LG Leon vs. iPhone 13 mini: A David vs. Goliath Battle

The smartphone landscape is vast, ranging from ultra-budget options to premium flagships. Today, we're pitting two very different devices against each other: the LG Leon, a budget-friendly offering, and the Apple iPhone 13 mini, a compact powerhouse. Can the Leon compete with Apple's might?
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 13 mini unequivocally wins this comparison. While the LG Leon offers affordability, the iPhone 13 mini boasts superior performance, a vastly better camera, a stunning display, and exceptional battery life. It's a premium experience versus a basic one.

PHONES
Phone Names LG Leon Apple iPhone 13 mini
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 - H340NHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 7, 8, 20 - H340N1, 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, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2628
SpeedHSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 MbpsHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 2, 4, 12 - T-Mobile1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2629, A2630
Launch
Announced2015, February. Released 2015, April2021, September 14
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2021, September 24
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions129.9 x 64.9 x 10.9 mm (5.11 x 2.56 x 0.43 in)131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 in)
SIMSingle SIM (Micro-SIM) or Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight140 g (4.94 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
Resolution480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~218 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density)
Size4.5 inches, 55.8 cm2 (~66.2% screen-to-body ratio)5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCDSuper Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUQuad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetQualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 (28 nm)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 306Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 5.0.1 (Lollipop)iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDHC (dedicated slot)No
Internal8GB 1GB RAM128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
 eMMC 4.5NVMe
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
FeaturesLED flashDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single5 MP or 8 MP, AF12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
Features-HDR
SingleVGA12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video-4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth4.1, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCNoYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radio, RDSNo
USBmicroUSB 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsAccelerometer, proximity, compassFace ID, 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 17.2 update
Stand-byUp to 465 h (2G) / Up to 505 h (3G)-
TypeLi-Ion 1900 mAh, removableLi-Ion 2438 mAh (9.34 Wh)
Misc
ColorsTitan, GoldStarlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green
ModelsH324, H340n, H320, LGMS345, H340, H345A2628, A2481, A2626, A2629, A2630, iphone14,4
PriceAbout 120 EUR€ 299.00 / $ 240.00 / £ 244.89
SAR1.05 W/kg (head)     0.80 W/kg (body)1.19 W/kg (head)     1.19 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     0.78 W/kg (body)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)

LG Leon

  • Affordable
  • Compact size
  • Decent for basic tasks

  • Outdated chipset
  • Low-resolution display
  • Basic camera
  • Limited software updates

Apple iPhone 13 mini

  • Exceptional performance
  • Excellent camera
  • Stunning display
  • Long battery life
  • Premium build quality
  • iOS ecosystem
  • Long-term software support

  • Expensive
  • Smaller screen size compared to larger phones

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini's display is a clear winner. Its 831 nits max brightness and infinite contrast ratio provide vibrant colors and excellent visibility, even in direct sunlight. The LG Leon's display is likely to be significantly less bright and have lower contrast, resulting in a less immersive viewing experience. Resolution is also likely to be lower on the Leon.

Camera Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini's camera system is significantly more advanced. It captures detailed photos and videos with excellent dynamic range and low-light performance. The LG Leon's camera is likely to be basic, producing acceptable photos in good lighting conditions but struggling in challenging scenarios.

Performance

The A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 mini is in a different league than the Snapdragon 410 in the LG Leon. Expect lightning-fast app loading, smooth multitasking, and effortless gaming on the iPhone. The Leon will likely struggle with demanding apps and may exhibit noticeable lag.

Battery Life

The iPhone 13 mini's endurance rating of 75h suggests exceptional battery life. While the LG Leon might offer a decent battery life for its size and power consumption, it won't come close to the iPhone's longevity.

Buying Guide

The LG Leon is for users on a very tight budget who prioritize affordability over performance and features. The iPhone 13 mini is ideal for those seeking a premium, compact smartphone with excellent performance, a great camera, and long-term software support, even if it means a higher price tag.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the LG Leon still worth buying in 2024?
Only if you're on an extremely tight budget and only need a phone for basic tasks like calls and texting. Otherwise, there are better options available.
❓ What are the key differences between the iPhone 13 mini and the LG Leon?
The iPhone 13 mini offers significantly better performance, camera quality, display, and battery life. The LG Leon is much more affordable but lacks the features and capabilities of the iPhone.