iPhone 12 mini Crazy to keep the SE 2020 over the Mini?

[DexBell]

I picked up a new SE 2020 last week, but also wanted to try the Mini, which I got yesterday. I prefer the rounded edges and wider form factor on the SE. Its more comfortable for me to hold and one handed use is even easier because of the smaller display. I actually prefer the LCD on the SE as well. The whites are much more crisp compared to the yellowish tint all the new 12s have, it gets brighter and I dont really notice a difference in text sharpness. The Mini has better cameras, better speakers, better mic, more RAM and Face ID.

However, I only paid $49 for the SE while the Mini was $729. Maybe if I had paid $399 for the SE, I could justify spending a bit more for the Mini. I just cannot seem to justify the Mini for $680 more than the SE. As I go back and forth between using them and find things I like better on the Mini, I keep asking myself if its $700 better, and that answer is usually no. Even if you take price out of it, the SE just feels better in the hand to me, which I think may be more important to me than cameras, an extra GB of RAM or Face ID. Would I be crazy to keep the SE over the Mini?

 

[Apple_Robert]

In this scenario, price should be put aside for a moment. What is important, is which phone feels better in the hand and will serve your current needs the best. If you go by price alone, you could end up with regret and disappointment every time you pick up the phone.

 

[Robbosan]

buyers remorse at play here lol

 

[DexBell]

buyers remorse at play here lol

Not really. Cant get a feel for a phone locked down to a post in a store. Need to try it out and I have a 14 day return policy on the Mini.

 

[tonybarnaby]

In this scenario, price should be put aside for a moment. What is important, is which phone feels better in the hand and will serve your current needs the best. If you go by price alone, you could end up with regret and disappointment every time you pick up the phone.

Yep. So many people get lost based on $$. I always try to imagine that every iPhone was the same price. Are you getting what you WANT? Or are you getting what you feel is the best deal. My wife always gets the middle sized phone (x, Xs, 11 pro). I would gladly pay for the max, but she doesn’t want something that big.

Ask yourself which phone would you rather have if someone gave it to you, and that will answer it for most people. If the price of an iPhone will make or break you, then that’s a different scenario all together. I’m cheap as hell, but I will never cheap out on something I use 5+ hours a day. Same with a good bed, you just have to have it.

 

[Htsi]

Mini is way better but yeah $50 vs $700is a big jump keep the SE for 1 year perhaps /?

 

[velocityg4]

Try turning off True Tone and compare the whiteness again.

 

[DexBell]

Mini is way better but yeah $50 vs $700is a big jump keep the SE for 1 year perhaps /?

I had considered that. Keeping the SE until the 13s come out in Sept and grabbing a Mini when the price drops. I think I can flip the SE for $250, but that's still a $450 price difference.

Try turning off True Tone and compare the whiteness again.

First thing I do is turn off True Tone, hate it. All the 12s have a yellowish tint that the LCD displays do not. The SE and my roommates XR look a ton better than my Mini and Max on white pages.

 

[Robbosan]

All the 12s have a yellowish tint that the LCD displays do not.

Wow you have seen them all? Mine doesn't guess you missed it.

 

[Htsi]

I love the warmer displays and never keep True Tone off.

 

[Htsi]

I had considered that. Keeping the SE until the 13s come out in Sept and grabbing a Mini when the price drops. I think I can flip the SE for $250, but that's still a $450 price difference.

seems like you’ve made up your mind, keep the SE and pocket the rest.
Side note, is it an unlocked SE for $50 if so I’d love to get one as well

 

[Htsi]

Yep. So many people get lost based on $$. I always try to imagine that every iPhone was the same price. Are you getting what you WANT? Or are you getting what you feel is the best deal. My wife always gets the middle sized phone (x, Xs, 11 pro). I would gladly pay for the max, but she doesn’t want something that big.

Ask yourself which phone would you rather have if someone gave it to you, and that will answer it for most people. If the price of an iPhone will make or break you, then that’s a different scenario all together. I’m cheap as hell, but I will never cheap out on something I use 5+ hours a day. Same with a good bed, you just have to have it.

I relate with this school of thought.
Bed + Pillows 100%
I buy the middle size for the same reason as well, the Max is only $100 but it’s the weight & size penalty I do not fancy.

 

[DexBell]

Wow you have seen them all? Mine doesn't guess you missed it.

Ive seen enough, inducing the 3 I own/owned. Its not really noticeable on its own. Look at your 12 next to an older iPhone with LCD display. You will see the yellow tint.

 

[DexBell]

Side note, is it an unlocked SE for $50 if so I’d love to get one as well

No. Its an in-store deal at Cricket Wireless. Need to buy one month of service and keep it with service for 6 months for it to be unlocked. Still a killer deal for $49 though.

 

[Barbareren]

First thing I do is turn off True Tone, hate it. All the 12s have a yellowish tint that the LCD displays do not.

That’s simply not true. My 12 mini does not have a yellow tint whatsoever - the whites are as white as a sheet of printer paper. I have compared it to an X which indeed has a yellow tint, but my 12 mini does not. And I doubt I’m alone

 

[Barbareren]

That’s simply not true. My 12 mini does not have a yellow tint whatsoever - the whites are as white as a sheet of printer paper. I have compared it to an X which indeed has a yellow tint, but my 12 mini does not. And I doubt I’m alone

Turning off True Tone honestly makes a lot of difference. When I turned off True Tone on the iPhone X and compared it to my iPhone mini again, the X displayed a perfectly white hue without any yellow tint (google.com home page).

 

[Htsi]

No. Its an in-store deal at Cricket Wireless. Need to buy one month of service and keep it with service for 6 months for it to be unlocked. Still a killer deal for $49 though.

So 50 + 60x6 ?

 

[rui no onna]

Yep. So many people get lost based on $$. I always try to imagine that every iPhone was the same price. Are you getting what you WANT? Or are you getting what you feel is the best deal. My wife always gets the middle sized phone (x, Xs, 11 pro). I would gladly pay for the max, but she doesn’t want something that big.

Ask yourself which phone would you rather have if someone gave it to you, and that will answer it for most people. If the price of an iPhone will make or break you, then that’s a different scenario all together. I’m cheap as hell, but I will never cheap out on something I use 5+ hours a day. Same with a good bed, you just have to have it.

It's not just solely about the $$. For me, it's whether a less expensive model will do what I want and if I have other wants I'd rather use the savings on (I always do whether it's vacations, iPads, NAS and storage upgrades, action figures, etc). A good bed + pillows, yeah, it's worth the investment. The iPhone's lower on my list of priorities. When I checked Settings - Battery, it showed 10 minutes average on screen time for the last 10 days, so yeah doesn't see a lot of use. The iPads though, I've got 3 in regular rotation and I average a total of 12+ hours per day on those.

Mind, I actually do prefer the SE2 compared to other options and not just because it's less expensive. I'm prone to migraines so OLED+PWM is going to be iffy. I was considering getting the 12 mini to see if I can tolerate OLED, test if 5G/Qualcomm modem actually improves coverage/speed where I need it and to support Apple making smaller phones again. However, with the new rumors of a notchless iPhone with TouchID power button (similar to iPad Air 4), LCD display and 5G, I'm inclined to wait again since that's something more suited to my preferences.

 

[Robbosan]

Ive seen enough, inducing the 3 I own/owned. Its not really noticeable on its own. Look at your 12 next to an older iPhone with LCD display. You will see the yellow tint.

Nope, so out of the millions how many did you sample, 10,20,100? lol

 

[Madhatter32]

$729 vs. $49. That is all you need to know unless you absolutely positively need something that the mini offers that the SE does not. It's not as though the mini is 93% better then the SE. Both are very good phones. It's a no brainer IMHO.

 

[Htsi]

It's not just solely about the $$. For me, it's whether a less expensive model will do what I want and if I have other wants I'd rather use the savings on (I always do whether it's vacations, iPads, NAS and storage upgrades, action figures, etc). A good bed + pillows, yeah, I'll spend money on that. The iPhone's lower on my list of priorities. When I checked Settings - Battery, it showed 10 minutes average on screen time for the last 10 days, so yeah doesn't see a lot of use. The iPads though, I've got 3 in regular rotation and I average a total of 12+ hours per day on those.

Mind, I actually do prefer the SE2 compared to other options and not just because it's less expensive. I'm prone to migraines so OLED+PWM is going to be iffy. I was considering getting the 12 mini to see if I can tolerate OLED, test if 5G/Qualcomm modem actually improves coverage/speed where I need it and to support Apple making smaller phones again. However, with the new rumors of a notchless iPhone with TouchID power button (similar to iPad Air 4), LCD display and 5G, I'm inclined to wait again since that's something more suited to my preferences.

iPad’s are great. In your case, makes zilch sense to spend more money on the phone, rather get ipad pros

 

[MisterMillz]

No, you wouldn’t be crazy. Get and keep what you like. $700 is a good chunk of money that could be saved or used elsewhere. On the other hand, if you prefer the Mini and can afford that large difference, you should get it. No sense in trying to force a square peg into a round hole.

 

[Htsi]

It’s not really $50 when you include service. Which is mandatory for 6 months

 

[rui no onna]

It’s not really $50 when you include service. Which is mandatory for 6 months

Depends if you're going to be using the same service regardless.

It's like the $700 AT&T iPhone trade-in deal. It essentially locks the subscriber into AT&T for 30 months but for those who already have a qualified unlimited plan and have no desire to switch to another carrier, it's an excellent deal.

 

[DexBell]

Depends if you're going to be using the same service regardless.

It's like the $700 AT&T iPhone trade-in deal. It essentially locks the subscriber into AT&T for 30 months but for those who already have a qualified unlimited plan and have no desire to switch to another carrier, it's an excellent deal.

Right. I ported a number over and planned to keep the service anyways. Or I can keep the Mini, flip the SE and turn a real nice profit. Its a win either way.