Nokia C1 2nd Edition vs. iPhone 13 mini: A Clash of Titans (and Budgets)

Choosing a new smartphone can be overwhelming, especially with such a vast range of options. Today, we're pitting a budget champion, the Nokia C1 2nd Edition, against a premium powerhouse, the Apple iPhone 13 mini. This comparison will help you decide which phone best suits your needs and wallet.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 13 mini utterly dominates in performance, camera quality, and overall user experience. However, the Nokia C1 2nd Edition offers incredible value for those on a tight budget seeking basic smartphone functionality. It's a clear win for the iPhone, but a respectable showing for the Nokia.

PHONES
Phone Names Nokia C1 2nd Edition Apple iPhone 13 mini
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands-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, 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 MbpsHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPAGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 eMMC 5.11, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2629, A2630
Launch
Announced2021, July 052021, September 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, August 27Available. Released 2021, September 24
Body
BuildGlass front, plastic back, plastic frameGlass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions148 x 71.8 x 9.3 mm (5.83 x 2.83 x 0.37 in)131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight154 g (5.43 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
Resolution720 x 1440 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~295 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density)
Size5.45 inches, 76.7 cm2 (~72.1% screen-to-body ratio)5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeTFT LCDSuper Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUQuad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetUnisoc SC7731eApple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUMali-400 MP2Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 11 (Go edition)iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXCNo
Internal16GB 1GB RAM128GB 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
FeaturesLED flashDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single5 MP12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video720p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesLED flashHDR
Single5 MP12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video720p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth4.2, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCNoYes
PositioningGPSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radioNo
USBmicroUSB 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/nWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsAccelerometer, proximityFace 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
TypeLi-Ion 2500 mAh, removableLi-Ion 2438 mAh (9.34 Wh)
Misc
ColorsBlue, PurpleStarlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green
ModelsTA-1380A2628, A2481, A2626, A2629, A2630, iphone14,4
PriceAbout 50 EUR€ 299.00 / $ 240.00 / £ 244.89
SAR-1.19 W/kg (head)     1.19 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.60 W/kg (head)     1.44 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)

Nokia C1 2nd Edition

  • Extremely affordable
  • Durable build quality (typical Nokia)
  • Simple and easy to use
  • Decent battery life

  • Very slow performance
  • Low-resolution display
  • Basic camera
  • Limited storage

Apple iPhone 13 mini

  • Blazing-fast performance
  • Excellent camera system
  • Premium design and build quality
  • Long software support
  • Fast charging (wired & wireless)

  • Expensive
  • Small screen size (for some)
  • Limited port selection (Lightning)

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini boasts a significantly superior display. Its 831 nits max brightness ensures excellent visibility even in direct sunlight, while the infinite contrast ratio delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks. The Nokia C1 2nd Edition's display is likely to be a standard LCD with lower brightness and contrast, offering a less immersive viewing experience. Expect a noticeable difference in sharpness and color accuracy.

Camera Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini's camera system is renowned for its excellent image quality, offering impressive detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance. Video recording is also top-notch. The Nokia C1 2nd Edition's camera is adequate for basic snapshots, but it lacks the advanced features and image processing capabilities of the iPhone. Expect noticeably inferior image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions.

Performance

Here, the iPhone 13 mini leaves the Nokia C1 2nd Edition in the dust. The A15 Bionic chip is a performance beast, handling demanding apps and games with ease. The Unisoc SC7731e in the Nokia C1 2nd Edition is a budget chipset, resulting in sluggish performance and limited multitasking capabilities. Expect significant lag and slower app loading times on the Nokia.

Battery Life

Both phones offer a respectable endurance rating of 75h. However, the iPhone 13 mini benefits from faster charging capabilities, including PD 2.0 wired charging and MagSafe wireless charging. The Nokia C1 2nd Edition likely has slower charging speeds, which can be a drawback.

Buying Guide

The Nokia C1 2nd Edition is perfect for first-time smartphone users, seniors, or anyone needing a basic device for calls, texts, and light browsing. The iPhone 13 mini is ideal for users deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, prioritizing performance, camera quality, and a premium experience, and who appreciate a compact form factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Nokia C1 2nd Edition good for gaming?
No, the Nokia C1 2nd Edition's chipset is not powerful enough for demanding games. It can handle very basic games, but expect low frame rates and lag.
❓ How much storage does the Nokia C1 2nd Edition have?
The Nokia C1 2nd Edition typically comes with 32GB of storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card. The iPhone 13 mini offers various storage options, starting at 128GB.