Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone 13 mini Talk me out of a 13 Mini!

R

rwh63

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 24, 2010
780
594
New England
currently using two OGSE phones (two lines). stuck at iOS 15.8.5. phones work fine, and like the small size still. however, looking out into the next 2-3 years, they will probably suffer incompatibility issues. the 13 Mini is my number one choice for replacement. i really don't see any new ones out there outside of ones priced for collectors. looking at mainly the 128 and 256 gb models. i see that the Mini is still receiving support, and can run iOS 26, though i have heard 18 is recommended. i don't like that i would have to a source 3.5mm adapter.

I have tried finding one on FBM, but haven't seen much, and they seem priced the same as resellers that come with guarantees. Back Market, Reebelo, and Ebay seem to be the best sources. Looks like pricing falls in between $250-$350.
 
  • Like
Reactions: reinem85
The iPhone 13 Mini runs iOS 26 surprisingly well. If you like the form factor, it's still a very nice device. You may need to budget for a battery replacement to maximise usefulness/performance when buying on the used market.
 
rwh63 said:
currently using two OGSE phones (two lines). stuck at iOS 15.8.5. phones work fine, and like the small size still. however, looking out into the next 2-3 years, they will probably suffer incompatibility issues. the 13 Mini is my number one choice for replacement. i really don't see any new ones out there outside of ones priced for collectors. looking at mainly the 128 and 256 gb models. i see that the Mini is still receiving support, and can run iOS 26, though i have heard 18 is recommended. i don't like that i would have to a source 3.5mm adapter.

I have tried finding one on FBM, but haven't seen much, and they seem priced the same as resellers that come with guarantees. Back Market, Reebelo, and Ebay seem to be the best sources. Looks like pricing falls in between $250-$350.
Click to expand...

I would continue to use the OGSE as long as the apps you use support it.

As for the 13 Mini, it's a great phone as long as it has a new battery and fits your budget.
 
  • Like
Reactions: splitpea
The iPhone depends on the latest OS to function properly, but also depends on a cellular service to support. As of today the iPhone mini is over 6 years old. It probably will get this year’s OS, but next year will only get security updates. It does support 5G, but will drain the battery quickly. You’ll probably will have battery issues. You can do it, if you willing to deal with the challenges.
 
vi2867 said:
The iPhone depends on the latest OS to function properly, but also depends on a cellular service to support. As of today the iPhone mini is over 6 years old.
Click to expand...
The iPhone 13 mini is four years old (released in fall 2021), three years younger than the iPhone XS/XR which only lost iOS support now with 26. So the iPhone 13 can be expected to lose iOS support with iOS 29. And then you usually can get by for another two years or so, depending on the apps you use, or even longer, as evidenced by OP who still gets by on iOS 15 (over three years).

In summary, I would expect the iPhone 13 mini to be usable until around 2030.

I managed to buy a brand new sealed-in-box iPhone 13 mini on eBay last summer, apparently an Apple replacement unit, going by its model number. It should last me for a couple of years.
 
I have a 13 mini running 18. Will keep it on 18 as long as I can and/or until the phone dies. It works for me and I am very pleased with it. Everything is snappy still and I am not interested in new features or keeping up with the latest. I text, take basic photos, use the internet on occasion, and google maps. I don't want a large phone in my pocket and I would prefer to use my phone even less than I already do.

However, if I were to buy a new phone today, it would not be the 13 mini. Why? Because at the cost of the 13 mini I would prefer to spend a little more and future proof the phone longer because I try to keep my computers and phones until they stop working or work too poorly for my simple use cases. My 2016 Macbook Pro is due for its second battery replacement (as in it will not function unless plugged in) and occasionally restarts on me, otherwise it browses the web, stores my photos and streams music and the occasional TV show just fine. I'll finally be replacing it this year after 10 years of use.
 
I'm running my 13 Mini on iOS 26.2. Performance is similar to 18 after a few days of settling in, but neither 18 or 26 is as snappy as 17 and prior. That said it's still perfectly fine, and frankly 26.2 has bugs and stutters even on an M5 iPad Pro. Hoping 27 is a bug fix and optimization update with Dye gone, I intend to keep my Mini to the end!

I also concur that iOS 28-29 is likely the final iOS version these phones will receive. Ending with 28 is assuming one dropped generation per year, though I suspect a bug fix year is absolutely necessary at this point so 27 may not drop any devices compared to 26, so I'm hoping we get 29 on these.
 
I still use my 13 mini for work and have always loved it. A truely one-handed phone with good specs. IOS26 works well on it though I’m not a massive fan of that release overall.

Apple do still offer battery replacements for it but the question is for how long? If you go for it I personally wouldn’t wait too much longer to make sure you get a legit battery.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back