Patrick Holland/CNET
Of the four iPhones launched in October, the iPhone 12 is equipped to suit most people. It’s also one of our highest-rated phones ever. Starting at $799 (£799, AU$1,349), the iPhone 12 boasts a bunch of brand-new, buzzy features like 5G, a stronger ceramic-glass display called Ceramic Shield and a revamped design that includes flattened edges and embedded magnets. Those magnets allow users to attach an array of magnetic accessories, including Apple’s wireless MagSafe charger and leather cardholders.Read more: Black Friday: Here are the best iPhone 12 dealsPerhaps the last time Apple made a comparable level of changes to its iPhones was in 2017, when it unveiled the iPhone X. Back then, Apple CEO Tim Cook called it, “The biggest leap forward since the original iPhone.” For that iPhone, Apple did away with its predecessors’ chunky bezels and physical home button, setting a new design standard for iPhones going forward. Although Apple has since discontinued the iPhone X, refurbished devices are still available at third-party retailers.
Apple’s follow-up to the iPhone X was the iPhone XS (which is also discontinued, but available outside of Apple) and the best-selling iPhone XR, both of which were unveiled in 2018. Of the two, the iPhone XR is the more affordable option, delivering most of the high-end iPhone experience with a few compromises (it has an LCD screen instead of an OLED display, for example). Apple still sells the iPhone XR new and as expected, it has dropped its price. It now starts at $499 (£499, AU$849) for 64GB and $549 (£549, AU$929) for 128GB. The big differences between the iPhone 12 compared to these three predecessors are its new features, like 5G connectivity and MagSafe. As always, Apple made upgrades to core specs like the processor and camera hardware. It also runs the latest iOS 14 out of the box, though the other iPhones are compatible with the update. For a spec-by-spec comparison, take a look at our chart below.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone XR vs. iPhone X vs. iPhone XS
Apple iPhone 12
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone XS
Display size, resolution
6.1-inch OLED; 2,532×1,170 pixels
6.1-inch LCD; 1,792×828 pixels
5.8-inch OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels
5.8-inch OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels
Pixel density
460 ppi
326 ppi
458 ppi
458 ppi
Dimensions (Inches)
5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 in
5.9 x 3.0 x 0.33 in
5.7 x 2.79 x 0.30 in
5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm
150.9 x75.7 x 8.3 mm
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)
5.78 oz; 164 g
6.8 oz; 194 g
6.14 oz; 174 g
6.2 oz; 177g
Mobile software (at launch)
iOS 14
iOS 12
iOS 11
iOS 12
Camera
12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
12-megapixel (wide)
12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera
12-megapixel
7-megapixel
7-megapixel
7-megapixel
Video capture
4K
4K
4K
4K
Processor
Apple A14 Bionic
Apple A12 Bionic
Apple A11 Bionic
Apple A12 Bionic
Storage
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
64GB, 256GB
64GB, 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage
None
None
None
None
Battery
Undisclosed; Apple lists 15 hours of video playback
Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 90 min. longer than iPhone 8 Plus
Not disclosed
Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 30 min. longer than iPhone X
Fingerprint sensor
None (Face ID)
None (Face ID)
None (Face ID )
None (Face ID)
Connector
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning
Headphone jack
No
No
No
No
Special features
5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
Water-resistant: IP67, dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID; Memoji
Water resistant (IP67); wireless charging; Face ID; Animoji
Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID; Memoji
Price at launch (off-contract, USD)
$829 (64GB), $879 (128GB), $979 (256GB)
$749 (64GB), $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB)
$999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB)
$999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB), $1,349 (512GB)
Price (GBP) at launch
£799 (64GB), £849 (128GB), £949 (256GB)
£749 (64GB), £799 (128GB), £899 (256GB)
£999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB)
£999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB), £1,349 (512GB)
Price (AUD) at launch
AU$1,349 (64GB), AU$1,429 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB)
AU$1,229 (64GB), AU$1,299 (128GB), AU$1,479 (256GB)
AU$1,579 (64GB), AU$1,829 (256GB)
AU$1,629 (64GB), AU$1,879 (256GB), AU$2,199 (512GB)
*prices are at launch
Now playing:
Watch this:
Our in-depth review of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro
13:48
Stay up-to-date on the latest news, reviews and advice on iPhones, iPads, Macs, services and software.
RSS