Smartphone Comparison: Apple iPhone 12 mini vs. Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 131.5 × 64.2 × 7.4 mm | 161.8 × 73.5 × 8.4 mm | The iPhone 12 mini is significantly smaller and more pocketable. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is much larger, making it potentially less convenient for one-handed use. |
| Weight | 135g | 198.5g | The iPhone 12 mini is substantially lighter, contributing to better comfort during extended use. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is heavier, which might be a consideration for those prioritizing lightweight devices. |
| Build | Unknown | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Motorola has superior screen protection; iPhone screen protection is unknown. The iPhone’s overall build quality is known to be high, however, this specific spec is unknown. |
| Foldable | Standard | Standard | Both are standard smartphones |
Display
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 5.4" | 6.67" | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra offers a significantly larger display, making it better for media consumption and multitasking. The iPhone 12 mini's smaller screen is more suitable for single-handed operation and portability. |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 1080x2400 | Both have very similar resolution. The Motorola is slightly taller with more vertical pixels, but in practical use, both screens would look very crisp. |
| PPI | 476 | 395 | The iPhone 12 mini has a higher pixel density, meaning the screen will look noticeably sharper, especially with small text or detailed graphics. |
| Technology | OLED | P-OLED | Both use similar OLED technologies; meaning the color quality and vibrancy of the screens will be similar |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has a much smoother scrolling experience and a more fluid look overall due to its higher refresh rate, especially beneficial for gaming and fast-paced content. |
| Brightness | 1200 nits | 1250 nits | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is slightly brighter, but the difference is unlikely to be very noticeable in real-world use |
Performance
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra's chip is newer and designed for higher performance in processing and graphics tasks. The A14 is older but still fast enough for most tasks. |
| AnTuTu Score | 1,072,354 | 1,231,300 | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has a higher score, suggesting a slight advantage in overall performance and benchmarks. Both phones are fast enough for most use cases but the Edge 30 will perform better in heavy duty tasks like video editing. |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Adreno 730 | Both are high-performance GPUs. The Adreno 730 in the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is designed for more demanding graphics tasks. |
Camera
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Standard Camera | 12MP f/1.6 1/2.55" | 200MP f/1.95 1/1.22" | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra's sensor is significantly larger and has a much higher resolution, potentially capturing more detail. The iPhone has a wider aperture which is good for low-light performance. |
| Selfie Camera | 12MP f/2.2 | 60MP f/2.2 1/2.8" | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has a higher resolution selfie camera, which may result in sharper and more detailed photos. |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 12MP f/1.6 | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra includes a dedicated telephoto lens for better zoom capabilities, which the iPhone 12 mini lacks. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 12MP f/2.4 1/2.55" | 50MP f/2.2 1/2.76" | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra’s wide angle camera offers higher resolution and a wider aperture, which should result in better wide angle shots. |
| Video Recording | Up to 4K@60fps | Up to 8K@30fps | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra can record 8K video, offering higher resolution video recording capabilities. Both have video stabilization and good features. |
| DxOMark Score (Mobile) | 117 (Photo: 128, Video: 129) | Not Available | The iPhone 12 Mini camera has excellent scores, but there's no comparative data for the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. |
| DxOMark Score (Selfie) | 132 (Photo: 127, Video: 140) | Not Available | The iPhone 12 Mini selfie camera has excellent scores, but there's no comparative data for the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. |
Battery
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 2227mAh | 4610mAh | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has a substantially larger battery, likely providing significantly longer battery life. |
| Charging | 20W Fast Charging | 125W Fast Charging | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra's much faster charging means the phone will charge very quickly. The 20W of the iphone is comparatively slow. |
| Wireless Charging | 15W MagSafe / 7.5W Qi | 50W Wireless Charging / 10W Reverse Wireless Charging | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has faster wireless charging capabilities, as well as the ability to reverse wireless charge other devices. |
Software and Connectivity
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| OS | iOS 14.1 (Upgradable to 18) | Android 12 (Upgradable to 13) | Different Operating systems offer vastly different experiences in terms of UI, and features. |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | Both phones support fast Wi-Fi speeds. The Motorola offers Wi-Fi Direct and Display capabilities. |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 LE | 5.2 LE | The Motorola offers a slightly newer version of Bluetooth. Both offer A2DP and LE features. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SUPL, Galileo, GPS (L1+L5), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1 + L5) | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra offers more comprehensive GPS support, which could lead to better location accuracy. |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano SIM + eSIM) | Dual SIM (Nano SIM) | The iPhone offers an eSIM option, which may be convenient for travel or managing multiple lines. |
Other Features
| Feature | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Motorola Edge 30 Ultra | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal Storage | 64 GB/128 GB/256 GB/512 GB | 128 GB/256 GB | The iPhone 12 Mini offers more storage options, including 512GB as opposed to the 256GB max on the Edge 30 Ultra. |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB / 12 GB | The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra has more RAM, making multitasking and heavy apps run smoother. |
| Audio Quality | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Stereo Speakers | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | Both phones have similar audio technology, the iPhone has Dolby Digital Plus. |
| Security | Basic security features | Fingerprint sensor | The Motorola offers biometric security through a fingerprint sensor. iPhone security is unknown. |
| Sensors | Barometer, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity, Fingerprint, Gravity | Both have a comprehensive set of sensors, the Motorola also has fingerprint recognition, while the iPhone has a barometer. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Apple iPhone 12 mini Advantages:
- Portability: Significantly smaller and lighter, making it much more convenient for one-handed use and carrying around.
- Sharper Display: Higher pixel density (476 PPI) leads to a crisper image, particularly noticeable with text and fine details.
- eSIM Support: Offers eSIM functionality for dual-SIM convenience and easy carrier switching.
- Proven Camera Performance: Known to perform very well in photography due to DxOMark scores.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra Advantages:
- Larger Display: 6.67" screen is better for media consumption, gaming, and productivity.
- Higher Refresh Rate: 144Hz refresh rate offers a much smoother and more responsive experience, beneficial for gaming and fast-paced content.
- Significantly Better Battery: Much larger battery capacity for longer usage without needing to recharge.
- Faster Charging: 125W wired charging and 50W wireless charging allows for very quick charge times.
- Superior Camera Hardware: Higher MP sensors and a telephoto lens offer better zoom capabilities.
- More RAM: 8GB or 12GB provides better multitasking and performance.
Trade-offs:
- iPhone 12 mini: Smaller screen, shorter battery life, slower charging.
- Motorola Edge 30 Ultra: Larger and heavier, lower pixel density, potentially less convenient for one-handed use.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Apple iPhone 12 mini Ideal User:
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra Ideal User:
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The iPhone 12 mini may offer good value for users who prioritize size, portability and the iOS ecosystem.
- The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra provides top-tier features and performance, including better battery life and camera hardware, which some users will find makes up for the increased size.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- How important is the size and weight of the phone? (Portability vs. larger screen)
- What are your primary use cases? (Media consumption vs. single-handed use, gaming vs. general use).
- How important is battery life and charging speed? (All-day battery vs. very fast charging).
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Frequent Traveler & Media Consumer - The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is ideal due to its large screen, long battery life, fast charging, and good camera.
- Scenario 2: On-the-Go Professional (light user): - The iPhone 12 mini is ideal for those who want a compact and easily pocketable phone.
- Scenario 3: Gamer and Power User - The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra due to the high refresh rate, more RAM, and good processing power.
My Choice
If I had to choose, I would pick the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. Although I appreciate the portability and sharpness of the iPhone 12 mini's screen, the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra provides a superior experience for what I personally prioritize in a smartphone. The larger, 144Hz display is much better for media consumption and gaming, which I tend to do often. The much larger battery capacity and the significantly faster charging would be much more convenient in my day-to-day use, as I don't like being tethered to a power outlet. While the size difference is significant, the benefits of the Edge 30 Ultra outweigh its increased bulk in my personal usage scenarios. Additionally, the Motorola's better camera sensor and zoom capabilities would be something I would use often. The additional RAM is also highly beneficial for multitasking and running multiple apps. While the iPhone offers the iOS ecosystem, for my specific use case, I would go with the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra.
