We have already said it during the iPhone 12 Pro review, but it is worth reiterating it also in these first lines of the iPhone 12 review: this year's range represents a generational leap underlined by several new features and strengthened by a complete restyling and a massive rescheduling of the offer. We emphasize this not only because, as logical, iPhone 12 is fully involved in this operation but because iPhone 12 could be defined as the symbol of this passage between generations . It is in fact a totally different product from the iPhone 11 that is also positioned in a different way, so different that it moves many pieces on the chessboard of the purchase decision-making process.
iPhone 12, in the box
In the context of a review it usually gets boring to talk about what's in the box of a device, but this time we have to start right here. The packaging changes a lot and has something new to know: excludes a couple of historical accessories: the charger and the EarPods ). Apple says this allows it to reduce greenhouse gases, but it is also clear that it is also a way to increase profit margins by counting on the fact that those who buy already have at home what is removed from the package. Whatever the prevailing reason, the choice has a great value: it spares us those seven-eight lines reserved to denigrate in the most disparate ways Apple's choice to put in the charger box like last year's, built on technologies that are about ten old years and unworthy of being combined with innovative and elegant products such as iPhones.
iPhone 12, the design
Apart from the box, as for the iPhone 12 Pro, the main novelty of the iPhone 12 is there for everyone to see: a familiar and slightly worn design goes to the attic, the one made of curved rounded corners and slightly raised display that we have seen since the launch of the iPhone 6. In its place comes a radical stylistic rewrite which, as mentioned several times, refers to that of the iPhone 4. The appearance is now square and sharp, the decidedly compact profile with the screen that slips perfectly with the frame. The identity of the design, very pleasant for us, between iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is now absolute and probably represents the main novelty… in the novelty. In fact the lineup of products born with iPhone X was revolutionized, which included a top phone with advanced design and components flanked by a cheaper one. Until the launch of the iPhone 11 range, it was easy to distinguish the two phones which, although related to each other, were different in a number of elements, such as size and hardware components. Today iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are instead so similar that they are probably considered the same by a non-expert eye.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12, next to each other
iPhone 12 how it's done
In fact, wanting to summarize, the aesthetic description of the iPhone 12 could be enough to refer to our review of the iPhone 12 Pro. The size and shape are the same. The weight is more or less that. Only some details are different ; the frame instead of steel is in satin aluminum (great for those who hate fingerprints), the back instead that opaque is in glossy glass (bad for those who hate fingerprints and probably also prone to scratching). We also have more youthful and vibrant colors, in the wake of the iPhone 11 and iPone XR. Ours is in blue, new of the year, a fairly discreet and pleasant color.
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The shiny edges of the iPhone 12 Pro with the matte ones of the iPhone 12 
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pros almost do not stand out 
Only the camera makes them different
Ergonomics
If we move the comparison between iPhone 12 to iPhone 12 Pro to the previous iPhone 11, we understand better what we said at the beginning, when we mentioned the radical change of course in design. iPhone 12 is smaller and above all lighter than iPhone 11 , it grips much better and maneuvers much better. It is the result of superior ergonomics deriving from the squared edge. iPhone 12 is perhaps a little more uncomfortable when you hold it in your fist but on the other hand it doesn't seem to want to get out of hand with every movement like iPhone 11 did and before it iPhone XR.
The blue color is quite dark 
The square shape of the iPhone 12
The memory
Technically speaking there is a choice that does not convince : continue to propose the now unthinkable 64 GB memory cut . iOS 14 with standard applications on an iPhone 12 takes up around 14 GB. It only takes a few applications, a few photos and a few videos to find yourself in trouble. Presenting a model with so little storage space at the moment is the classic practice of upsell that pushes to approach the iPhone 12 attracted by the price and then discover that it will be necessary to pay more to have something really functional. Fortunately switching to the more comfortable 128 Gb requires an affordable amount: 50 euros more. It is mandatory to take them into account in order not to soon find yourself having to deal with a device that is not very useful.
The screen
The screen of the iPhone 12 is the same size as that of the iPhone 11: 6.1 inches. So how does iPhone 12 be smaller than iPhone 11 ? Simple (so to speak): here we have an OLED screen when instead the old model had an LCD display with much larger edges. The leap is epochal because this means that iPhone 12 beats the old model in a very important component. The screen is more defined (2532X1170 pixels at 460 ppi against 1792 × 828 pixels at 326 ppi) and pleasant than the still good LCD display of the iPhone 11. The images are very vivid and vibrant; the difference is, of course, particularly noticeable with HDR content since iPhone 11 didn't have an HDR screen. In practice iPhone 12 Pro loses the main technical advantage that iPhone 11 Pro had over iPhone 11 compared to iPhone 12.
The screen of the iPhone 12 Pro on closer inspection is not entirely identical to that of the iPhone 12; the typical brightness is in fact slightly higher (800 nits against 625 nits) but the peak brightness (detected with HDR content) is the same. Why Apple reduced the brightness of the iPhone 12 compared to that of the iPhone 12 Pro is a little mystery. The two screens as evidenced by some dissections of the telephone are identical; is the software that governs the intensity of the light.
Returning to technical issues, there is the same limitation in iPhone 12 that iPhone 12 Pro has compared to the main competing models: the refresh rate stops at 60Hz instead of 120 Hz . In everyday life we will not have excessive problems but the less fluid screen gives the impression of a slower phone .
The display of iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 have very similar readability
Ceramic Shield, your daily shield
On iPhone 12 there is the glass “Ceramic Shield” . As we have already explained, it is a material that technically it would be wrong to even call “glass” since it is a mix of ceramic and glass. This component allows Apple to declare a drop resistance four times higher than that of previous iPhones; the credit, always explains Apple, is also the design of the iPhone 12 with the glass protected by the aluminum edge. Several sites specialized in the “mistreatment” of iPhones confirm that Ceramic Shield plus design actually makes the iPhone 12 a very drop-resistant phone.
Face ID in mask era
Talking about Face ID would mean repeating what we have said since the launch of iPhone X, the first of the iPhones with this biometric system. In fact, since then it has never changed either functionally or from the point of view of the components in action.
If we talk about it here it is because for about eight months, since we have been forced to live with masks, Face ID is only useful on a few occasions . When you wear the mask (currently always except at home) you are redirected to the numeric code. In practice, Face ID today is almost as if it did not exist; iPhone goes back to 2012 when iPhone 5 was released, the latest phone without a biometric authentication system.
Apple should accelerate all those projects it has put in place to bring back into vogue by modernizing Touch ID. On iPad Air we have seen an interesting evolution with the reader drowned in the power button; who knows that such a thing will not arrive on the iPhone or perhaps the legendary reader under the screen.
A powerful processor and all-rounder
iPhone 12 Pro uses the A14 Bionic processor, which was first introduced when Apple introduced the iPad Air. We will not be here to repeat what we have said many times in the past and reiterated during the review of the iPhone 12 Pro. The CPU released by Apple laboratories is universally known to be the most powerful and flexible among those in use today on a telephone ; at this time no competing phone on the market offers similar performance . Tested, of course, it presents data substantially very similar (in our case even slightly higher) to those of the iPhone 12 Pro. The general impression is also the same: iPhone 12 is more fluid and responsive than iPhone 11 but in daily use (navigation, messaging, email, utility applications) there are no substantial differences . We have not carried out tests on games or video coding, but according to what other sites write, this is where we could already appreciate some advantages today. In the future we expect that there will be more applications optimized for A14 Bionic so as to translate that approximately + 20% of theoretical performance into practical use.
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iPhone 12 Multicore Benchmark 
Benchmark IPhone 12 Pro computer 
iPhone 12 single core benchmark 
iPhone 12 Pro Single Core Benchmark 
iPhone 12 Computer Benchmark 
Benchmark Computer of iPhone 12 Pro
Same autonomy (5G permitting)
For some time, when Apple launches a new device, it optimizes performance in relation to consumption and the autonomy in fact never changes. If we compare the iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro for the experience made in these days we could not determine a perceptible difference in the use we quote. All three phones arrive at the end of the day with a autonomy between 20 and 35% depending on the use we make of them . After all, even Apple, which is usually quite reliable when presenting information on autonomy, does not distinguish these three phones in almost nothing.
The variable lies in the activation of 5G ; as we have experienced and said in the context of the iPhone 12 Pro review the fifth generation network connection mode puts a strain on the battery with a massive reduction in the phone's autonomy. It should be noted that contrary to what we did with the iPhone 12 Pro, for iPhone 12 we do not have a direct experimentation to present to those who read us but we do not see why all on battery of iPhone 12 which is the it of iPhone 12 Pro things under the G5 network should be better …
Magsafe for iPhone
With the launch of the iPhone 12, Apple took the charger out of the box; in its place it launches separately and for a fee Magsafe for iPhone a wireless charging system with magnetic coupling. In the iPhone 12 Pro review we gave some impressions on the first use of Magsafe and defer to a future review for something less superficial.
Our test of the new charging system is not yet completed (we still lack scientifically measured data of its real efficiency and therefore the possibility of drawing actual conclusions), but in these additional days of use of the wireless system with magnetic coupling we have had confirmation that it is more convenient, precise and faster than a common wireless charger . But we are now also convinced that when in a hurry the solution was and remains that of the USB-C charger with PowerDelivery and a USB-C cable and Lightning. Arrived in the evening at home with the phone at 30% with our classic charging set-up (iPhone 11 Pro charger and USB-C cable on Lightning) we can bring the battery to almost 70% in half an hour; with the Magsafe it takes almost an hour (55 minutes to be precise) to reach the same charging level.
As if to say that with the cable it takes half an hour to have battery for a whole day of work while with the Magsafe for iPhone it takes double the time. Obviously with the Magsafe just place the phone and that's it, with the cable you have to insert and then remove the connector, but it is certainly not an unbearable annoyance.
Camera iPhone 12
The camera in a phone is probably the main function after the communication one and therefore with each new iPhone, Apple tweaks and improves the system. The iPhone 12 compared to the iPhone 11 do not have the same important news . Last year a wide-angle and night mode lens was introduced, this year the hardware has remained in fact the same with the only exception of the opening of the Wide lens which goes from f1.8 at f1.6; this increases brightness, an advantage that becomes noticeable when light is poor. However, there are some relevant software innovations that operate on how the image is treated after being captured by the sensor.
For a more in-depth opinion on the quality of the images we get from the iPhone 12, we refer you to our review of the iPhone 12 Pro. The Pro phone is distinguished only by the 2X zoom and the Lidar. The advantages of the zoom are obvious, those of the Lidar at present a little less. According to Apple, this sort of “radar” that analyzes what surrounds us should improve the shooting of portraits but in the comparison when the light is good we have not noticed particular steps forward in the quality of the blur. iPhone 12 Pro gets an advantage when there is scarcity of light; the Lidar allows you to take portraits even in this condition (although only with the Wide lens) which is not possible with the iPhone 12.
The two cameras of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro compared
For the rest, what applies to iPhone 12 Pro also applies to iPhone 12. The new phone now offers superior shooting quality in night mode with the Wide lens and has the ability to shoot in night mode even with the Ultra Wide lens and with the front one for selfies. Here too some examples can be found in our review of the iPhone 12 Pro.
Photos with iPhone 12 obtain advantages in attention to detail even from the best management of Deep Fusion and are subjected to constant (but in our opinion, as you read in our article on iPhone 12 Pro, not always shareable) HDR3 action.
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Selfie with iPhone 12 without night mode 
Selfie with iPhone 12 with night mode 
Selfie with iPhone 12 with portrait mode 
iPhone 12 “refuses” portrait mode in the dark 
The outcome of a shot with the front camera is very disappointing 
iPhone 12 Pro adapts to low light conditions 
iPhone 12 Pro has great help from Lidar for portrait when light is low
Video with Dolby Vision
If you are a video enthusiast you will already know that iPhone 12 records on all video cameras in Dolby Vision up to 30 frames per second . This gives the shots an extreme fluidity and naturalness. However, this is a niche function, which can only be fully understood and exploited by a specific segment of the public. Those who buy an iPhone 12 should have no particular claims in this area other than to carry out some casual shooting.
The 5G
Apple has put a massive dose of marketing into the iPhone 12 to emphasize its compatibility with 5G networks. The hardware itself has had an equally massive optimization to support fifth generation networking technology. But all this at the moment is an operation that offers only guarantees on the longevity of the phone. Before 5G is able to be really and decisively faster than 4G it will take some time (see below our test with the iPhone 12 Pro carried out between Rome and Milan); its pervasiveness at a territorial level will probably take an even longer time. We understand that Apple, due to the hype put on fifth generation networks, could not fail to have 5G in the new models this year, but at present this network mode is just a good way to consume battery faster.
Test with iPhone 12 4G 
Test with iPhone 12 Pro 5G
Conclusions
iPhone 12 is equipped with everything expected in a modern device : OLED screen, an exceptionally fast processor, state-of-the-art connectivity, a top quality camera (with the only shortcoming of the lack of an optical zoom). If you compare it with iPhone 11 there are steps forward but the concrete ones are concentrated in only two aspects: design and display; 5G for now is just a technology showcase. Updating last year's model by replacing it with this year's model is therefore more of an emotional choice than a rational one.
Rather, the dilemma arises when having an older phone, perhaps an iPhone X or an iPhone XS, evaluates an upgrade. If last year iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, or even before iPhone Xs and iPhone XR were placed on very different levels, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are very similar. The cheaper model offers almost everything that the higher-end model offers, except for the 2X zoom (useful in particular situations) the Lidar (which for now, portrait photo in the dark aside, is basically a policy on the future) and the steel chassis (which in the iPhone 12 is aluminum instead). Everything else, design, processor, screen, connectivity are the same .
It will be inevitable to wonder if these details are worth the 300 euros of difference between the 128 GB iPhone 11 and the corresponding iPhone 12 Pro with the same memory capacity. The answer probably depends on the spending power of each and the value that is attributed to the iPhone 12 Pro as a status symbol. Rationally, however, iPhone 12 in the relationship between cost and functions beats iPhone 12 Pro by two to zero.
Price and availability
Phone 12 is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in red, blue, white, black and green, starting from € 939. At the time of writing, availability is still very low. However, you can buy in stores, on the Apple Store and also on Amazon where you can also buy in five installments without interest and without paychecks.
The reviews of others
Even several American sites in the course of their reviews emphasize as the main aspect the fact that iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are very similar. Not only and not so much because those who tried the two models together could hardly distinguish them and only by observing the camera compartment on the back, but above all because the qualitative leap of the heir of the iPhone 11 is superior to what has been seen to date.
In terms of aesthetics and design, the two terminals are substantially identical, with a return to the square lines reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. Although they are thinner and lighter than the iPhone 11 series, they return a good feeling when they are held. 
There is also talk of the abandonment of the LCDs used in iPhone XR and iPhone 11: now even iPhone 12 offers a quality OLED panel, like the superior models, all referred to as Super Cinema XDR, displaying more vivid colors, more contrast and even a higher graphic resolution, all this for both photos and for videos, as CNBC notes. Like the top models, all the new functions for night photos, computational photography and other effects can be used for all cameras in the terminal, both front and rear.
This also applies to HDR and Dolby Vision video recording and playback, a feature Apple announced for the first time available on a smartphone. And of course iPhone 12 runs on the same powerful Apple A14 processor as the iPhone 12 Pro. For all these reasons Engadget, from which we report a photograph, and the other major US newspapers that have published the first reviews of the iPhone 12 indicate it as the ideal model for the majority of users.
All the news of the iPhone 12 are summarized in this article. Instead, everything Apple presented in the October 13 keynote is summarized here.
