iPhone 13 mini Finally upgrading to 17 Pro in September, who else?

[zaidbaby]

I never quite understand the threads about going from a Mini to something larger.

It seems like some folks weren't using the Mini for the size?

(that's the only reason I use a Mini, personally)

I was using mini for the size. I held on to upgrading to iPhone until mini came out. But now the performance is killing me. I can still go by charging 3 times a day that is not a big concern for me, these you can find outlets almost everywhere. The only reason that pushed me over the edge is the performance issue and I have wiped my device few times. I don't even care for the camera as I rarely take photos. With the iOS 26 UI update, I am pretty sure the phone will take a further performance hit and yes I do care for software upgrades.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I was using mini for the size. I held on to upgrading to iPhone until mini came out. But now the performance is killing me. I can still go by charging 3 times a day that is not a big concern for me, these you can find outlets almost everywhere. The only reason that pushed me over the edge is the performance issue and I have wiped my device few times. I don't even care for the camera as I rarely take photos. With the iOS 26 UI update, I am pretty sure the phone will take a further performance hit and yes I do care for software upgrades.

Enjoy!

For me, smaller size surpasses all other concerns given how I use my iPhones.

Hopefully I can dial down/turn off lots of the iOS26 resource hogging.

I'll be watching those reports closely, for sure.

 

[Project Alice]

Nope. I'll be keeping my 13 Mini. And at this rate, I'll probably keeping it as long as it works on the networks lol

 

[turbineseaplane]

Nope. I'll be keeping my 13 Mini. And at this rate, I'll probably keeping it as long as it works on the networks lol

Same ... new battery probably coming up in the next year for mine.

 

[Project Alice]

Same ... new battery probably coming up in the next year for mine.

I was issued a work phone, its a regular iPhone 15. The damn thing feels like an iPad in comparison. Granted, it came in a thick otterbox case which doesn't help. But the screen size alone is just.. Too big. That really made me realize I don't even want the regular sized iPhone.

 

[Moreplease]

I did buy my 13 mini for its size … four years ago.

Since then several factors have made its small size less useful or an actual problem:

• battery deterioration
• iOS updates and new apps and web pages (in Safari) have burned more and more power for four years straight
• my greater expectation of performance from my phone camera
• I ran out of storage and offloaded photos to iCloud, which means more local processing and network traffic (consuming power and making heat)
• the need to use 5G as the 4G networks get cluttered up with more users (just as, years ago, I had to move to 4G to avoid 3G congestion)
• apps expect a larger screen, e.g. my banking app has a dialogue I have to OK blindly when I make a money transfer – obviously the app’s fault but an annoying trend
• fashion changes mean a larger phone would fit in my pocket now (albeit still annoying, especially for weight).

I love the idea of the 13 mini but, years after Apple discontinued it, I’m starting to understand why. It has not aged well in my personal usage.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I was issued a work phone, its a regular iPhone 15. The damn thing feels like an iPad in comparison. Granted, it came in a thick otterbox case which doesn't help. But the screen size alone is just.. Too big. That really made me realize I don't even want the regular sized iPhone.

Yeah .. it's so frustrating that they won't offer ANYTHING to us.

I'm not even asking for top line new specs.

I just need something sort of modern with a sub 6" screen (ideally, for me, no physically larger than the 13 Mini is overall)

 

[Moreplease]

I was issued a work phone, its a regular iPhone 15. The damn thing feels like an iPad in comparison. Granted, it came in a thick otterbox case which doesn't help. But the screen size alone is just.. Too big. That really made me realize I don't even want the regular sized iPhone.

I know what you mean. In all honesty, even my 13 mini is sometimes awkwardly big for one-handed operation – especially when compared to my old 5 or first-gen SE (I still have the latter). Those Jobs-era phones really did work one-handed for people of average hand size. The new phone sizes require dangerous juggling to use with one hand.

 

[Project Alice]

the need to use 5G as the 4G networks get cluttered up with more users (just as, years ago, I had to move to 4G to avoid 3G congestion)

I don't understand this. The 13 mini is a 5G phone. Why would you need a different phone to use 5G?

Since then several factors have made its small size less useful or an actual problem:

• battery deterioration
• iOS updates and new apps and web pages (in Safari) have burned more and more power for four years straight
• my greater expectation of performance from my phone camera
• I ran out of storage and offloaded photos to iCloud, which means more local processing and network traffic (consuming power and making heat)
• the need to use 5G as the 4G networks get cluttered up with more users (just as, years ago, I had to move to 4G to avoid 3G congestion)
• apps expect a larger screen, e.g. my banking app has a dialogue I OK a money transfer – obviously the app’s fault but an annoying trend
• fashion changes mean a larger phone would fit in my pocket now (albeit still annoying, especially for weight).

I love the idea of the 13 mini but, years after Apple discontinued it, I’m starting to understand why. It has not aged well in my personal usage.

As to everything else here personally, I disagree. I won't say you should keep it, as obviously for you it isn't working or isn't important anymore.

But for others' sake of reading this forum I'll counter these parts with my own experiences.

- The battery is replaceable for I think $70 or $80. Mine is currently at 87% capacity, and I bought it at the time of the iPhone 14 release. It mostly gets me through the day. Occasionally, I'll attach the magsafe battery to it, but not always.
- I have no issues with iOS updates or Safari. The phone still feels fast and smooth (I'm currently on 18.6 RC at time of writing)
- I like the camera, it surpasses my needs. Which, if I'm being totally honest I was fine with my SE's camera. I'm not a photographer. This is always going to be a per-case necessity for certain people.
- I have a 256GB model. They made up to a 512GB. I knew 128GB wouldn't be enough. This is a purchase issue, not a 13 Mini issue
- I already addressed this above but to reiterate. The 13 Mini is a 5G phone, 5G works fine.
- I have not personally had any apps not play nice with my small screen, that isn't to say they don't exist. If it happens, I would report the issue to the apps developers.
- If I'm wearing pants, I can fit about any size of phone. I'm a 6'0 ~160lbs male. However, if I wear shorts which I do most days in the summer time, I find the mini is great for my pockets, and doesn't look like I'm carrying a brick.

The phone has thus far aged brilliantly for my personal use.

 

[Mactech20]

I have a 13 Mini and I plan on using it until iOS support is dropped. Did the same thing with my iPhone 7.

A little slower honestly isn't a huge deal, same with battery life. I'd say 70% of people are in a situation where they could charge for at least 10 minutes mid day.

 

[Moreplease]

I don't understand this. The 13 mini is a 5G phone. Why would you need a different phone to use 5G?

The 13 mini has 5G, but using it blows through the small battery even faster than on 4G (and creates more heat, further deteriorating the marginal battery).

I don’t know if modern phones have more efficient 5G modems – probably – but they certainly have larger batteries that can afford a bigger energy budget for the modem. Even the rumoured Air model will have a bigger battery capacity (and undoubtedly a more efficient modem and/or 5G radio).

As I said elsewhere, charging this small battery at 20 W also creates damaging heat. 20 W is a high charge rate for a battery of this capacity.

(The main reason big Android phones can support high charge wattages is that they have – by inefficient necessity – huge batteries. It’s not that they’re doing anything particularly clever.)

I could have tended my batteries better (I’m on my second) by charging at 10 W or 5 W, although to do that I would have had to buy a discontinued Apple USB-A charger. Apple’s software doesn’t let you do anything so useful as charge below the charger capacity (or even to stop charging at 70% or 80% – reliably that is).

As to everything else here personally, I disagree.

Yeah, no worries. Obviously everyone has a different usage.

For example, I care a lot about the camera. And I still find the main camera to be decent for stills, but for 4K video there is a large crop (because the full width of the sensor cannot be read out fast enough to support video frame rates).

I have a 256GB model. They made up to a 512GB. I knew 128GB wouldn't be enough

Good call. I got the 128 GB model and ran out of storage when I started using my phone more seriously for photos (which I didn’t four years ago).

 

[Project Alice]

The 13 mini has 5G, but using it blows through the small battery even faster than on 4G (and creates more heat, further deteriorating the marginal battery).

I don’t know if modern phones have more efficient 5G modems – probably – but they certainly have larger batteries that can afford a bigger energy budget for the modem. Even the rumoured Air model will have a bigger battery capacity (and undoubtedly a more efficient modem and/or 5G radio).

Oh okay. Well, I can't say I've thought mine was hotter or using more battery on 5G. In fact, I have a dual sim setup with 2 active plans on it. I think the firmware updates for the modem can mitigate some of that. 18.6 has a newer version for the 13 series than 18.5 does, which was part of the reason I installed it early.
I didn't update it out of battery drainage or efficiency issues; it was because I noticed it dropping service more often.

As I said elsewhere, charging this small battery at 20 W also creates damaging heat. 20 W is a high charge rate for a battery of this capacity.

(The main reason big Android phones can support high charge wattages is that they have – by inefficient necessity – huge batteries. It’s not that they’re doing anything particularly clever.)

I could have tended my batteries better (I’m on my second) by charging at 10 W or 5 W, although to do that I would have had to buy a discontinued Apple USB-A charger. Apple’s software doesn’t let you do anything so useful as charge below the charger capacity (or even to stop charging at 70% or 80% – reliably that is).

Now this is interesting, and not something I've thought about before. I do have a 5W USB A charger (it came with my SE) but I use it pretty much exclusively on my Apple watch. My 13 Mini is mainly charged on a wireless charging pad, or one of the Kenwood head units in my rigs. None of those come close to 20W. I occasionally use the 20W charger when I'm sitting on the couch on reels or something and notice it gets down to 20 or 30% though.

 

[wacky4alanis]

I had a 13 mini for work for several years, but they recently forced me to upgrade to a 16. The 16 is pretty much the same size as my personal phone, which is a bit annoying, but I have learned to deal with it.

 

[Mikeske]

My wife has a 13 mini going on four years. She wanted to keep it but her battery had degraded to 79% and I had planned to take it to get an Apple battery replacement but my wife had dropped it face down on a concrete surface which shattered the screen. After we examined the options of new screen and battery she agreed it time to move on and she decided on a 16E. She does not want or really need the latest tech just something that will be reliable.

 

[ab2c4]

Why go from a mini to a Pro though? Wouldn't going to the non pro make more sense as the Pro is so much heavier than the non pro?

 

[ratchet231]

I'm still very happy with my 15 Pro Max, and honestly see little reason to upgrade.

I don't know when I'll upgrade, but probably once something really bad happens to my phone, or I feel like the leap in performance/features is worthwhile. That being said, I want to get at least 3 years out of my current Iphone.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I actually went the other direction. Got sick of my uncomfortable 16 Pro, sold it, and bought a secondhand 13 Mini. While I miss ProMotion, I'm much happier with the smaller footprint.

I'll likely be keeping this until either the wheels fall off or until someone else makes a similar device.

 

[Project Alice]

I actually went the other direction. Got sick of my uncomfortable 16 Pro, sold it, and bought a secondhand 13 Mini. While I miss ProMotion, I'm much happier with the smaller footprint.

I'll likely be keeping this until either the wheels fall off or until someone else makes a similar device.

I don't think I'll ever understand everyone's obsession with ProMotion. I have an iPad Pro 2021, it has ProMotion. I barely notice any difference. I understand wanting 120Hz+ for the competitive FPS online gamers, but even the people who are casual gamers like myself occasionally, I don't get it. My 60Hz display is fine.

I've never been scrolling through something on my iPhone and thought "gee I wish this was running at 120Hz". No. It looks literally the same. I don't even remember my iPad has ProMotion unless I actually think about it while I'm using it, then yeah I guess some things look smoother.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

then yeah I guess some things look smoother.

That's the whole reason for wanting Promotion right there. Definitely something nice to have rather than a necessity.

 

[Project Alice]

That's the whole reason for wanting Promotion right there. Definitely something nice to have rather than a necessity.

It's barely even noticeable to me though lmao. I literally have to actively think about the fact that its Promotion otherwise I do not notice a difference. I just think its crazy people see not having it as a deal breaker.

 

[blairh]

I don't think I'll ever understand everyone's obsession with ProMotion. I have an iPad Pro 2021, it has ProMotion. I barely notice any difference. I understand wanting 120Hz+ for the competitive FPS online gamers, but even the people who are casual gamers like myself occasionally, I don't get it. My 60Hz display is fine.

I've never been scrolling through something on my iPhone and thought "gee I wish this was running at 120Hz". No. It looks literally the same. I don't even remember my iPad has ProMotion unless I actually think about it while I'm using it, then yeah I guess some things look smoother.

My eyes can't see ProMotion.