iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13 mini: is it time to drop the mini?

The idea of a small phone in todays market sounds great in theory, some people do not want large slabs to bulge in their pockets and purses and prefer something more compact but still powerful. However, the statistics show there are simply not enough of these small-phone lovers out there to justify their existence.

A larger phone means more screen real estate, longer battery life, and in general more room for better hardware. One really good example would be the much larger main camera sensor, which is exactly what the new iPhone 15 comes with!

Besides the new 48MP main camera and other upgrades related to the camera system on the iPhone 15, it also comes with a new chipset, the Dynamic Island that debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, USB-C, and more. The question we are asking here is how much better do all of these upgrades make the iPhone 15 compared to the iPhone 13 mini?

Let's get into it!

Verizon-locked iPhone 15 at Walmart: preorder and save $100

The iPhone 15 is also available for preorder with a Verizon subscription. Walmart allows you to save $100 on this device over 36 months. Preorder today for just $21.64/mo.

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(AT&T) iPhone 15 at Walmart: now $21.64/mo

The iPhone 15 is available for preorder with a carrier subscription for AT&T at Walmart. The device goes for $21.64/mo, saving you a total of $100. Currently, all colors and storage variants are available.

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The iPhone 15 Plus can be yours for just $24.42/mo with a Verizon subscription

Walmart allows you to preorder the iPhone 15 Plus with a subscription to Verizon as well. The device goes for just $24.42 a month over 36 months. In total, your savings amount to $100. This is the 128GB configuration.

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iPhone 15 Plus: preorder at Walmart and save with a subscription to AT&T

The iPhone 15 Plus is also available for preorder at Walmart, too. This is a locked version of the device. It comes with 128GB of internal storage space. Walmart sells the Apple device for $24.42/mo over 36 installments.

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iPhone 15 Pro at Walmart: preorder and save with a Verizon subscription

If you're looking for more power, we suggest you consider Walmart's preorder offer on the incredible iPhone 15 Pro. This smartphone can be bought with a carrier subscription to Verizon for just $26.37/mo, saving you a total of $100.

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AT&T-locked iPhone 15 Pro: preorder and save at Walmart

The incredible iPhone 15 Pro is also available with a subscription to AT&T. The device is available for $26.37 a month over 36 installments. In total, your savings amount to $100. This is the 128GB version of the device.

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The iPhone 15 Pro Max is available for preorder at Walmart with a Verizon subscription

Don't miss out on the chance to preorder Apple's newest and most capable smartphone yet for just $31.92/mo at Walmart. To get the iPhone 15 Pro Max at that price, you just need to subscribe to Verizon or upgrade. Your total savings through this preorder deal amount to $100.

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AT&T-locked iPhone 15 Pro Max is available for preorder at Walmart

An AT&T-locked version of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is available for preorder at Walmart. The device sells for $31.92/mo over 36 installments, saving you as much as $100 in total. This is the 256GB configuration of the Apple smartphone. Currently, all colors are available.

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Let's get the size difference out of the way straight from the beginning. The iPhone 13 mini measures in 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 inches while the iPhone 15 is 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches. The weight, of course, is also different between the two: 4.97 oz vs 6.03 oz.

Alright, now that the obvious is out of the way, let's talk about the not so obvious (kind of). Since the iPhone 15 is the first one outside of Apple's Pro models to ditch the notch and replace it with the Dynamic Island, it goes without saying that is one of the more striking design changes.

The other much less noticeable characteristic rumored with the 2023 base iPhone is the new USB-C charging port, meaning users no longer have to carry different types of cables if they own an iPhone, as most other mobile tech already uses USB-C.

Another small design change related to the new port on the iPhone 15 series are the USB-C to USB-C braided cables that come along with it. These should be more durable compared to the USB-C to Lightning cable that comes with the 13 mini.

Unlike the glossy glass back on the iPhone 13 mini, the iPhone 15 comes with a new matte-textured back panel that should feel different in the hand. We will let you know more once we get our hands on it.

It is amazing how big of a screen you can fit in a phone as tiny as the iPhone 13 mini, but no matter how much you shrink those bezels you still won't get a display as large as the one on the iPhone 15. We are talking 5.4" vs 6.1"!

Besides the size difference, the iPhone 15 comes with a higher 1600 nits peak HDR brightness and 2000 nits peak brightness, where as the 13 mini maxes out at 1200 nits. If we are to address anything else but the size and brightness, however, the differences come to a halt. All the other display specs are the same, including the 60Hz max screen refresh rate, similar resolution.

And yes, if you want a smoother display with higher refresh rate you still have to upgrade to the Pro models.

The iPhone 13 mini is simply amazing when you think of what the A15 Bionic chipset can do inside a body that small. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, comes with the A16 Bionic, which is also featured on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Now, the A16 is not an upgrade that delivers drastically different results, at least that is what we found out during our own testing. But it does come with noticeably better graphics, which should come in handy when mobile gaming or using applications that need the extra horse power.

Some other upgrades that come with the A16 Bionic are the support for Bluetooth 5.3 and a more efficient 5G modem that decreases the power consumption.

The software experience should be about the same, with the one difference being all the functionality revolving around the Dynamic Island. That, as well as the fact that the iPhone 15 is two years newer, meaning it will probably continue getting software updates for two years further into the future, making it a better choice if you are looking for futureproofing yourself.

Otherwise, both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 mini will be able to utilize all the new quirks and features coming with the iOS 17 update. Apple has really focused on the communication aspect of iOS, doing a long-overdue glow-up of the Messages app, making it much more intuitive and fun to use. Sharing your phone number is  easier too, thanks to a new feature called NameDrop.

Get Apple Music on your Apple device and unleash the beat

If you want unlimited music content on your favorite Apple devices, you might want to hit that subscribe button on Apple Music. It allows you to play over 100 million songs and 30,000 playlists without ads.

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Subscribe to Apple TV+ and enjoy the home of Apple originals

And if you also want to reserve a front-row seat to countless movies and TV series, we suggest you sign up for Apple TV+. For just $6.99, the service allows you to enjoy new Apple Originals every month, with the option to stream on various Apple devices.

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Like mentioned earlier, the iPhone 15 has a much better 48MP main camera which comes with bigger main sensor. Essentially, this translates to images with much higher levels of detail in all aspects that make a great photo. That means more nuances of shadows, highlights, and midtones, more vivid colors, as well as increased sharpness.

The new 48MP camera also allows for a 2X sensor crop, delivering optical-quality zoom, whereas the iPhone 13 mini is restricted to zooming in digitally.

Additionally, Apple has improved the Smart HDR and Night modes to deliver more true-to-life images. It is the Portrait mode that is getting the biggest update, though. Apple even calls them 'next-generation portraits,' as the iPhone can now use machine learning to turn an image from a regular one to a Portrait after it has been taken. What's more, you can also switch the focus of a portrait photo to a different person after the capture.

Apple's iPhones tend to have great audio quality all throughout each lineup that's been launched during the years. That being said, because of its smaller body, the iPhone 13 mini probably won't be as good-sounding when placed next to the upcoming iPhone 15. A larger phone allows for bigger speakers, hence better and louder sound.

Haptics, however, should be equally good between the two phones. Apple did not mention any improvements on that front. The Taptic Engine is arguably best in class, though, so it is hard to be mad at the lack of change here.

The iPhone 12 mini had a lot of power for its size, but it had one major flaw and that was its battery life which was barely manageable. Apple corrected that mistake with the iPhone 13 mini, making it at least last throughout a regular day of use.

Whatever the case, iPhone 13 mini cannot hold a candle to the iPhone 15's battery life. The reason is mainly due to the phone's size, and therefore the size of the battery that can be fit inside. It's simple physics. Here are the battery life stats Apple advertises on its website:

Then there is the charging which despite the brand new USB-C that the iPhone 15 comes with, remains the same. In other words 20W of wired and 15W of MagSafe wireless charging.

Here's an overall look at the differences and similarities between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 mini:

Don't forget that we also have an in-depth iPhone 15 vs iPhone 13 mini specs comparison table here where you can learn more about all the smaller details.

This is a tough one. After all, we are talking about a significant difference in size here, so it really depends how much value you place into that aspect as a user. If you find it uncomfortable and inconvenient to use a larger phone every day and you want to upgrade to the iPhone 15 coming from the iPhone 13, then you will probably need some time to adjust.

Now, if we were comparing the iPhone 13 mini to something like the iPhone 15 Plus or 15 Pro Max it would be a different story, as the size difference there is drastic and can be a little jarring, but in the case of the base model, the transition shouldn't be too bad.

If we leave the dimensions to one side, spec-wise, the iPhone 15 is technically superior in many ways to the smaller predecessor. You get a larger display to enjoy content on, better graphics performance, but most importantly you get a huge jump in the camera segment as a consequence of that new 48MP main sensor.

So, in other words, if you think you've had your fun using the mini and don't suspect a somewhat larger phone would be too much of a hassle for you, then the iPhone 15 might be a nice upgrade. Of course, we recommend you wait for our full iPhone 15 review before making a decision.