The iPhone 12 series smartphones are just around the corner and the pre-order campaign will begin this Friday (6 November)! For the first time, Apple released four iPhone models and it got many people wondering which one is the best deal out of the bunch. Well, since everyone has different needs, we came up with a guide on which iPhone 12 model is best suited for you.
This year, the iPhone 12 series consists of an iPhone 12 mini, the standard iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and the biggest of them all, the iPhone 12 Pro Max. But before we get started on listing the aspects to consider when choosing the right iPhone 12 model, check out the table below for the basic tech specs and feature of the four upcoming iPhones.
| Tech specs and features | iPhone 12 mini | iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic | A14 Bionic |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 6GB | 6GB |
| Display and Resolution | 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 2340×1080 pixels |
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 2532×1170 pixels |
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 2532×1170 pixels |
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 2778×1284 pixels |
| Weight | 133g | 162g | 187g | 226g |
| Rear camera module | 12MP (f/1.6) + 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4) | 12MP (f/1.6) + 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4) | 12MP (f/1.6) + 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4) + 12MP (telephoto, f/2.0) | 12MP (f/1.6) + 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4) + 12MP (telephoto, f/2.0) |
| Front camera | 12MP (f/2.2) | 12MP (f/2.2) | 12MP (f/2.2) | 12MP (f/2.2) |
| LiDAR sensor | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Stabilization | OIS on the main camera lens | OIS on the main camera lens | Two OIS (main and telephoto) | Two OIS (telephoto and Sensor-Shift on the main camera) |
| Recording features | HDR with the support of Dolby Vision up to 30 fps 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 1080p HD at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD at 30 fps |
HDR with the support of Dolby Vision up to 30 fps 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 1080p HD at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD at 30 fps |
HDR with the support of Dolby Vision up to 30 fps 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 1080p HD at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD at 30 fps |
HDR with the support of Dolby Vision up to 30 fps 4K at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 1080p HD at 30 fps or 60 fps 720p HD at 30 fps |
| Zoom | 2x optical zoom out Digital zoom up to 5x |
2x optical zoom out Digital zoom up to 5x |
2x optical zoom in 2x optical zoom out 4x optical zoom range Digital zoom up to 10x |
2.5x optical zoom in 2x optical zoom out 5x optical zoom range Digital zoom up to 12x |
| Storage and Price | RM3399 (64GB) RM3599 (128GB) RM4099 (256GB) |
RM3899 (64GB) RM4099 (128GB) RM4599 (256GB) |
RM4899 (128GB) RM5399 (256GB) RM6299 (512GB) |
RM5299 (128GB) RM5799 (256GB) RM6699 (512GB) |
Focus on what you need instead of what it has
To choose an iPhone 12 model that's right for you, the first thing that you should ask yourself is what would you use your phone for? Most people don't need high-end specs if they don't play mobile games and most aren't mobile photographers either, so a simpler camera setup could be better. You need to recognise your needs to choose the correct tech specs and features instead of underutilising them. For those who are an enthusiastic mobile photographer and videographer, that's where the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max come in.
Compared with the non-pro variants, the pro variants come with an extra telephoto lens and LiDAR sensor. A LiDAR sensor can 'see' better in the dark and will produce better photos and videos. On top of that, you're able to edit them on the spot with an improved editing tool in Photos. The Apple ProRAW feature that is coming soon also serves as an added bonus for serious photographers.
Serious videographers can also consider the iPhone 12 Pro Max due to the new Sensor-Shift stabilisation feature, as it is equipped on the whole sensor instead of the lens. What's more, it has 10-bit Dolby Vision as well. However, we also have to acknowledge that most TVs and platforms won't be able to support those glorious quality shoots. You can read more about it in our Biggest Changes in the iPhone 12 series article here.
If you don't need any of these, then the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 will be more than enough for you. After all, you don't need that much RAM (or refresh rate) to browse your social media pages or for multimedia entertainment on the iPhone. You should also consider how much space you need because most people that we know can barely fill up half of the 128GB internal storage.
Bigger does not always mean it's better
A lot of Malaysians have a habit of watching videos and movies on their mobile devices. If you do that regularly, you should at least choose the standard iPhone 12 since it has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, compared to the smaller 5.4-inch display on the iPhone 12 mini. Yes, it's logical that bigger displays are usually better, though not necessarily the case for people with small hands. So if you're one of them, don't get yourself pressured just because "bigger is better".
iPhone 12 mini (left) vs iPhone 12 (right)
iPhone 12 Pro (left) vs iPhone 12 Pro Max (right)
It's no coincidence that Apple made the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro share the same display size. Those who don't want to miss out some additional camera features but also don't need the larger screen size can go for the iPhone 12 Pro. As for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, these two devices are the same except in display sizes. So by all means, choose the one that you feel most comfortable with.
On an unrelated note, weight and colours also play a role for consumers. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the heaviest one at 226g, so I don't think I need to tell you the obvious. Apple also offers consumers more colour choices than before, with the Pacific Blue colour an exclusive for the pro-variants. If you don't have the budget for the specific colour you want, then don't get it, especially if it will be covered by a phone case anyway.
TLDR - Be wise and get the right iPhone 12 model for your needs
At the moment, we still haven't had the opportunity to test the iPhone 12 series' performance because we have yet to receive any of them, no thanks to the pandemic. Nonetheless, we hope that our point of view and the points above can help you in deciding the right model for your needs. By the way, we have also come up with a list of third-party USB C chargers that are more affordable and provide better value than Apple's chargers, which you can click here to read more.
So are you planning to get one? If so, which one would it be? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech articles at TechNave.com.
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