iPhone 13 Mini Review: The Best Phone to Buy in 2022

There's no need for a huge phone to be powerful which is why iPhone 13 mini proves it. Although it's smaller than every other phone you purchase today, it offers some of the finest cameras and performance on the market. It's not equipped with Apple's top-of-the-line features, like a 120Hz refresh speed as well as a Telephoto Camera.

However, you'll still enjoy the similar experience of the iPhone 13, including the massive A15 Bionic processor, top-quality (albeit slightly smaller) display, and all the latest iOS features, including Cinematic mode. With this iPhone 13 mini review, we'll look at how the top small phone on the market compares against its predecessor and competitors. With the latest iPhone 14 rumors suggesting there isn't a new mini-iPhone due out this year, we could see the best tiny iPhone for quite a while.

Design and Construction

It's hard to tell the iPhone 13 is tiny from its predecessor on the outside. Flat aluminum edges give it a similar look to the original. If you look closer, you'll see the places where Apple has made room for improvements. The camera bump is protruding ever so slightly, while the iPhone mini is no longer perfectly flat on the surface. The good thing is that it doesn't wobble when using the screen's lower half. This allows you to type comfortably it while it's on, for instance, on your desk. Additionally, the notch is 20% smaller, so you'll have a larger screen without dealing with a larger smartphone.

The iPhone 13 mini looks as luxurious as ever, but I'm wondering what Apple could have done with some ergonomic adjustments. For example, it is a magnet for fingerprints, and the glossy surface does not inspire confidence when gripping it, causing me to use an enclosure. Furthermore, though the phone weighs only 7 grams (0.25 pounds) heavier, the camera bump's additional depth has made it feel somewhat off the center. In addition, the iPhone 12 mini's mass is distributed more evenly and therefore appears lighter when used in the real world.

Screen

In contrast to the past, where the iPhone's smallest model was more expensive and had less powerful specifications and features, the iPhone 13 Mini feels like a Mini flagship. The OLED screen is crisp and vivid, with similar wide viewing angles and the capability to display HDR images similar to its larger cousins.

There's one cut it's limited to 60Hz, as the standard 13. It's not able to benefit from the features Apple refers to as ProMotion which is a variable refresh rate that increases to 120Hz on both the Pro as well as Pro Max. The difference isn't too noticeable; however, it can help in making scrolling through the web as well as feeds on social media more fluid. Also, it's worth noting that it's cheaper than the 13. Mini is also more affordable as compared to Pro and the Pro as well as the 13 Pro Max.

Camera

Apple added two cameras to its iPhone 13 mini - a 12MP f/1.6 wide camera that has 1.7um pixels to provide better low-light performance, as well as the 12-megapixel f/2.4 ultra-wide camera that has a 120-degree field of vision. It's the same camera we've seen with earlier models like the iPhone 12 mini, but the larger pixel size is where the main difference is. The low-light performance of the iPhone 13 mini can be quite impressive, but iPhone products have been performing well in this area over the past few years. We noticed that all of the low-light images we took were some of the most impressive we've seen on smartphones.

Software

iOS 15 software is available on the iPhone 13 mini as a standard, and we are expecting to see the device receive updates over the next couple of years. Apple regularly updates its devices every six years, and we anticipate this to continue. The new version of iOS isn't an enormous change over iOS 14 but includes some new features, making the experience smoother. If you've had an iPhone prior to this, you're probably familiar with how the app works. If you're moving to Android and iOS, the experience is different with an entirely different interface and a tighter approach to applications and customization.

Battery Life

The diminutive size that comes with iPhone 13 mini's design iPhone 13 mini means it does not have as long battery life as other models of the iPhone series, which is why it's a good idea to purchase one of the top iPhone chargers. The iPhone 13 mini has less space for a battery, which means there's only a 2,438mAh cell within. This is a lot less than the normal smartphone. Although the battery life is superior to that of the iPhone 12 mini before, it was an unsatisfying aspect that was a part of this iPhone 13 mini experience. The iPhone 13 mini could typically last for a full day of regular use, and it'll probably be sufficient for most users.

Conclusion

iPhone 13 mini continues the tradition set in the previous 12 minis earlier in the year. It's the most compact phone you could buy, beating everything Android could offer. People who prefer smaller phones will appreciate this phone since it is small enough to fit into pockets.