iPhone 12 mini vs. Pixel 5a 5G: A Deep Dive into Compact Choices
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Google Pixel 5a 5G emerges as the more practical choice. Its significantly superior battery life (122h endurance vs. 69h) and brighter display (861 nits) offer tangible benefits in everyday use, outweighing the iPhone 12 mini’s faster processor for the average user.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 12 mini | Google Pixel 5a 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2176 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2176 | 1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2398, A2399, A2400 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 13 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, November 13 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back |
| Dimensions | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in) | 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8 mm (6.15 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 135 g (4.76 oz) | 183 g (6.46 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | OLED, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Adreno 620 |
| OS | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| NVMe | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Ion 2227 mAh (8.57 Wh) | Li-Po 4680 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple | Mostly Black |
| Models | A2399, A2176, A2398, A2400, A2399, iPhone13,1 | G1F8F, G4S1M |
| Price | $ 165.79 / C$ 268.99 / £ 155.00 / € 178.00 | $ 189.00 / C$ 249.99 |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 69h | Endurance rating 122h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.6 LUFS (Very good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 589616 (v8) GeekBench: 4174 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 291303 (v8) GeekBench: 1337 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 12 mini
- Unmatched processing power with the A14 Bionic chip.
- Compact and pocketable design.
- Premium build quality and materials.
- Significantly shorter battery life compared to the Pixel 5a 5G.
- Lower display brightness impacting outdoor visibility.
- Higher price point.
Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Exceptional battery life for all-day use.
- Brighter display for improved outdoor visibility.
- Excellent camera performance with Google’s computational photography.
- Less powerful processor compared to the A14 Bionic.
- Larger and heavier than the iPhone 12 mini.
- Plastic build, less premium feel.
Display Comparison
The Pixel 5a 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 861 nits compared to the iPhone 12 mini’s 627 nits. This translates to superior readability in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, but the brightness difference is a key differentiator. While neither specifies refresh rate, the iPhone 12 mini’s smaller size means a higher pixel density, potentially offering a sharper image, though this is less noticeable in real-world use. The lack of LTPO on either device means variable refresh rates aren't present, impacting power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The Pixel 5a 5G leverages Google’s computational photography prowess, extracting detail and dynamic range through software processing. While specific sensor sizes aren’t provided, the Pixel’s image processing is known for its consistent results across various lighting conditions. The iPhone 12 mini, while capable, relies more on its hardware and Apple’s image pipeline. The absence of a dedicated telephoto lens on either device limits optical zoom capabilities. The Pixel 5a 5G’s strength lies in its consistent, reliable image quality, while the iPhone 12 mini offers more creative control for experienced photographers.
Performance
Apple’s A14 Bionic (5nm) chip demonstrably outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (7nm) in raw processing power. The A14’s hexa-core configuration (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) delivers faster CPU speeds and a more powerful GPU. However, the Snapdragon 765G’s octa-core setup (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) is still capable of handling everyday tasks smoothly. The 7nm process node of the Snapdragon 765G is less efficient than the A14’s 5nm node, potentially leading to more heat generation under sustained load, but the Pixel 5a 5G’s larger chassis provides more thermal headroom.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Pixel 5a 5G truly shines. Its endurance rating of 122 hours dwarfs the iPhone 12 mini’s 69 hours. This difference is attributable to a larger battery capacity and the more efficient Snapdragon 765G chipset. While the iPhone 12 mini supports 15W wireless charging (MagSafe and Qi2 with iOS 17.4), the Pixel 5a 5G offers 18W wired charging, both utilizing PD2.0. The Pixel 5a 5G’s superior battery life makes it the clear winner for users who prioritize longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 mini if you absolutely prioritize a compact size *and* require the fastest possible mobile processing for demanding tasks like video editing or graphically intensive gaming. Buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G if you value all-day battery life, a vibrant display for outdoor visibility, and Google’s renowned computational photography, all without breaking the bank.