A Review of the iPhone 12 & 12 Pro
While Apple announced four iPhone 12 models, only two of the four were released with the others set to come at a later date. The similarly-sized iPhone 12 and 12 Pro were made available on the 23rd of October, with the 12 Pro Max and 12 Mini slated for November releases.
The 12 & 12 Pro are arguably the most popular iPhone choices anyway. The two phones are more similar than they have ever been, and choosing between them is going to be a real headache. Consequently, what is said for one mostly remains true for the other—except for a few distinguishing features and the accompanying price difference.
So what did Apple give us this year?
The Return of a Beloved Design
Every few years, Apple redesigns the iPhone to keep it looking fresh—while triggering that gadget lust in all of us. 2020 is inevitably one of those years. While it is refreshing, Apple’s design isn’t necessarily new. It pays homage to the flat edges that we first saw on the iPhone 4 and then later the original iPhone SE.
This design aesthetic is also found in another of Apple’s products – the iPad Pro.
The 2020 iPhones have flat edges all round, so flat that they can stand on their own. The notch and the camera bump largely bear resemblance to last year’s devices. The bodies, however, are thinner and lighter than last year.
The choice of materials is one of the distinguishing factors between the vanilla 12 and the Pro: the former is made of aluminum while the latter is made of stainless steel. While stainless steel is arguably the better material, it does attract a lot more fingerprints than aluminum making it look a little less pristine. Regardless, both devices feel nothing short of premium.
Better Displays
One thing that is not getting mentioned enough when talking about significant upgrades is the display. All iPhones get an OLED display that sits somewhere between FullHD and QHD. It looks stunning, which is saying something seeing as the iPhone 11 had a great display, albeit LCD. Consequently, the bezels are thinner and the contrast ratio has significantly improved. It is the best display on any iPhone to date.
The notches are still the only downside to what would have otherwise been a great-looking screen. It is understandable that the notch takes up so much space – FaceID is still the most secure unlocking method on any platform.
New Processor & iOS 14
The A14 debuted with the 2020 iPad Air, but its inclusion in the iPhones will always be more significant. Combined with iOS 14 – it flies. It’s a shame that the iPhone 12 did not get the eagerly anticipated 120Hz ProMotion display. Regardless, if this 60Hz screen is anything to go by, we are in for a treat for when iPhones finally get high refresh rate screens!
MagSafe
It’s safe to say that the return of MagSafe was unexpected. On the back of the iPhones are magnets that align with the MagSafe charger for 15W wireless charging. Charging aside, MagSafe allows accessories to be appended to the back of the iPhone, a capability that will surely see a slew of third-party accessories. The magnets are relatively strong, allowing the charger to align perfectly every single time for efficient charging. Apple essentially took the guesswork and fidgeting out of wireless charging.
Still on matters charging, Apple remains stubborn about switching out the lightning port for the more conventional USB-C which it has already added to products like the iPad Pro. Maybe next year?
5G
The iPhone 12 release event had 5G left, right, and center. Apple listed the inclusion of 5G as one of the reasons for a design refresh. While Android competitors have been there and done that, nothing is ever mainstream until Apple includes it in their products. All the iPhones in the 2020 lineup get 5G. The inclusion of 5G now makes a lot of sense. Why? Because people usually keep their iPhones for several years. In that period of time, 5G will definitely have become more widespread than it is currently, and the iPhone 12 will be future-proofed. However, the inclusion of 5G is regional depending on whether the infrastructure is present or not.
IOS 14 is optimized to maximize the use of 5G, as well as manage its battery-use.
Improved Cameras
The most notable visual difference between the 12 and the 12 Pro is the extra lens and the LiDar sensor. The iPhone 12 Pro has a 2x optical zoom camera. When compared to last year’s iPhones, the setups are largely similar with some tweaks and improvements. The camera setups are as follows:
- A 12-megapixel wide camera with an f/1.6 aperture, optical image stabilization, and a new, 7-element lens.
- A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a 120-degree field of view.
- A 12-megapixel telephoto camera, with a 2x optical zoom range exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro.
While capturing still photos is as great as ever on the iPhones, it is the video department that has seen the most improvement. The iPhone 12 lineup pioneers shooting in Dolby Vision on mobile devices. Dolby Vision is video technology that is used by Hollywood studios and Microsoft’s next-gen gaming consoles. Stills have also improved, thanks to the 12 and 12 Pro having a slightly larger image sensor that takes in 27% more light.
A Close Call
This year more than ever, the iPhone 12 gives the 12 Pro a run for its money. Starting at $799, there is a $200 difference between the 12 and the Pro, making the base 12 a very compelling option. Granted, the iPhone 12 starts at 64GB base storage while the Pro starts at 128GB and has less sensors, but most people will not mind losing out on those features. Whichever the case, a case from TechArmor should fit any of the two, seeing as they have the same dimensions. Get one here.