Expert review Apple iPhone 12
Refurbished iPhone 12 128GB Black
- Take sharper photos in the dark thanks to the improved wide-angle lens and night mode on all cameras.
- With the A14 Bionic chip, you're ready for the newest apps and games.
- This iPhone is suitable for the new and fast 5G network.
- EarPods and a charger aren't included by default, so you could purchase them separately.
First impression of the iPhone 12
The first thing I notice is that the box is a lot more narrow than I'm used to from previous iPhone models. That's because the charger and EarPods aren't included anymore. What does come in the box is a Lightning to USB-C cable, a manual, the SIM card needle, and of course the Apple iPhone 12 itself. The screen of the device is covered with a white sticker. On the sticker, there are icons indicating what the buttons on the device do.
Design with flat sides
What stands out right away when it comes to the design of the Apple iPhone 12 are the flat sides. These provide a solid grip and give it a new look. Thanks to the matte finish, the sides aren't susceptible to fingerprints. But the shiny glass back is. The camera island is made of mat glass, which reminds me of the iPhone 11. Though the screen size is the same as the iPhone 11, the bezels are thinner. That makes the device slightly smaller and more comfortable to hold.
High-contrast 6.1-inch OLED screen
Just like the iPhone 12 Pro (Max), the Apple iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch OLED screen. That makes the difference between the iPhone 12 and the Pro models slightly smaller. In addition, OLED is known for the intense black levels of the screen. Black is truly black and you can tell by the notch (indent) at the top of the screen. This is a lot less noticeable on the iPhone 12. The screen displays clear colors thanks to the HDR (high dynamic range) technology. You'll notice this when you watch photos, videos, and series on your device.
Fast A14 Bionic Chip processor
On paper, the A14 Bionic Chip in the iPhone 12 is 20% faster than its predecessor, the A13 Bionic Chip. In practice, I don't notice much difference. Navigating and scrolling still goes just as fast and I don't see a difference in the boot time of apps either. This processor does provide the possibility to connect to the 5G network. In addition, the Neural Engine 2 has twice as many cores as before, so it processes faster. As a result, Siri is smarter and faster and you can take more beautiful photos with Smart HDR.
Detailed photos in the dark
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Photo with wide-angle lens
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Photo with ultra-wide angle lens
The iPhone 12 has an ultra wide-angle lens and a wide-angle lens on the back. The wide-angle lens now lets through more light, so your photos turn out nicer in low-light situations. In addition, every lens has a night mode. You mainly notice this when you head out to take photos in the evening. The photos contain more detail and the camera can handle backlight from things like streetlights better.
5 colors and 3 storage capacity options
The small, practical version of the Apple iPhone 12 is the Apple iPhone 12 Mini. This device has a smaller 5.4-inch screen. In addition, you sacrifice a bit of the battery life of the device. Aside from this, the iPhone models are identical. The Apple iPhone 12 is available in 5 different colors, namely black, blue, red, green, and white. When it comes to storage capacity, you can choose between 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. A storage capacity of 128GB is enough to save all your apps, photos, and videos.
Conclusion
The biggest improvements of the iPhone 12 are the OLED screen and the renewed A14 Bionic Chip. In addition, you take detailed photos in the dark and the casing has a robust look with flat sides. The only question left to ask is, would we upgrade from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 12? No. I don't notice enough difference during everyday use. Do you have an older device now, such as the iPhone Xr? Then switching to the iPhone 12 is definitely worth it.
