judgment
It’s a great phone that’s easy to recommend. It takes the great 11 Pro, tweaks it and adds a glorious new design that takes things to the next level. It’s a bit of a shame as the Pro Max has better camera potential and a higher refresh rate screen would have been nice. Maybe next year.
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £999
- 6.1-inch OLED display
- A14 Bionic chipset
- 6GB RAM, 5G
- 128/256/512GB storage
- 3x 12MP cameras
- FaceID
If you want the best of what Apple has to offer in a 6.1-inch form factor and are willing to pay the £999/$999 starting price. Then the iPhone 12 Pro is for you.
Along with features like the A14 chipset, 5G, faster camera and the new design we saw on the iPhone 12. The Pro adds more camera prowess, an improved design, double the base storage and more RAM.
So, is it worth spending that bit of extra cash and is it the best phone?
Design
- The iPhone 12 Pro is a modern version of the iPhone 5
Although the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are visually similar, the Pro lives up to its name by feeling slightly smarter.
The rails are an ultra-shiny and seriously smoky stainless steel against aluminum. And the back is frosted glass. Color choices are also less playful. With lighter colors ditched for more menacing dark colors. Well, it’s out of the gold variety, which is purely bling-tastic.
Thanks to this use of stainless steel, the 12 Pro has a weighty feel. It’s not heavy at 189g, but it’s definitely thicker than its cheaper sibling. These steel sides are softer to the touch and more pleasant to grip for extended periods of time. The frosted glass rear is also a plus, completely avoiding all fingerprints.
It may be heavier, but the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro share the same size, dimensions and IP rating for water resistance. If you buy a case for one, it will fit the other. Of course, if you want a bigger phone, the Max version toting a 6.7-inch display is coming soon.
The 6.1-inch screen is larger than the 11 Pro, but the phone itself is slightly taller. It remains one of the smaller flagships around. A respite from the plethora of large-screen devices. I can grip it with one hand without feeling like I’m going to drop it, and the extra screen compared to the 11 Pro is welcome. While I usually sway towards the larger end when it comes to a phone, this is a very nice middle ground.
Apple’s new ‘Ceramic Shield’ glass covers the iPhone 12 Pro’s display. It was developed in conjunction with Corning and according to Apple. Is 4 times better at resisting drops than the previous model. Apple has added nano-ceramic crystals to the glass that make it stronger. And it’s combined with the before used dual ion-exchange for scratch resistance.
Although the iPhone 12 Pro is probably not more scratch resistant than the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro. And often when things get better at withstanding drops. They become more susceptible to other types of damage, like scratches. My screen is still clear of scratches. But my iPhone 11 Pro’s display has picked up all sorts of dings and small scratches over the past 12 months.
Screen
- No ProMotion, but this is still a great display
I never expected Apple to roll out a faster refresh-rate display across the entire iPhone range. But I was hoping a 90 or 120Hz iPad Pro-like promotional panel might make its way to the Pro model. It’s not here, and the new panel is locked to 60Hz. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does mean the iPhone 12 Pro isn’t as smooth as the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
That grumble aside, the display here remains fantastic. It ticks every box I’m looking for. Including fantastic color reproduction. Amazing contrast levels and enough brightness to comfortably see outdoors in difficult conditions. The OLED panel produces perfect blacks. HDR content at 1200 nits for visual improvement. And the surrounding bezels are super-thin.
You don’t have any manual controls on the display – a feature that’s common on Android now. But when it’s this good I don’t have to fiddle with any settings.
While the media experience is mostly fantastic. The notch is still here and still makes the display feel a bit smaller than it should be. You’ll probably forget it fairly quickly, and the Face ID benefits are obvious. But I hope Apple manages to narrow it down by now.
With the iPhone 11 Pro last year. You knew you were getting a seriously better display for paying more than the iPhone 11. Not really here. As the iPhone 12 is now pretty much the same with this panel Both are OLED, with XDR branding and the same resolution. They can both hit 1200 nits peak brightness when you’re watching HDR content. The only real difference I can see is the slightly higher general brightness on the Pro model. Giving the screen a bright white look when you’re outdoors.
Performance
- The iPhone 12 Pro is currently unmatched for speed
Powering the entire iPhone 12 line from mini to max is the A14 Bionic chipset. It’s Apple’s most efficient silicon yet, with a 5nm process and a vastly improved neural engine for AI. There’s also a 5G modem inside, giving you fast data network access if you’re in a supported area. Many bands of 5G are supported and the US version of the device has an more antenna. On the side for mmWave UWB connectivity. We don’t have it in the UK yet, so it’s not a loss to be missing.
5G was a buzzword during the 12 Pro’s launch event. And is being heavily pushed by carriers as a revolution in how you use your phone. They’ll probably get it right in a few years when the service becomes more widespread. But so far I think the noticeable difference is minimal for most. I live in an area where 5G is available if I take a short walk down the street and while it’s nice to see the 5G logo pop up. The actual download speeds on the 3 are much slower than 4G and actually compared to an EE 4G sim.
The benefits will probably become more clear in a few years. When 5G becomes more widespread. We return to attending gigs and larger stadiums and festivals. For now, though, that’s far from necessary.
Interestingly, Apple has a Smart 5G feature enabled by default. That switches you back to 4G if it judges you don’t need the benefits of a faster network. Seems like a good way to juggle battery life and faster speeds. Giving you the full power of 5G while you’re downloading something.
The iPhone 12 Pro is one of the fastest phones around – if not the fastest. I didn’t notice any lag or slowdown during my time with the phone. And save for a few iOS 14 bugs the experience was fluid and great. In the synthetic Geekbench 5 benchmark app. which will give a decent overall view of performance. The phone scores 1597 in single-core and 3968 in multi-core. That’s a seriously high score on both counts.
Games run like a dream and Apple Arcade has enough good stuff to make it a great little portable gaming machine. Especially when you connect a controller.
The 12 Pro also benefits from more RAM than the iPhone 12 (6GB versus 4GB). And while the advantage is hard to pin down, it should keep the phone fast for years to come. You also get 128GB of base storage (along with 256GB and 512GB variants) – double that of the iPhone 12. These two factors may make the upgrade worth it for some.
Audio from the speaker is very good, call quality is strong and there’s Wi-Fi 6 support if you have the right router.
Camera
- Small tweaks in every area make a big difference
It’s with the camera prowess where the iPhone 12 Pro really separates itself from. The cheaper iPhone 12 and stands out as one of the best camera phones around. Along with an more 12-megapixel sensor with a 52mm equal lens for 2x shots. There’s a clever LiDAR sensor that enables fast low-light focusing. Its video capabilities are also slightly better. With 60fps video supported when you shoot in Dolby Vision HDR.
In terms of the main 12MP wide camera though, the Pro has a similar set-up to the iPhone 12. But, the Pro Max has a much larger sensor so you can really see what the model is. Want the best camera experience. The final camera is an f/2.4 ultra wide that can now take night mode shots.
The main 12MP wide camera has a faster f/1.6 lens that lets in more light. And it also benefits from a few updates on the back end, including Smart HDR3. This is very noticeable, because it really helps to see exposure and dynamic range in snaps. Even if you’re taking a photo of a complex environment, you’ll have level exposure every time. Colors are not blown out and highlights and shadows are accurate.
Apple added Deep Fusion last year and used it again to reveal really high levels of detail. Check out the dried flower photos below. You can pick out the individual details that aren’t visible in other phone photos.
Where the iPhone falls down a little is in its zoom capabilities. While the 2x camera shots are good. These just can’t compete with phones like the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Which have periscope lenses for true optical zoom up to 5x and 10x.
I love the addition of the ultra wide sensor and being able to use night mode with it makes it even more useful. Still, the sensor is still not as good as the original camera and the snaps are much worse. It’s nice for variety though.
LiDAR is a new sensor on the 12 Pro and mainly helps with low-light performance (along with some AR tricks). For example, focusing in low light is much better and more accurate. Than previous iPhones and the iPhone 12. Instead of a lot of focus hunting, it locks on right away. Low-light portraits are also enabled. And can look good again if you frame things correctly.
It’s a tough call given the phone’s low-light performance – but that’s no bad thing. Blacks are a little deeper on Pixel 5 shots, while secondary cameras on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are better. I like the iPhone’s reliability though. And Night Mode generally takes good pictures even if you can’t manually enable it yet.
On the front, there’s a 12MP camera and it’s the same as before. Selfies are fine, but they can look a bit washed out compared to the contrasty look you get from the Pixel 5. Although it is very accurate for facial unlocking.
Video has always been a highlight of the iPhone and with HDR, things have been enhanced once again.
HDR gives you better contrast, brighter colors and an overall more pleasing look. It makes the already excellent footage that bit better.
The iPhone 12 Pro records HDR video in an HLG format with some Dolby Vision. Encoding to provide scene-by-scene metadata.
The results are stunning and especially when viewed on the iPhone 12 Pro’s HDR screen. Colors pop, skies stand out, and there’s a real sense of missing out now that I’m back on the iPhone 11.
Of course, there are some compatibility issues. Apps will struggle with the video and even trying to watch it on Dolby Vision TV. With Apple TV 4K is not successful due to the format used. You may want to turn this off (it’s on by default) if you want them to be as widely compatible as possible.
Battery life
- MagSafe is a nice option, though you’ll likely be buying your own charger too
As a result, you really have to buy another adapter and that’s an extra £20 to add to the price of the phone. You can also pick up the new MagSafe charger (again, this will must a 20w plug). It’s a magnetic puck that attaches satisfactorily to the back and charges wirelessly using the Qi standard at 15w. It’s faster than using any old wireless pad, but where you’ll get 50% juice from 30 minutes of plugging in. You’ll need an hour to get it with the MagSafe. Still, it solves one of my biggest issues with wireless charging. Because you can use the phone while it’s charging.
Apple improved battery life with the iPhone 11 Pro last year, and with the addition of 5G and a larger display. You’ll get roughly the same endurance from the new model. I got through the day comfortably and managed to hit six hours of screen-on time. If you’re coming from an iPhone X or XS, you’ll notice the improvement.
Should you buy the iPhone 12 Pro?
The iPhone 12 Pro is £300/$200 more expensive than the iPhone 12 and for that you get a nice perk that’s definitely. Worth it if you want the best iPhone experience. The materials are classier, there’s a bit more RAM and base storage. The cameras are much more versatile and the screen is a bit brighter.
The camera improvements will be reason enough for many to opt for this model. And I appreciate not only the added versatility of the zoom lens. But the LiDAR sensor for low-light portraits and fast focusing.
Overall, it’s a great phone that’s easy to recommend. It takes the great 11 Pro, tweaks it and adds a glorious new design that takes things to the next level. It’s a bit of a shame as the Pro Max has better camera potential and a higher refresh rate screen would have been nice. Maybe next year.
