Confused which iPhone 12 to buy - here's the best option
The iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro are available since October 23. If you are still wondering which of these is for you – it's just natural to be in the fix. The two look so similar on the front – same sized displays, resembling front cameras, and almost alike form factor. It's only when you flip them over that you are greeted by different camera modules where the major difference actually lies.
In addition to these two iPhones, the iPhone 12 lineup also includes Apple's 2020 flagship and the largest iPhone ever – the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the very uniquely sized iPhone 12 mini. Curiously speaking, we'd want to see how consumers react to these two fascinating models since these are at the two ends of the lineup and expectedly the variants Apple would bank on for commercial success.
We will though leave out these two models from the discussion for now as they are not available for purchase just yet. We have already detailed at length if it's worth upgrading to the iPhone 12 or the iPhone 12 Pro, here we'll concentrate on which of the two is the right choice for you.
A similar pitch
Although the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro share the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) display with Ceramic Shield glass protection and have similar resolutions, top-of-the-line A14 Bionic SoC, compatibility with the MagSafe accessories, and the same IP68 water resistance; they have their own set of differences. Both models also come with 5G connectivity, which will be a big consumer driving force, but if you're out on an iPhone 12 hunt, don't just jump the gun for the hype of faster data speeds – consistent high speeds at all locations is still a distant dream.
Nonetheless, iPhone 12 and 12 Pro by all proportions are the most competitive of the four variants considering how the smartphone industry is currently poised. They have a decent screen size, powerful processing, awesome cameras, and price to knock off some competition. Apple offers the iPhone 12 in blue, green, PRODUCT(RED), white, and black colors, while the iPhone 12 Pro comes in silver, graphite, gold, and Pacific blue hues.
The stark difference
Both the models feel almost the same in the hand even though iPhone 12 Pro weighs about an ounce heavier and has stainless steel build, a notch above the aluminum on the standard iPhone 12. When it comes to upgrades over iPhone 12, the Pro version doesn't have a stark difference – but it surely has delightful features for users who love to photograph day and night using their iPhones.
In addition to the wide and ultra-wide cameras with Apple's Night Mode on the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Pro gives you an extra 2X optical zoom enabled telephoto lens and includes the LiDAR sensor that makes autofocusing quicker in low-light. The iPhone 12 Pro camera will also allow professionals to click pictures in RAW format and record Dolby Vision HDR videos in 60 frames per second vs 4K HDR 30fps on the standard iPhone 12.
A good camera and high-speed performance are only as good as the battery – both the models, however, offer a day of battery life under normal condition, which is average in comparison to the Android counterparts yet an upgrade from the iPhones before. The iPhone 12 Pro starts at 128GB of storage priced at $999, while the 64GB iPhone 12 costs $829 – 170 odd bucks for twice the storage shouldn't be a bad bet if the Pro version is your choice.
Which one to buy?
There is not very much to differentiate between the two iPhones, so when it comes to the primary question of which one you should buy – the choice really boils down to how much camera you use, form factor you desire, and your capacity/willingness to pay for the new iPhone. If you're someone who wants the new iPhone, let's face it, the iPhone 12 Pro is the better choice. Surely the LiDAR sensor, Dolby Vision HDR recording, ProRAW picture, telephoto lens, and the stainless steel frame are all worth the $170 odd price bump from the standard iPhone 12. Mind you, for that extra you pay, you also get twice the storage.
If you are sitting on the sideline with either iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro in the pocket, you can skip jumping on to the field until of course, you want the taste of 5G. In that case, you can go ahead with either iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro – before making the move, be doubly sure of the 5G coverage (presently or in the near future) in the area you will live and work. Having a 5G-equipped iPhone in the pocket will only be worth the tradeoff if you have the super-fast speeds to toil with.
If you own one of the older devices in the iPhone X or the earlier series, then the iPhone 12 with the power of A14 Bionic, dual camera with Night mode, and outlandishly design is a choice you can make blindly. You can decide to take a leap of faith in favor of the iPhone 12 Pro but weigh in your usage requirements beforehand. How much are you going to use the telephoto lens or other camera features – if in doubt, settle with the iPhone 12 and maybe save the premium you'd pay for a better camera here to get yourself some fancy MagSafe accessories.