Galaxy A23 5G Vs iPhone 12 mini

Galaxy A23 5G
Galaxy A23 5G
Starting at

Refurbished price:102.00

Versus €600.00 new

See options
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 mini
Starting at

Refurbished price:159.00

Versus €689.00 new

See options

Ratings

The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, released in late 2022, and the Apple iPhone 12 Mini, launched in late 2020, represent distinct approaches to smartphone design and functionality. While the Galaxy A23 5G offers a larger display and a versatile camera system running on Android, the iPhone 12 Mini provides a compact form factor with a powerful processor and the iOS ecosystem. These differences cater to varying user preferences, from screen size and operating system to overall device handling.

Scores

Durability

When considering the long-term usability of a smartphone, factors like software support, physical resilience, and repairability play a significant role. The Galaxy A23 5G and iPhone 12 Mini offer different profiles in these areas.

  • Software Longevity: The iPhone 12 Mini, running iOS, typically receives major software updates for approximately 5-6 years from its release, extending its functional lifespan for users who prioritize the latest features and security patches [32]. The Galaxy A23 5G, launched with Android 12, is expected to receive fewer major OS upgrades, though it benefits from several years of security updates [11].
  • Physical Durability: The iPhone 12 Mini features a Ceramic Shield front cover, designed to offer enhanced drop performance [3, 10, 18]. It also boasts an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, allowing submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes [1, 3, 36]. The Galaxy A23 5G incorporates Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for screen protection but does not carry an official IP rating for water and dust resistance [24, 26, 33, 39].
  • Expected Practical Lifespan: Both devices are built to last, but the iPhone 12 Mini's longer software support cycle and robust water resistance may offer a slightly extended practical lifespan for users who keep their devices for many years. However, the Galaxy A23 5G's expandable storage can prolong its utility for users with growing data needs [11, 13, 15].

Year of Release

2022

2020

Compatible with latest Update

Yes

Yes

OS

Android

iOS

Foldable

No

No

Performance

The performance of a smartphone dictates its responsiveness and ability to handle various tasks, from everyday browsing to more demanding applications. Both the Galaxy A23 5G and iPhone 12 Mini deliver capable performance, though with different underlying architectures.

  • Everyday Responsiveness: The iPhone 12 Mini, powered by its advanced processor, offers a highly fluid and responsive user experience, handling demanding apps and multitasking smoothly [19, 30, 37]. Users report that it remains snappy for everyday use even years after its release [37]. The Galaxy A23 5G, with its current-generation processor, provides efficient performance for daily tasks and app loading speeds, ensuring a smooth experience for most users [7].
  • Multitasking and Storage: The iPhone 12 Mini comes with a fixed amount of internal storage, available in several capacities, and 4GB of RAM, which allows for effective app juggling [10, 19, 25]. The Galaxy A23 5G offers various RAM configurations and includes expandable storage via a microSD card, which can be beneficial for users who require significant storage flexibility for photos, videos, and apps [11, 13, 15].
  • Gaming and Demanding Apps: For graphically intensive games and heavy applications, the iPhone 12 Mini's processor provides substantial power, allowing for high-quality gaming experiences [30, 37]. The Galaxy A23 5G also handles mobile gaming well, with its processor and 120Hz display contributing to a smoother visual experience [14].

Memory (GB)

4 GB

4 GB

Screen quality

The display is a primary interface for smartphone interaction, and the visual experience can vary significantly between different technologies and specifications. The Galaxy A23 5G and iPhone 12 Mini feature distinct display types and characteristics.

  • Display Technology and Clarity: The iPhone 12 Mini features a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, which delivers deep blacks, high contrast, and vibrant colors, providing a rich viewing experience [1, 3, 31]. Its resolution results in a high pixel density, contributing to sharp text and detailed images [1, 3, 9]. The Galaxy A23 5G sports a larger 6.6-inch PLS LCD display with a Full HD+ resolution, offering a clear and expansive viewing area [5, 7, 13, 15].
  • Brightness and Refresh Rate: The iPhone 12 Mini's OLED display can reach a typical brightness of 625 nits and a peak HDR brightness of 1200 nits, ensuring good visibility even in bright conditions [1, 31, 36]. It operates at a standard 60Hz refresh rate [31, 36]. In contrast, the Galaxy A23 5G's LCD panel features a 120Hz refresh rate, which provides smoother scrolling and more fluid animations, enhancing the overall user interaction [5, 7, 13, 15].
  • Viewing Experience: Users prioritizing a compact device with a premium, high-contrast display for media consumption will find the iPhone 12 Mini appealing [20, 31]. Those who prefer a larger screen for browsing, gaming, and multitasking, along with smoother motion, may lean towards the Galaxy A23 5G [13, 27].

Resolution

1080 x 2408

1080 x 2340

Screen type

PLS LCD

Super Retina XDR OLED

Audiovisual

The camera systems on both the Galaxy A23 5G and the iPhone 12 Mini are designed to capture moments, but they offer different configurations and capabilities for photography and videography.

  • Rear Camera System: The iPhone 12 Mini is equipped with a dual 12MP camera system, featuring a wide lens with optical image stabilization (OIS) and an ultra-wide lens [1, 3, 6]. It excels in computational photography, offering features like Night mode, Deep Fusion, and Smart HDR 3 for improved image quality across various lighting conditions [1, 3]. The Galaxy A23 5G boasts a quad-camera setup, including a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 5MP ultrawide, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor, providing versatility for different types of shots [2, 5, 12, 16].
  • Photography Performance: The iPhone 12 Mini is known for its consistent image processing, producing photos with accurate colors and good dynamic range, particularly in challenging lighting thanks to Night mode [1, 6]. The Galaxy A23 5G's 50MP main sensor captures detailed images, and its OIS helps in reducing blur [2, 27]. User reviews indicate good camera performance for its category [14].
  • Video Recording and Front Camera: For video, the iPhone 12 Mini offers advanced capabilities, including 4K recording at up to 60 frames per second and HDR video with Dolby Vision [1, 6, 25, 38]. Its front-facing 12MP camera also supports 4K video [6, 32]. The Galaxy A23 5G records video at Full HD (1080p) at 30 frames per second with its rear cameras and its 8MP front camera [2, 12, 16, 27].

Main camera

50 megapixels

12 megapixels

Front camera

8 megapixels

12 megapixels

Miscellaneous

Beyond core features, several practical elements contribute to the overall user experience, including connectivity, physical design, and additional functionalities.

  • Connectivity and Ports: Both devices support 5G connectivity, enabling faster mobile data speeds [3, 18, 26, 33]. The iPhone 12 Mini uses Apple's proprietary Lightning port for charging and data transfer [10, 25]. The Galaxy A23 5G features a USB-C 2.0 port and retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, offering broader compatibility with accessories [11, 23, 33].
  • Physical Design and Handling: The iPhone 12 Mini is notably compact and lightweight, measuring 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm and weighing 135g, making it ideal for one-handed use and easy pocketability [10, 25, 41]. It features an aluminum frame and glass back [10, 20]. The Galaxy A23 5G is a larger device at 165.4 x 76.9 x 8.4 mm and 197g, with a plastic frame and back, providing a more substantial feel [11, 13, 26].
  • Security and Other Features: The iPhone 12 Mini utilizes Face ID for secure facial recognition [9, 41]. It also supports MagSafe for magnetic attachment of accessories and wireless charging [10, 18]. The Galaxy A23 5G incorporates a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication [23, 33]. It also offers expandable storage, a feature not present on the iPhone 12 Mini [11, 25].

Weight

197 g

135 g

Screen size (in)

6.6

5.4

Network

5G

5G

SIM card

Dual Physical SIM

Physical SIM + eSIM

Carrier compatibility

Unlocked

Unlocked

Connector

USB-C + Jack 3.5mm

Lightning

The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G and iPhone 12 Mini cater to different user priorities, reflecting their distinct design philosophies and ecosystems. User feedback for the Galaxy A23 5G frequently highlights its impressive battery life, often lasting well over a day for many users, and its smooth 120Hz display for an enhanced visual experience [14, 29, 35]. Its expandable storage is also a common praise point for those who need ample space for media and applications [13, 15]. Some users note that while the display is large and fluid, it may not offer the same vibrant colors and deep blacks as OLED panels [7].

Conversely, the iPhone 12 Mini is consistently lauded for its exceptionally compact size and premium build quality, making it a preferred choice for users who value one-handed usability and a pocket-friendly device [19, 22, 37]. Its powerful processor ensures excellent performance and longevity within the iOS ecosystem [30, 37]. However, a frequent criticism leveled against the iPhone 12 Mini is its battery life, which many users find to be insufficient for a full day of heavy use, often requiring mid-day charging [17, 20, 22, 28].

Users prioritizing a large display, extended battery life, and expandable storage for media and files may find the Galaxy A23 5G to be a suitable option. Its Android operating system and versatile camera array offer a comprehensive experience for everyday tasks. On the other hand, individuals who value a highly compact device with a premium feel, robust performance for demanding applications, and the consistent software experience of iOS, along with advanced video capabilities, might prefer the iPhone 12 Mini, provided they are mindful of its battery capacity. Both devices are available as quality-assured refurbished options, offering an eco-friendly alternative for consumers seeking to make a sustainable choice.

See all articles

Our recent comparisons