Palm Phone PVG100 vs. iPhone 12 mini: A David and Goliath Smartphone Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Apple iPhone 12 mini is the superior choice. While the Palm Phone PVG100 offers extreme portability at a low price, the iPhone 12 mini’s vastly superior performance, significantly brighter display, and comparable battery endurance justify its higher cost.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Palm Phone PVG100 | Apple iPhone 12 mini |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 66 | 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, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2176 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / 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 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, October. Released 2018, November | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 96.6 x 50.6 x 7.4 mm (3.80 x 1.99 x 0.29 in) | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 62.5 g (2.22 oz) | 135 g (4.76 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~445 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.3 inches, 30.0 cm2 (~61.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x1.4 GHz & 4x1.1 GHz) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8940 Snapdragon 435 (28 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 505 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 8.1 (Oreo) | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | 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" |
| Features | LED flash, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 12 MP, AF | - |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 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 |
| Single | 8 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 720p@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 dual speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Infrared Face ID, accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, 50% in 31 min, 100% in 68 min | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 800 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 2227 mAh (8.57 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gold, Titanium | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple |
| Models | PVG100, PVG100E | A2399, A2176, A2398, A2400, A2399, iPhone13,1 |
| Price | About 400 EUR | $ 165.79 / C$ 268.99 / £ 155.00 / € 178.00 |
| SAR EU | 0.98 W/kg (head) | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 69h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 589616 (v8) GeekBench: 4174 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Palm Phone PVG100
- Extremely compact and pocketable
- Significantly lower price point
- Acceptable charging speed for its class
- Outdated and underpowered processor
- Likely inferior display quality
- Limited camera capabilities
Apple iPhone 12 mini
- Flagship-level performance with A14 Bionic
- Bright and high-quality display
- Excellent camera system
- Higher price tag
- Battery life, while good, isn't exceptional
- Still relatively small screen for some users
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 mini boasts a significantly more advanced display, reaching a measured peak brightness of 627 nits compared to an unspecified brightness for the Palm Phone PVG100. This difference is crucial for outdoor visibility. While the Palm Phone’s display size isn’t specified, its lower price point suggests a less sophisticated panel lacking features like the iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio. The iPhone 12 mini’s display is likely to offer superior color accuracy and viewing angles, enhancing the overall visual experience.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but the iPhone 12 mini is expected to deliver far superior image quality. While specific sensor details for the Palm Phone are unavailable, its budget nature suggests a less capable camera system. The iPhone 12 mini benefits from Apple’s advanced image processing algorithms and likely features a larger sensor and wider aperture, resulting in better low-light performance and dynamic range. The Palm Phone’s camera is likely sufficient for casual snapshots, but won’t compete with the iPhone’s photographic prowess.
Performance
The performance gap between these devices is substantial. The Apple A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, features a hexa-core CPU (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) and delivers significantly faster processing speeds than the Palm Phone’s Qualcomm MSM8940 Snapdragon 435 (28nm) with its octa-core configuration (4x1.4 GHz & 4x1.1 GHz). The A14 Bionic’s architectural advantages, including wider execution units and a more efficient neural engine, translate to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and superior gaming performance. The Snapdragon 435 is adequate for basic tasks, but will struggle with demanding applications.
Battery Life
Despite having an unspecified mAh capacity, the Palm Phone PVG100 achieves 50% charge in 31 minutes and 100% in 68 minutes. The iPhone 12 mini, with an endurance rating of 69 hours, also reaches 50% charge in approximately 30 minutes via wired PD2.0 charging. The iPhone 12 mini also supports 15W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 (with iOS 17.4), offering greater convenience. The similar charging times suggest comparable power delivery capabilities, but the iPhone 12 mini’s endurance rating indicates more efficient power management and potentially a larger battery capacity, resulting in longer real-world usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Palm Phone PVG100 if you need an incredibly small, secondary device for basic communication and minimal app usage, prioritizing extreme portability above all else. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 mini if you prefer a fully-featured smartphone experience in a compact form factor, demanding flagship-level performance, a high-quality camera, and long-term software support.