iPhone 12 Pro Max Anyone gone from 12 Mini to 12 Pro Max?

[kp98077]

I don’t notice the weight much anymore once I use it. When I went mini while waiting for my pro, then switching back, I did (tremendously).

May I ask between the mini you were using and the pro what were some things you noticed? Which now do you like better?

 

[kp98077]

Got the 12 PM and using it currently (have been since Saturday).

Honestly, I don’t see myself making it my daily driver. The battery is great, although I am still having to top it up once a day - but this is because I don’t like to go under 20%, and I could probably make it through the day on most days.

One thing that is noticeable is how much slower it charges than the Mini (using 20W charger on both).

I can’t use it comfortably with one hand, even when reading in bed. It’s impossible to reply to a msg one handed, most I can do one handed is change a song while driving.

Biggest disappointment (nothing new, but I forgot about this) is how little iOS does to make use of the space of big screen phones - all I get is a bigger view, with negligibly more content when browsing than using the Mini.

The one thing which stands out is using a phone for reading PDF documents - this is where the additional screen size and pixel count makes a huge difference and a much better experience. Also, watching any kind of content (youtube, Netflix, plex) on the 12 PM is an infinitely better experience than on the mini - but I don't do that very often since I'd typically use my iPad for watching anything.

So, nice experiment, and will make me a couple of bucks flipping the phone.

So you’ll be using both the Pro max and the Mini?

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Got the 12 PM and using it currently (have been since Saturday).

Honestly, I don’t see myself making it my daily driver. The battery is great, although I am still having to top it up once a day - but this is because I don’t like to go under 20%, and I could probably make it through the day on most days.

One thing that is noticeable is how much slower it charges than the Mini (using 20W charger on both).

I can’t use it comfortably with one hand, even when reading in bed. It’s impossible to reply to a msg one handed, most I can do one handed is change a song while driving.

Biggest disappointment (nothing new, but I forgot about this) is how little iOS does to make use of the space of big screen phones - all I get is a bigger view, with negligibly more content when browsing than using the Mini.

The one thing which stands out is using a phone for reading PDF documents - this is where the additional screen size and pixel count makes a huge difference and a much better experience. Also, watching any kind of content (youtube, Netflix, plex) on the 12 PM is an infinitely better experience than on the mini - but I don't do that very often since I'd typically use my iPad for watching anything.

So, nice experiment, and will make me a couple of bucks flipping the phone.

You have to top off the max every day? I use my phone pretty regularly and only have to charge every other day.

Did you set the max up as a new install or did you restore from a backup? Either you watch a lot of video or something is off.

 

[BigDO]

So you’ll be using both the Pro max and the Mini?

No, using two iphones is a very unpleasant experience if also using the watch - it can only be paired with one phone at the time.

I'll flip the 12PM.

 

[BigDO]

You have to top off the max every day? I use my phone pretty regularly and only have to charge every other day.

Did you set the max up as a new install or did you restore from a backup? Either you watch a lot of video or something is off.

Nope, nothing is off, I use my phone a lot.like i said, I would be able to make it through the day but I don't like going under 20%.

 

[subjonas]

I always talk about the difference between how good a device is when it’s actually in use, and when you’re carrying it around. For actual use open on the desk in front of you, the 16” MacBook Pro will essentially always beat out a MacBook Air, because you’re getting the benefit of the big screen, GPU, powerful CPU, excellent speakers and mics, etc.

By contrast, MacBook Air is about 20x better when closed - thin, light, small power brick, etc.

Which one is right for you depends an awful lot on how much you’re using it actively vs. carrying it around.

I see the 12 mini/pro max situation the same way. The more it’s in your pocket, the more attractive the mini becomes. The more it’s in active use in your hand, where you take advantage of the screen, camera, battery life, etc. the better the pro max looks.

I’ve been a +/max user since the iPhone 6+, but went for the iPhone 12 Pro this year explicitly because I wanted to spend more time with my phone in my pocket, and actively lean towards using iPad/MacBook for more tasks, I was finding myself doing too much on iPhone‘s small screen and keyboard.

It’s been good, and unsurprisingly, I profoundly prefer the 12 pro’s size/shape/weight in my pocket. But the screen is a little small when I’m actively using it. I have a tough decision to make this fall, the trade-offs are significant both directions.

TL;DR - the balance of size/screen involves hard trade offs.

Good insight/observation.

It can be a very tough decision if one is equally split. But I’m curious, does that mean the ideal device for such people would be a theoretical new “in between” size? So since you are split between the pro 6.1” and pro max 6.7” sizes, would your ideal iPhone be 6.4”? Or would you only be missing both extreme sizes rather than just one?

But I actually envy the problem of choice. I have the opposite problem—lack of choice—as I find all modern iPhones too big, and I believe I would prefer too small over too big for a phone.

 

[subjonas]

sounds like a good deal to me.

It's not exactly the same situation, but I went from an iPhone SE (the old iPhone 5 style) to a 10S Max. My reasoning at the time was, I don't like big phones, but I do like tiny iPads. It was pretty cool.

The middle-size phone is the worst of both worlds. Extreme portability is great; big phat screens also have their uses.

When the 13 rolls around, I plan on continuing to use the 12 Mini as my daily driver, but might look around for a second-hand 12 Pro Max for occasional video work.

I agree, when it comes to sizes I prefer extremes. Of all the Apple products I own, I only have the smallest and/or largest. Not to say that I’d never get a middle size; I just haven’t found a situation in which I’d prefer one yet.

FYI- I tried using an iPhone Plus as a sort of iPad mini mini before, and ran into problems. Not sure if that is your intention, but if so, note a second iPhone can receive but cannot initiate phone calls or send SMS texts on behalf of your main iPhone like an iPad can, and some other Continuity features like Hand Off didn’t really work.

 

[jayden]

If I wanted an iPad for a phone, I'd buy an iPad

 

[subjonas]

If I wanted an iPad for a phone, I'd buy an iPad

I guess this in response to my post? Anyway, ok. I do have an iPad mini. But I wanted something “handheld” but bigger than my small phone when I’m at home, which the mini doesn’t quite fit the bill, but comes closest. It would be much simpler if I liked big phones, I would just have that, but when I’m out I can’t stand anything bigger than my iPhone SE1.

 

[Davelfc]

A few weeks ago my daughter dropped her iPhone 11 Pro max and smashed the front and back. She‘s ordered the new Samsung flip, I loaned her an old phone and she gave me the smashed one. At the time I had the 12 mini.

I managed to find a repairer that cleanly removes the rear glass and the front glass (not the screen) and replace it as new for £130. After a week using the freshly repaired phone in tandem with my iPhone 12 mini I decided to sell my 12 mini.

Like a lot of people battery life is the issue. It wasn’t such a problem during lockdown as I just placed it on the wireless charger, but as we opened up and I spent less time inside it did become an issue. I actually knew this when I bought it, it was only ever supposed to be something to use for a year and then buy a larger 13.

I wouldn’t get a mini again, I would like it if apple released a foldable phone though Because once the weather cools and I have to go back to wearing jeans the max pro will suddenly be too big.

 

[jcorbin]

I had a mini for a month or 2 at the beginning of this year. I loved the lightweight and ease of one handed use. I had a PopSocket case on and would lay in my daughter’s bed with her taking goofy selfies and it was so easy. Well, we started going for more walks as the weather warmed and I decided I wanted the versatility of the new 12PM camera system. The bigger display was a bonus afterthought.
well it’s about 6 months later and I rarely use the camera system but I do make use of the larger display often.
The weight and size do sometimes cause issues. I can no longer take goofy selfies with my daughter for more than a minute or two before my wrist and arm get tired.
Watching content has been enjoyable with the larger screen but holding the phone up for long periods of time can be a strain.
Im considering going to a 13 mini for the weight and size but I fear I’ll miss the additional space. This message was typed out in portrait with 2 hands which, as I recall, would be impossible on the mini. And if turned to landscape I couldn’t see the wall of text I’ve just written as I type like can right now. It’s a tough call to be sure

 

[subjonas]

This message was typed out in portrait with 2 hands which, as I recall, would be impossible on the mini. And if turned to landscape I couldn’t see the wall of text I’ve just written as I type like can right now. It’s a tough call to be sure

I don’t find typing with two hands in portrait on my SE1 too difficult, which is smaller than the mini (I have smallish medium hands though), but have you tried QuickPath? I use it more often than two thumb typing because I find it a little easier and just as fast (even when using the phone one handed which I often do). But the caveats are it takes some getting used to at first, and it’s not good for uncommon names, passwords, that sort of thing. But for regular messaging type stuff, it’s my preferred method for onscreen keyboards. I even use it on my iPad but not too often because it requires using the floating keyboard which I find annoying. Unfortunately, lately I feel like the software is a little finicky at times, some days better than others. No idea why but hopefully Apple figures it out.