Of Apple’s 2020 iPhone lineup, the smallest model is the iPhone 12 Mini, the first-ever iPhone to get the “Mini” title. 

The iPhone 12 Mini, starting at $699, features the OLED screen and the 5G capability of the other new iPhones, but is, of course, smaller, with a 5.4-inch screen. Some reviews have now appeared of the Mini, which praises the phone’s smaller size and design while noting that the battery life is somewhat subpar. 

Gizmodo’s review was published Friday and praised the “Perfect size, solid cameras, [and] excellent performance,” while noting the battery life and lack of a telephoto lens.

“The Mini is the perfect size,” the review said. “I’m a petite person with small hands, and though I’ve begrudgingly accepted that smartphones are just large now, the Mini’s 5.4-inch display and 5.18-inch-long frame are so much easier for me to use than every other phone—yes, iPhone 12 Pro Max, I am glaring at you.” 

However, the same reviewer said that the battery is “killing me.” 

“My anecdotal battery observations were . . . not god,” she said. “On one day of slightly more than normal use—the group chats were a little more active than usual—I was down to 10 percent just after dinner.

The Verge’s review, published last week, described the iPhone 12 Mini as “not the best iPhone for most people, but it’s going to be a favorite for many.” The reviewer gave the phone a score of eighty-five and called it “my favorite” of the current lineup, praising the camera, the size and speed, while criticizing the “below average” battery life and while asking whether the mmWave 5G was necessary.

“The iPhone 12 mini feels like the first iPhone in a long time with a different goal. It was designed around the human hand and real pockets,” The Verge reviewer wrote. “It is an object that doesn’t aim to be judged against other smartphones (which are mostly big now), but to be judged simply as an object you need to hold. You judge a spatula or can opener or whatever by whether it’s easy to grip, by whether it fits in your hand. It’s about time we got back to judging smartphones that way, too.” 

The Wall Street Journal had a similar take, in its review earlier this month: “Fun size, not so fun battery life.” 

Reviewer Joanna Stern, in a “mini” video review, noted that the iPhone 12 Mini was “basically the same phone as the iPhone 12,” with the exception of the smaller screen and battery. That battery, however, was a “big drop,” compared to the larger version of the iPhone 12. 

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for the National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Image: Reuters