The iPhone 12 in a nutshell
- Release date: 23 October 2020
- Price at launch: from £799
- 5G connectivity
- A14 chipset
- Dual lens 12MP camera
- Operating system: supports iOS 17
MoneySuperMarket’s expert rating: 3.5/5
Despite being an older model, the iPhone 12 remains a solid bet for Apple lovers. Not only does it still feature a design that doesn’t feel aged at all, but it also comes with a decent camera and battery life that holds its own against newer phones.
The iPhone 12 was the first Apple device to feature 5G, too, meaning you can take advantage of those lightning-fast speeds. It's also MagSafe compatible and still supports Apple's latest iOS.
How much is the iPhone 12?
Back when it was launched in 2020, prices for a brand new iPhone 12 started from £799.
Although you can no longer buy it directly from Apple, it’s still available to buy from a range of retailers – and now at a lower price.
How can I get a cheap iPhone 12?
An alternative to buying the iPhone 12 SIM-free is to get it on a pay-monthly contract, which lets you spread the cost over the course of several months.
Networks such as iD Mobile, TalkMobile and VOXI all have deals, with prices starting from £17.95 a month. Use our table at the top of the page to compare deals.
The iPhone 12’s design
The iPhone 12 is the first device to feature Apple’s current look, with metal edges, a glass back and toughened screen. There’s Ceramic Shield display protection, as well as IP86-rated dust and water resistance. All of this contributes to the iPhone 12’s strong and durable build quality.
You can get the iPhone 12 in purple, blue, green, white, black and red.
The iPhone 12’s display
The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display showcases good colour and contrast, making for a pleasing viewing experience when watching HDR content. However, it’s not as bright as the iPhone 12 Pro, and the 60Hz refresh rate looks and feels a little sluggish by modern standards.
How good is the iPhone 12’s camera?
The iPhone 12 has a dual lens set-up, with a 12MP wide camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. There’s also portrait mode and digital zoom up to 5x.
Smart HDR 3 tech boosts colours and contrast, while Apple made changes to Night Mode, which means less noise and graininess in low-light photography compared with the iPhone 11. However, if you want truly great night-time imagery, it may be worth picking up a more recent handset.
Is the iPhone 12 good for video?
As for video, the iPhone 12 can shoot 4K video at 24, 30 and 60 frames per second. Autofocus is snappy, quickly and accurately locking on the subject you’re shooting. And thanks to cinematic video stabilisation, the resulting footage is smooth and jitter-free.
Apple’s Smart HDR video capture produces high-quality clips – you’ll see it in the true-to-life colours, excellent contrast and impressive dynamic range.
iPhone 12 full review
For more on the iPhone 12, read our full review.
More iPhone handsets
Is the iPhone 12 worth buying in 2024?
Later iPhone models do of course have quite a few improvements, but the iPhone 12’s tech from 2020 is hardly out of date. With features like 5G support, a sturdy frame and screen, and high specs, the iPhone 12 will still be a good phone for quite some time.
Plus, the iPhone 12 is set to receive iOS updates for at least five to six years from release.
Is now a good time to buy the iPhone 12?
If you’ve had your eye on the iPhone 12 and you stumble across a good-value deal that suits you, it’s a good idea to snap it up.
It’s also worth considering how long you’d like to use your device for, too. As we say above, the iPhone 12 will get software updates for five or six years from release. Depending on when you buy the iPhone 12, you might have only one or two years of use before it’s no longer supported.
Will the iPhone 12 drop in price?
iPhones usually drop in price when Apple releases a newer model – usually around September or October every year. As the iPhone 12 has since been surpassed by newer releases, it has indeed fallen in price.
You might also find special offers during certain times of the year, such as Black Friday – or any time a network or retailer runs a special, limited time deal.
Should I upgrade or wait for the next model?
If you want the very latest technology and even greater futureproofing, then you’re better off with the most recent model of iPhone you can get.
If you’re fine with 2020 tech, however – which already has excellent cameras and a stunning display, and software upgrades still supported by Apple – then you’ll be perfectly happy with the iPhone 12.
iPhone 12 specs
| Manufacturer | Apple |
|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS |
| Sim Card Type | Nano |
| Accelerometer | Yes |
|---|---|
| Proximity | Yes |
| Compass | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes |
| GPS | No |
| Form Factor | Candy Bar |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 7.4 mm |
| Size | 71.5mm x 7.4mm x 146.7mm |
| Weight | 162 g |
| Battery Type | Lithium Ion |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2775 mah |
| Standby | hours |
| Talktime | hours |
| Display Size | 6.1 inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Type | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1170 x 2532 inches |
| Pixels Per Inch | 460 ppi |
| Touch Screen Type | Capacitive |
| CPU | 2100 mhz |
|---|---|
| Processor Cores | 6 Cores Cores |
| Memory | 4000 MB |
| Internal Storage | 64, 128, 256 |
|---|---|
| External Storage | No |
| Primary Camera | 12 MP |
|---|---|
| Flash | Yes |
| LED Flash | |
| GEO Tagging | Yes |
| Auto Focus | Yes |
| Fixed Focus | Yes |
| Touch Focus | |
| Face Detection | Yes |
| Smile Detection | |
| Image Stabilisation | Yes |
| Video Quality | 2160 |
| 2nd Camera | 12 MP |
| Generation | 5G |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Dual-band |
| NFC | No |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Wi-Fi Hotspot | No |
| Wi-Fi Direct | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
|---|
