During this iPhone event on October 13th, Apple released iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Out of the 4 variants, the iPhone 12 Mini is the most affordable and compact version. However, speaking about compact and affordable iPhone, we have iPhone SE 2020 as well, released this April. With the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone SE 2020 in the picture, the focus of Apple is clear. The technical behemoth wants to expand it’s market and target consumers that, along with new features and functionality, prefer reasonably-priced and compact/ iPhone models.
So, if you are one of those consumers that want to own a compact iPhone but are not sure which one to choose from iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone SE 2020; we are here to help you. This guide will assist you in making a calculated decision between the two compact iPhone models.
Comparison: iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE 2020
Please note that purchasing the iPhone 12 Mini will be a decision that will cost you $330 more than the price of the iPhone SE 2020. So, if the price is a major concern for you, you must settle down with the iPhone SE 2020. However, if the price is not that much of a concern, we will like you to go through the below comparison between the iPhone 12 Mini and the iPhone SE 2020 to see what exactly spending that extra $330 will fetch you.
Display & Design
| Specs | iPhone 12 Mini | iPhone SE 2020 |
| Display Size | 5.4” 2340 x 1080 pixels | 4.7” 1334 x 750 pixels |
| Display Technology | OLED | LCD |
| PPI | 476 | 326 |
As you can see from the above table, iPhone SE 2020 doesn’t sport an OLED and, as compared to current standards, its Pixel Per Inch is also low. However, if we take normal daily usage into account, iPhone SE 2020 indeed has a fairly nice and gleaming display. Moreover, you must know that even though the screen size of the iPhone 12 Mini is more, the device’s overall size is smaller than the iPhone SE 2020 but bigger than the old day iPhone 5/5S.
If we go deeper, then you must know that iPhone 12 Mini’s drop results are 4 times better than the iPhone SE 2020, making it much more durable.
Performance
| Specs | iPhone 12 Mini | iPhone SE 2020 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 | Apple A13 |
| 5G Support? | Yes | No |
| RAM | 4 GB | 3 GB |
| Battery Life (Continuous Video Playback with Airplane Mode) | 14 Hours 48 Minutes | 15 Hours 45 Minutes |
As compared to the A13 chipset, the A14 chipset provides close to 20% better results as far as CPU performance is concerned and goes as far as 27% in the case of graphics. However, it’s not the case that iPhone SE 2020 is slow. In fact, everything will simply move like a storm in perfect fluidity. However, if you want the fastest available iPhone, then the iPhone 12 Mini is the clear winner.
Moreover, if you are concerned about the future, then you must be aware that 5G support will become common pretty soon. Hence, the iPhone 12 Mini is ready for the future as it comes with the much-hyped 5G support. On the other hand, iPhone SE 2020 has the currently trending 4G LTE support.
The difference of 1 Hour between the battery life of the two iPhone models won’t matter much for many people out there. Moreover, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with Smart Data Mode that consistently switches between 4G and 5G depending on various factors.
Here, we will also like to mention that if you are concerned about whether you should go ahead with carrier-locked models, then you can get both models unlocked pretty easily and hassle-free using the following links.
Cameras
| Specs | iPhone 12 Mini | iPhone SE 2020 |
| Back Camera | 12 MP Main + 12 MP Ultra-wide Dual (7P Lenses) | 12 MP Single Camera (5P Lenses) |
| Front Camera | 12 MP | 7 MP |
| Aperture | Main Camera > f/1.6 | Main Camera > f/1.8 |
Going by the specs, iPhone 12 Mini is a clear winner as it sports two 12 MP cameras at the back and a 12 MP selfie camera. On the other hand, iPhone SE 2020 sports a single 12 MP camera at the back along with a 7 MP selfie camera. Moreover, the iPhone 12 Mini comes with 7 layer lenses (7P).
However, if you are not that of a shutterbug, you won’t spot much of a difference between the camera performance of iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 12 Mini, under normal conditions. Going by Apple’s saying, the iPhone SE 2020 is equipped with the best single-camera system of all iPhone models available.
iPhone 12 Mini camera system does come with additional features like Night Mode, Deep Fusion Processing, and Slofies which are not available in iPhone SE 2020. Moreover, as you can see above in the table, iPhone SE has a smaller aperture as compared to iPhone 12 Mini, which indicates that iPhone 12 Mini takes in more light and can perform much better under low-light conditions.
So, as far as performance, stability, and the flexibility of the camera system, taking different environmental factors into account, is concerned, iPhone 12 Mini again emerges as a clear winner between the two. However, please note that the telephoto camera and the LiDAR sensors are present only in iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max models.
Other Important Differences
| Specs | iPhone 12 Mini | iPhone SE 2020 |
| Water Resistance | IP 68 (4 Meters for 30 Minutes) | IP 67 (1 Meter for 30 Minutes) |
| Display Unlock | Face ID | Fingerprint Sensor (Home Button) |
| MagSafe – enabled | Yes | No |
| Dual Sim? | Yes (nano-SIM and e-SIM) | Yes (nano-SIM and e-SIM) |
| Price (USD) | $729 (64GB), $779 (128GB), $879 (256GB) | $399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB) |
As you can see from the above table, the iPhone 12 Mini is MagSafe enabled which means you can simply connect accessories to it, including a wireless charger, by snapping the same on its back. The water-resistance of the iPhone 12 Mini is better as compared to iPhone SE 2020. However, the major shock comes in the price difference that you will be paying to get your hands on the new iPhone 12 Mini.
Conclusion – iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE 2020
The major part of your decision depends on the price factor. If the price is not much of a concern to you and you require a compact iPhone without compromising on the latest features; then iPhone 12 Mini should be your choice. However, if your budget is tight and you are looking for a compact and affordable iPhone, then you should go ahead with iPhone SE 2020.
