Apple iPhone 12 mini vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 12 mini emphasizes portability with its 5.4-inch display and lightweight 133g design, featuring the powerful A14 Bionic chip and excellent display technology despite lacking high refresh rates. Samsung's Galaxy S23 FE counters with a substantially larger 6.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, significantly larger 4500mAh battery, higher resolution 50MP main camera with telephoto capabilities, and 8GB RAM at a lower $599 price point. Performance-wise, both handle daily tasks competently, though the A14 Bionic remains formidable. Battery life heavily favors Samsung due to capacity differences, while camera versatility goes to the S23 FE with its telephoto lens. Choose the iPhone 12 mini for premium compact design and iOS ecosystem, or select the Galaxy S23 FE for superior battery endurance, screen real estate, and camera flexibility at better value.
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 S23 FE if…
- →Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- →Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
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 S23 FE
Pros
- Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
- Four years of OS updates guaranteed
- Wireless charging with reverse wireless PowerShare
Cons
- Exynos 2200 variant has weaker performance and efficiency
- Only 25W wired charging is slow for 2023
- Gorilla Glass 5 is older protection than Victus 2
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- Heavier at 209 g due to older processor thermals
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 133 g | 209 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2227 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.4 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1450 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Xclipse 920 / Adreno 730 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 2200 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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