IPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 mini: how to decide between them

Thanks to the improvements made to the autonomy of the iPhone 13 Mini, it is no longer an impression of making a big compromise by opting for the small phone of Apple. However, if autonomy is one of the most important features you are looking for in a new phone, it is better to consider a bigger iPhone.

Iphone 13 mini test: Small size but great potential

A year after the iPhone 12, here it is … the iPhone 13. More powerful, more autonomous, always more. But let’s take a look at a particular model: the iPhone 13 Mini. “Mini” does not mean that it has less good quality components or offers second -rate services. It is a real iPhone 13, but 24% more compact. We were looking forward to seeing what he has in his stomach. Is her autonomy really increasing, has her camera have improved .. ? So many questions we answer in this full test.

iPhone 13 mini 128 GB at the best price

Click here to buy the iPhone 13 Mini

He went out. The coveted iPhone 13 was revealed on September 14, 2021 during the famous Keynote Apple back -to -school. We talk about itA new Bionic processor more powerful than competition, From a great photo/video device, a new version of iOS … that we like or hate Apple, its products or its commercial strategy, strong is to note that it is still the firm to the apple that gives Often there in the mobile telephony markets. Drawing inspiration from or ahead of Apple, Chinese and Koreans fantasizing about the thunderous success of the American manufacturer and hope to reproduce the craze it has aroused since 2007.

Each year, specialized journalists, financial experts, fanboys and general public await Keynote du Gurou d’Apple. On the other hand, for some time, The innovations and the Wahoo effect seem to run out of steam, While Samsung, Xiaomi and Oppo flesh out their specifications to seduce geeks around the world. In addition, with restrictions related to the health crisis, the year was difficult for Apple even if it still manages to keep its leadership.

Shortly before the last keynote, we wondered if The mini version of the iPhone was going to disappear. With his tiny screen, The statutory function of the smartphone is deceased. Phones with large screens are sold better, because the public is looking for a versatile smartphone : both phone, but above all walker, screen to watch videos, camera, desk extension .. The iPhone Mini is therefore against the tide.

For a few months, experts have announced the end of the mini version. It is too expensive to make while its sales are at half mast. The year 2021 was tragic: Apple simply interrupted the production of the iPhone 12 Mini in the second half . The mini version of the iPhone 12 represented only 6 % of sales, when the classic version is 27 %. Deleting a production line would allocate resources to higher -end models and therefore more lucrative. But The disappearance of the iPhone Mini will therefore not be for this year. Apart from the technical specifications of the iPhone 13, the real surprise is therefore the marketing of a new mini. On the other hand, it will probably be the last of his line as analyst Ming-chi Kuo says .

Technical sheet of the iPhone 13 Mini

iPhone 13 mini
Dimensions	13.15 x 6.42 x 0.765 cm
Weight	140 grams
Screen	5.4 ” Super Retina XDR OLED 2340 x 1080 pixels 476 pixels per inch
Processor	A15 Bionic (5nm)
Operating system	iOS 15
Ram	4GB
Storage	128 GB 256 GB
microSD	No
Main sensors (rear)	Wide angle 12 mp, f/1.6 Ultra Grand Angle (120 °) 12 MP, f/2.4 Digital zoom up to 5x Ois (wide angle)
Selfie sensor (before)	12 MP, f/2.2
Battery	9.34 Wh Fast wired 20W recharge Quick charge wireless up to 12W with Magsafe
5g	Yes
Biometry	Face ID
Water resistance	IP68

Price and availability

Despite the health crisis, the launch of theiPhone 13 mini was not impacted. Its official commercial exit is the September 24, 2021, 10 days after Apple Keynote. You will find it, as usual in the Apple Store, but also in the operator stores. If the iPhone 13 Pro Max can experience some supply difficulties, according to its colors, it is not the same for the iPhone 13 Mini.

The iPhone 13 Mini prices start in France in 809 euros for the 128 GB version. The 64GB version (on the iPhone 12 mini and previous) no longer exists on this new generation. For the mid -range (256 GB), it will take 929 euros. Finally the most expensive version of iPhone 13 Mini is the model 512 GB Tired at 1159 euros. We immediately notice that for the price of an iPhone 12 mini 64 GB we get an iPhone 13 mini 128 GB today. The GigaCtet decreased by 41 cents/GO on the 128GB version and only 20 cents for the 256 GB version.

If you want even more figures, know that the iPhone 13 Mini 128 GB is 80 cents/go cheaper than an iPhone 13 of the same capacity. The gap is reduced (0.39 €/GB) by comparing iPhone 13 mini 256 GB and iPhone 13, while it flexes (0.19 €/Go) between “normal” iPhone 13 and mini. This year, Apple has not inflated the price of the iPhone Mini. You can get a mini 128 GB version (for a professional phone for example) with a comfortable storage space for the majority of uses.

iPhone 13 mini 128 GB at the best price

Finally, lovers of the Apple environment, who have a small budget or have no big “multimedia” needs, will always be able to turn to an iPhone SE (2nd generation) with a definition 2.5 times more weak and a smaller screen (- 0.7 ’’). They can still find an iPhone with a capacity of 64GB (7.6 €/Go). The iPhone 13 Mini 128 GB is more expensive (+2.€ 1/go) that the SE, but the electronic services are without comparison. With the AI ​​which requires more and more higher calculation powers and especially more suitable circuits, it is very likely to wade with iOS 15. Obsolescence passing through the arrival of a new iOS always more greedy and more elitist.

Design

Apple gave us a little farce. He honored us with a series ofiphone blue (iPhone 13), white (iphone pro mac) and red (the mini of this test). Not only does this happy picking delight our Cocardier (or Dutch) minds, but it means something else: the mini is (product) Red.

We will not impose the semiology of red color, but we will quickly report that wearing red gives confidence and a subtle psychological domination. Apart from these considerations, this red is not the same as that of the iPhone 12. The red of it was a bright red with a hint of orange. A vulgar and seeing vermilion red, will say some. On the iPhone 13 mini in testing, this red dress is rather a cardinal red; A red with a touch of black, close to the cherry red. A velvety red, delicate, Coordinated with a nail polish of a sophisticated lady or the upholstery of an old English convertible.

Despite the rear facade covered with a mineral glass, The iPhone 13 Mini is not too reflective and monster discreet on a table. This mobile is set by an aluminum border with a red metallic paint. The object is a real little gem which inevitably reminds of the iPhone 4 (the last of the Steve Jobs era) with its straight edge and rounded corners. This thin strip of metal brought the two glass plates guarantees the longevity of the iPhone despite the vagaries of everyday life. But The metallic layer (as on the “standard” 13 iPhone) may scatter with wear in pockets or ordinary micro shocks.

However, Apple products are generally not penalized by domestic wear, less than other brands in any case. If the iPhone 13 Mini recalls the iPhone 4 (2010 already !) for its design with more rectangular buttons, Its format is rather reminiscent of an iPhone 6. Tim Cook was not very original on this point. Same height (131.5 mm), same width (64.2 mm) and almost same thickness (7.65 mm, +0.25 mm) as the iPhone 12 Mini.

It is true that this size was praised by the mentor Steve Jobs when he spoke of the iPhone 4 “whose Form Factor was ideal for managing everything with the thumb”. 11 years later, smartphones have huge screens. The Apple iPhone Mini range is one of the few to offer this design. It really feels like having a baby smartphone in your hands when we are used to big screens. But we must admit that this size is Perfect for a good grip in portrait mode, To telephone or quickly search for an info on an app or the web.

To return to (Product) Red, there is no connection with the French mobile telephone operator belonging to the Altice group. Nor is it an exclusive Apple series. The Apple brand has marketed it since 2006 (3rd generation iPod). Product Red is in fact “a brand which is conceded under license to partner companies” according to the Wikipedia definition. By creating and marketing a RED product, partner companies are committed to Put a percentage of their profit for a charitable work : mainly for the fight against AIDS. The intention is already remarkable in these uncertain times, but Apple has taken into account the pandemic of COVVI-19. The profits of its RED products have returned since the end of 2020 directly and especially entirely to the World Fund for sub -Saharan populations already in extreme precariousness before COVID. Clearly, you buy an iPhone 13 Mini Red, you make “a donation”, a solidarity gesture for people in serious difficulty. The solidarity operation with total reversal of the profits from product (RED) is extended until December 30, 2021. So, if you only had to choose a shade for the iPhone 13 Mini, this is the product (RED).

If you really are allergic to red, The iPhone 13 Mini is available in pink, blue, midnight (black) and stellar light (white). Like the iPhone 12 (yes again), this smartphone has obtained The IP68 protection index. In other words, it resists water up to a depth of 6 m for half an hour.

Screen

Despite its compactness, the iPhone 13 Mini has a Dalle of 5.4 ’’ (about 12.7cm) Super Retina XDR, that is to say Oled For Apple. For Apple agnostics and fanboys, let us remember that the iPhone SE (2nd gen) is larger and heavier with a smaller screen (only 4.7 ’’). The advantage for the iPhone 13 Mini is therefore real. Finally, not compared to its ancestor, the iPhone 12 Mini, the new version has the same screen diagonal, the same resolution (2,340 x 1,080 pixels), the same pixel density (476 pixels per inch), from the same range of colors (P3)…

There is also the same HDR10 technology (color depth on 10 bits) and Dolby Vision (12 -bit coding), the same maximum brightness in HDR (1200 Nits) and always a refreshing at 60 Hz (when Android offer 120 Hz at equivalent prices, or even lower than that of the iPhone 13 Mini).

So, he really kept the same slab as the already old iPhone 12 mini ? Not exactly. The majority of specifications are identical, but The iPhone 13 Mini has a brighter screen (800 nits against 625 nits), still protected by a Ceramic Shield mineral glass. This mineral glass is “more resistant than the glass of any smartphone”.

In practice, during our tests, it did not skip us at practice in practice. But such brightness can only be appreciable to read its emails at the beach. A screen with such a definition authorizes to watch series or videos, but let’s face it, The experience is just correct. For video games, it’s really complex especially on FPS like Call of Duty. In this regard, the notch of the camera is much smaller (approximately 30%) on the iPhone 13 Mini, but it is always as impractical to play with a short screen ..

Environment

As is systematically the case at Apple, who says new generations of iPhone says new version of the operating system. The iPhone 13 Mini embarks iOS 15. In order not to change, iOS is “always better”, even if it still does not make coffee. Obviously, This version of the OS is not exclusive to iPhone 13, since an iPhone 6S (released in 2015) can theoretically use it.

What to think of iOS 15 on iPhone 13 Mini ? First, the experience is fluid. No “micro lag” to launch an app. It’s good, but natural. Recall that this model is not the villain little duckling of generation 13 with low -end components. It’s a just compact iPhone 13. As you would expect, navigation in menus and settings are as pleasant as with a large, And perhaps more, since the movements of thumbs are shorter. Obviously with a smaller screen, the text is smaller, which can hinder the oldest or visually impaired among us. The enlargement of the character police and the accessibility mode can help people in the average view.

“Stay focus” is the promise of iOS 15 ! Rest assured, there is no mindfulness meditation (although …) on Apple bone yet. This new iOS version simply offers different user profiles: “Do not disturb”, “time for yourself”, “work”, “rest” and “work”. In addition to the “concentration” line in the settings of this new version, we find this module in the widgets. This concentration module is in fact the improvement of the “not disturbing” function (with the crescent moon icon “. She prevented from being disrupted by the phone or receiving notifications by car. The adjustment level was “basic, simple”. With concentration, we make lace, tailor-made.

Thus, for each profile, You have the leisure to authorize the calls and notifications of certain people (by checking their names from contacts), but also some apps. This profile can be activated automatically, such as an alarm, during the days of the week and hours desired. Notifications can be hidden on the home screen or locked screen, if the user wishes. It is even possible to activate this or that profile depending on the place (ex: leaving the metro to go to work), the time (ex: during the lunch break) or by launching an app (ex: when j ‘Open FaceTime).

These features are already very rich, but require a little configuration. Apple therefore added A small pinch of AI. There is indeed an “intelligent activation” function. This can automatically activate a profile according to your habits (place, time, use of apps, etc.). iOS 15 detects for example when you are at your home (this is the place where you sleep) and deactivates for example the calls of your boss. It can also automatically deactivate facetime or phone every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. when you are in the middle of a zumba session. With these new profiles, it is therefore easier to cut an intense week into different work sequences, rest, time for yourself, family … if there is still a lack of other activities at your own pace of life, Apple has planned a profile ” Driving “(car),” video games “(gaming is serious),” lectu re “(for maximum attention),” sport “and even” mindfulness “.

Moreover, Plans has been improved. So far the three -dimensional view has been reserved for tourist sites. Now on iOS 15, the 3D modeling of buildings is available on the entire mapping (still signed Tomtom). Apple packed another big plan gap against Google Maps, the public transport. Not only the stations (bus, metro, tram, ferry, etc.) are indicated, but also passing hours. Your iPhone warns you when you arrive at your destination and it’s time to get out of your public transport. In this spirit of assistance during trips, Apple Plans adds alerts to the occurrence of weather vagaries (snow, wind, ice, etc.) during high routes and offers an alternative route to get around them.

Performance

This iPhone 13 mini is motorized by a new Bionic A15 Soc which incorporates a new 6 -core CPU (2 performances and 4 “High energy value) dedicated to general operation, a new 4 -core GPU (dedicated to display) and a new neural Engine 16 (dedicated to AI). Everything seems new therefore, except that The A14 chip had the same specifications.

But Apple still reworked the architecture of its SOC since Performance has nothing to do with that of an iPhone 12 Mini. Whatever the benchmark used, the iPhone 13 Mini is more swift than its predecessor. Fortunately, given the rapid obsolescence of our smartphones. According to Antutu, The iPhone 13 Mini is 13% faster approximately an iPhone Mini of previous generation. However, Apple has not introduced more RAM. We must always be satisfied with 4 GB of RAM (against 6 GB on the pro and pro max).

Autonomy

The Cupertino firm boasts of having produced a more powerful and even more energy -efficient SoC. We revealed to you that the iPhone 13 battery was larger than that of an iPhone 12, because Apple had redesigned the layout of the components. Without having to dissect our test model, we can assure you that it is in any case more electrically economical.

According to our tests (Bluetooth activity, sound and medium backlight), this smartphone can work A little over 11am in video streaming. Apple assured in its communication 13h of video streaming. It is not that far. By deactivating Bluetooth, by adjusting the backlight and the sound of the speakers at least, we can win about 1 hour. And by connecting wired headphones, we must approach the 13h of autonomy. The observation is similar for internal video playback (with wi-fi and bluetooth deactivated) since we reach 2:20 p.m. against 5 p.m. after Apple.

In Audio streaming reading (its broadcast by internal speakers), The iPhone 13 Mini can hold about 37:20. In audio playback (internally with wifi/BT deactivated), we even reach 53 hours. Not so far from the 55h announced by Apple.

Beyond our specialized tests (music, video, etc.), The iPhone 13 Mini can do without a load for a day. It is particularly economical when it does nothing extraordinary such as reading multimedia files or gaming. It is this use that seems the most greedy in electricity consumption. In 45 minutes of Call of Duty Mobile, the battery loses 10% battery. By interpolation, in 7:30 am a battery loaded with a block is completely emptied by the video game.

Charge time and charger options

Apple generously offers a small USB-C/LIGHTENING cable power cable. Under the pretext of ecological consciousness, The charger is of course no longer provided with an iPhone at more than € 800. It will therefore be necessary to have a USB-C charger or connect it to your recent Mac of course, because the old models (before 2015) do not have a USB-C port. Do not complain, the USB-C is also found on Windows PCs. But if your charger is USB-C, it may not be powerful enough.

The fast load is authorized on the iPhone 13 Mini (as already the 8 and later): up to 50% load in 30 minutes, it is however necessary to have a charger 20W or higher. It will cost you the “modest” sum of 25 euros to have a “USB-C 20W sector adapter” with specialized Apple details. You will have to find a compatible USB-C cable or a LIGHTENING cable to USB (25 € at Apple).

If you are the proud owner of a Magsafe wireless charger (€ 45), the iPhone 13 Mini (like the iPhone 12) supports. Otherwise, the Qi charger also works. In 15 minutes, we obtained 15% battery with a Quickcharge 3 charger.0 No-Name (not recommended by Apple) connected to an anker induction platform. With an additional 15 minutes, but this time directly with a LIGHTENING-USB cable, the battery won 32%. As on the iPhone 12, the Magsafe magsafe PowerBank (€ 109) is functional on this iPhone 13 Mini.

Telephone and connectivity

We could almost forget it, but an iPhone is above all a phone, more or less intelligent. Not only the larger battery and the less gourmet SOC guarantee better autonomy to call, but Apple engineers went further. There is indeed not an esim, but two esim in the iPhone 13 Mini (and its other brothers). Rest assured, your Nanosim Chérie card still has its accommodation. However, the Cupertino firm has decided to house a second virtual sim card in the precious square centimeters of this generation of iPhone. The double ESIM chip is an incredible comparative advantage: on the same phone, two telephone lines are possible in addition to the line with a traditional SIM. No need to change phones, no more torn jacket pockets for having hosted several phones, no need to take several chargers. ESIM also authorize a faster start -up or deactivation for hundreds of mobile terminals.

In terms of connectivity, as on the iPhone 12, we find the 5G link (already present on the iPhone 12) in addition to 2G (GSM/EDGE), 3G (UMTS) and 4G (HSDPA). For Wi-Fi, nothing new: we always enjoy a Wi-Fi 6 chip (802.11AX with MIMO). For short distance data exchanges, Bluetooth 5.0 is available (as on iPhone 12). To pay with your iPhone or load your Navigo card (with the Vianavigo app), the NFC module (very short distance waves) is essential.

Audio

With microphones and speakers of the same sizes and same arrangements as on the 12 mini, it is a safe bet that Apple has not made big changes. If this had been the case, Tim Cook would not be deprived of talking about it during the Keynote of September 14. For such a compact model, The sound of the speakers is correct. In rock, electro or even jazz (bass), the acoustic restitution is rather satisfactory at high volume.

Note that, around the world, iPhone buyers have a super compact, without white overbooking box. Indeed, France is the only country in the world to have imposed the provision of “Main-Libre Kit” on the sale of smartphone. Thus, the happy French buyer has headphones Earpods With LIGHTENING TAP (19 euros saved) since Apple has removed the 3.5 jack from the iPhone 7.

Since comfort is wireless, you can replace these wired headphones (SO 2010’s) for Airpods (€ 179 The entry-level model, it is not given) or the AirPods Max helmet (€ 629, C is even cheaper). Other True Wireless and Casques headphones are also compatible of course.

Photo and video

When we compare them specifications Between the iPhone 13 Mini and the iPhone 12 Mini, they look like two drops of water. The only differences are not material, but well software. We will redo a point on these similarities and differences. The iPhone 13 Mini embeds Two backbicings : a wide angle (24mm) and an ultra-large angle (16mm) when the user goes to X0.5. As there is no optical zoom beyond X2, as soon as the user zoomed (x2.1 to x5), it only makes its software cliché in 24mm in a software manner. This is why the detail of the snapshot below is similar, whatever the level of zoom. According to the photo app, in X5 zoom, the shooting is equivalent to a 131mm perspective. In X4 zoom in a 106 mm, in X3 zoom in a 79 mm and in X2 zoom in a 53 mm. The algorithms are responsible for smoothing the pixels so as not to get aliasing (staircase effect) in the photos.

The result is correct on monuments and vegetation, but little attractive on animals or humans. Unlike a real APN that goes up as an exposure (ISO) and pause time (1/xxx) in a gradual way, the smartphones (and tablets) cameras adjust without constraint. For the iPhone 13 Mini, the break time can drop to 1/1786s (and probably more) and go up to 1/4S (and probably a little more), according to our tests. Sensitivity evolves automatically between ISO and 3200 ISO. This information is generic, because it now exists (from the iPhone 12) a night mode. The latter is a kind of break B: the smartphone leaves its iris open for 3 to 10s.

The result is satisfactory (see our night photos), but we are far from an iPhone Pro Max or the best Android smartphones (Samsung S21 Ultra, Oppo Find X3 or Google Pixel 5…). With the downgraded night mode, the f/1 opening.6 on the wide angle or f/2.2 on The ultra wide angle already gives very good results, with less digital smoothing. This gain is explained by the arrival of mechanical stabilization on the iPhone 13 Mini (and big brother 13): the sensor performs micromocalves to compensate for the inevitable tremors during the photo. The benefit is greater than conventional optical stabilization.

Always more AI or at least software processing with the iPhone 13 Mini. On the one hand, the HDR mode (more contrasting, more bright colors, etc.) goes from Smart HDR 3 (on generation 12) to Smart HDR 4 (on generation 13). In addition, this new iPhone version inaugurates the photographic styles. These are not filters, but temperature configurations and your predefined, but that can be adjusted (-100 to +100). We thus find intense contrast (tone -50, temperature 0), lively (your 50, temperature 0, hot (your 0, temperature 50), cold (your 0, temperature -50). No, this is not a “revolution”, but it avoids postproduction.

In video mode, the iPhone 13 mini always records in 4K at 24, 25, 30 or 60 images/second with stabilization from 720p to 4K or a slowdown in 1080p@120 image/second… like the 12 mini mini. We find the Deep Fusion, video Quicktake and Animoji/Memoji… as on the 12 mini. But Apple still introduces a little novelty. Firstly HDR recording (with Dolby Vision) goes from 30 to 60 frames per second, But all iPhone 13 benefit from kinematic mode.

Until now, the AI ​​of the iPhone recognized the faces in a scene and put the point. With the kinematic mode, the iPhone becomes director, because it detects movements, identifies possible faces or important elements and makes the focus according to a kyrielle of criteria. For example, if you film an assembly of several people, the focus will be on the person who looks at you, or who speaks, or who moves. AI recognizes important elements by supervising them, as soon as they have a behavior deemed relevant, the development is done on it.

You might think it only works on human beings, but it also works on other elements like cars on the go. By clicking on this or that vehicle, the development will be made (tracking) on ​​him until he comes out of the framework. It’s pretty stunning. Unfortunately, The kinematic mode suffers from a double constraint. On the one hand, the recording will be limited to 30 images/second in 1080p. On the other hand, it is not possible to zoom in the context. Only the field depth is adjustable. These limitations are explained by the fact that the power of calculations is important to carry out this follow -up operation. In 4K or 60i/s, the computing power would be 2 to 4 times greater.

So, should you really buy an iPhone 13 mini ?

If you are already a owner of an iPhone 12 Mini, Improvements are minimal. Unless you have altered the condition of your battery, the transition to 13 mini is not worth it. If you are already a possessor of an old iPhone (7 and anterior), your battery certainly gives signs of weakness. In addition, you have kept an old iOS (12 or 13) which penalizes you for the installation of new apps and additional functions. The iPhone 13 Mini is a good solution since it is much more powerful and sustainable than an iPhone SE while keeping an equivalent template.

If you need a professional phone and enjoy the iOS environment, the iPhone 13 mini will also be a better choice than the iPhone is in terms of autonomy, function and scalability (with the new versions of iOS). The double ESIM will surely interest many professionals, from the merchant to the multinational firm. No need to have several phones (and chargers) in the pocket.

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 mini: how to decide between them ?

Here are three things we loved and three things that displeased us with the smallest of the iPhone 13.

The CNET France team with CNET.com

Posted on 11/14/2021 at 12:30 p.m

Our sister of CNET.com gives us his feeling after trying the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Mini.

The screens of our smartphones continue to grow but Apple once again takes everyone on the wrong foot by launching another smaller iPhone. The iPhone 13 Mini at € 809 is the cheapest model of the new range of iPhone 13. It is equipped with a 5.4 -inch screen, just like the iPhone 12 mini from last year.

We can see it as a reduced version of the iPhone 13 with which it shares the same A15 Bionic processor, 5G compatibility, Magsafe and a double -lens camera with new features such as kinematic mode and photographic styles. Apart from the size, the main difference between the two phones is battery life. According to Apple, the iPhone 13 is supposed to operate 2 hours more than the iPhone 13 mini video reading.

It is very appreciable for users who prefer small mobiles not to have to sacrifice the power or capacities of the camera by opting for the small iPhone. But after years of migration to larger screens, it is clear that the iPhone 13 Mini did not do much to make me change my mind on the relevance of a smaller phone in 2021. Here is how the iPhone 13 mini is better than the iPhone 13 and what is less good.

We like: the iPhone 13 Mini slips into small pockets and small bags

The major asset of the iPhone 13 Mini is, not surprisingly, its ultra compact design. I used to pile up too many objects in the smallest imaginable bag, I can only appreciate his slenderness. Its tiny size turned out to be particularly practical when I went out to run by taking with me the vital minimum: my keys, my phone and the case of my airpods. Bringing 6.1 inch iPhone 13 into the small backpack that I wear during my jogging was not as easy.

We do not like: the less comfortable keyboard (for me, anyway)

The smaller keyboard of the iPhone 13 Mini is double -edged. Tap with both hands (as I usually do) is more complicated because the keys are smaller and the phone itself is not so wide. On the other hand, if you often type with one hand, it will be easier to stretch your thumb on the screen to reach both sides of the keyboard without having to use a second finger. The entry on the iPhone 13 Mini is perfect, but it is always a relief for me to return to the 6.1 inch of the iPhone 13.

We like: the iPhone 13 mini is easier to hold and use

If you often use your phone with one hand, then you will love the iPhone 13 mini template. In addition to entering text, it also makes it easier to browse the applications and scrolling web and news pages on Instagram and others.

With only 140 g, the iPhone 13 Mini is as much lighter than the iPhone 13 (173 g). It is therefore easier to keep prolonged, which is appreciable if you often make long phone or video calls.

We don’t like it: cramped for reading, photos and facetime

If you already have a small iPhone (like the iPhone 8 or an previous model), the iPhone 13 Mini will not seem tiny. In fact, it will seem bigger, because its 5.4 inch screen is more spacious than the 4.7 -inch screen of iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone 7. The feeling is quite different when going from an iPhone of 6.1 inch to the iPhone 13 Mini. Reading is more pleasant on the iPhone 13 because the characters appear larger, and the 6.1 inch screen can contain a few more lines of text than that of the mini. A larger screen also means a more spacious viewfinder for the camera, which makes my task easier to prepare my shots and then crop them.

The larger screen is also more suitable for calls FaceTime. When it comes to video chat, a larger screen is almost always synonymous with a better experience, and it turned out to be true on the iPhone 13. Without forgetting that the speakers of the latter are more powerful than those of the iPhone 13 Mini, which is also very practical for FaceTime.

We like: Unlocking the iPhone 13 Mini with an access code is faster

During the year and a half past, I used my access code more than ever to unlock my phone, because I usually wear a facial mask when I leave the house. If you don’t have an Apple Watch, you’ve probably ended up in the same situation. This is an area in which the reduced size of the iPhone 13 Mini brings a major convenience because it allows you to quickly enter the access code to one hand.

We do not like: the battery life not as long as that of the iPhone 13

If the autonomy of the iPhone 13 Mini is clearly improving compared to that of the iPhone 12 Mini, it is still not at the level of the iPhone 13. According to my experience, the iPhone 13 had only 50 % of its battery after using it from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. On the same time beach, the iPhone 13 Mini had only 40 % battery.

The battery life varies always depending on the use you make of your device, and your results may therefore not correspond exactly to mine. For this reason, I tried to use the two phones in the most similar way possible. On the two iPhone, I listened to 30 minutes of music in streaming via Spotify, 20 minutes of YouTube video and participated in a facetime call of 10 minutes, in addition to my other daily activities, such as consultation of notifications, shipping of SMS and reading my emails. The only major difference is that I also took a phone call which lasted around 35 to 40 minutes on the iPhone 13.

Thanks to the improvements made to the autonomy of the iPhone 13 Mini, it is no longer an impression of making a big compromise by opting for the small phone of Apple. However, if autonomy is one of the most important features you are looking for in a new phone, it is better to consider a bigger iPhone.

Balance sheet

The iPhone 13 Mini is once again a clone of its big brother, this time with better autonomy. This makes it an interesting choice if you want a smaller (and a little cheaper) phone than the Apple flagship. As far as I’m concerned, the advantages of a more compact phone are not convincing enough for me to sacrifice a more spacious screen and better autonomy.

If Apple’s main objective with the iPhone 13 Mini was to create a phone easier to use with one hand, then I would have liked a more optimized design for this experience rather than an iPhone 13 shriveled. The Sony Xperia 5 II is a good example. This smartphone, although much more expensive than the iPhone 13 Mini, has a 6.1 inch screen in a chassis in 21: 9 format, slightly longer but less wide than most others. This approach seems to be the right compromise since the narrower design of Xperia 5 II makes it easier to use with one hand while offering the advantages of a 6.1 inch screen. In other words, I think what I really expect from Apple is an iPhone 13 Slim rather than an iPhone 13 mini.

These selections could also interest you:

Images: Sarah Tew/Cnet