Apple's 2021 5.4-inch compact iPhone, with the A15 Bionic chip, dual 12MP cameras and a noticeably bigger battery than the iPhone 12 mini. Owners still love the one-handed size years later, but the small battery wears down and the 60Hz screen feels dated.
This entry is written from the 5 sources listed at the bottom of the page. The numbers are our editorial estimates drawn from that material, not measurements, and no statistical sample sits behind them.
On the evidence gathered here, yes. 80% of owners say they would buy it again, and satisfaction is still 7.0 out of 10 two years in. Owners keep it for years because few small phones remain.
The size is still why owners stay loyal, and most get through a normal day on a charge. Heavy use and outdoor navigation push it toward a top-up, and battery health starts slipping.
Battery health drifts down steadily, often into the 70s and 80s. Cheap third-party battery swaps are fiddly and risk water resistance.
Owners keep it for years because few small phones remain. Sentiment across the ownership period stays close to flat, which is rare: it reads 8.5 out of 10 in the first week and 7.0 two years later.
Worth it for: One-handed phone users; Small-pocket carriers; Buyers of a used compact iphone. Think twice if: Heavy gamers and streamers; 120hz screen fans; People who hate midday charging.
Our reading of how sentiment moves across an ownership period, drawn from the sources below. It is an editorial estimate, not tracked longitudinal data.
| At purchase | 8.6 / 10 |
|---|---|
| First week | 8.5 / 10 |
| One month | 8.3 / 10 |
| Six months | 8.0 / 10 |
| One year | 7.7 / 10 |
| Two years or more | 7.0 / 10 |
Owner reviews move this score. The researched figure stays visible next to it, so you can always see what the sources said before anyone voted.
Leave a review on the live pageEvery complaint and every piece of praise above traces back to these. The summaries are ours; nothing is quoted, and no link, quote or username anywhere on this site is invented.
Lists the $699 starting price and specs, praising the compact size, A15 speed and improved battery while noting the 60Hz screen and slower charging.
After more than a month, a former 12 mini owner found the battery fixed his main complaint, while criticising the 60Hz display, slippery back and heat on MagSafe.
Early owners report full days with moderate use, but say GPS, full brightness and heavy days can call for a midday top-up.
An owner saw battery health fall from 97% to 90% within months; a reply says 90% is normal around one year and suggests replacing at 80%.
Owners say a battery swap revives the phone and keep it because small phones are rare, citing pre-swap health of 71-86% and warning DIY swaps are tricky.