Comparison iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 12 mini, What Differences Do They Have?

Comparison table of iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 12 mini

In La Manzana Mordida we are of the opinion that simple data does not say everything about a product and less when it is talking about a device such as an iPhone from which many nuances can be appreciated. However, we believe it is convenient to see first of all a table of pure and hard specifications and that already serves to anticipate many of the differences that we find in both devices.

About the RAM and battery of these iPhones

You will have noticed that there are two pieces of information that are usually important in most phones and that is the RAM memory capacity and the battery capacity. These data are never provided by Apple when it comes to an iPhone or an iPad and the truth is that the argument they use for this can be understandable. One of the competitive advantages of the brand is that they are the ones who design all the equipment, from the software to the hardware, so they achieve a perfect integration that in many cases allows them to implement fewer capacities than the competition and yet the performance be the same and even better.

However, despite not being Apple who of this data, there have been numerous analyzes and tests by which it has been possible to establish what these data are. As far as RAM is concerned, the iPhone SE 2020 has 3 GB , while the ’12 mini ‘has 4 GB. As far as battery capacities are concerned, they carry 1,821 mAh and 2,227 mAh respectively.

Two completely different designs

Both phones stand out for being extremely light, comfortable to use with one hand, being able to store them in any pocket without difficulty … However, they have notable differences such as the fact that the iPhone 12 mini is lighter despite having a larger screen. This is really due to a greater use of the front part, without buttons of any kind and if with the presence of the characteristic ‘notch’ in which the earpiece speaker, the front camera and the TrueDepth sensors that allow facial unlocking are housed. The iPhone SE carries a more classic design with the mythical Home button that houses Touch ID (unlocking by fingerprint).

At the rear, although the construction is similar and they even share part of the color palette, we can find more than obvious differences in terms of the distribution of the cameras. The iPhone SE carries a single lens accompanied by the flash, while the ‘mini’ incorporates its double camera and flash in a square module located in the upper left part.

On the sides we also find more than obvious differences. The iPhone 12 mini recovers the classic aesthetics of models like the iPhone 4, with straight edges with curved corners. The iPhone SE for its part has a design identical to that of the iPhone 8 with curved edges. Both are very ergonomic and hold very well, although in the end it will depend on the mobile you had before the fact of getting used to them more or less quickly.

Face ID vs Touch ID, which is better?

This is a really subjective question, since even the same person can answer you that one or the other depending on the time of day. For technical purposes, Face ID is more secure and even faster, which does not mean that Touch ID is not. For everything else, we believe that it is a question at the end of tastes and customs, but there are several noteworthy points in any case.

Touch ID works great in all kinds of situations, phone positions, and more. However, it cannot be used with gloves or with a wet or dirty finger, which prevents the fingerprint from being correctly recognized. The Face ID also works in many conditions, whether there is light or not, having glasses, a hat … But his Achilles heel arrives with his mouth covered, since its operation during the COVID-19 pandemic with the use of masks, since it cannot recognize you. It should also be borne in mind that, even with your face uncovered, you must put the iPhone in a frontal position so that it enters within the viewing angle of the sensors.

Which one are we left with then? Well honestly with both and neither. An excellent solution would be to combine both in a single device, but this is more for future iPhone than for these, for which there is no remedy and only choose to have one of the two systems.

Good screens, but noticeable difference in quality

Apart from the fact that they are smaller than today’s average smartphone, a bump that should be overcome if you are interested in these compact devices, the truth is that both screens look really good. Of course, they use different technologies that if we compare them they serve to observe that there is a great difference between the two.

LCD panels like the ones on the ‘SE’ have been the standard for many years, rendering color well and looking good in different lighting conditions. However, when it is compared with the OLED or it comes from a phone with this technology, it is when the negative points come out. This other technology that incorporates the iPhone 12 mini shines brighter, both literally and metaphorically. The colors are more vivid, with a good calibration of them that makes them not lose naturalness, with black tones that really are by turning off the pixels in which it is located giving a feeling of more realism. It also serves to see better when there is a lot of light, so at this point there is a clear winner.

On drums there is a world of difference

As a starting point, it must be said that neither of them is characterized by having the best autonomy. Now, it must be recognized that their battery capacities discussed in a previous point do not do them justice. Measuring this is complicated despite the fact that Apple has a series of guides in certain situations, since in the end each user uses their devices in a way and therefore it cannot be said that there are two equal cases.

The iPhone SE is the most disappointing in this regard and all this despite the fact that it manages wonderfully thanks to the processor and software. If you do a moderately intensive use it is likely that you will have to go through the plug before the end of the day. The iPhone 12 mini for its part is a phone more suitable for day to day and even with intensive use, although the percentage at the end of the day will be low.

In performance there is (almost) a technical tie

A13 vs A14. The two Apple chips belong to different generations, but consecutive. Although innovation in this field is highly underrated and the leap made by the A14 Bionic is truly remarkable, the truth is that for practical purposes it is almost negligible. A normal person who uses the phone to surf the internet, enter social networks or enjoy the cameras is not going to find a notable difference. Perhaps it is more noticeable in a slight improvement in times when processing certain heavy tasks such as photographic or video editing, but the truth is that none of these phones is designed for this given their size.

Very decent storage capacities

Both phones share the same storage capacities. The 64 GB base can be a problem for many, since in these times it is a very low capacity. However, there are those who can put up with it, either by optimizing its capacity to the maximum or by resorting to systems such as cloud storage like the one that Apple itself offers with iCloud (even if it is through the box). In what perhaps there should be no problems is in the 128 and 256 GB that are offered in its other versions, since they are already sufficient capacities not to depend on juggling so as not to occupy everything. Perhaps the most demanding miss the 512 GB, but in addition to increasing the price substantially, it must be said that neither of the two phones is aimed at heavy users.

Are these iPhones waterproof?

Yes, and to the dust too. However the big question is, what happens if it gets wet? Does Apple repair it? Yes, the company will repair it without problem, but demanding the payment of said repair. Like so many others, Apple does not include in the warranty of its iPhone repairs that are caused by liquid damage or moisture.

That is why it is recommended to take extreme precautions, despite the fact that the iPhone SE has an IP67 standard that would allow it to be submerged for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 meter. The iPhone 12 mini incorporates the IP68 that allows it to be submerged for the same maximum time, but up to 6 meters deep. In the end, the seals that these terminals have to comply with this cataloging end up wearing out over time, making it easier for moisture, dust or liquids to enter the interior. Therefore these standards will only serve to gain peace of mind if they get slightly wet or if they fall for a few seconds in a container of water, but not to take photos in swimming pools, beaches or other related situations that you may imagine.

The software life they have is amazing

The iOS operating system has many differences and similarities with Android and although traditionally it was always rated as the best software, the truth is that today choosing one or the other ultimately depends on personal tastes. If you like Apple’s system, you can enjoy the same software on both devices and best of all, you can do it for years, since the company guarantees a minimum of 4 years of updates with visual, functional and security patches.

While there is no really written rule, in recent years we are seeing phones that even update for 5 years. Therefore, these iPhones should follow that path at least, having then guaranteed that the iPhone SE will have updates until 2024-2025 and the iPhone 12 mini until 2025-2026.

Only one has 5G, but it is not differential

The iPhone 12 mini, along with the rest of its companions in its series, debuted 5G connectivity for the first time on an Apple smartphone. Of course, there are certain things to highlight in it and that are not exactly minor aspects. The first one is that only iPhones sold in the United States have the mmWave antenna that allows you to connect to the fastest 5G networks, while it does not have it in the rest of the territories.

Another point to take into account and that in this case is not Apple’s fault is the lack of infrastructure to connect to these networks. The best networks and highest speeds are in few areas and usually always in large capital cities, so although “5G” is often displayed on the screen, it is really an advanced 4G known as 4G +. Is this connection faster than 4G? If you are close to the transmitting antennas, yes, but without reaching the very high speeds that real 5G offers.

In any case, it is evident that at the connectivity level, any iPhone 12 mini is better than the iPhone SE 2020 because the latter reaches at most 4G networks. However, we cannot classify this point as one of the keys to deciding between one device and another, at least for today.

Neither comes with headphones or charging adapter

Apple made a decisive decision precisely with the release of the iPhone 12 and is to remove these accessories from the box and not only from that new range but from the rest of the iPhone that it still markets, although at the time they were sold with those elements. Therefore in both devices we will only find the phone, a charging cable (yes) and the typical user guides. Now, if you are lucky and find a store that still had stock of the iPhone SE since its release, it is possible that it comes with that power adapter and the classic EarPods wired headphones.

Differences and similarities in cameras

As we did at the beginning with the raw specifications of each terminal, let’s see what they are capable of doing both in photography and video in this table:

If you are extremely interested in the field of photography, perhaps none of them is the most suitable, especially if we take into account the existence of iPhone 12 Pro models that add a telephoto lens and a LiDAR sensor that improve even more than the ’12 mini ‘ . If what you are after is a good camera that defends itself well in a multitude of situations, that is one of the best in video recording and that has a very good photographic processing: the iPhone 12 mini.

The iPhone SE surprises with its good performance and available functionalities even having a single rear lens very similar to the one we had in older generations. It takes good photos, good videos, but it does not stand out among the best. Therefore it would be a good option if this is not one of the most important points for you.

Having an iPhone SE, is it worth going to the 12 mini?

If you have the money or think you can sell the iPhone SE at a good price to finance part of the purchase: go ahead. You will win in practically all aspects, without giving up a compact size with which you must have already felt comfortable with the ‘SE’ model. Of course, if you consider that it is in a way a whim and you are not feeling important limitations with your mobile, perhaps the appropriate thing would be to wait (more if it involves a significant financial effort).

What if you don’t have either phone?

In this case it will depend on what needs you have. If you do a little intensive use of the mobile, you do not need the best of the best in cameras and you do not dislike the classic Apple design: the iPhone SE 2020. If you also have a limited budget this phone will be considerably cheaper, since both there is a difference of 320 euros that can be very important depending on which pockets.

Now, in general terms we believe that the iPhone 12 mini is a phone much more up-to-date, both in design and in features. The other device beats practically everything and whoever likes to make more intensive use of the phone and even take advantage of its camera system will appreciate the choice. Of course, as we mentioned earlier, this device has a higher price that must be taken into account when making the decision.

And in either case you have to be clear that these are small phones, so if you come from a bigger phone or feel more of a fan of them, they will probably make you too small. Also that, despite everything, they are still phones that we would place in a medium-high range in the case of the iPhone SE and high range in that of the ’12 mini ‘, since if you want the most premium you would have to opt for the models ‘Pro’ with its consequent price increase.