Compact phones became very rare, yet Apple launched two compact devices this year. The latest one is the iPhone 12 Mini, already considered the king of compact phones by a lot of people. But is it really so or there is something at the same level in the Android world? This is a specs comparison between compact phones including the iPhone 12 Mini, the Sony Xperia 5 II, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G. The Samsung device is not among the most compact ones, but it is a clamshell phone with a foldable display and it becomes incredibly small while folded: that is why we included it in this comparison despite it may look like an atypical choice.
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Sony Xperia 5 II
| Apple iPhone 12 Mini | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G | Sony Xperia 5 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| THICKNESS | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm, 135 grams |
167.3 x 73.6 x 7.2 mm (unfolded) 87.4 x 73.6 x 17.3 mm (folded) 183 grams |
158 x 68 x 8 mm, 163 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.2 inches, Super Retina XDR OLED 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 476 ppi | 6.7 inches, 1080 x 2636p (Full HD+), Foldable Dynamic AMOLED External display: 1.1 inches, Super AMOLED, 112 x 300 pixels |
6.1 inches, 1080 x 2520p (Full HD+), OLED |
| PROCESSOR | Apple A14 Bionic, octa-core 3.1 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+, octa-core 3.09 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 4 GB RAM, 256 GB | 8 GB RAM, 256 GB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | iOS 14 | Android 10, One UI | Android 10 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 12 + 12 MP f/1.6 + f/2.4 Dual 12 MP + SL 3D f/2.2 front camera |
Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.2 10 MP f/2.4 selfie camera |
Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.7, f/2.4 and f/2.2 8 MP f/2.0 selfie camera |
| BATTERY | 2227 mAh Fast charging 20W and fast wireless charging 12W |
3300 mAh, Fast Charging 15W, and fast wireless charging 9W | 4000 mAh, Fast Charging 21W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | 5G, waterproof IP68, optional eSIM, Face ID | 5G, eSIM | 5G, optional dual SIM, IP65/68 waterproof |
Design
The verdict may change depending on your tastes, but the most impressive design belongs to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G. The reason why it is the most attractive is the fact that it is a foldable phone and it features a foldable display. Thanks to this solution, the phone is able to become extremely compact while folded, so that you can keep it in a small pocket. And while the phone is folded, you can use a small external display to check the notifications and shoot selfies with the rear cameras. The iPhone 12 Mini comes right after with its compact and symmetric borderless design, and it even features a sturdier build quality with Ceramic Shield and a waterproof body offering water resistance up to 6 meters deep.
Display
Maybe it does not offer the most realistic image quality, but the most interesting display belongs to the Sony Xperia 5 II for a simple reason: it has a 120 Hz refresh rate. But do not underestimate the foldable screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G with the HDR10+ certification. Despite being more compact, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G has the widest display with a 6.7-inch diagonal. The iPhone 12 Mini offers an astonishing image quality with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and a wide color gamut. And it is the device with the smallest display. iPhone 12 Mini relies on Face ID for authentication, while Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G and Sony Xperia 5 II feature a fingerprint scanner.
Specs & Software
The most advanced device in terms of performance is the iPhone 12 Mini thanks to the Apple A14 Bionic chipset built at 5 nm. No matter if it comes with less RAM because the iOS operating system knows how to manage it. The silver medal goes to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G powered by the Snapdragon 865+ mobile platform paired with 8 GB of RAM and UFS 3.0 native storage. But the Sony Xperia 5 II is still a top-tier flagship with its Snapdragon 865. iPhone 12 Mini runs iOS 14, while its rivals run Android 10.
Camera
The most complete camera department belongs to the Sony Xperia 5 II. Besides the classic 12 MP main sensor and an ultrawide lens, unlike its two rivals, it even comes with a telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. You do not get that on the iPhone 12 Mini and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G. But the iPhone 12 Mini actually provides better photo quality, if we exclude zoom capabilities. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G is a very nice camera phone, but it is not among the best ones.
Battery
The battery award goes to the Sony Xperia 5 II featuring a satisfying 5000 mAh battery. But it is the only one to lack wireless charging. iPhone 12 Mini and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G have below-average batteries, but they are not disappointing in terms of battery life.
Price
The prices of the iPhone 12 Mini start from €800/$700, Sony Xperia 5 II is priced €800/$890, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G costs about €1600/$1500 (prices vary depending on the market). At the end of the day, the iPhone 12 Mini is a better compact phone for several reasons. It is very compact thanks to its 5.4-inch display, it has a great chipset, very nice camera capabilities, and more interesting minor features. But the choice mostly depends on your needs: you may need an even more compact device like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G while folded, or you may prefer having a longer battery life with the Sony Xperia 5 II. In each case, you would get an awesome device.
Apple iPhone 12 Mini vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G vs Sony Xperia 5 II: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
PRO
- Foldable display
- Extremely compact (when folded)
- External display
- Wireless charging
CONS
- Price
- No water resistance
Apple iPhone 12 Mini
PRO
- Very compact
- High performance
- Face ID
- Wireless charging and MagSafe
- Stereo speakers
CONS
- Nothing particular
Sony Xperia 5 II
PRO
- Expandable storage
- Bigger battery
- Stereo speakers
- 120 Hz refresh rate
CONS
- Inferior front camera
