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iPhone 13 mini 4 Months Later: I'm Selling It

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It’s been almost four months since the iPhone 13 line, and the iPhone 13 mini is the iPhone I want to use the most. I’ve split my time between this (PRODUCT)RED mini and my Sierra Blue 13 Pro, but after nearly four months, I’ve decided to sell my beloved 13 mini.

Why I love it

When Apple released the iPhone 12 mini, I was so happy to finally have a relatively smaller iPhone with a decent screen: a 5.4-inch display in a body smaller than the iPhone 6, 7, 8 and SE 2, with nearly all the power of the bigger iPhones. The 13 mini improved everything, especially battery life. Mine is the 256 GB model (my sweet spot for photos, videos and synced media like podcasts and Netflix downloads, and so I don’t run out of space on vacation before everything backs up to Google Photos), at $799 in the U.S.

The main reason is the size. In my one-month review I called it a “human-sized iPhone” because I can often use it one-handed. The aluminum and glass sandwich looks amazing, especially in the true product red (not like the past couple of years; if you disagree, you’re wrong).

What changed

  • The case. I planned to use it caseless to keep it as small as possible, but after a couple of months it was too slippery, and I had to spend more mental energy being careful, so I added a clear Apple MagSafe case and am much happier. But the slight size increase means I need two hands more for typing and tapping parts of the screen.
  • The screen. It was updated to 800 nits in regular use (up from 625 on the 12 mini), which makes a real difference outside; I’ve had zero issues in any condition, even with sunglasses. But it’s a standard 60 Hz display. In my review I said ProMotion didn’t bother me, and I only noticed it side by side with the Pro. Since then, the new MacBook Pros also have 120 Hz displays, so my iPhone 13 Pro, iPad Pro and MacBook Pro are all high refresh, and I’m nearly always using the mini next to a 120 Hz display. It isn’t a bad display, but I notice it more often, and it makes me want to switch to my 13 Pro right here in my office.
  • Speakers. Because of the small size, they feel a bit weak: not bad or tinny, just not as full or loud as the bigger siblings’. That’s no issue for most things, but I like to use my phone in the shower for news or podcasts (it’s water resistant, why not?), and the mini has a harder time being heard over the water, so I angle it to bounce the sound off a wall.
  • Cameras. Just a wide and ultra wide, but I find the photos bright and clear and love the wide angle for my house remodel. Of the three big camera features announced (picture profiles and Cinematic mode), I haven’t used either one since my one-month review: I like iPhone photos by default, and Cinematic mode is a cool technology demo, but I don’t want to do that work when shooting video, and I haven’t seen any Cinematic mode videos on YouTube or social since the first couple of weeks. It’s cool and will get better, but for now, meh. What I do miss is macro mode, which I use often as a utility (reading tiny text on a power adapter, finding a splinter).
  • Chip. The A15 is about 15 to 20% faster than the A14: no app will be slowed by it, and it has enough power for Cinematic mode to check each frame on the fly.
  • Battery. Good: Apple says it’s better than the regular 12’s, and despite my undeserved battery anxiety, I have no issue on regular days. I get 3 to 6 hours of screen-on time using work apps, email, browsing, shopping, YouTube, music, podcasts and DirecTV streaming, without conserving, and end the day with 5 to 20% left. On the 13 Pro I can get 5 to 7 hours, which relieves my anxiety a bit.

Why I’m selling it

All the little things that were better on the Pro add up. With a case and needing two hands more, I’m not getting much benefit from the small size in hand and pocket; and if I’m using two hands, why not get the larger screen, where ProMotion eases the jump between my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro? The Pro’s speakers are louder and fuller, and I like macro mode. I didn’t come to this decision lightly: the mini is the iPhone I most want to use because it’s compact, and I love that color. If you want a smaller phone, I absolutely recommend one (there may not be a 14 mini), but with both right here, the Pro’s benefits are calling me. Am I crazy to give it up? If you’re rocking a mini iPhone and want a mini iPad, see my iPad mini 6 review.

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

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