iPhone SE 3 2022 Vs. iPhone 12 Mini: Which One Is The Better Value?

Have a decent budget and looking for an older iPhone that provides value? How about the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone SE 3?

Apple made both these phones specifically for people with a moderate budget. IPhone Mini series and iPhone SE phones are packed with high-end specifications, with one having the edge in the camera department while the other sporting Apple's advanced processor.

In this article, we have assessed each spec of the iPhone 12 Mini vs. iPhone SE 3 to find the dominant one.

iPhone SE 3 And iPhone 12 Mini Release Date

Apple unveiled the iPhone 12 Mini in an Apple Special Event on October 13, 2020. The phone was launched as the mini model of the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max.

Pre-orders began on November 6, and finally, on November 13, the phone was available in the markets.

As for the iPhone SE 3, Apple announced on March 8, 2022. The pre-orders started from March 11 until March 18, the day the phone hit the markets.

Difference Between iPhone 12 Mini And iPhone SE 3rd generation Specification

iPhone SE 3rd generation and iPhone 12 Mini have a two-year gap, with the former being the newer phone. Yet the two phones put buyers in a dilemma when they have a moderate budget and are looking for older iPhones.

This article compares the key features of the iPhone 12 Mini vs. iPhone SE 3rd gen to show how the specs stack up against each other. Read on and discover!

iPhone 12 Mini Vs. iPhone SE 2022: Design, Display & Size

When comparing iPhone 12 Mini vs. iPhone SE 2022, differences in the design stand out. iPhone SE 3 has maintained the classic iPhone look with a home button and bezels around the screen.

At the same time, iPhone 12 Mini sports an all-screen, bezel-less display.

The all-screen design gives iPhone 12 Mini more screen-to-body ratio over iPhone SE 3 despite the latter being large. The iPhone 12 Mini has a 5.4" screen compared to the 4.7" screen of the iPhone SE 3rd gen.

More to the point, the height x width x depth measure for iPhone 12 Mini vs. iPhone SE 3rd generation is 131.5 mm x 64.2 mm x 7.4 mm versus 138.4 mm x 67.3 mm x 7.3 mm, respectively.

iPhone 12 Mini also uses Apple's OLED display, that's leagues ahead of the iPhone SE 2022's LCD.

Moreover, iPhone 12 Mini also leads with six colors: Purple, Blue, Green, (Product) Red, White, and Black. iPhone SE 2022 offers only three colors: Starling White, Midnight Black, and (Product) Red.

iPhone SE 2022 Vs. iPhone 12 Mini: Performance & Battery Life

iPhone SE 2022 has, hands down, the better performance out of both devices, thanks to the newer A15 Bionic chipset. iPhone 12 Mini sports the older A14 processor.

However, you won't be able to tell the difference between A14 and A15 in daily use.

As for the battery life, both phones sport a li-ion battery with wireless charging support. As per the Apple benchmarks, both devices provide 15 hours of video playback.

However, with the more efficient power consumption of the A15 chip, expect the iPhone SE 2022 battery to last longer.

iPhone SE 3 Vs. iPhone 12 Mini: Processor

As discussed earlier, iPhone 12 Mini is powered by Apple's older A14 processor compared to the newer A15 with iPhone SE 3 Gen.

Both these chips pack a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine is the same for both.

The superior A15 chip makes iPhone SE 3 much faster at tasks as small as launching apps and demanding as running games like PUBG.

This is why iPhone SE 3 ranks first in our best-value phones ranking.

iPhone SE 3rd Generation Vs. iPhone 12 Mini: Camera

Being Apple's budget phone, SE is a single-camera phone with a 12MP primary camera. On the other hand, iPhone 12 Mini complements the 12MP primary camera with a 12MP Ultra Wide lens.

The 120-degree field of view of the Ultra Wide lens is why iPhone 12 Mini has the .5x zoom-out option. The dual camera 12 Mini also has Night Mode, so if you're into night photography.

One thing the 12 Mini lacks is the Photography Styles that the iPhone SE 3 offers.

Regarding videography, both phones can shoot in 4K at 60fps, but only 12 Mini supports HDR video recording with Dolby vision. The audio zoom feature makes a stronger case for 12 Mini if the camera is your primary concern.

Pitting the front camera of the iPhone 12 Mini vs. the iPhone SE 3 also builds a stronger case for iPhone 12 Mini. The 12MP front camera on iPhone 12 Mini supports Night Mode, 4K video, and slow-mo.

The front camera on iPhone SE 3rd generation lacks all these features alongside having a smaller 7MP lens.

The iPhone 12 Mini vs. iPhone SE 3rd Gen camera comparison makes one thing clear, 12 Mini is the undisputed winner. However, if you want a budget camera phone, iPhone SE 3 gets our vote.

iPhone 12 Mini Vs. iPhone SE 3rd Gen Price Difference

Given the advanced specs, there's no doubt iPhone 12 Mini would cost more. The iPhone 12 Mini carries a price tag of A$649 at the least.

But for a refurbished iPhone 12 Mini unlocked, like a new phone, the price goes as high as A$849.

On the other hand, a refurbished iPhone SE 3rd generation costs as low as A$539 if it is slightly used. However, a seemingly new iPhone SE 3 would cost A$619.

So If you need more than 100 to 200 on the budget, iPhone SE 2022 has you covered.

FAQs

Which Is Bigger iPhone 12 Mini Or SE 2022?

Regarding size, iPhone SE 2022 is the bigger of the two having bigger dimensions than the 12 Mini and weighing more.

But despite that, the iPhone 12 Mini has a bigger screen, thanks to the bezel-less design.

Have you decided which one to buy yet? Whether you want the best iPhone 12 Mini deals or iPhone SE 3rd generation is where your heart has stuck, PhoneBot has you covered.