iPhone 12 Specifications
This may not be the latest iPhone, but the iPhone 12 can still offer a lot of bangs for money. At a discounted price of £649 / $599, it remains a tempting device.
Key features
Renewed design design separates iPhone from Android competitors
Powerful performance and easy when browsing and gaming
Reliable camera performance Great aiming and shooting capabilities and HDR video support
With the iPhone 12, Apple has brought many "Pro" level features from the iPhone 11 Pro to the entry-level range.
The iPhone 12 is a complete redesign of the premium smartphone when compared to the iPhone 11, bringing it back to something like an angular iPhone 5.
Big updates include screen improvements, 5G support, and better camera performance than its predecessor, and although it saw a slight price increase at launch, it's now more expensive in United Kingdom at £649 and even cheaper in the US at $599.
If you're interested in other models in the iPhone 12 family, our iPhone 12 Pro review looks at the differences between them and the cheaper model, while the iPhone 12 mini review focuses on the smaller model. We've also got an iPhone 12 Pro Max review – is the camera really much better than the standard iPhone 12?
We also have the best iPhone if you are interested in knowing how the iPhone 12 compares to newer iPhone models.
design
Biggest iPhone redesign in a few years
Almost identical to iPhone 12 Pro in design
Ceramic Shield Display Protection
The iPhone 12 is a great phone and Apple's best-looking phone since the iPhone 5 – a device that draws a lot of inspiration from it. The rounded sides and slightly curved screen have been replaced by flat edges and straight lines everywhere. It is clean, very well designed and is quite happy to use.
It's thinner, lighter, smaller, and more comfortable than the replaced iPhone 11 and the flat sides make it more comfortable to hold. Everything just works, from size to weight. It's a tougher phone too, with more durable glass on the front and a better IP68 rating to resist splash, water, and dust. Apple now claims that it will withstand a maximum depth of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
It's a design that Apple has retained for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 and it's probably the iPhone 15 if rumors are to be believed, so you'll feel just as lively as the newer iPhone at hand.
Interestingly, the iPhone 12 is exactly the same as the iPhone 12 Pro when it comes to dimensions and screen size. If you buy a bag for one, it will work for the other. However, there are differences: the iPhone 12 replaces the stainless steel rods with cheaper aluminum and is noticeably lighter as a result. The Pro model also has a frosted glass back, while the 12 model has a more shiny finish. It's the opposite on the sides, where the number 12 turns matte here and the Pro becomes (very) glossy.
In the beautiful green color in which my review module appeared, the back is not vulnerable to visible fingerprints, but this will not be the case if I choose a darker model - the blue, black or red version, for example.
No matter what color you choose, the color wraps around the side and although the choice is not quite as varied as with the iPhone 11, each tone is delicious.
The front of the iPhone 12 covers Apple's "Ceramic Shield" cover. This was developed jointly with Corning, from the fame of Gorilla Glass, which, according to Apple, is 4x better at drop-resisting. Apple has added nanoceramic crystals to the glass which are said to make it much stronger, and this has been combined with the double ion exchange previously used to resist scratching.
Now, and this is important, the iPhone 12 is no more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 11, nor is it worse than the Ceramic Shield used in newer iPhones – the technology has remained unchanged since the launch of the iPhone 12. Often when things become better at falling resistance, they become more susceptible to other types of damage, such as scratches. I didn't notice any scratches on my account, but that's no excuse to give up the screen protector if you're going to use it before.
screen
6.1-inch OLED display
HDR support
Culminated at 60 Hz
Apple got mixed up on the screen of the iPhone 11. OLED wasn't like the Pro models, but the LCD was slightly higher than 720p. There was no HDR support either, which made compatible media look fairly flat. With the iPhone 12, all this has changed.
The upgraded screen is there with the biggest upgrades for the iPhone 12, and if you're coming from an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or lower, you'll notice it right away. Apple may have some great LCD screens, but switching to OLED is welcome and the panel here is almost indistinguishable from that of the 12 Pro. Everything is brighter, has better contrast and is generally more pleasing to the eye.
Using OLED also allows a smaller frame around the screen and enables HDR in formats like Dolby Vision and HLG. It's also clearer, now it's over 1080p, which is better overall.
One simple thing to note is that the 12 Pro model becomes slightly brighter in regular use, giving the eggs a lower color than gray. You'll only really notice this if you have both side by side and both can reach 1200 nits (according to Apple) when playing HDR content. Disney Plus's Streaming Avengers: Endgame is a great test for this screen and you'll notice extra brightness in dark scenes filled with fire and bright explosions.
At 6.1 inches, the screen here is as good as the middle size. Small enough to hold one hand, but big enough to watch media and play games without feeling upset. If you want a larger size, you'll have to look for a Pro Max, while those looking for something closer to older iPhones like the iPhone 5 should look at the iPhone 12 mini. Apple has done a great job of catering for all sizes and I wish more Android manufacturers would follow suit.
There are several areas where Apple can still improve the viewing experience. My main request is to get a faster overall screen, and raise 60Hz to something closer to 90Hz or 120Hz. Apple's ProMotion 120Hz display technology appears on newer iPhones, although it is exclusive to the higher-priced Pro and Pro Max models.
I would also like Apple to reduce (or get rid of) the score. Although Apple has made significant notch improvements to newer iPhones, especially the redesigned Dynamic Island for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, it is still prominent in entry-level models. You'll get used to it yes, and after a while you forgot it was there – but more properties on the screen would be great.
performance
5G is useful but not necessary
A14 Bionic chip still capable in 2023
Light daily performance
5G is a huge performance gain for the iPhone 12 and every model in the series has it. If you're in the US, you'll get mmWave UWB 5G support on networks like Verizon, while people in United Kingdom are limited to the more prevalent 6GHz subbands. Annoyingly, we still pay the same price, even though the United Kingdom model lacks mmWave antennas.
It is worth saying right away that although networks and Apple want you to think that 5G is a reason to upgrade or buy this iPhone, I don't think so. Even years after launch, a good 5G connection is still only available in small parts even of supported regions, it seems to be right or wrong in terms of speed when compared to 4G and still has a long battery life if you push it with downloads. Apple seems to agree, at least in part, that the Smart 5G feature will take you back to 4G if you think what you're doing doesn't really guarantee those extra speeds.
Using 5G can make a difference when attending parties, big sporting events, and festivals where connectivity is really important. However, for most users, it's nice to have it instead of being necessary.
The A14 Bionic chipset powers the iPhone 12. This is the same chip that you will find running the fourth generation of the iPad Air. Although it follows Apple's latest A16 Bionic model, it remains a triumph of engineering, built on a highly efficient 5nm process and is the likely cause of battery life is almost the same as the iPhone 11 even with 5G add-ons and a better screen . It's harsh in terms of performance too, with standards not too far from those of the latest Android versions. I ran the synthetic CPU standard and got a multi-core score of 3927, with a single-core score of 1590.
A lot of the power from this chip is used in parts of the phone that you won't notice right away. Whether it's enabling Dolby Vision recording or the camera's AI elements, this thinner chip isn't just there to make your home screen stream faster or games load faster.
In everyday performance overall, the iPhone 12 is pretty fast, and while it's as simple as the Pro, I don't think you'll notice much difference unless you're upgrading from a really old iPhone. For me, iPhones have always felt and remained fast and that is no different.
The only real difference in terms of specifications between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro is that the latter has slightly more RAM: 6 GB, versus 4 GB. You probably haven't noticed this feature yet, and I certainly couldn't. You can also get 128GB of storage as standard in the Pro, instead of 64GB here.
The sound from the speakers is great (loud, detailed and without distortion even at full volume), the connection quality is strong and there is Wi-Fi 6 support if you have the right router.
While the iPhone 14 was shipped with iOS 14, it has since received the upgrade to iOS 15 and more recently, iOS 16, with major new software features. Apple's long-term software support is one of the main reasons for getting an iPhone compared to the Android competition, even as support from many Android manufacturers has increased in recent years.
Camera
Dual rear camera setup
HDR video support
Great all-round performance
The iPhone 12 has seen many significant improvements over its predecessor and this makes the camera changes seem less substantial. There are new things and some obvious improvements, especially when shooting in low light, but overall the photos I took look a lot like those in the iPhone 11 series.
This is far from being a bad thing. The 12MP main sensor now has an f/1.6 lens with 7 faster elements, and it's also paired with a 12MP ultra-high-resolution camera. If you want telephoto (and LiDAR sensor privileges), there's an iPhone 12 Pro.
The real strength of the iPhone 12 camera lies in its reliability. Smart HDR 3 and Deep Fusion technology within the camera app do an amazing job of color leveling and dynamic range. It does almost unparalleled work to ensure that the exposure is correct in every image. If you are taking difficult photos with multiple levels of brightness, the iPhone 12 can handle them easily and this is not something I can say about every phone from Huawei, Samsung, and others.
The f / 1.6 aperture helps in darker scenarios, as it allows more light (27% according to Apple) to enter the sensor. I found footage in situations where custom night mode is not activated a little clearer with much better color reproduction than the 11 Pro, and a lot better overall than those on the iPhone XS. As I think most people upgrade from an older iPhone, this is the most important metric really.
Another notable change with the iPhone 12 is that night mode and Deep Fusion work across both sensors. This improves night shots in the ultra-fast range, but the footage is still inferior to the point that the sensor is completely incapable. The night mode on the main camera is still great, and if you're coming from an iPhone before 11, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve with little or no light. Even the upgrade on the iPhone 11 Pro is noticeable here very clearly here, with brighter colors adventing.
The front camera is very similar to its predecessor. It is a 12 megapixel sensor, with f / 2.2 aperture and is mainly used for the Face ID unlocking system. Selfies are good, but they can look a little dull when compared to the frank contrasting look you'll get from a modern Pixel smartphone.
Video has always been one of the highlights of the iPhone, and that continues with the iPhone 12.
A big new addition is HDR recording. HDR gives you better contrast, brighter colors, and an overall pleasant look. Here, the HDR video is recorded in HLG format with some Dolby Vision codec on top. This is next to the important point, as the results are amazing especially when viewed on the HDR screen of the iPhone 12. Colors stand out, the sky stands out even and there's real energy that now feels lost when I go back to the iPhone 11. You can easily share these videos with other iPhone users, and while third-party support was intermittent at first, they now play well in most third-party apps.
Battery life
No charger in the box
Average battery life
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging
There have been notable gains across the board regarding battery life with the iPhone 11, but things are more modest with the iPhone 12. The 2815mAh battery (same in both the 12 and 12 Pro) gave me almost the same thing in terms of juice. Like 11, which is impressive considering all the additional benefits you get.
The lack of a big leap in endurance may annoy some, and this is still the phone you're likely to charge every day – unlike the latest iPhone models like the iPhone 14 Plus.
For every charge, I was getting about 6 hours of screen on time and that's a lot like the 12 Pro. I ate an hour of Netflix HDR streaming at 8%.
Now, there are some caveats here. I spend a lot of time at home and often use Wi-Fi more than a mobile connection. I also don't live in a reliable 5G region (sometimes pops up, but speeds are rarely faster than 4G), so if you're bombarding downloads on a 5G network, expect it to hit 0% much faster.
Perhaps the biggest controversy with the iPhone 12 is the lack of a plug in the box. There is only a USB C cable and nothing else. EarPods and wall bricks have been eliminated, making the box slimmer and hopefully good for the environment in the long run. It's a trend that many Android manufacturers have since started, including the likes of Samsung with the flagship Galaxy range.
While it's great if the included cable is USB C, very few people (I would suggest) will have plenty of USB bricks lying around their home. This will be somewhat invalidated if Apple switches the phone to USB C, so you can use the same plug and cable kit that you charge your iPad or laptop with, but it doesn't. The lightning remains and I can't see why.
Also, if you encourage people to reuse a charger from an old iPhone, they will experience very slow charging speeds. The 5W brick (which you have with all iPhones other than older Pro models) will take hours and hours to charge this. While a 20W brick takes you to 50% in just over 30 minutes.
Realistically, you'll want to buy a 20W plug to use with this phone and that's another cost.
You'll also need one of the 20W plugs if you want to use the new MagSafe charger – a £40/$40 magnetic wireless charger, part of a full range of add-ons. It uses magnets, NFC, and the Qi standard to charge your iPhone 12 at 15W, giving you about 50% in an hour. I've delved into MagSafe here. The iPhone 12 still works with other Qi chargers, with speeds over 7.5W.
Final Thoughts
While it has since been replaced by the iPhone 13 and more recently the iPhone 14, the iPhone 12 represents a notable leap for Apple's flagship phone – and it still performs well in 2023. It's also £150 cheaper now than it was at launch, at a more tempting £649.
The screen still hangs in 2023 (even if the higher refresh rate screen is great), the design is still the best you will find and the cameras take reliable photos in all conditions. There is also 5G video recording, HDR and all the advantages of iOS and MagSafe.