Are you interested in the iPhone 12? Here’s what’s the difference between the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro.
The iPhone 12 is here and it’s already one of the best smartphones currently on the market. What does Apple’s 5G smartphone have to offer? And how exactly do the specs of the standard version differ from those of the iPhone 12 Pro? That’s exactly what you’ll find out here. And you can read everything else in our detailed review of the iPhone 12 Pro.
Display and design
In general, it can be said that the similarities between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro are far greater than the differences. This becomes clear from the design: The brilliant Super Retina XDR OLED display is the same size on both models with a screen diagonal of 6.1 inches and a resolution of 2,532 x 1,170 pixels. The pixel density is 460 PPI (pixels per inch).
Scratch-resistant and grease-resistant Gorilla Glass protects the screen and back of both smartphone models. The housing of the iPhone 12 is made of aluminum, while that of the iPhone 12 Pro is made of stainless steel.
Both models are 7.4 millimeters thin. However, the iPhone 12 is slightly lighter at 164 grams than the Pro version at 189 grams. However, both smartphones are pleasantly handy lightweights.
The 12-series iPhones also have a lot to offer in terms of colors: the standard model is available in black, white, red, green, and blue. The iPhone 12 Pro is available in the fancy colors Silver, Graphite, Gold, or Pacific Blue.
Inner values
There are also differences between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro on the inside. And that is also logical: the price difference of a good 200 euros at the start of sales must be justified somehow. However, the heart that beats in both smartphones is the same: an Apple A14 Bionic six-fold processor, manufactured using the 5-nanometer process.
Both models run iOS 14.1 out of the box. The standard model has 4 GB of RAM, the iPhone Pro has 6 GB of RAM.
In both models, the internal memory cannot be expanded via microSD, and there is no corresponding card slot. So before you buy, think about how much onboard memory you need for your games, apps, pictures, videos, etc.: With the iPhone 12, you have a choice of 64, 128, or 256 GB, with the Pro version it is 128 or 256 or 512GB.
Camera and battery
The camera system is one of the biggest differences between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro. While the standard model comes with a 12-megapixel dual camera, the Pro version has a 12-megapixel triple camera with an additional telephoto lens. Both camera systems are a lot of fun in our eyes!
The lithium-ion battery has a rated capacity of 2,775 milliampere hours (mAh) in both models. Compared to the competition, that sounds like relatively little performance. However, Apple’s current iPhones are characterized by extremely high-performance and efficient systems that work in an energy-saving manner. Therefore, it does not have to be an XXL battery.
Thanks to the quick charge function with 20 watts, you can charge the battery to around 50 percent capacity in 30 minutes. According to Apple, a full charge is enough for both smartphones for up to 17 hours of multimedia applications or up to 65 hours of music playback.
5G cannot be used with dual SIM
This point should not go unmentioned: Dual SIM users have to do without 5G on the iPhone 12, at least for the time being! If you use SIM card and eSIM at the same time, both SIM cards will be limited to 4G – even if your contracts allow access to 5G networks and a corresponding network is available. Do you want to use 5G? Then you have to deactivate a SIM.
It is currently not clear whether this limitation is a software problem. If so, an update might fix it. An official comment from Apple is missing so far.
The specs at a glance
| iPhone 12 | iPhone 12 Pro | |
| screen | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10 | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10 |
| resolution | 2,532 x 1,170 pixels, 460ppi | 2,532 x 1,170 pixels, 460ppi |
| screen size | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches |
| GorillaGlass | Front and backside | Front and backside |
| casing | aluminum | stainless steel |
| height | 7.4mm | 7.4mm |
| Weight | 164g | 189g |
| Colors | Black, White, Red, Green, Blue | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Apple A14 Bionic |
| 5G | Yes, but not in dual SIM mode | Yes, but not in dual SIM mode |
| R.A.M. | 4GB | 6GB |
| Internal memory | 64GB, 128GB or 256GB | 128GB, 256GB or 512GB |
| camera | 12 MP dual cam | 12 MP triple cam |
| battery pack | 2,775 mAh Li-Ion, permanently installed | 2,775 mAh Li-Ion, permanently installed |
| operating system | iOS14.1 | iOS14.1 |
| IP68 certification (water and dust resistant) | Yes | Yes |
| introductory price | about 900 euros | approx. 1,120 euros |
Tip: Are you also interested in other iPhone models? Here you will find our current iPhone tests!
The most important things at a glance
- The differences between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro are mainly in the details. Both models are identical in many important respects. Finally, the iPhone also has an OLED display on board!
- When it comes to internal storage and the camera system, the Pro model has the edge. These two features already justify the price difference of around 200 euros.
- Both models also offer a range of housing colors. If you need a little less storage and a good dual camera is enough for you, you can consider the cheaper iPhone 12.