Design and Build

The iPhone 13 mini is ultra-slim and ultra-light with an aerospace-grade aluminum body featuring a Ceramic Shield front and a colored glass back. With a size of 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 inches (131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65 mm) and a weight of 4.97 ounces (141g), it is no doubt the smallest iPhone of the year 2021, but it is really handy for one-handed use. The phone comes in a line of six colors: white (as Starlight), black (as Midnight), Blue, Pink, Red, and Green. Moreover, it includes a much smaller notch (a reduction of 20% from iPhone 12) for easier access to the display space. In most regions, this phone has a Lightning port and allows both physical nano-SIM and eSIM slots; however, there are some markets in which dual eSIM is supported.

• Aerospace-grade aluminum frame
• Ceramic Shield front (tougher than any smartphone glass)
• Color-infused glass back
• IP68 rating (water and dust resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes)
• Smaller notch (20% smaller than iPhone 12)
• Lightning port for charging and data transfer
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent)

iPhone 13 mini Display

The iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels (476 PPI) so you can watch HDR10 and Dolby Vision videos with better results. The mini notch frees more space on the screen, but not having ProMotion technology, only a 60Hz refresh rate is the trade-off. The device reaches the typical brightness of 800 nits and, for HDR, it achieves 1200 nits at the peak, which is enough to see clearly from outside, but we should say that the device doesn’t have an Always-On Display feature, and its brightness is less than that of the newer models.

• 5.4-inch OLED (Super Retina XDR)
• 2340 x 1080 resolution, 476 PPI
• HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
• 800 nits (typical), 1200 nits (peak HDR)
• Ceramic Shield protection
• 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion or Always-On Display)

Performance and Software

iPhone 13 mini has the A15 Bionic chip, which is designed on the 5nm process, and it guarantees a high level of performance through a 6-core CPU, a 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Moreover, having 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, it is good enough for daily tasks and light gaming, even though it is weaker than the 5-core GPU in Pro models. When it comes to storage, buyers can choose between the three options: 128GB ($699), 256GB ($799), and 512GB ($999). The phone is pre-installed with iOS 15, but it can be upgraded to the latest version, iOS 18; however, some features such as ProMotion, Dynamic Island, and Always-On Display are not supported due to hardware limitations.

• A15 Bionic chip with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
• 4GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
• iOS 15 (upgradable to iOS 18)
• Optimized for everyday tasks and photography

Camera System

The iPhone 13 mini sports a dual-camera system: a 12MP Main a and a 12MP Ultra Wide. It is devoid of the telescopic lens found in the Pro models but brings better low-light performance through a larger aperture for the main 12MP camera. The 12MP front camera (f/2.2) is equipped with Face ID.

• Rear: 12MP Main (26mm, f/1.6, OIS), 12MP Ultra Wide (13mm, f/2.4, 120° FOV)
• Front: 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2)
• Video: 4K Dolby Vision 60 fps, Cinematic Mode (1080p 30 fps)
• Modes: Night mode, Portrait, Photographic Styles
• True Tone flash

Battery and Charging

The iPhone 13 mini has a 2406mAh battery, offering up to 17 hours of video playback, with real-world tests showing around 12–14 hours of mixed use. It supports 20W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes), 15W MagSafe, and 7.5W Qi wireless charging. No charger is included, only a Lightning cable. Battery life is a compromise due to its compact size, but it’s sufficient for light to moderate use.

• 2406mAh battery
• Up to 17 hours video playback, ~12–14 hours real-world
• 20W wired charging (50% in 30 min)
• 15W MagSafe, 7.5W Qi wireless charging
• No charger included (Lightning cable only)

Connectivity

The iPhone 13 mini features a Qualcomm X60 5G modem that is 5G sub-6 GHz and mmWave compatible (U.S. only) to provide the fastest download speeds in perfect conditions. It has Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, and a choice of physical nano-SIM with eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent). AirTags finding can be achieved using U1 ultra-wideband chip, described as Precision Finding. It is, however, devoid of satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS, unlike the new models. The GPS it has is multi-system (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou).

• Qualcomm X60 5G modem (sub-6 GHz, mmWave in U.S.)
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent)
• U1 ultra-wideband chip (Precision Finding)
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou

Pricing and Availability

Starting in September 2021, the price of the iPhone 13 mini was $699 for 128GB, $799 for 256GB, and $999 for 512GB. The pre-orders were opened on September 17, 2021, with sales being from September 24, 2021, through Apple to carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, and also to retailers such as Best Buy. The phone was put out of production in September 2022 once the iPhone 14 hit the market; nonetheless, some stores may still have stocks or it could be available through the refurbished markets. Credits toward the purchase are given by trade-in programs.