There was a clip , not so long ago , when all iPhones were small . But , since the arrival of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus , thing have been on something of an up curve when it comes to the sizing of Apple ’s handsets .
Thankfully , there are still a few models left for those of us who choose to wield an iPhone one - handed , although if rumours are to be believed , then the iPhone 14 range willsee the end of the minithat has been a approving to the smaller handset fan club . Putting that aside for one moment , here ’s our quick guide to the best modest iPhone you could buy today .
The earpiece we will be see at are available direct from Apple : iPhone SE , iPhone 12 miniandiPhone 13 mini . But they are also available from third - party retailers , very potential for less ; translate our roundup of thebest iPhone dealsfor the latest bargains .
Which iPhones are small?
When it comes to the current iPhone range there are three distinct classes of equipment : minor , average and big . While the latter two are home for theiPhone 13andiPhone 13 Pro(medium ) and theiPhone 13 Pro Max(large ) , the smallest are the following :
For a comparison , here are the rather roomy attribute of the iPhone 13 :
Which is the smallest iPhone?
Inspecting the dimension above prove that theiPhone 12 miniis , by a very small-scale margin , the smallest iPhone available right now . Indeed it ’s the smallest Apple has released since the first iPhone SE in 2016 ( which itself had the same extraneous intent as the iPhone 5 and 5s – back when iPhones were a little more lilliputian ) .
For all intents and purpose , though , the current iPhone 13 miniskirt is the same size as the 12 mini , albeit with a slight increase in weightiness and averyslight increase in thickness .
This extra heft could be thanks to the battery , which was a 2,227mAh jail cell in the 12 but is now a 2,406mAh in the 13 . Most customers will probably view this a worthwhile trade - off , as the iPhone 12 miniskirt was n’t the best for stamp battery life , whereas Apple claims that the 13 mini adds about two hours a day of video playback , three hour of pour TV playback , or five hours of audio playback .
Best iPhone 12 mini deals
In the automatise tabular array below you ’ll find the lowest Price on the iPhone 12 miniskirt at time of writing . We also have a freestanding article commit to listing thebest iPhone 12 mini good deal .
Can you use them all in one hand?
So long as your hand are not tiny , then you should be able to well use any of the SE ( 2020 ) , 12 mini and 13 mini with just one of them .
It ’s deserving take note that the mini - branded machine are shorter than the SE , due to the fact that they use Face ID rather than Touch ID , so do n’t need the fingerprint sensor / base release . This could be important if you struggle to reach the upper corner of the display , as the minis make this well-fixed thanks to their compact frame .
The same is on-key of the width , as the slight mini design means your hairgrip on the machine does n’t need to be as extensive as that of the iPhone SE . They are small margins , but if you want the most one - hand - friendly experience , you should go for one of the miniskirt . Unless , of course , you do n’t care the notch in the display that houses the Face ID camera .
Best small iPhone for value
This one is easy , as it ’s theiPhone SE ( 2020 ) . first , the cost full stop is importantly low , as you’re able to see below :
Now , it ’s dependable that Apple did double the storage capacities of the iPhone 13 mini , but with the 128 GB introduction - level simulation costing around £ 300 / US$300 / AU$400 more than the 64 GB iPhone SE ( 2020 ) , and moving up to the SE ’s 128 GB variation only cutting around £ 50 / US$50 / AU$80 off the difference , the iPhone SE still present unbelievable value for money .
Bear in mind that the SE founder you many of the same internal spec as come in standard on the iPhone 11 range , and you could see that it ’s a stiff machine for the money .
There are a few caution : mainly that the iPhone SE does n’t support 5 G networks , and only has a single rear tv camera . So if either of those is a deal - breaker , then one of the mini would be a better pick .
Best iPhone SE (2020) deals
If you decide the SE is the one for you , our automated monetary value board , embed below , will avail you find a adept deal . We also have a dedicated article gathering thebest iPhone SE deal .
Best small iPhone for performance
Again , this is an gentle recommendation . TheiPhone 13 minibenefits from being the fresh of the bunch and as such is fitted with the A15 Bionic check , which also features in all the other members of the iPhone 13 range .
Add to this the extra storage , various camera improvements ( including the young Cinematic Mode ) , lustrous display and longer battery living , and you have easily the most potent small - form iPhone Apple has ever made .
dependable , the iPhone 12 miniskirt does pack an A14 Bionic and mickle of nice features , so if you see it usable at a rock-bottom price then you ’ll be getting a brawny little iPhone for a price that could be quite beguiling .
Best small iPhone for cameras
This is a toss - up between theiPhone 12 miniandiPhone 13 mini . While the latter has the young Cinematic Mode that allows you to perpetrate focus like on a Hollywood movie , not to mention the detector - work shift stabilisation that was previously only available on the iPhone 12 Pro Max , these will only be useful if you signify to use them .
The same is truthful with the 4 K video at 60fps ( the 12 miniskirt tops out at 30fps ) and the new Photographic Styles and upgraded Smart HDR .
If you just desire a really expert camera for photos and some holiday video , then the iPhone 12 mini has sight of the features you need , at a Mary Leontyne Price that ’s hold up to be less than its new sib .
Both leave the rather date iPhone SE ( 2020 ) in the rubble , thanks to duple rear lense and high specs , but unless you ’re hoping to create video masterpieces , then either mini will deliver peachy result .
Conclusion: Which is the best small iPhone?
The iPhone SE ( 2020 ) is a wonderful little machine that offers great functioning at a very low-priced terms ( at least by iPhone standard ) . But with that model now coming up on two years erstwhile , we consider it ’s potential that it will be replaced by a newiPhone SE 3 , maybe in the leap of 2022 , and as such it ’s hard to recommend at this moment in clip .
This leaves theiPhone 13 minias our clean winner . Yes , it ’s the most ripe in terms of technical specs , television camera and excogitation , but it ’s also pricey . We consider the disbursal is justified , though , as it take everything we liked about the iPhone 12 mini and fixes pretty much all the problems .
It may be the case that the iPhone 13 mini is the last of the truly humble phones Apple will release , but at least it ’s going out with a bang .
Best iPhone 13 mini deals
If you decide the 13 mini is the one for you , learn out the automatize tabular array below for the lowest price from a range of retailers . We also have an clause devoted to finding thebest iPhone 13 miniskirt deals .
