This video is brought to you by NordVPN What you see here is the iPhone 12 mini, the
most miniature, most powerful iPhone, the only easily pocketable smartphone that I can
recommend, the most fun phone I've had in recent years, the only device I sold and then
bought back again. I will not discuss my nostalgia feelings around
the form factor or why I love this device since you can watch that in my last video
- the one right before I sold my previous unit, which I'll link below. Instead, today
I'll tell you why I came back to this device, why I sold my 12 Pro Max, what compromises
I have a hard time living with and why I plan to stick with this form factor, despite other
temptations. For the first time in my life, I sell something
without the intention, of course, to purchase it again, and three months later, I buy yet
another one. When I sold my first unit way back, I knew I was going to miss this tiny
phone, but I had no idea how much. Perhaps, having the vast 12 Max tearing down my pants
was one of the many reasons to miss the mini's size. On the other hand, iOS not being able
to take good advantage of the larger iPhones is another reason to think small size. Perhaps
if the 12 Pro Max gave me some expected multitasking or tablet-like experience around some apps,
I would've been less tempted to jump between dimensions. So when it comes to software,
the mini is just as good as the Max, just petite, but not tiny when it comes to scaling.
The mini's 5.4-inch screen is also great for reading, browsing, playing, and working. The
only downside that the smaller screen possesses is the keyboard size, which is not as comfortable
as on the larger device. Where it compensates, though, is the one-handed use, and that, my
friends, is a massive deal for me. I am a busy individual, so when I sit somewhere,
the chances are that I have work to do. When I have work to do, I use either my Mac or
my iPad. When I am on the go, it is the same situation: the mini and its size shine. Trying
to reply to work-related messages, emails, and other correspondence while being at a
traffic light, walking, or waiting in line is ten times easier to do on this tiny phone.
Having a larger phone has always seemed to be the more productive choice, which it is,
but only when stationary. When on the go, rushing, sweating, cursing, I'd rather pull
out the mini and use it one-handed to swipe-respond to something, record a voice message, take
a measurement or address with a photo. My pinky loves me again, and at the same time,
I love having the mini fidget spinner back again.
I am not the only one who enjoys the small phone around me. A friend of mine Emil recently
switched to the mini from an iPhone XR. He was the one to share with me the freedom that
he experiences with this small device. Also, recently I received a heartwarming comment
from a lovely lady whose name is Roberta. She shared with me that her husband, who had
a stroke, finds the mini the only device he (her husband) can efficiently operate with
one hand. So, there are four things that I gained when
I switched back to this tiny phone, and by the way, if you end up enjoying this video,
subscribe - because WHY NOT? Of course, the most apparent number one plus
was comfort, which is not something to take for granted. Let me explain what I mean. I
could never use a larger phone naked because the design is slippery, and the footprint
is large and heavy to operate with one hand, especially if I try to reach a top corner
of the screen one-handed. That meant that I have to carry the 12 Pro Max with a case,
which, as you can guess, adds extra bulk and weight to the mixture. That combo long-term
made my jeans scream for help, and I would often look like a total idiot in the car if
I try to pull the large phone from my pocket, embarrassing on red lights.
Second, my MagSafe accessories became functional again. My car mounts, for example, would slowly
bend the knee and give up to the sheer size and weight of the 12 Pro Max. That resulted
in constant tilt adjustments, which is not a joke when driving. My favorite MOFT wallet
that comes with sticky pads wouldn't be able to keep the large phone propped the right
way, and that's not the product's fault but rather the simple strength of the magnets
of MagSafe. Third, and this might sound weird to some
of you, but I became quicker at my routines with the smaller phone. The time I was wasting
to take out the more extensive phone from my pocket is significantly reduced and, on
many occasions eliminated, since I tend to keep the mini in my hand for the most part
as a fidget device. That means that when an idea or need strikes, I am that much quicker
at writing it down, or more importantly, I am that much faster at taking a memorable
moment with my kids. The intimidation of the large phone is also gone, BTW. Whenever I
take the mini out to take a fantastic photo (because this little beast is impressive at
that), I wouldn't scare off the little guys or force them to protest on taking a shot.
In fact, in many cases, they don't even notice it.
Finally, number 4 is the Psychology of having such an accessible device. The feeling of
freedom and a considerable portion of fun became dominant once I grabbed the mini again,
and every day, when I pull out my phone, a teenie tiny corner smile hits my face.
The mini is an amusing and magical device that I couldn't wait any longer and came back
to. However, I expected to have some severe transition problems leaving behind and selling
my 12 Pro Max - and I was right about that. It is nowhere as bad as I thought, though.
But before I share with you the compromises I made and the workarounds that I learned,
I'd like to tell you what I don't make a compromise with and that's privacy - thanks to NordVPN.
I've been using NordVPN for a few years now, and it is my way of protecting myself and
the family without allowing my internet service provider to see when, where and how I browse.
Protecting my personal data and internet privacy is also essential as a person who commutes
a lot and works from various hotspots and locations. Setting up NordVPN on all my devices
is dead-easy and straightforward, and I have it installed on all of them, the mini, the
iPad, and the Mac. Activating the service and choosing a location is one click away,
and let's be honest - no one likes to be watched and tracked, even if there's nothing to hide.
To support the channel and get a 2-year plan plus 4 additional months with a huge discount,
go to nordvpn.com/thisise or click the first link in the description below. Thank you,
NordVPN, for sponsoring this video. So, back to compromises. First of all, I never
expected to miss the 3rd lens of the 12 Pro Max as much. I am talking about the telephoto
lens here. I didn't realize how much I use that lens to take portraits and regular shots
of my kids. Without having that lens, I now have to come much closer on all the occasions
to grab that 50 or 60 mil result of the 12 Pro Max. Imagine my daughter saying her first
words quietly in the corner while playing with a toy. With the 12 Pro Max, I would simply
switch to 2.5x and grab that perfect video shot and sound from few feet away while sitting
on the recliner. In the meantime, that same situation with the mini translates to me mastering
my ninja skills and tip-toeing to get closer to her which 9 times out of 10, doesn't work
and I get caught. The next problem that I have, which is an
issue that I cannot find a solution to, is overheating. The mini gets mighty hot when
charging, which is not an issue when it is placed stationary on my desk but does become
an issue if I decide to use an external battery. More on that in a sec. It also gets scorching
hot when having a longer face time conversation which might be an iOS beta issue. Still, it
becomes uncomfortable to hold when that happens, and the preview of myself starts to lag as
well. The last and most significant problem of the
mini is the battery. Although I have occasions where I can do a full day with one charge,
they is rare. The solution that I found for this is an external battery which in my case
is the Apple MagSafe battery. There's a lot that can be said about this controversial
accessory, which could be a video on its own, but the fact is that this battery can turn
my mini battery into a Pro Max battery and easily give me a day and half of heavy usage.
To top it all, the perfect fit makes this battery an accessory that I can easily rock
all day long, especially in the winter, because it will keep my pants a bit warm.
However, all the negatives mentioned so far are not enough to pull me away from the charisma
of this mini iPhone. The fact is that 90% of my routine allows me to top up the battery
of the phone quickly and the fact that the mini has such a small battery makes charging
as long as a quick coffee break. Of course, the telephoto lens is something that I already
got used to, leaving the heating bug, which I hope will be fixed soon. The rest of the
time, this mini is the mightiest little guy that brings a ton of joy in my everyday endeavors.
I rock it without a case because it is honestly unnecessary. I also picked it white this second
time because it is the only way to escape fingerprints. This slightly creamier white
turned out to be the better color for me, and it is easier to find when thrown around
the house because let's be honest, this little guy likes to play hide and seek.
If you have any questions feel free to list them in the comment section below or ping
me on Twitter. You might find my iPhone playlist useful as well. As always,
It's been an absolute pleasure, This is E
Over and Out