhone because it’s cheaper, you should buy it if you’ve been hankering for a smaller phone and are happy with the sacrifices that come with it. For most people, I still think the regular iPhone 12 is the best buy.

The iPhone 12 mini feels like the first iPhone in a long time with a different goal. It was designed around the human hand and real pockets. It is an object that doesn’t aim to be judged against other smartphones (which are mostly big now), but to be judged simply as an object you need to hold. You judge a spatula or can opener or whatever by whether it’s easy to grip, by whether it fits in your hand. It’s about time we got back to judging smartphones that way, too.

The smallest of the iPhone 12 range, but the mini is a fantastic little device that shouldn't be underestimated. Its lightweight and compact design, stunning display, great cameras, and smooth performance are all big plusses. Its battery life isn't amazing and the lack of telephoto lens does mean you can't zoom in when taking photos without losing quality, but they are really the only things we can complain about.

The iPhone 12 mini is an affordable and compact yet powerful flagship phone that is truly in a class all its own. It’s not only the best small phone there is, but also one of the best smartphones and 5G values, full stop.

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. The catch: While the mini offers the same great performance as the larger model, its battery life leaves much to be desired.

I’m not suggesting a small iPhone will cure our collective obsessions with phones. But maybe, with all the big things we’re facing every day, a phone doesn’t have to be one of them. It could be one less thing.