Apple’s 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini introduces major innovations in technology, including the most advanced dual-camera system ever on iPhone, a powerhouse chip, and a boost in battery life, but just as there are thing to love about Apple’s diminutive 5.4-inch iPhone, there are some things you might hate.
Loved: The iPhone 13 Mini fits in small pockets and bags
The iPhone 13 Mini’s shining attribute, unsurprisingly, is its pocket-friendly design. As someone who frequently crams too many items into the tiniest bag imaginable, I can certainly appreciate the iPhone 13 Mini’s svelte shape.
The iPhone 13 Mini’s tiny size was especially handy when going out for a run, since I try to keep my load as light as possible and only bring my keys, phone and AirPods case. Squeezing my 6.1-inch iPhone into the small waist pack I wear during my run never feels as easy as it should.
MacDailyNews Take: That’s why you run with just your Apple Watch instead.
Hated: The keyboard is less comfortable
Typing with two hands (as I normally do) feels restrictive since the keys are smaller and the phone itself isn’t as wide… Typing on the iPhone 13 Mini is fine, but it’s always a relief to switch back to a 6.1-inch device like the iPhone 13.
Loved: The iPhone 13 Mini’s size makes it easier to hold and operate
If you often use your phone with one hand, then you’ll be pleased with the iPhone 13 Mini.
Hated: A more cramped experience for reading, photos and FaceTime
Coming from a 6.1-inch iPhone, the iPhone 13 Mini certainly feels constrained. Reading is more enjoyable on the iPhone 13’s bigger display since characters appear larger, and the 6.1-inch screen can fit a few more lines of text compared to the Mini’s 5.4-inch display. A bigger screen also means a larger viewfinder in the camera app, which I find easier for setting up my shots and cropping them afterwards.
MacDailyNews Take: There are more “loves” and “hates,” including that the mini’s battery life isn’t as long-lasting as the iPhone 13 or, certainly, the flagship iPhone 13 Pro Max, with the longest battery life of any iPhone ever made, in the full article here.
It’s easier for users of older iPhones – those with space-wasting Home buttons and 4.7-inch or even 5.5-inch displays, as the mini’s display will feel larger or about the same, but going from a 6.1-inch iPhone to the 5.4-inch mini will likely be an exercise in frustration, to say nothing of trying todownsize from a 6.7-inch iPhone 12 or 13 Pro Max flagship.
Rumor has it that there will be no “mini” iPhone next year. It may be going the way of the dodo or it may simply be on a tick-tock-off cadence, taking a year or two off in-between updates in order to match the lower demand for such iPhones, so if you want one, this is your year. We may not see another “iPhone mini” until 2023 or 2024, if ever.
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still too big…..
My sons went from 6.1 inch Pros to the mini and love it. They find it to be a near perfect size for their needs.
I went from an 11 Pro to a 13 Mini. The keyboard width is noticeable, and surprisingly the height is too. Sometimes I accidentally hit an autocomplete suggestion instead of a top-row character, for example. But I assume this will fade with time, especially since I typed for years on iPhones with keyboards this size and even smaller.
The Mini is 25% lighter than my old iPhone, and I sometimes can’t tell if it’s in my pocket. In my book, that’s a plus! The battery is also not as strong, and I’m sure that a year from now I’ll be disappointed with the battery life. The good news is that the 1-year warranty will cover battery replacement if it’s below a certain threshold, and if not it’s only $50 for a brand new battery.
The phone is very light and small, but I would have been fine if it were a hair thicker, to accommodate a larger battery. But I understand that they probably didn’t want to have a different thickness for the Mini since it probably shares tooling equipment with the other 13s.
So the review is basically saying:
Pros: Not too big
Cons: Too small
I’ve got a VR with about six months left on its AppleCare. Once it’s off coverage, (’cause, seriously, not being able to transfer AppleCare coverage sucks) I think I will go to the 13 mini – I tolerate the size of the VR but I don’t like it. I’d like to wait for a 14 mini, but, as mentioned, it looks like that won’t happen.
What’s a VR? I have a mini and IMO, it’s perfectly sized.