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iPhone 12 mini The BIGGEST upgrade about switching to 12 mini from SE2....

J

Jayson A

macrumors 68030
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Sep 16, 2014
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The biggest upgrade for me was how the phone doesn't constantly feel like it's gonna slip out of my hand and it's also much easier to pick up from a table because of the squared off edges. The SE2 in comparison feels like trying to pick up a bar of soap!

I've forgotten how much I LOVE the "ice cream sandwich" design. I really hope this design sticks around for a while.

Anyone else glad they ditched the rounded design? I mean, I get why they went round... for comfort, but the square sides just provide so much more grip.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I hate cases. I like to use my phone the way it comes out of the box. To take a beautiful metal and glass device and slap a cheap piece of plastic or rubber over it just kinda makes it feel cheap and you never really get to appreciate what it's actually supposed to look like. I mean, you don't buy a brand new car and then cover it in plastic because you're afraid to get a scratch on it or dent it. Just be careful with it and you'll be fine.
 
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Jayson A said:
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I hate cases. I like to use my phone the way it comes out of the box. To take a beautiful metal and glass device and slap a cheap piece of plastic or rubber over it just kinda makes it feel cheap and you never really get to appreciate what it's actually supposed to look like. I mean, you don't buy a brand new car and then cover it in plastic because you're afraid to get a scratch on it or dent it. Just be careful with it and you'll be fine.
Click to expand...
I think cases are more about the huge cost of repair if you drop it and shatter the front or back. Accidents do sometimes happen.
 
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I came from an 8 to a 12 Mini and agree, flat sides are amazing for ergonomics.
Only downsides:
  • Taking a case on and off is harder. I'm caseless unless I'm on vacation or it's raining out. So I put cases on and off more than the average Joe.
  • What I loved about the flatsided 4&5 is that I could put the phone on a shelf or a counter to take a group photo or a photo in the dark without my shaky hands holding it. Having buttons on both sides really ruins that.
 
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Phone Junky said:
I think cases are more about the huge cost of repair if you drop it and shatter the front or back. Accidents do sometimes happen.
Click to expand...
With respect to shattering, I wonder if a protective tempered glass on the completely flat iPhone 12 design, could negate the need for a bulky case.

Sure the edges could get dinged, but it’s really the glass that’s the expensive part.
 
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Phone Junky said:
I think cases are more about the huge cost of repair if you drop it and shatter the front or back. Accidents do sometimes happen.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the good news is that it's less likely that I'll drop this phone compared to my old SE2020. That thing was almost impossible to grip with no case. However, the new square design grips MUCH better and I'm not as afraid to drop it. Yes, I know mistakes can happen, but that's the risk I'm taking by going caseless. I know the risk and I still don't care. My iPhone SE is still in perfect condition.
 
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Jayson A said:
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... I hate cases. I like to use my phone the way it comes out of the box. To take a beautiful metal and glass device and slap a cheap piece of plastic or rubber over it just kinda makes it feel cheap and you never really get to appreciate what it's actually supposed to look like. I mean, you don't buy a brand new car and then cover it in plastic because you're afraid to get a scratch on it or dent it. Just be careful with it and you'll be fine.
Click to expand...
Honestly, this is one reason i use clear cases. I like having the protection, but i also like being able to see my phone.
 
Jayson A said:
The biggest upgrade for me was how the phone doesn't constantly feel like it's gonna slip out of my hand and it's also much easier to pick up from a table because of the squared off edges. The SE2 in comparison feels like trying to pick up a bar of soap!
Click to expand...

Precisely why I've never even been tempted off my original SE 1st gen

The in hand feel is simply unmatched
 
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Jayson A said:
Yeah, but the good news is that it's less likely that I'll drop this phone compared to my old SE2020. That thing was almost impossible to grip with no case. However, the new square design grips MUCH better and I'm not as afraid to drop it. Yes, I know mistakes can happen, but that's the risk I'm taking by going caseless. I know the risk and I still don't care. My iPhone SE is still in perfect condition.
Click to expand...
I did not have a case on my original generation SE and dropped it numerous times. Not a problem. That was a well made phone and a good design. No glass back. Great feel with the square edges.
 
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I use the Apple leather sleeve with my mini while in pocket. This is the first time I have used a phone naked and enjoyed it (due to the design). Easy to hold and use one-handed for most things. For everything else, I use the Reachability feature.
 
I’m stoked for the 13 Mini. Moving from an 11 Pro. It depends on what they do to the 13 series but it’s going to be between the 13 Mini and 13 Pro.
 
turbineseaplane said:
Precisely why I've never even been tempted off my original SE 1st gen

The in hand feel is simply unmatched
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I think website designers now design for a minimum screen size of 4.7". Too many sites just look plain weird and lop-side on my gen 1 SE.

12 Mini would have been great, but OLED PWM is a problem for me.

So I might cave in and go for the gen 2 SE.
 
I miss the bumper I had on my iPhone 4 (or whatever it was), just protecting the corners and edges.

I dropped it once in a stairwell and watched it bounce, corner-to-corner, down each step to the landing.

Pure luck, and completed unscathed.
 
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ghanwani said:
Unfortunately, I think website designers now design for a minimum screen size of 4.7". Too many sites just look plain weird and lop-side on my gen 1 SE.

12 Mini would have been great, but OLED PWM is a problem for me.

So I might cave in and go for the gen 2 SE.
Click to expand...

Interesting - I honestly can't say I've felt that way.

That said, I don't use the web on my OGSE much beyond needing to get something done in a pinch on the go.
 
Joniz said:
I miss the bumper I had on my iPhone 4 (or whatever it was), just protecting the corners and edges.

I dropped it once in a stairwell and watched it bounce, corner-to-corner, down each step to the landing.

Pure luck, and completed unscathed.
Click to expand...
That was really cool. Unfortunately Apple dropped the quality and when I tried to replace the bumper after it cracked, the new one had problems where it would keep depressing the power button and run the battery down. It also didn’t fit quite right. That’s when I switched to using the phone naked.
 
ghanwani said:
Unfortunately, I think website designers now design for a minimum screen size of 4.7". Too many sites just look plain weird and lop-side on my gen 1 SE.

12 Mini would have been great, but OLED PWM is a problem for me.

So I might cave in and go for the gen 2 SE.
Click to expand...

Do you really men the gen 2 SE that came out last year or the gen 3 whenever that debuts?
 
ghanwani said:
I meant gen 2 SE, but so far I've held off.
Click to expand...
Yeah hold off as long as possible … July, August, and September is 3months away for 13 series announcement and availability and new unit on provider deals just 15 days after announcement for most parts of the world. Meaning that SE 2020 will be significantly cheaper for quality used or BNIB for clearance pricing.
 
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DeepIn2U said:
Yeah hold off as long as possible … July, August, and September is 3months away for 13 series announcement and availability and new unit on provider deals just 15 days after announcement for most parts of the world. Meaning that SE 2020 will be significantly cheaper for quality used or BNIB for clearance pricing.
Click to expand...
I want an unlocked device. Are there any deals on unlocked devices? Hopefully Apple will drop the price.

Or it's possible they don't drop prices but instead the new ones are more expensive than what the 12's are now.
 
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ghanwani said:
I want an unlocked device. Are there any deals on unlocked devices? Hopefully Apple will drop the price.
Click to expand...
You‘ve been able to buy an unlocked iPhone for years now … nobody will know anything about the price until launch day in September/October time frame. People will guess, estimate and hypothesize but nobody will KNOW until then.

Will the 13 mini come as an unlocked device, most likely yes - I mean the 12mini did, the Xr did, the SE did.
 
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