iPhone 12 mini is smaller than iPhone SE 2020 despite the 5.4-inch screen (Source: Apple.in)Apple recently took the wraps off its latest iPhone 12 series. The new iPhones come with steep price tags, better features, and even offer 5G support. The affordable one is the iPhone 12 Mini, which is likely to grab more attention than the ones in the iPhone 12 series. The reason: It’s the smallest flagship phone you can buy in the market. At the same time, Apple is also offering the iPhone SE (2020), which has many of the same internal components found in the iPhone 11 but the design is similar to 2017’s iPhone 8. While both phones are priced differently but they target the same people who want small-screen sized smartphones. We tried to compare the two iPhones on the basis of design, specs, and price.
Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs iPhone SE (2020): Design and display
The iPhone SE (2020) has an old school design with a home button and massive top and bottom bezels. The iPhone 12 Mini, on the other hand, offers the signature iPhone notch and you won’t find a home button on this device. It is IP68 water and dust resistance and the iPhone SE is IP67 rated.
Another differentiation between the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone SE is the way you unlock the phones. The iPhone 12 Mini uses FaceID, whereas the iPhone SE gets a traditional Touch ID. Both FaceID and Touch ID have pros and cons but FaceID is more secure.
The iPhone 12 Mini includes a 5.4-inch display. (Image credit: Apple)
The iPhone 12 Mini comes with a 5.4-inch OLED Super Retina display, which supports 1080×2340 pixels and 1200nits max brightness. The iPhone SE (2020) has a 4.7-inch Retina HD IPS display. The display has support for 625nits maximum brightness. Keep in mind that the iPhone 12 Mini has a superior OLED display, whereas the iPhone SE uses an LCD display.
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE (2020): Processor and battery
The flagship iPhone 12 Mini Is powered by an A14 Bionic SoC, which is paired with a fourth-generation Neural Engine and a new four-core graphics architecture. The iPhone SE 2020, on the other hand, packs an A13 Bionic chipset. While the newer A14 Bionic chip will be faster, an average user won’t notice much of a difference in performance. Both devices ship with iOS 14 out of the box, and are available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
iPhone SE 2020 has a 4.7-inch screen (Express Photo)
As usual, Apple hasn’t revealed the battery capacity. The company asserts that users will get up to 13 hours of video playback with the iPhone SE (2020) and up to 15 hours with iPhone 12 Mini. Apple ships only a 5W charger in the box and to get a faster charger, you need to buy the 20W adapter. The Cupertino giant claims that you will get a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes.
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE (2020): Camera
In the camera department, the iPhone 12 Mini has a better set of cameras. The device has two cameras at the back, which includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle sensor with an f/1.6 aperture, which will offer more light in and better photos. Comparatively, the iPhone SE (2020) has the same wide-angle camera but has an f/1.8 aperture.
iPhone 12 mini (Image credit: Apple)
The iPhone SE meanwhile only has one camera at the rear. The new iPhone 12 phone even features a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle rear shooter with an f/2.4 aperture and a 120-degree field of view. The iPhone 12 Mini buyers also get night mode and Deep Fusion features. The latter is a new image processing system enabled by the Neural Engine of A13 Bionic. Both new models come with support for OIS and 4K video recording. For selfies, the iPhone SE (2020) has a 7-megapixel, whereas the new one sports a 12-megapixel camera.
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE (2020): Price
The iPhone 12 Mini price in India starts from Rs 69,900, which is for the 64GB storage model. The 128GB variant will cost you Rs 74,900, while the 256GB model is priced at Rs 84,900. The iPhone SE 2020, on the other hand, comes with a price tag of Rs 34,999 in India. Currently, Flipkart is selling the 64GB storage model for the same price. The 128GB variant is listed for Rs 39,999, whereas the top-end 256GB is being sold for Rs 49,999.
iPhone SE 2020 has a single 12MP camera on the back (Express photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs iPhone SE (2020): Which one should you buy?
Look, there is nothing wrong with the iPhone SE (2020). Despite an old school design, the iPhone SE is a compelling option for most consumers. It might have an old design of the iPhone 8, but the phone is as capable as the iPhone 11. For those who are looking to buy a compact smartphone but don’t have the budget to buy the iPhone 12 Mini, the iPhone SE will get the job done. And those who have the cash to buy the latest iPhone but want a “small” iPhone, there is no alternative to the iPhone 12 Mini.
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