The first iPhone 12 reviews have been shared by various media outlets and YouTubers, and the overall consensus is that the ‌iPhone‌ 12 is surprisingly similar to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro. Reviewers praised the ‌iPhone‌ 12's new design and Super Retina XDR display, but had mixed experiences with 5G and MagSafe.

vpavic 4243 20201018 0121

Photo via The Verge

Design

The reviewers were impressed with Apple's new squared-off design on the ‌iPhone‌ 12. TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino lauded the ergonomic benefits of the new design:

The squared-off sides make it far easier to grip and to pick up from a flat surface than the iPhone 11's rounded edges... Over time, it could lead to less grip fatigue among those who go caseless because less pressure is required to secure it.

He also approved of the striking new blue color:

The back color on the blue model I had was also very well chosen. It's deep indoors, bright in the sun and feels like part of a modern palette.

However, The Verge's Dieter Bohn expressed some disappointment at the ‌iPhone‌ 12's glossy rear glass.

Despite all of those flat edges, the seams and the corners are beveled just enough to make it comfortable to hold. The rails on the iPhone 12 are matte finish aluminum, and I prefer them to the glossy steel on the Pro models. Unfortunately, the rear glass is super glossy, super prone to picking up fingerprints, and as susceptible to picking up tiny little micro-abrasions as ever.

CNN's Jacob Krol also noticed the glass's tendency to acquire scratches. Nonetheless, Bohn praised the overall design improvements:

This design just feels more elegant and confident than the past few years of iPhones, including even the big iPhone X redesign. And the smaller size is the best part; the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 always felt just a little too big.

Moreover, Panzarino noted the lighter weight of the ‌iPhone‌ 12, which he said was more noticeable than expected:

One thing worth mentioning here too is that the iPhone 12 Pro is 189 grams where the iPhone 12 is 164 grams. While it may seem silly to note a 25 gram difference, I can say that in practice it does feel quite a bit lighter.

Display

Chris Velazco of Engadget reflected that the ‌iPhone‌ 12's Super Retina XDR display is a significant upgrade over the ‌iPhone‌ XR and ‌iPhone‌ 11:

This screen is an enormous improvement over the Liquid Retina displays Apple used in the XR and 11. Not only does it run at a higher resolution, its colors pop more dramatically, and its brightness peaks at 1200 nits when you're watching HDR content. The screen won't be that bright most of the time, though — its max brightness for everything else is 800 nits, which is still plenty for easy readability outdoors.

Cameras

Most of the reviews observed that the ‌iPhone‌ 12's camera is only incrementally better than the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro's camera. Velazco believes that the camera is generally not much better in use than on the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro:

Honestly though, most of the photos I’ve taken don’t look that much better than what I got from last year's 11 Pro. The biggest difference I noticed during daylight shoots is that the 12 and 12 Pro’s photos are just a touch warmer than the 11 Pro, but not enough to notice at a glance. I also expected night-shooting to be better since this sensor can capture more light. But, that only seems beneficial when you make it a point not to shoot in Night Mode. When you do, the differences mostly boil down to the way Apple uses neural networks to process those images.

Panzarino said that there were some improvements, but they were difficult to notice:

I saw some signs of improvement here but it can be difficult to tell for a few reasons. The iPhone 11 Pro was already very sharp across the image field, for one, and there is so much computational blending happening that it can be hard to differentiate between something that the software improved and something that the hardware has improved...The other big upgrade in the Wide camera, though, is a new f1.6 aperture, which allows an Apple-quoted 27% more light in. In my testing I found the image quality to be pretty spectacular but without nullifying the iPhone 11 Pro except in some specific conditions. Simply put, the iPhone 11's camera is already very, very good, but the moves forward in the iPhone 12 slot in above what would normally be a 'one cycle' difference.

Instead, the more noticeable camera improvements were seen with the Ultra Wide lens and in Portrait mode:

The practical benefits can be seen in the iPhone 12's increased Ultra Wide lens quality... The Ultra Wide is sharper edge-to-edge, crisper overall and has some very judiciously applied perspective correction built in to make sure that you don't get distracting distortion along architectural lines in your images.

The portrait mode on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are greatly improved in one major respect: they do a much better job of segmenting images along the border of things like leaves, hair, fur and other areas of fine detail.

MagSafe

The reviewers were interested in Apple's new ‌MagSafe‌ charger, which Panzarino described as "way faster than fiddling with a Qi charger, and way less frustrating." Velazco remarked:

Wireless charging is generally too finicky and inefficient to be worth my time, but MagSafe fixes enough of the pain points that I’m starting to change my mind.

However, he was unsure about the practicality of ‌MagSafe‌ charging:

It doesn't hurt that the MagSafe connector latches on so strongly that you can still pick the iPhone up and use it while charging "wirelessly."... All of this is somewhat beside the point, though: If you're in a rush, MagSafe is still no substitute for a proper USB cable and a good charger.

Opinions about ‌MagSafe‌ accessories, such as Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ Wallet, were much more mixed. Velazco was unimpressed with Apple's card wallet, saying that in practice it was temperamental, and he expressed concerns about how well other ‌MagSafe‌ accessories would function:

There's also a nifty card case you can slap on the back of your iPhone 12, and I gotta tell you, it's better on paper than in practice. For one, it holds two to three credit cards — or one of those thick NFC keycards for offices and such — and they can be tough to remove without pulling the case off the phone entirely. And that's another thing: Maybe my pants are just too tight, but the case already came off a few times when pulling the phone out of my pocket. I don't think a MagSafe Pop Socket is such a great idea, not that it'll stop companies from making them.

5G

The reviewers also had a varied experience with 5G on the ‌iPhone‌ 12, but this was more so due to network coverage rather than the ‌iPhone‌ 12's capabilities. Wired's Lauren Goode said that "5G networks aren't yet widespread enough in the U.S. for you to experience the benefit of these faster wireless speeds." Panzarino explained:

The fact is that my experience will be shared by the vast majority of iPhone 12 buyers this year. The fastest flavors of 5G are available only on a few blocks of a handful of major cities at the moment and though the speeds are absolutely incredible there, that will have very little to do with the wider experience of buyers over the next 6 months. And, of course, millimeter wave 5G is not live for customers outside of the U.S. currently.

More Reviews

And for early unboxings and first impression videos, check out our summary where we've pulled together well over a dozen videos.

‌The ‌iPhone‌ 12 is available to pre-order in the United States and numerous other countries, with deliveries to customers and in-store availability beginning Friday, October 23. The ‌iPhone‌ 12 mini, which offers all of the same features in a smaller package, will be available for pre-order on November 6 with a launch following on November 13.

Tag: Reviews
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

itsmilo Avatar
61 months ago
The MagSafe charger is just silly to me. The whole point of me using wireless charging is that I can just pick up my phone but here I still need to use both hands to get it off the charger. Might as well just plug it in and as a benefit ... charge faster ??‍♂️??‍♂️??‍♂️
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gooberton Avatar
61 months ago
I'm sad. I love apple and iPhone and the 12 looks amazing but they aren't even hiding the money grabs and greed this year. Its pretty sickening honestly
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
61 months ago

If you can't figure out standard wireless charging, I worry for your ability to function in our world. You put the phone down on the charger. That's it, you're done. How finicky is your charger?
Ah, yes, the ol' "if you buy a product that does a task, you were completely incapable of doing that task yourself and are possibly dysfunctional" post.

It never ceases to amaze me how dire some people's reactions are to new products. Gotta wonder if there was outcry when toilet paper became commercially viable.

"If you can't figure out standard hand wiping, I worry for your ability to function in our world. You wipe with your hand. That's it, you're done. How finicky is your hand?"
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IsaacM Avatar
61 months ago

Panzarino has clearly been hit on the head, how can it be faster than just putting the phone down? you don't "fiddle" with a Qi charger
I guess because Qi charging doesn't always connect properly and you have to adjust your phone and make sure the coil is properly adjusted. This way the magnet snaps on and you're 100% sure it's connected.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matrix07 Avatar
61 months ago

You put the phone down on the charger. That's it, you're done.
Not totally done. Sometimes you wake up and find it didn’t charge.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jav6454 Avatar
61 months ago
5G being inconsistent in coverage? Who would have known? /s
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...