Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vs. iPhone 12 Mini: A Clash of Generations
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone 12 Mini is the clear winner. While the S4 Mini holds nostalgic charm, the iPhone 12 Mini boasts significantly superior performance, camera quality, and battery life thanks to its modern chipset and optimized software. It's a generational leap in technology.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S4 mini I9195I | Apple iPhone 12 mini |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 | 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 | 2015, June. Released 2015, June | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm (4.91 x 2.41 x 0.35 in) | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 107 g (3.77 oz) | 135 g (4.76 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | To be confirmed | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 540 x 960 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~256 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density) |
| Size | 4.3 inches, 51.0 cm2 (~66.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 (28 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 306 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 8GB 1.5GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| eMMC 4.5 | 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, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 8 MP, AF | - |
| Video | 1080p@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 | 1.9 MP | 12 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 | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash Lite | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face 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 17.4 update |
| Music play | Up to 55 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 200 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 14 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 1900 mAh, removable | Li-Ion 2227 mAh (8.57 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White Frost, Black Mist | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple |
| Models | GT-I9195, GT-I9195L | A2399, A2176, A2398, A2400, A2399, iPhone13,1 |
| Price | About 190 EUR | $ 165.79 / C$ 268.99 / £ 155.00 / € 178.00 |
| SAR | 0.98 W/kg (head) 1.23 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.68 W/kg (head) 0.50 W/kg (body) | 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) |
Samsung Galaxy S4 mini I9195I
- Extremely affordable
- Compact size
- Nostalgic appeal
- Outdated performance
- Poor camera quality
- Short battery life
- Limited app support
Apple iPhone 12 mini
- Excellent performance
- High-quality camera
- Long battery life
- Premium design
- Seamless iOS integration
- Higher price
- Limited customization compared to Android
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Mini's Super Retina XDR display offers vibrant colors, excellent brightness (627 nits), and a high contrast ratio. The S4 Mini's display is noticeably less bright and lacks the color accuracy and sharpness of the iPhone. The iPhone's OLED technology provides deeper blacks and a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 12 Mini's camera system is significantly more advanced, capturing detailed photos and videos with excellent dynamic range. The S4 Mini's camera is adequate for basic snapshots but lacks the features and image quality of the iPhone. Computational photography on the iPhone is a game-changer.
Performance
The A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 Mini is a beast, easily handling demanding games and apps. The S4 Mini's Snapdragon 410 struggles with modern applications and multitasking. The iPhone's hexa-core CPU and 5nm architecture provide a massive performance advantage.
Battery Life
The iPhone 12 Mini offers impressive battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 69 hours. The S4 Mini's battery life is considerably shorter, reflecting its older technology and less efficient processor.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini? Those seeking a very budget-friendly, small phone for basic tasks and nostalgia. Who should buy the Apple iPhone 12 Mini? Users prioritizing performance, a great camera, and a premium experience within a compact form factor, and are invested in the Apple ecosystem.