Apple iPhone 12 mini vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
The Quick Answer
Apple's iPhone 12 mini and Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra represent vastly different philosophies.
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 12 mini and Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra represent vastly different philosophies. The iPhone 12 mini prioritizes portability with its 5.4-inch display and 133g weight, delivering excellent performance through the A14 Bionic chip and sharp 1200-nit OLED screen, though it's limited to 60Hz refresh rates and a modest 2227mAh battery. The Galaxy S20 Ultra dominates on specifications: its 6.9-inch 120Hz display, 108MP main camera with periscope zoom, and 5000mAh battery dwarf the iPhone's offering. However, the S20 Ultra weighs 220g and costs double the price. Camera capabilities differ meaningfully: the Ultra shoots 8K video and offers 4x optical zoom, while the iPhone 12 mini captures exceptional 4K content with superior computational photography for everyday shots. Battery life heavily favors Samsung's larger cell, though the iPhone charges faster at 20W. Performance is comparable, with both phones handling any task effortlessly. The choice depends entirely on priorities: choose the iPhone 12 mini for a premium, pocketable device with excellent cameras and software polish, or the Galaxy S20 Ultra if you demand the largest display, longest battery life, and most ambitious camera hardware regardless of size and cost.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 mini if…
- →Lightest 5G iPhone at just 133 g
- →Compact form factor perfect for one-handed use
- →Same A14 Bionic as larger iPhone 12 models
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra if…
- →100x Space Zoom headline feature
- →108 MP main camera sensor
- →Large 5000 mAh battery
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12 mini
Pros
- Lightest 5G iPhone at just 133 g
- Compact form factor perfect for one-handed use
- Same A14 Bionic as larger iPhone 12 models
- Beautiful OLED display despite small size
- MagSafe accessory support
Cons
- Very small 2227 mAh battery with poor endurance
- No telephoto camera
- 60Hz display refresh rate
- 5G usage drains battery quickly
- Discontinued after poor sales
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Pros
- 100x Space Zoom headline feature
- 108 MP main camera sensor
- Large 5000 mAh battery
- 45W fast charging
- Massive 6.9-inch QHD+ display
Cons
- Autofocus issues at launch required software patches
- $1399 made it extremely expensive
- Very heavy and large
- 120Hz locked to FHD+ resolution at launch
- 100x zoom quality was mostly a gimmick
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 10, One UI 2.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 133 g | 220 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 6 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm | 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 108 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 40 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Periscope | — | 48 MP, f/3.5, 4x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2227 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.4 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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