Honor 60 SE vs. iPhone 13 mini: A Detailed Showdown

The smartphone market offers a dizzying array of choices. Today, we're pitting two compelling contenders against each other: the budget-friendly Honor 60 SE and the compact powerhouse, the Apple iPhone 13 mini. Which one reigns supreme?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 13 mini offers superior performance, a better camera, and longer software support, despite slower charging. The Honor 60 SE provides faster charging and a more modern design at a significantly lower price point, making it a great value option for budget-conscious users.

PHONES
Phone Names	Honor 60 SE	Apple iPhone 13 mini

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2628, A2629, A2630
5G bands	1, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2628
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1x	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2629, A2630

Launch
Announced	2022, February 07	2021, September 14
Status	Available. Released 2022, February 17	Available. Released 2021, September 24

Body
Build	-	Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	161.3 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm (6.35 x 2.89 x 0.30 in)	131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	175 g (6.17 oz)	141 g (4.97 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)

Display
Protection	-	Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density)
Size	6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio)	5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR	Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 900 (6 nm)	Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPU	Mali-G68 MC4	Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OS	Android 11, Magic UI 5.0	iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
	-	NVMe

Main Camera
Dual	-	12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single	16 MP, f/2.5, (wide)	12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple	64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro)	-
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	16 MP, f/2.5, (wide)	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	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	No	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	-	Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

Battery
Charging	66W wired, 55% in 15 min 5W reverse wired	Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
Type	Li-Ion 4300 mAh	Li-Ion 2438 mAh (9.34 Wh)

Misc
Colors	Black, Green, Blue	Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green
Models	GIA-AN00	A2628, A2481, A2626, A2629, A2630, iphone14,4
Price	About 300 EUR	€ 299.00 / $ 240.00 / £ 244.89
SAR	-	1.19 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.97 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 75h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-25.9 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 772512 (v9) GeekBench: 4681 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OUR TESTS
Battery (old)	-	Endurance rating 75h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	831 nits max brightness (measured)
Loudspeaker	-	-25.9 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 772512 (v9) GeekBench: 4681 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor 60 SE

Faster Charging (66W)
More Affordable
Modern Design
Decent Camera

Lower Performance
Less Premium Build
Limited Software Updates
Mediocre Display Brightness

Apple iPhone 13 mini

Superior Performance (A15 Bionic)
Excellent Camera
Bright & High-Quality Display
iOS Ecosystem
Long Software Support

Higher Price
Slower Charging (20W)
Smaller Battery Capacity (though efficient)
Lightning Port

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini boasts a significantly brighter display (831 nits vs. Honor 60 SE's estimated 450-500 nits), offering better visibility outdoors. While the Honor 60 SE may have a slightly larger screen, the iPhone 13 mini's OLED panel provides superior contrast and color accuracy. The iPhone 13 mini's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is a key advantage.

Camera Comparison

While both phones offer capable cameras, the iPhone 13 mini consistently delivers superior image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. Apple's computational photography is top-notch. The Honor 60 SE's camera is decent but lacks the refinement and consistency of the iPhone.

Performance

The Apple A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 mini utterly dominates the Mediatek Dimensity 900 in the Honor 60 SE. Expect noticeably faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the iPhone. The A15's efficiency also contributes to better overall battery management.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an impressive endurance rating of 75 hours. However, the iPhone 13 mini's efficient A15 chip likely contributes to slightly better real-world battery life despite a smaller battery capacity. The Honor 60 SE's 66W charging is a significant advantage, allowing for much faster top-ups.

Buying Guide

The Honor 60 SE is ideal for users prioritizing fast charging, a sleek design, and affordability. The iPhone 13 mini is perfect for those who value performance, a premium camera, iOS ecosystem integration, and a compact form factor, and are willing to pay a premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better battery life?

Both offer excellent endurance (75h). The iPhone 13 mini's efficiency might give it a slight edge in real-world usage.

❓ Is the iPhone 13 mini worth the extra cost?

If performance, camera quality, and iOS integration are priorities, then yes. If you're on a budget and prioritize fast charging, the Honor 60 SE is a compelling alternative.

❓ Does the Honor 60 SE get regular software updates?

Honor's software update track record isn't as strong as Apple's. Expect fewer and potentially shorter update cycles.

❓ What charging standards does each phone support?

The Honor 60 SE supports 66W wired charging and 5W reverse wired charging. The iPhone 13 mini supports PD 2.0 wired charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, and 15W Qi2 wireless charging (with iOS 17.2+).