Hello again. I’m trying to figure it out which iPhone I should stick with in long term. Last year I was quite undecided (more here) and this year wasn’t much better for me. I’m feeling kinda stuck so I would like little help from you all. My family and friends almost hate my undecisivness or make a fun of it. I don’t blame them. But everybody has an opinion on their own which didn’t help me to decide for myself.
I always used smaller iPhones (3G, 4, 5, 5s, SE 1. gen, 7, XS, 12 mini) and I loved their small form factor and usability with one hand. Except XS which wasn’t perfect for me as I couldn’t strech my right thumb across the whole keyboard for a letter ”a”. But XS was still one-hand device. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the weight, which mostly in summer was quite heavy for me. Still, when I travel abroad I loved being able to use the phone and when I run out of battery I used Smart Battery Case. With that thing it was quite heavy but I was able to go for a longer time with my iPhone when I wasn’t near charger and made plenty of videos, for example when I travelled to London for a concert or a vacation in Argentina. But mostly, it was a phone which was great for one hand use and both hands typing together. I never imagine I would go for a bigger phone than 5,8”. It was kind of a sweet spot for me. 6,1” but on the other hand isn’t that much bigger after few weeks of trying. Also my eyesight is perfect as I use the smallest font possible on every iPhone I have ever owned. So reading is not a dealbreaker for me on smaller ones.
I never had a problem with deciding the right size for myself. I was always sure about my choice. With introducing 12 series, Apple broke me to pieces. I love small form factor + weight + one handed use of 5,4” mini but at the same time I was worried about battery + typing with both hands was much easier on bigger one 6,1”. I enjoy using 13 mini with one hand and with 13 I enjoy that I don’t have to care about battery consumption, as that thing last me almost 2 full days of usage. I’m kinda undecided about that in that sense, that I almost thought about going back to 11 Pro just because of its size, but weight is much worse than 13 (188g vs. 174g). And yeah, photos are far better from newer phone than from 3years-old ones. Still, after a while I get used to bigger iPhone but I just don’t enjoy using it that much as I do with mini.
I don’t watch videos and I don’t game on my iPhone. I consume video content on my iPad because of its larger screen. I’m using iPhone mostly for daily tasks, such as imessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Mail, Twitter, Safari browsing, of course calls, Calendar planning, finishing Reminders and Duolingo classes, and listening to Music or Podcasts. Occasionally I FaceTime with my family in another country. But when we plan our videocalls, we are used to Zoom (in my office after work at my desk with desktop PC) or FaceTime - but for those calls I’m using my MacBook Air with M1 which is a beast in terms of battery life and the bigger screen is far more better to see my whole family from multiple connected places. My day is consisted from work at my desk from 8:00 (8am) till 17:00 (5pm), so during that time I don’t use my phone that much. On my desk is also my iPad Pro which is better for everything bigger - editing pdfs, ordering goods from internet or reading in Books. In the middle of the day I usually go for a walk only with an iPhone, Watch and AirPods. I’m working in a company which takes pandemic situation very seriously, so for now I’m able only to go for a walk into the woods but no social contacts, no shopping, no going around city or travel.
That being said, when I tried bigger iPhone I know I could get used to it after a while. It’s just a feeling, that I don’t need it for my needs and battery life on smaller 13 mini was fine for me. Even with dual sim. I’m just quite scared that if Apple kills iPhone mini this year, that will be evidently slowly in future. As I had to make a switch from iPhone SE 1. gen to iPhone 7 just because iOS 10 was very bad for a smaller screen with new kind of UI. I also feel that going bigger is better for a long term. Battery will degrade with every phone over time, but as I saw how bad was it with 12 mini, I’m kinda scared that 13 mini will be similar, just after longer period. And 13 will last even longer. I know I can get used to it and I like the idea of having bigger iPhone, but using it daily, it was always a two-hand phone for me (except unlocking it). And I remember myself of hating not being able to control my XS across full keyboard. Mini is far better for handling when I’m outside, it’s not heavy and I’m not scared about dropping it or let being stolen (everybody who was in Buenos Aires could understand me). But when I will go out someday after my company let us and I will travel by plain or going somewhere (hopefully I bought tickets to see Coldplay in summer 2022 for example) further I could be sad about not going bigger as I would probably should buy MagSafe Battery Case or something similar for longer trips. These days it’s OK for me to have a battery which 13 mini has, but after a year? Or two? I planned to buy and iPhone for a longer period and I just don’t know for sure if 13 mini will be fine for me in this regard. But as the 13 mini is last of its kind, shouldn’t be better to stick with smaller one for (let’s say one or two) a year and figure that out after that. I know that it took me only one week to get used to small or big size.
So after writing this almost a chapter in a book, and if your read that until here, what do you say? Can you help me to decide which one is OK for me to go? I like something on both models but I can’t keep them both. Right now, my new 13 mini came and I didn’t opened the box yet while suffering on iPhone 6s in case I would like to return mini back. And FYI the price of 13 isn’t that much higher I couldn’t accept. Hopefully this community can help me, as nobody could for now. I tried multiple models (13 and 13 mini) and still didn’t figure it out. Thank to all of you who read this whole piece.
I always used smaller iPhones (3G, 4, 5, 5s, SE 1. gen, 7, XS, 12 mini) and I loved their small form factor and usability with one hand. Except XS which wasn’t perfect for me as I couldn’t strech my right thumb across the whole keyboard for a letter ”a”. But XS was still one-hand device. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the weight, which mostly in summer was quite heavy for me. Still, when I travel abroad I loved being able to use the phone and when I run out of battery I used Smart Battery Case. With that thing it was quite heavy but I was able to go for a longer time with my iPhone when I wasn’t near charger and made plenty of videos, for example when I travelled to London for a concert or a vacation in Argentina. But mostly, it was a phone which was great for one hand use and both hands typing together. I never imagine I would go for a bigger phone than 5,8”. It was kind of a sweet spot for me. 6,1” but on the other hand isn’t that much bigger after few weeks of trying. Also my eyesight is perfect as I use the smallest font possible on every iPhone I have ever owned. So reading is not a dealbreaker for me on smaller ones.
I never had a problem with deciding the right size for myself. I was always sure about my choice. With introducing 12 series, Apple broke me to pieces. I love small form factor + weight + one handed use of 5,4” mini but at the same time I was worried about battery + typing with both hands was much easier on bigger one 6,1”. I enjoy using 13 mini with one hand and with 13 I enjoy that I don’t have to care about battery consumption, as that thing last me almost 2 full days of usage. I’m kinda undecided about that in that sense, that I almost thought about going back to 11 Pro just because of its size, but weight is much worse than 13 (188g vs. 174g). And yeah, photos are far better from newer phone than from 3years-old ones. Still, after a while I get used to bigger iPhone but I just don’t enjoy using it that much as I do with mini.
I don’t watch videos and I don’t game on my iPhone. I consume video content on my iPad because of its larger screen. I’m using iPhone mostly for daily tasks, such as imessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, Mail, Twitter, Safari browsing, of course calls, Calendar planning, finishing Reminders and Duolingo classes, and listening to Music or Podcasts. Occasionally I FaceTime with my family in another country. But when we plan our videocalls, we are used to Zoom (in my office after work at my desk with desktop PC) or FaceTime - but for those calls I’m using my MacBook Air with M1 which is a beast in terms of battery life and the bigger screen is far more better to see my whole family from multiple connected places. My day is consisted from work at my desk from 8:00 (8am) till 17:00 (5pm), so during that time I don’t use my phone that much. On my desk is also my iPad Pro which is better for everything bigger - editing pdfs, ordering goods from internet or reading in Books. In the middle of the day I usually go for a walk only with an iPhone, Watch and AirPods. I’m working in a company which takes pandemic situation very seriously, so for now I’m able only to go for a walk into the woods but no social contacts, no shopping, no going around city or travel.
That being said, when I tried bigger iPhone I know I could get used to it after a while. It’s just a feeling, that I don’t need it for my needs and battery life on smaller 13 mini was fine for me. Even with dual sim. I’m just quite scared that if Apple kills iPhone mini this year, that will be evidently slowly in future. As I had to make a switch from iPhone SE 1. gen to iPhone 7 just because iOS 10 was very bad for a smaller screen with new kind of UI. I also feel that going bigger is better for a long term. Battery will degrade with every phone over time, but as I saw how bad was it with 12 mini, I’m kinda scared that 13 mini will be similar, just after longer period. And 13 will last even longer. I know I can get used to it and I like the idea of having bigger iPhone, but using it daily, it was always a two-hand phone for me (except unlocking it). And I remember myself of hating not being able to control my XS across full keyboard. Mini is far better for handling when I’m outside, it’s not heavy and I’m not scared about dropping it or let being stolen (everybody who was in Buenos Aires could understand me). But when I will go out someday after my company let us and I will travel by plain or going somewhere (hopefully I bought tickets to see Coldplay in summer 2022 for example) further I could be sad about not going bigger as I would probably should buy MagSafe Battery Case or something similar for longer trips. These days it’s OK for me to have a battery which 13 mini has, but after a year? Or two? I planned to buy and iPhone for a longer period and I just don’t know for sure if 13 mini will be fine for me in this regard. But as the 13 mini is last of its kind, shouldn’t be better to stick with smaller one for (let’s say one or two) a year and figure that out after that. I know that it took me only one week to get used to small or big size.
So after writing this almost a chapter in a book, and if your read that until here, what do you say? Can you help me to decide which one is OK for me to go? I like something on both models but I can’t keep them both. Right now, my new 13 mini came and I didn’t opened the box yet while suffering on iPhone 6s in case I would like to return mini back. And FYI the price of 13 isn’t that much higher I couldn’t accept. Hopefully this community can help me, as nobody could for now. I tried multiple models (13 and 13 mini) and still didn’t figure it out. Thank to all of you who read this whole piece.
Last edited: