iPhone 13 mini Are you happy with your 13 mini?

[Fozamo]

Gave the 12 mini to the wife and I picked up the 13 mini and love it.

how is the battery life compared to the 12 mini? any noticeable differences?

 

[Drosera]

Yup

 

[IJBrekke]

I’m very happy with it. The 12 mini was a bust for me - four attempts to get an acceptable screen, all had issues that forced returns. The 13 mini has what I consider a “normal” iPhone screen, as in it meets my expectations to the point where I forget about it entirely.

The phone pairs perfectly with the iPad Mini, my at-home/couch/consumption device. If the iPad didn’t exist, I would think the 13 Mini was too small for certain tasks (video, certain websites, photo viewing.) With the iPad pairing, it makes consumption slightly less convenient on the device I primarily use outside of the house, where I prefer to be mostly off screens anyways. So the smaller screen is actually a positive lifestyle decision.

If I could only have one device, it would be the 13 Pro (for the better camera). But having the two devices is easily my preferred option, and for not that much more total $ than a Pro series phone.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

I picked up the 13 Mini last week after I ended up crashing my iPhone 12 Pro... The body is fine but Wi-Fi and Bluetooth parts died and Apple asked me 600€ to change the motherboard...

Anyway I'm quite happy about it and now I'm worried I won't upgrade in the future because of the form factor! It's perfect to go along with a MBP or an iPad for sure!

I mainly browse this and other forums and use Reddit/Twitter so it's more than fine for my needs!

 

[JM]

I’m really enjoying the 13 mini. I came from the original SE.

Spending a fair amount of time on or near the water lead me to keep the SE in a generic waterproof case. As it turns out the Spigen tough armor case has virtually identical outside dimensions keeping the pocketability the same which is nice.

I miss Touch ID a bit but Face ID works quite well and unlock with Apple Watch is working well when I have a mask on at work.

I wasn’t too sure how I would feel about the notch, but as a dark mode user, it disappears a lot of the time so I hardly notice it’s there.

Perhaps the one thing I’m not thrilled about is sound quality on calls. When I got my first call from my wife, it was jarring at how different the sound was. It’s kind of tinny sounding. After taking a few calls I’m getting used to it, but with Apple’s focus on audio lately I expected a bit more here.

Somehow I doubt that I keep the 13 mini for over 5 years, but the phone is fully capable of meeting my needs for a long time to come.

What’s very funny to me is that the earpiece speaker sounds better than the speaker at the bottom of the phone ?

If you look at tear downs, the earpiece speaker has a tunnel where the sound can amplify, reverberate, whatever it’s called, before it comes out the grill. Pretty cool

 

[RRC]

Still absolutely love my 13 mini, perfect device for my needs, budget etc. Had a 12 mini but was drawn by the claimed amazing 13 Pro camera so got one, returned it and got the 13 mini. Keeping this for a long time!

 

[MrGunnyPT]

How's the battery holding up for everyone? After a week mine has finally stabilised with the indexing...

 

[JM]

How's the battery holding up for everyone? After a week mine has finally stabilised with the indexing...

I get about a 6 hour screen on time for 100% battery: interpolated from an average 3 hour screen on time for 50% battery use. (I don’t count screen off time…. Maybe I should. It’s only for music and podcasts, which I try to download and not stream, so the battery usage ”should” be minimal)

I have an Apple Watch connected all day.

The ten day image has a red line with a visual estimate of battery usage average across the ten days. The other image is more typical battery usage day of 50% battery usage.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

I get about a 6 hour screen on time for 100% battery: interpolated from an average 3 hour screen on time for 50% battery use. (I don’t count screen off time…. Maybe I should. It’s only for music and podcasts, which I try to download and not stream, so the battery usage ”should” be minimal)

I have an Apple Watch connected all day.

The ten day image has a red line with a visual estimate of battery usage average across the ten days. The other image is more typical battery usage day of 50% battery usage.

That's really good! I'll give it a go without charging at the desk for the next weeks and report back!

 

[jcorbin]

Love my mini. Came from a 12 pro max and wanted something more pocket friendly and easier 1 hand use. I do wish the 13/13 mini had macro mode but otherwise it’s amazing

 

[MICHAELSD]

Loving the 13 Mini surprisingly more than iPhone 13 Pro! This form factor is perfect. Coming from iPhone SE 2nd-gen even the Pro felt massive.

 

[meson]

What’s very funny to me is that the earpiece speaker sounds better than the speaker at the bottom of the phone ?

If you look at tear downs, the earpiece speaker has a tunnel where the sound can amplify, reverberate, whatever it’s called, before it comes out the grill. Pretty cool

Not sure if one of the software updates fixed it or I got used to the sound, but calls seem better to me now.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Loving the 13 Mini surprisingly more than iPhone 13 Pro! This form factor is perfect. Coming from iPhone SE 2nd-gen even the Pro felt massive.

I downsized from the 12 Pro and I have to say it I'm regretting not getting the 12 Mini last year instead..

 

[minimo3]

It’s been a month and FaceID is still noticeably inferior to the iPhone 11 (slower to recognize and occasionally just doesn’t unlock until I bring the phone to level with my face). I did try re scanning my face once but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. At this rate it’s slower and less reliable than the touchID on my SE. Maybe the revamped camera module in this “shrunken notch” just doesn’t cut it. Oh well I’ll live with it

 

[JM]

I downsized from the 12 Pro and I have to say it I'm regretting not getting the 12 Mini last year instead..

With everyone saying battery life was lacking last year, it’s a good thing you held out for the 13 mini. This phone is a solid “all day” battery

 

[JM]

It’s been a month and FaceID is still noticeably inferior to the iPhone 11 (slower to recognize and occasionally just doesn’t unlock until I bring the phone to level with my face). I did try re scanning my face once but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. At this rate it’s slower and less reliable than the touchID on my SE. Maybe the revamped camera module in this “shrunken notch” just doesn’t cut it. Oh well I’ll live with it

Not to minimize your experience, but I haven’t noticed a big change from the 11 like you mention. My face unlocks are pretty good. (No instances that I can remember where I thought, dang this Face ID isn’t working)

Have you tried rescanning your face?

If it’s really really bad, do you have an apple store you can go into and troubleshoot with?

 

[bearington]

I liked the mini's weight and being able to use it one handed, but I wasn't a huge fan of how narrow the screen is, so I've now switched to a pro max - this feels like a brick but the screen size is much better for me, and the macro mode is handy as I no longer have to attach macro lens to the mini.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

With everyone saying battery life was lacking last year, it’s a good thing you held out for the 13 mini. This phone is a solid “all day” battery

True, I'm contemplating of getting the Anker or Apple battery pack for when I go on holidays and have a heavy day of filming and taking photos, do you recommend it?

 

[minimo3]

Not to minimize your experience, but I haven’t noticed a big change from the 11 like you mention. My face unlocks are pretty good. (No instances that I can remember where I thought, dang this Face ID isn’t working)

Have you tried rescanning your face?

If it’s really really bad, do you have an apple store you can go into and troubleshoot with?

I did try re-scanning. The initial face scan was done indoors so I tried re-scanning outside in good lighting but it didn’t make a difference. It’s not terrible, more like it’s not instantaneous anymore. Typically, the Lock Screen with lock will sit there for 1-2 seconds and then unlock. And then maybe 10% of the time it will show locked, I move the phone around in different angles and it will unlock. It’s not broken so they’re not going to replace it.

 

[JM]

I did try re-scanning. The initial face scan was done indoors so I tried re-scanning outside in good lighting but it didn’t make a difference. It’s not terrible, more like it’s not instantaneous anymore. Typically, the Lock Screen with lock will sit there for 1-2 seconds and then unlock. And then maybe 10% of the time it will show locked, I move the phone around in different angles and it will unlock. It’s not broken so they’re not going to replace it.

Well that sounds annoying. It’s not broken, per se, but it definitely doesn’t seem to be working properly.

 

[JM]

True, I'm contemplating of getting the Anker or Apple battery pack for when I go on holidays and have a heavy day of filming and taking photos, do you recommend it?

Oooh, yeah for heavy video and photos? Definitely.

Heck, I’d probably bring extra battery juice if I still had the 11, though.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[Lotuskid]

WELL, i went back and forth for over a month between the mini and the max. Even collected my thoughts on the mini into a youtube where I decided to return it.


only to change my mind again a few days later lol paradox of choice. So for now i'm keeping the mini and the max has officially been transferred to my wife.

It has its shortcomings, especially paying attention to battery life where on the max its not even a concern, but it still just feels special, unique and delightful to handle and use. And what tipped me over also is this potentially being the last mini device. I'm going to enjoy the heck out of it for the next 9-10 months before the 14's

 

[Kataran]

Use to love the pocket ability of a small iPhone but I’ve since gone with a one device life style so my 13 Pro Max is my computer-financial-entertainment-wallet- filing cabinet-stereo-video editor. Hopefully I made the right choice going with the 512GB option next one will be a Terabyte

I’m one waiting for a clamshell foldable iPhone but now I carry my phablet in a Saddle Leather premium hip case with a quick secure magnetic locking pin

Summers are an issue that I haven’t found an answer for

 

[Lotuskid]

Use to love the pocket ability of a small iPhone but I’ve since gone with a one device life style so my 13 Pro Max is my computer-financial-entertainment-wallet- filing cabinet-stereo-video editor. Hopefully I made the right choice going with the 512GB option next one will be a Terabyte

I’m one waiting for a clamshell foldable iPhone but now I carry my phablet in a Saddle Leather premium hip case with a quick secure magnetic locking pin

Summers are an issue that I haven’t found an answer for

yeah i found with the max size phones i used my ipad much less. but i can't minimize myself to one device yet because i use the ipad for note taking in a language textbook.

Definitely agree with your choice though that the max is basically the one device that can do it all

 

[meson]

It’s been a month and FaceID is still noticeably inferior to the iPhone 11 (slower to recognize and occasionally just doesn’t unlock until I bring the phone to level with my face). I did try re scanning my face once but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. At this rate it’s slower and less reliable than the touchID on my SE. Maybe the revamped camera module in this “shrunken notch” just doesn’t cut it. Oh well I’ll live with it

I noticed mine became a little fussy after I applied a full surface screen protector. But, it’s only an occasional fail and seems to have gotten better with time.

My biggest problem is forgetting to look at the sensor when I take my glasses off. Otherwise, tilting toward my face with glasses on unlocks very consistently. When I put on a mask, unlock with Apple Watch has been very reliable.