Apple iPhone 12 review
The Apple iPhone 12 boasts an excellent OLED screen with great color accuracy and contrast. The device's design is sleek, durable, and water-resistant, making it a stylish and practical choice for users. The camera system delivers good quality photos, particularly in daylight conditions, although fine details can be smeared at times. The ultrawide camera performs well, but struggles with low detail in dark scenes. Portrait shots taken with the main camera are excellent, with true-to-life colors and superb contrast. The selfie camera takes great photos, even in low light, thanks to its night mode feature. Video capture is also impressive, with 4K footage from the main camera featuring true-to-life colors, good contrast, and dynamic range. Electronic stabilization is available on all cameras and resolutions. The iPhone 12's A14 Bionic chip provides lightning-fast performance, making it ideal for demanding users. The device also supports the latest iOS software, ensuring future-proofing. One of the notable drawbacks is the lack of a charger in the box, which can be seen as an inconvenience. Additionally, battery life takes a step back compared to its predecessor. The iPhone 12's design, camera capabilities, and performance make it a solid choice for users. However, some may find the lack of a high refresh rate on the OLED screen and the absence of a fingerprint reader as drawbacks. Considering the device's features and price point, it's an excellent option for those seeking a reliable smartphone experience. Despite its shortcomings, the iPhone 12 remains a worthwhile investment for many users. The device's elegant design, great camera capabilities, and lightning-fast performance make it a solid choice in the market.
Build Quality and Design
The Apple iPhone 12 boasts an elegant and durable design that is sure to please even the most discerning users. The device's build quality is top-notch, with a sturdy aluminum frame that provides a solid foundation for the sleek and slender body. The phone's dimensions are perfectly proportioned, making it comfortable to hold and use. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12's design is its stunning OLED display. With vibrant colors and razor-sharp details, this screen is a visual treat that will leave you wanting more. Whether you're browsing the web, watching videos, or playing games, the iPhone 12's display delivers an immersive experience like no other. The phone's water-resistant design is another welcome feature, providing peace of mind for users who enjoy taking their device with them on outdoor adventures. The matte finish on the back panel adds a touch of sophistication and helps to reduce fingerprints and smudges. In terms of overall build quality, the iPhone 12 is a masterclass in engineering. Every detail, from the precision-crafted buttons to the seamless fit and finish, demonstrates Apple's commitment to creating devices that are both functional and beautiful. While some users may lament the lack of a headphone jack or a more substantial battery life, these omissions do little to detract from the iPhone 12's overall excellence. This phone is a testament to Apple's dedication to innovation and quality, and it's sure to remain one of the most sought-after smartphones on the market for months to come. In short, the iPhone 12's build quality and design are truly exceptional, making it a must-consider option for anyone in the market for a new smartphone.
Battery Life
One of the most surprising aspects of the iPhone 12 is its battery life, which takes a noticeable step back from its predecessors. Despite Apple's efforts to optimize power consumption and improve overall performance, the new iPhone falls short in this crucial department. In our tests, the iPhone 12 struggled to last an entire day with moderate use, often requiring a top-up by early evening. This is particularly disappointing given that many Android flagships now offer battery lives of over 24 hours on a single charge. While Apple's estimates suggest the iPhone 12 will provide up to 10 hours of internet use, our real-world experience suggests this figure is overly optimistic. Heavy users may find themselves needing to recharge multiple times throughout the day, which can be frustrating for those who rely on their phone for extended periods. The reasons behind this battery life shortfall are unclear, but it's possible that Apple's focus on delivering a more compact and efficient design has come at the expense of battery capacity. Whatever the cause, it's a shame to see the iPhone 12's battery life fall short of its predecessor's performance. For those who value all-day battery life above other considerations, the iPhone 12 may not be the best choice. However, for most users, the phone's many strengths will still make it a compelling option. Just be sure to pack that charger in your bag – you never know when you'll need it!
Display
The display on the Apple iPhone 12 is an impressive upgrade over its predecessors. The device boasts a stunning OLED screen that provides vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast ratio. The display's brightness is also noteworthy, making it easily viewable in various lighting conditions. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12's display is its smoothness. Despite not having a high refresh rate like some other flagship devices, the screen feels silky-smooth to navigate, thanks to Apple's optimization efforts. Whether you're scrolling through social media or playing games, the display responds quickly and accurately to your inputs. In terms of resolution, the iPhone 12's OLED screen boasts a crisp 1080 x 2536 pixel density, making it easy to read text and enjoy detailed visuals. The screen's color accuracy is also impressive, with Apple's proprietary color management system ensuring that colors look their best on the device. While some may lament the lack of a high refresh rate, the iPhone 12's display still manages to deliver an excellent viewing experience. Whether you're watching movies, playing games, or simply browsing the web, the screen's OLED technology ensures that every image looks its absolute best. One potential drawback is the absence of Face ID functionality when wearing a mask in public. However, this issue is more related to the device's facial recognition system than the display itself. Overall, the iPhone 12's display is a significant improvement over previous models and provides an exceptional viewing experience for users.
Camera
The camera system on the Apple iPhone 12 is a mixed bag, with some impressive features and others that fall short of expectations. Starting with the good, the 12-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) takes excellent photos in daylight conditions. The images are detailed, with low noise and accurate colors, and above-average dynamic range. However, if you look too closely, fine details like foliage can appear smeared. Portraits shot with the main camera are also excellent, with sharp detail and true-to-life colors. The subject separation is competent, but it may make a mistake in rare cases. Photos from the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera are good, with wide shots that have decent contrast and natural-looking color saturation. However, the level of detail is average, and fine details like foliage can be lost. Low-light photography is where the iPhone 12 shines, thanks to its fast night mode. This feature takes only a one or two-second exposure and saves the photo immediately, resulting in sharp and detailed images with great contrast and low noise. Night mode can even bring out pitch-black scenes, although disabling it leads to softer images with more noise. The ultrawide camera now also offers night mode, producing balanced exposures with decent detail and true-to-life colors. However, these photos are still noisy and soft. Ultra-wide shots without night mode are not good, with very low detail, plenty of noise, and a smeared appearance from up close. Selfies taken with the 12-megapixel front-facing camera are excellent in both wide and cropped modes. The images have great detail and contrast, superb colors, and well-handled noise. Selfie portraits are also great, thanks to the front-facing 3D camera's incredible subject separation and nice-looking defocus background. Overall, while the iPhone 12's cameras have their strengths, they also fall short in some areas. The lack of fine details in daylight photos and average detail in ultrawide shots are notable limitations. However, low-light photography is where the iPhone 12 excels, making it a great choice for capturing nighttime scenes. The Apple iPhone 12's camera system has its strengths, particularly in low-light conditions, but also falls short in other areas, such as fine detail and ultrawide shot quality. While not perfect, it remains an excellent option for those seeking a capable smartphone camera.
Price and Value
The iPhone 12 is an excellent smartphone that offers a great balance of performance, camera quality, and durability. However, like any device, it has its shortcomings. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the price and value proposition of the iPhone 12. The starting price of the iPhone 12 is around $799 for the base model with 64GB storage. This makes it one of the most affordable flagship smartphones in the market. Considering its impressive specs, camera quality, and OLED display, the price point is quite competitive. While the iPhone 12 may not be the cheapest smartphone available, its value proposition lies in its overall package. The device offers a seamless user experience, excellent performance, and a long-lasting battery life (although not as good as some of its predecessors). The camera system is also capable, with great results in daylight conditions. If you're considering upgrading from an older iPhone model or switching from another brand, the iPhone 12 is definitely worth exploring. However, if you're on a tight budget or have specific requirements (such as a higher refresh rate display), there may be other options available that better fit your needs. In conclusion, the iPhone 12 offers excellent value for its price point. While it may not be perfect, it's a solid device with some notable trade-offs. If you're in the market for a new smartphone and want a reliable, feature-packed option, the iPhone 12 is definitely worth considering.
Performance
The Apple iPhone 12's performance is where it truly shines. Powered by the A14 Bionic chip, this device provides lightning-fast speeds and efficient multitasking. The smartphone's ability to handle demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, and streaming with ease makes it a joy to use. In our tests, the iPhone 12 consistently delivered smooth performance, even when running multiple apps simultaneously. The phone's responsiveness was impressive, with no noticeable lag or delay in launching applications or switching between them. The A14 Bionic chip also enables excellent battery life, with the iPhone 12 lasting throughout the day and still having some juice left over for evening use. This is a testament to Apple's optimization of their software and hardware combination. Furthermore, the iPhone 12's performance also extends to its camera capabilities. The dual-camera setup, featuring a 12-megapixel main sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, takes stunning photos with excellent detail, contrast, and color accuracy. The phone's processor is able to handle demanding tasks such as video recording and editing without breaking a sweat. In terms of gaming performance, the iPhone 12 delivered smooth frame rates and responsive controls in our testing. Whether you're a casual gamer or an enthusiast, this device will provide an enjoyable experience. Overall, the Apple iPhone 12's performance is its strongest selling point. With its powerful A14 Bionic chip, efficient battery life, and excellent camera capabilities, this smartphone is well-equipped to handle any task you throw at it.
Pros
1. Excellent OLED Screen
2. Great Stereo Speakers
3. Good Camera Quality
4. Next-Gen Lightning-Fast Chipset
Cons
1. No Charger Included
2. Battery Life
3. No High Refresh Rate Display
4. Face ID Limitations