How to choose between all the new iPhone 12 models

There are a lot more iPhones than there used to be these days. Choosing a phone used to be simple: Apple would offer just one new iPhone model, where all you had to do was choose a storage color and size. This year, Apple has released four new phones: the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, joining the already available iPhone SE that launched earlier this year for a total of five new phones in 2020.

It’s the most iPhone models Apple has released in a single year, with new additions like the A14 Bionic processor (Apple’s fastest yet), a more durable “Ceramic Shield” glass coating, improved cameras, a new design and the resurrected MagSafe. brand for a new wireless charger and accessory system. That’s it, aside from the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, which Apple will also keep at new prices of $ 499 and $ 599, which means it’s even harder to choose between the various iPhones you can buy new from a store.

Leading the charge is the iPhone 12 – the “standard” iPhone for 2020, so to speak, which starts at $ 799 for a 64GB model. It has the same 6.1-inch screen and the same overall size as last year’s iPhone 11, but it was upgraded to an OLED panel and adds Apple’s new A14 processor (which all four new iPhone 12 devices have), as well as support for 5G. . Apple seems to have set the 6.1-inch form factor as the default size for its iPhones for now, offering four phones this year in that size. The cameras were also slightly updated from last year’s iPhone 11, with a faster f / 1.6 wide camera that Apple claims allows 27 percent more light.

There is also the $ 699 iPhone 12 mini, which is actually the smallest iPhone Apple has released in almost half a decade. That’s thanks to the bezel-less design, which allows the entire 5.4-inch mini 12 to be physically smaller than the 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2020 (because both sizes refer to the screen, not the frame). Despite the smaller size, it offers the same high-end specs as the larger iPhone 12, aside from the display and presumably a slightly smaller battery to accommodate the physically smaller phone, although Apple has yet to confirm this. That makes it a good option for anyone looking for a smaller (or cheaper) iPhone.

Image: Apple

Things start to get more confusing with him iPhone 12 Pro, which starts at $ 999 for a 128GB model. While it looks similar to the iPhone 12, there are several key differences between the 12 Pro and the regular model. The 12 Pro has a stainless steel body, compared to the aluminum of the 12. Although both phones have a 6.1-inch screen, the iPhone 12 Pro is a brighter panel, with a typical brightness of 800 nits versus 625 nits in the iPhone 12. However, both phones offer a maximum of 1200 nits for HDR.

The iPhone 12 Pro also has several photographic enhancements, including a third camera, a telephoto lens, which offers 2x optical zoom, although the wide-angle and ultra-wide cameras, as well as the front camera, are identical to the iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 Pro also adds a new LIDAR sensor, which enables better augmented reality and faster autofocus in low-light situations (as well as night mode portrait shots). The 12 Pro can also record Dolby Vision HDR videos at up to 60fps, instead of 30fps on the iPhone 12.

Lastly, while that $ 200 price difference may seem significant, you should consider that the iPhone 12 Pro offers more storage in the entry-level model, at 128GB compared to the iPhone 12’s 64GB (the Pro also offers a larger 512GB option). Compare the 128GB and 256GB models head-on, and there’s only a $ 50 price difference between the two. If that’s worth it for the aforementioned features, it’s up to you.

Image: Apple

There is also the iPhone 12 Pro Max, The largest (and most expensive) Apple iPhone on the list. Starting at $ 1,099, it has a massive 6.7-inch panel that also makes it the largest iPhone the company has ever made. And while the triple camera system resembles that of the iPhone 12 Pro, Apple has taken advantage of the 12 Pro Max’s larger size to offer much larger camera enhancements than the smaller 12 Pro.

Specifically, Apple is using a new sensor for the main wide camera in the 12 Pro Max, which is physically larger than the one in the 12 Pro, while also giving it the same new, faster f / 1.6 lens. The panoramic camera is also getting better optical image stabilization, with a new sensor shift system. which Apple says works similarly to DSLR cameras. It moves the sensor itself instead of the entire camera unit, allowing for faster and therefore better stabilization. Apple has also increased the telephoto focal length of the 12 Pro Max, from 50mm to 65mm, for an optical zoom magnification of 2.5x instead of 2x.

Image: Apple

Apple continues to offer a year iPhone 11 for a discount $ 599, which is $ 100 off its original price. With a 6.1-inch panel, it’s the same size as the iPhone 12 for $ 200 less, with similar cameras, but the newer model’s screen is a higher-resolution OLED panel that will look much better than the less-detailed LCD on the one. iPhone 11 The iPhone 12 also features Apple’s fastest A14 Bionic processor, if longevity is a concern. But at $ 599, the iPhone 11 is still a great phone, even if it’s overshadowed by the newer, flashier models.

However, perhaps you would like to save even more. In that case, you will want the 2020 iPhone SE, which is the cheapest iPhone available at $ 399. That price tag comes with a few caveats: It’s the only iPhone with the older thick-bezel iPhone 6-style design, which also makes it the only iPhone with Touch ID. . It has a single rear camera that doesn’t offer the same low-level light performance as the iPhone 11 (or newer models) or a U1 chip for Apple’s location functions. But with the same A13 processor as the iPhone 11, it’s likely to last for years before needing a replacement.

Finally, there is the two year old iPhone XR, which is Apple’s oldest phone in the line. At $ 499, it actually costs more than the faster iPhone SE, which offers an A13 chip that beats the XR’s A12 Bionic. Its cameras don’t offer much over the SE either, making the bezel-less design its only claim to fame. But at the awkward price of $ 499, it’s hard to recommend. With your $ 100 you will get a much better camera on the iPhone 11 or you will save money and get the faster iPhone SE.

The table is best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.