Apple’s iPhone 12 lineup is quite impressive, with four models featuring an OLED XDR screen, 5G support, and the powerful A14 Bionic chip. But this brings up the question: What’s the difference between the 12 and 12 Pro models, and which one should you choose?
The primary difference between the 12 and 12 Pro is the rear camera array. The iPhone 12 features two cameras (a 12MP wide lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens) while the 12 Pro features three cameras, adding a telephoto lens. The 12 Pro is also heavier and made using stainless steel, not aluminum.
Is the added camera and heavier weight worth the 12 Pro’s higher price tag, or should you just stick with the iPhone 12? To get the answer to this question, let’s take a closer look at the differences between the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro in terms of size, battery life, camera quality, and performance.
Are the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro the Same Size?
The iPhone 12 is available in two sizes. There’s the iPhone 12 mini (on Amazon), the smallest of the bunch, which measures 5.4 inches.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 (on Amazon) and the iPhone 12 Pro (on Amazon) both have a 6.1 inch display, one of the most colorful and balanced you can get your hands on. The 12 Pro Max (also on Amazon) is the largest of the bunch and measures 6.7 inches.
Do the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Have the Same Displays?
The iPhone 12 mini has a display resolution of 2340 by 1080, while both the iPhone and the Pro model feature a 2532 by 1170 display. The 12 Pro Max has a 2778 by 1284 screen.
All these models have OLED displays and feature the Super Retina XDR technology. Note that the screens’ refresh rates are 60 Hz and not 120Hz, as rumored previously.
However, the 12 Pro has higher typical brightness at 800 nits versus the 625 nits of the iPhone 12. The actual maximum brightness of both is 1200 nits, though, because of universal support for HDR.
In addition, the screens of both the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models are protected by Apple’s Ceramic Shield technology. The company claims that it gives 4x better drop performance compared to previous models. However, the rear of both isn’t very durable.
How Are the iPhone 12 Model Designs Different?
All four models have a similar design. You’ll notice a small notch on the front for the Face ID sensor along with flatter sides, just like the ones introduced in the iPhone 5. They also feature full, edge-to-edge displays.
Similarly, all four models in the iPhone 12 lineup are much thinner than previous ones. However, both the 12 mini and 12 have glass and aluminum bodies, which are made of aerospace-grade aluminum. In contrast, the Pro models have a more premium, stainless steel body, which are made using surgical-grade stainless steel.
This difference in material also leads to a notable difference in the finish and weight. The iPhone 12 has a brushed aluminum finish and the 12 Pro comes with a shiny stainless finish.
The iPhone 12 weighs 5.78 ounces while the Pro weighs 6.66 ounces, primarily because of the additional camera elements, extra RAM, and the stainless steel rim.
Apart from the weight, all the other dimensions of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the same. Both are 146.7 mm tall, 71.5 mm wide, and 7.4 mm thick. Both the 12 and 12 Pro models are IP68 rated for dust, water, and splash resistance. This means that both models can handle submersion at a depth of up to 6 meters for roughly 30 minutes.
You can choose between five different colors for the iPhone 12. These include blue, product red, green, white, and black. However, the 12 Pro is available in four colors, including silver, graphite, gold, and pacific blue.
Is There a Difference Between the Batteries in the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro?
There are slight differences in terms of the battery life between the four iPhone 12 models. That said, all of them will be able to last you for almost the whole day. The iPhone 12 mini’s battery provides enough juice for up to about 10 hours of video streaming, while both the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro last for up to about 11 hours.
Both the 12 and 12 Pro allow audio playback of up to 65 hours and video playback of up to 17 hours thanks to the 2815mAh battery.
However, it’s important to mention here that the iPhone 11 has a 3110mAh battery, while the iPhone 11 Pro has a 3046mAh battery. The 12 Pro Max goes a step further from iPhone 12 and allows up to 12 hours of continuous streaming.
All models also provide support for fast charging, allowing you to get up to 50% charge in just half an hour if you use a 20W power adapter. They also provide support for 7.5W Qi wireless charging as well as 15W wireless charging if you use a MagSafe charger.
What’s the Difference in Camera Quality Between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro?
Both the 12 mini and 12 feature dual cameras at the back that include a 12MP ultra wide-angle and a 12MP wide-angle lens.
Apple introduced a bunch of new camera features with the iPhone 12 lineup, including Night Mode for both rear and front cameras, optical image stabilization, and deep fusion processing along with night mode time-lapse that can help you make excellent nighttime videos.
However, if you’re looking to invest in an iPhone for smartphone photography, it’s better to choose the 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max.
Both these models feature a triple-camera array consisting of telephoto, wide, and ultra-wide lenses, better depth sensing for both videos and photos, and an exclusive LiDAR scanner for improved augmented reality. The scanner also provides support for night mode in portrait mode.
Other advanced camera features include Apple ProRAW, which basically combines Apple’s computational photography with the benefits of editing photos in the RAW format.
As a result, you’ll be able to adjust things like color and white balance, while also benefiting from iPhone’s existing features like Smart HDR. Plus, it provides photographers with more tools for post-processing.
The video recording capabilities of both models are pretty much the same. The only difference is that the iPhone 12 Pro allows you to record videos in Dolby Vision HDR at both 30 and 60 fps, while you can only record videos in Dolby Vision HDR at 30 fps in iPhone 12.
The Pro models also feature higher digital zoom up to 10x, compared to 5x in the iPhone 12, and a higher optimal zoom range of 4x compared to the iPhone 12’s 2x optical zoom range.
How Do the iPhone 12 Cameras Perform in Low Light?
Even though the iPhone 12 has a comparatively simpler camera, it’s built around the same 12MP wide and ultrawide sensors used for the Pro model. And while the former doesn’t have the LiDAR and telephoto sensors, there’s not a lot of difference in most of the shots taken with both the 12 and 12 Pro.
This is true even for low-light shots because they mostly rely on the f/1.6 aperture of the main sensor. Yes, the LiDAR sensor in the 12 Pro ensures superior and faster lock-on/autofocus in poor lightning, but thanks to the night mode algorithms, both models produce similar results in low light.
Which Model Is More Suitable for an Average User?
Even though the Pro models ensure a feature-rich and more capable camera experience, they’re more suitable for those who are serious about smartphone photography and prioritize video and photo capabilities.
This is especially because the Pro models come with a higher price tag, and if you won’t really be using the advanced features, there’s no real need to invest in the more expensive model.
Plus, apart from the telephoto lens, most of the features of the iPhone 12 Pro, like LiDAR and Apple ProRAW, aren’t really important for most users.
Instead, the iPhone 12’s cameras will be more than enough for them, considering they come with a bunch of smart features such as Deep Fusion, Night mode for the front camera and time lapses, and HDR recording with Dolby Vision.
How Do the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Differ in Performance?
The performance of the processor in both the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models is nearly identical. All four models feature the latest A14 Bionic chip from Apple, which the company advertises as the fastest chip ever present in a smartphone. The chip features four efficiency cores and two high-performance cores.
Both the 12 and 12 Pro models provide similar numbers on different benchmark tests for both graphics performance and overall performance. Not to mention all the models outperform their predecessors by quite a long shot.
All models also come with the latest neural engine that allows for better machine learning capabilities and features. According to Apple, this new 16-core engine provides an 80% improvement in performance than the previous generation.
The iPhone 12 comes with 4GB of RAM, while the 12 Pro comes with 6GB. The extra RAM in the latter comes in handy for a few additional camera features, but the difference in RAM doesn’t really have a significant impact on the iPhone’s performance, except in terms of the camera.
5G Support and Connectivity
The iPhone 12 models are the first iPhones to support 5G connectivity. Both the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro include 5G. So regardless of the model you choose, you can take advantage of the fastest 5G version available to you.
In the USA, both the 12 and 12 Pro support sub-6GHz 5G and mmWave5G, but internationally, 5G support for the iPhone 12 is limited to sub-6GHz. All iPhone models also feature the smart data mode that automatically chooses between 5G and 4G depending on your location to save both power and data.
Memory Options
The base model for the iPhone 12 is equipped with 64GB of storage. Meanwhile, the entry-level iPhone 12 Pro model features 128GB of storage.
Other storage options are also available for both. You can choose between 128GB and 256GB models for the iPhone 12 and 256GB and 512GB models for the iPhone 12 Pro. The latter is the obvious choice for avid videographers.
What’s the Difference in Price Between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro?
The 64GB iPhone 12 is the cheapest option at about $829, with T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T customers enjoy a discount of about $30. The 128GB model is more expensive at roughly $879, but would be about $849 for those using T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T.
The 256GB model of 12 costs the most of the three at about $979, but is $949 for Verizon and AT&T.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro is closer to the $1,000 range. The 128GB hovers at about $999, and the 256GB model is priced at about $1,099. For 512GB of storage, though, you’ll have to pay closer to $1,299.
Regardless of the model you choose, keep in mind that Apple doesn’t include the charging brick or headphones in the box due to environmental concerns.
Which iPhone 12 Model Should You Choose?
Considering the features discussed above, it’s clear that the iPhone 12 Pro can only promise minor advancements through its rear camera and upgraded materials. The price difference between the two models is quite high, but it might be difficult to justify paying more simply for a better camera setup and premium materials.
Apart from these major differences, the two models share nearly all the other features, including the A14 Bionic chip, battery life, 5G connectivity, OLED XDR display, MagSafe charging, and so forth.
Ultimately, the 12 Pro (on Amazon) is more suitable for those who want to get their hands on a more premium device or are interested in certain features only provided by the Pro model, like the telephoto lens or the LiDAR scanner.
Similarly, the iPhone 12 Pro is the way to go if you’re looking for 512GB of storage or if you want to take zoomed-in photos. If not, the iPhone 12 (also on Amazon) will suffice, especially because it’s lighter and relatively cheaper, but provides almost the same experience.