Pixel 5 vs. iPhone 12 mini: A Deep Dive into Compact Smartphone Excellence
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-term software support and raw processing power, the iPhone 12 mini is the superior choice. However, the Pixel 5’s significantly lower price and excellent camera capabilities make it a strong contender for budget-conscious users who value Google’s software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 5 | Apple iPhone 12 mini |
| 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, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 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 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 258, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - GD1YQ | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2176 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 Sub6 - GTT9Q | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2398, A2399, A2400 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 30 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 15 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm (5.70 x 2.77 x 0.31 in) | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 151 g (5.33 oz) | 135 g (4.76 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~432 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 87.6 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 117˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Features | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 12W wireless 5W reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4080 mAh | Li-Ion 2227 mAh (8.57 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Just Black, Sorta Sage | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple |
| Models | GD1YQ, GTT9Q, G5NZ6 | A2399, A2176, A2398, A2400, A2399, iPhone13,1 |
| Price | € 181.31 / $ 272.44 / £ 136.00 | $ 165.79 / C$ 268.99 / £ 155.00 / € 178.00 |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $ 194.84 | - |
| RENEWED | $ 253.00 | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 95h | Endurance rating 69h |
| 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) |
Google Pixel 5
- Significantly lower price point
- Excellent camera performance, especially in low light
- Longer battery life
- Reverse wireless charging
- Less powerful processor than the iPhone 12 mini
- Slower charging speeds
Apple iPhone 12 mini
- Superior processing power with the A14 Bionic
- Faster charging speeds (wired and wireless)
- Compact and premium design
- Long-term software support from Apple
- Significantly shorter battery life
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 mini feature 'Infinite' contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. However, the Pixel 5 boasts a noticeably brighter display at 699 nits compared to the iPhone 12 mini’s 627 nits, making it more legible outdoors. While neither phone offers a high refresh rate, the Pixel 5’s larger 6.0-inch screen provides more viewing real estate than the iPhone 12 mini’s 5.4-inch display. The smaller size of the iPhone 12 mini, however, contributes to a higher pixel density, resulting in a slightly sharper image.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The Pixel 5 leverages Google’s computational photography prowess, delivering consistently excellent images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While specific sensor details aren’t provided, the Pixel 5’s image processing is renowned for its dynamic range and accurate colors. The iPhone 12 mini, with its advanced image signal processor within the A14 Bionic, offers excellent video recording capabilities and a more natural image aesthetic. The iPhone’s Smart HDR 3 and Deep Fusion technologies enhance detail and reduce noise. Both phones lack telephoto lenses, relying on digital zoom.
Performance
The Apple A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 mini, fabricated on a 5nm process, demonstrably outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (7nm) in the Pixel 5. The A14’s hexa-core CPU, with its 3.1 GHz Firestorm cores, delivers significantly faster single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launches and smooth multitasking. While the Pixel 5’s octa-core CPU is capable, it cannot match the A14’s efficiency or raw power. This translates to faster processing speeds for demanding tasks like video editing and gaming on the iPhone 12 mini.
Battery Life
Battery life is a clear advantage for the Pixel 5. Its endurance rating of 95 hours significantly surpasses the iPhone 12 mini’s 69 hours. This difference is attributable to the Pixel 5’s larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but known to be 4000mAh) and the more efficient Snapdragon 765G chipset. While the iPhone 12 mini supports faster wired charging (50% in 30 minutes with PD2.0) and 15W wireless charging with MagSafe/Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.4), the Pixel 5’s 18W wired charging and 12W wireless charging are adequate, but slower. The Pixel 5 also offers 5W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the iPhone 12 mini.
Buying Guide
Buy the Google Pixel 5 if you need exceptional value for money, prefer the Android ecosystem, and prioritize a consistently excellent camera experience, especially in low-light conditions. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 mini if you prefer iOS, demand the fastest possible performance in a compact form factor, and value Apple’s ecosystem integration and long-term software support.