So here we are on the final day of our iPhone 13 mini diary. Of course, this is too short a time to draw a concrete conclusion on the phone itself, but we have experienced it enough to give you a quick snapshot.
Seven-word summary: It is the Chhota Bheem of phones!
In other words, it is a tiny, mighty warrior. And is perhaps the ONLY real option for anyone who wants a compact phone that works like a flagship. For like the iPhone 13 mini, like the 12 mini before it, is a proper performer with the same Processor as its more pricey brothers and sisters. So that means you get stunning performance levels when it comes to handling games and multiple tasks. Yes, you can play Call of Duty quite easily and run multiple tasks without any fear of lags or slowdowns or the phone heating up. The cameras remain very good and super consistent (and cinematic video is full of promise if a little erratic at times), as we covered earlier, and thanks to the device’s size, this makes this perhaps the easiest to use camera in the world. In short, this is the best compact flagship out there by a mile.
But its size is the iPhone 13 mini’s asset as well as its liability. That display can at times seem a little too small – I have been using it for almost five days and typing still seems a little difficult on it. The same applies to tasks like video and image editing – picking out a frame or seeing the impact of a filter is difficult on that display. And while the phone can handle high definition videos and gaming with ease, the viewing experience is nowhere near as immersive as on larger iPhone displays – even though the sound on those dual speakers is very impressive. Finally, there is battery life – yes, it is much better than the iffy battery life on the iPhone 12 mini, but it is still not as good as the iPhone 12. You might see off close to a full day on a single charge with a bit of care but if you are a power user, you will find yourself getting worried as the day goes on.
All of which makes the iPhone 13 mini very much an improved version of the iPhone 12 mini. It has a better display (clearly brighter), the speakers have been made better and the cameras and processor have got the expected boost. And even battery life has been improved. All within the same tiny form factor that seems almost unreal by modern standards. And amazing at the same starting price (Rs 69,900) with double the storage (128 GB).
If you want a flagship in a compact form factor, this is it. End of argument.
Would I personally pick the iPhone 13 mini over the iPhone 13? Based on my experience so far (and this is not a complete review, I would like to stress), I doubt it. The smaller form factor is incredibly cute and portable, but it also results in a smaller work area, and considering the extent to which I use a phone, that becomes a major factor.
It is a mighty phone, but it remains a bid of a midget, as its name indicates. Chhota Bheem, as I said. If you covet the “Chhota” you will love it. If “Bheem” matters more, you might want one of the larger versions.
Next up: a daily dairy on the iPhone 13 Pro Max – the big boss iPhone!
