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iPhone 14 Pro Can't decide between 13 mini and 14 Pro.

I

ISignedUpToAskThis

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 28, 2022
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Yep, another one of those threads.

I've had my 13 mini for a couple of months, but wanted to try a 14 Pro and now I can't decide which one I want to keep. I thought I'd made my mind up but keep switching back and forth.

13 mini thoughts:
  • So easy to live with day-to-day, I don't think about it really. It's light, compact (even with a case) and easily pocketable. I forget I have it with my it's that lightweight. This is a good thing.
  • Battery life is fine for me, I've never ever ran out of juice by the end of the day.
  • I picked it up for a good price and don't feel the need to buy AppleCare+ or any insurance as it's more replaceable than something like the 14 Pro.
  • I do feel like I'm missing out/FOMO with this phone though, the 14 Pro feels noticeably more premium. The 13 mini feels much cheaper in comparison.
  • I've been using the 13 mini much less than the 14 Pro as the 14 Pro is the nicer experience.
14 Pro thoughts:
  • It's beautiful. It feels expensive and premium.
  • It's MUCH heavier than the 13 mini, I knew it was going to be heavier but there's a considerable difference, and that's comparing a case-less 14 Pro to a 13 mini with a case.
  • I love using it, text is easier to read, the larger screen looks nicer and it's just a more pleasant experience. I've been using it much more than the 13 mini.
  • It's definitely not a one-handed phone, and my hand/pinkie does start to ache after a while.
  • I really don't notice the difference between the 13 mini's 60hz display and the adaptive 120hz display on the 14 Pro. Honestly this feature is wasted on me.
  • The Dynamic Island looks nice when it's being utilised (e.g. the animation for FaceID), but I think it's underused and the apps I use don't really make use of it. It's a nothing feature really, more of a gimmick and not a deal maker/breaker, more a nice to have.
  • I'm not a heavy camera user - I probably take less than 50 pics a year, however the camera is fantastic and much better than the 13 mini. This isn't a deal maker/breaker either.
  • Battery life is good and better than the 13 mini, but not spectacular - but like I said the 13 mini's battery is enough for me.
  • It feels very bulky in my pockets. I know the stainless steel frame is strong but I'm still paranoid about the phone bending in tight pants/trousers following bend-gate on the iPhone 6. Adding a case is just going to make it even heavier and bulkier.
  • Given the value, I feel like AppleCare+ is a must so that's an additional cost to factor in.

So it's ease-of-use and portability versus a premium, high quality experience for me and I still can't decide what I prefer. I could easily live with the much more practical 13 mini but it doesn't excite me as much as the 14 Pro does.

Any input appreciated!
 
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...one thing i don't like about the mini was the battery life, if you are consuming too much content i.e video streaming on your phone, go for the Pro
 
Life is too short for a second class experience. You seem to like and appreciate the premium quality of the 14 Pro so it sounds like that’s the right phone for you.
 
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Seems to me like the 13 Mini is the one you prefer! If want to go with the 14 Pro solely based on its more premium feeling (since other features aren’t dealbreakers and its size is making your hands ache) I don’t think it weighs enough in the balance to consider keeping it.
 
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The 13 Mini is the near perfect size for me. I don't have to worry about fitting it in my pockets or finding a place to put it in my cars. Easy to use it one-handed, and less likely to drop it during one-handed use.

As for battery life, the 13 Mini was a huge improvement over my aging SE1, and I have been very impressed with the battery life. I am not a heavy phone user, but I hardly ever actually charge my 13 Mini, most of the time, it is charged just from driving trips in my car, connected to CarPlay.

I never had a 12 Mini, but every I read about it, the battery life was horrible. The 13 Mini's battery life is greatly improved over the 12 Mini.
 
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Ta0jin said:
I was in the same boat, I liked the small size of the 13 mini but the features of the 14 pro. I went pro and I don’t regret it at all.
Click to expand...
Right now I'd say I'm 60% in favour of the 14 Pro and 40% the 13 mini. It's a hard choice!

A smaller and lighter device, maybe slightly bigger than the 13 mini (5.8" like the X?) with the build quality of the Pro would be perfect.
 
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If you want to use your phone more, maybe keep the pro. If you don’t, then sounds like the mini is more for you.
 
I have both.

14 Pro is my primary device and the 13 mini is my secondary, backup device that I use on a throwaway phone line for the time being.
 
Looks like the only benefit you see on the pro is the “premium feel”.
Slap a leather case to your mini and problem solved.
 
Jack_SB said:
Looks like the only benefit you see on the pro is the “premium feel”.
Slap a leather case to your mini and problem solved.
Click to expand...
No, the screen size is also definite benefit. It's so much more enjoyable to use.

The 13 mini feels like a phone, the 14 Pro feels like a phone + entertainment device.

Having really thought about it, the big issue for me with the 14 Pro is when I'm out of the house - how comfortable it is in a pocket, carrying it on me when I'm out running etc. If I can make those work then it's a no brainer to go with the 14 Pro.

Honestly don't know how there aren't more people talking about how weighty and large the Pro (let alone the Pro Max) is to carry around. It's okay for those that carry bags, but I tried carrying it in the front pocket of my pants and it barely fit and felt like a constant weight.
 
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ISignedUpToAskThis said:
No, the screen size is also definite benefit. It's so much more enjoyable to use.

The 13 mini feels like a phone, the 14 Pro feels like a phone + entertainment device.

Having really thought about it, the big issue for me with the 14 Pro is when I'm out of the house - how comfortable it is in a pocket, carrying it on me when I'm out running etc. If I can make those work then it's a no brainer to go with the 14 Pro.

Honestly don't know how there aren't more people talking about how weighty and large the Pro (let alone the Pro Max) is to carry around. It's okay for the ladies, but I tried carrying it in the front pocket of my pants and it barely fit and felt like a constant weight.
Click to expand...

Then you can sell the mini and get an Apple Watch with cellular so that you can leave your pro at home when exercising etc.

I think size and weight is subjective. I have big hands so PM is the “normal sized phone” for me and it doesn’t feel big or heavy at all. Or maybe I’m used to Notes/Plus/Max phones all these years? I don’t know!
 
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I know I’m late, but I had the 13 Mini for 16 months, and just switched to a 14 Pro Max.

The 13 Mini is fantastic, and the battery life is actually very good. The 12 Mini, which my wife owns, had terrible battery life, but that’s not true of the 13 Mini.
IMO, the regular 6.1” iPhones are the ones not worth buying. They don’t show any more on-screen than the Mini, and therefore, are bigger for no reason. Battery life is better, but in practice, not better by enough to offset the size and comfort the Mini provides.

If you go bigger, then get a 14 Plus or the Pro Max. Get appreciably longer battery life, and a bigger, nicer screen.
 
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I'll tell you this:

If you like being uncomfortable in your life, if you like walking around with a god damn brick in your pockets, if you like using phone with two hands - go for the pro.

If you're normal, and like the convenience when using phone with only one hand, if you like walking around without knowing you got a phone in your pocket, and if you like not being bothered by your phone everytime you sit in your car - then go for the mini.

Also, there wont be anymore minis, so i suggest you buy one now, and if you dont like it, you can still later switch to the bigass pro model since those are sold basically everywhere.

The battery life on 12 mini was terrible, i have no complaints regarding 13 mini. But im sure you dont live somewhere in amazonian rainforest, so charging your phone now and then shouldnt be a problem.

Also, during the summer, the difference between carrying regular or mini iphone is astonishing. When youre wearing jeans not that much, but in the summer, when youre wearing either sports trousers, or normal light summer pants, you really notice how better the mini is. You just dont feel it in the pants(yeah yeah thats what she said), while when carrying normal iphone, you really feel it every step you take. Its just annoying tbh.

I went for the mini and my pinky finger has been very happy ever since. Before that, it was struggling all the time and it started to hurt after 15 minutes of using my phone.

Big and heavy phone never again.
 
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I know, older thread.

As the proud owner of a new iPhone14 Pro Max (coming from an 11 Pro) I'd say, go big or go home. LOL!

Yes, a little on the heavy side, but I like the added real estate. YMMV.
 
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I'd always go pro if money is not an issue. The screen is brighter and has a higher refresh rate. The battery lasts longer, the sound is better and the camera is better. On the 14 series you also get crash detection.
 
JerseyDoug said:
I know, older thread.

As the proud owner of a new iPhone14 Pro Max (coming from an 11 Pro) I'd say, go big or go home. LOL!

Yes, a little on the heavy side, but I like the added real estate. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Absolutely my opinion, too. The pro is heavy anyway. Might as well pick the max. 👍
 
Get iPhone 13 Pro for these reasons:
• better battery
• Dynamic Island is more of a gimmick
• almost no speed difference between 14 Pro and 13 Pro
 
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