Apple iPhone 12 review: Is it still worth buying in 2023?
Back in 2020, Apple dropped four flagship handsets: iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Let's break down the main differences and attempt to answer one question: is the 12 series still worth buying in 2023?
Well, there are the two obvious differences from the iPhone 11 line-up: size and price. You’ll also want to factor-in the camera’s capabilities for that next-level selfie game or upping your video-shooting skills. There are also upgrades to the storage space, so you’ve got more room for apps and snaps, but you’ll have to pay more for the bigger-capacity handsets.
And while we’re not saying you should choose a phone for its colour, you should know that the mini and the iPhone 12 come in the same five options: black, white, red, pastel green, and a new colour for Apple, dark blue (which we think is pretty chic). The Pro and Pro Max come in four other shades, including our fave, gold, and a different dark blue (what Apple is calling Pacific Blue, thanks to its slight green tone).
Is the iPhone 12 worth it in 2023?
The standard iPhone 12 may be two generations old, but it’s still a decent high-end phone with a clear display, speedy performance and full compatibility with the latest iOS16 software. The design hasn’t changed much in recent years, either, so unless you want iPhone 14-specific features like the Dynamic Island (which uses the front camera notch to show alerts and notifications) or the latest chip, it very much looks and feels like last year’s flagship models. You can buy the iPhone 12 outright for around £600 at Argos, Currys, John Lewis and Very, or on a monthly contract via networks including Sky Mobile, EE and Vodafone. If you want to save even more money then go for a pre-loved model. We recommend looking at the selection of refurbished iPhone 12 phones at MusicMagpie and BackMarket, where they sell for under £400. These days, you'll only really find the base iPhone 12 to buy outright, the other models are usually only available if you go refurbished.
iPhone 12 mini
Who’ll love it: Anyone who wants a small iPhone (scroll-ache gets real when you have small hands). We think the name mini is a bit misleading TBH, as it’s actually a bit bigger (in iPhone terms at least) than the iPhone SE. But the difference between the two is that the mini has a faster processor and better cameras. You'll only really find the iPhone 12 mini refurbished in 2023, but some stock remains at Argos or on contract via EE.
Any downsides? Arguably there aren’t many downsides to this phone, so long as you don’t mind the smaller display. The battery life could be better, but at least in lockdown you’re often near a plug.
• Display size: 5.4 inches
• Weight: 135 g
• Main camera: 12MP wide lens, 12MP ultrawide
• Selfie camera: 12MP
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours
• Colours: Black, white, red, green, blue
iPhone 12
Who’ll love it: Those who don’t have a grand to drop on a new phone but want a six-inch screen (the same size at the iPhone 14’s display). Only slightly more than the mini, you get a larger handset big enough to squeeze one more tweet on the screen.
Any downsides? Anyone lusting after a gold phone, or one of the other metallic shades, is out of luck here – those colours are exclusive to the larger Pro and Pro Max.
• Display: 6.1 inch
• Weight: 164 g
• Main camera: 12MP wide lens, 12MP ultrawide
• Selfie camera: 12MP
• Battery: Up to 17 hours
• Colours: Black, white, red, green, blue
iPhone 12 Pro
Who’ll Love it? If you’re looking to go pro with your pictures and get that ‘Gram feed polished AF, go for the 12 Pro. This one has an extra telephoto lens on the back that is great for capturing detail at long-distance or drawing out colour in low-light with Night Mode. It has since been replaced by the iPhone 13 Pro and 14 Pro but can still be found refurbished via BackMarket and MusicMagpie.
Any downsides? So how much is that super-polished Instagram feed worth to you? To get the better photos, you’re spending an extra £200 over the iPhone 12, which has the same display size and battery.
• Display: 6.1 inch
• Weight: 189 g
• Main camera: 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto
• Selfie camera: 12MP
• Battery: Up to 17 hours
• Colours: Silver, graphite, gold, pacific blue
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Who’ll Love it? Half phone, half tablet, this is the biggest of the bunch (RIP little finger) and at over £1k to buy outright, it’s the spenniest. For your cash, you get a larger, brighter display – and if you love shooting video, it’s a good choice for amateur film-makers with its super-advanced camera. It captures more than 700 million colours while recording, so everything looks super bright and vibrant. It has since been replaced by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max but can still be found refurbished via BackMarket and MusicMagpie.
Any downsides? It’s really big in your hands, and you’ll likely struggle to reach your thumb up to the top of the screen, even if you have long fingers. It’s also *Very* expensive, costing up to £1,299 if you go for the big 512GB storage version (enough to store more than 122,000 pictures), which is only available with this phone.
• Display: 6.7 inch
• Weight: 228 g
• Main camera: 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto
• Selfie camera: 12MP
• Battery: Up to 20 hours
• Colours: Silver, graphite, gold, pacific blue
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