Apple iPhone 12 Pro Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro is a flagship device that combines sleek design with powerful performance. With its Super Retina XDR OLED display, the iPhone 12 Pro delivers stunning visuals and vibrant colors. The device is powered by the Apple A14 Bionic chipset, ensuring smooth and efficient performance. The triple-camera system allows you to capture professional-quality photos and videos, while the LiDAR scanner adds depth and realism to your images. The iPhone 12 Pro is available in four stunning colors - Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. With its premium build quality and impressive features, the iPhone 12 Pro is a device that stands out from the crowd. Prices start at €1,515.39 / $575.00.

Design and Build Quality

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro boasts a sleek and premium design that exudes elegance and sophistication. With its slim form factor and compact dimensions of 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, it feels comfortable and ergonomic to hold in one hand. The device is constructed with a combination of glass front and back panels, both made by Corning, and a stainless steel frame, which not only adds to its aesthetic appeal but also enhances its durability. The Ceramic Shield glass protection on the display ensures better resistance against scratches and drops.

The back panel of the iPhone 12 Pro features a minimalist design with a square camera bump housing a triple-camera setup and a LiDAR scanner. The placement of buttons and controls, such as the volume rocker and the power button, is well-thought-out and easy to reach. The device's bezels are slim, maximizing the screen-to-body ratio and providing an immersive viewing experience.

In terms of weight, the iPhone 12 Pro feels solid and sturdy, weighing 189g. This weight gives it a substantial feel without being too heavy, making it easy to carry and hold for extended periods. The choice of materials and the overall fit and finish of the device contribute to its premium look and feel.

Additionally, the iPhone 12 Pro is IP68 rated, making it dust and water-resistant for up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. This adds to its robustness and ensures peace of mind for users who may encounter accidental spills or splashes.

Overall, the design and build of the iPhone 12 Pro showcase Apple's commitment to aesthetics, durability, and user experience. It combines a sleek and elegant design with high-quality materials, ensuring a premium look and feel while maintaining sturdiness and durability.

Display

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro boasts a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, with a resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels and a pixel density of approximately 460 ppi. This results in sharp and vibrant visuals, allowing for an immersive viewing experience. The display also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, enabling a wider range of colors and contrast for more lifelike images. With its wide color gamut and excellent color accuracy, the iPhone 12 Pro ensures that colors are reproduced accurately and vividly.

The display offers impressive brightness levels, reaching up to 800 nits for regular content and up to 1200 nits for HDR content. This makes the screen easily visible even in bright outdoor conditions. Additionally, the ceramic shield glass protection enhances durability, providing four times better drop performance compared to previous iPhone models.

The iPhone 12 Pro features a notch design, housing the front-facing camera and Face ID sensors. While some users may find the notch distracting, it allows for a higher screen-to-body ratio and enables Face ID facial recognition technology. The bezels are slim, further maximizing the screen space and creating a sleek aesthetic.

The display also supports features like True Tone, which automatically adjusts the white balance based on ambient lighting for a more comfortable viewing experience. It also includes an anti-reflective coating, reducing glare and improving visibility in various lighting conditions. The iPhone 12 Pro does not have a high refresh rate display like some competing smartphones, but its touch responsiveness is excellent, ensuring smooth and responsive interactions.

Overall, the display of the iPhone 12 Pro offers a high-quality viewing experience with its vibrant colors, sharp resolution, and excellent brightness levels. It combines advanced OLED technology with Apple's attention to detail and display calibration to deliver a visually impressive and immersive display.

Performance

The performance of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro is undeniably impressive, thanks to its powerful chipset and efficient GPU. Equipped with the Apple A14 Bionic chip, which is built on a 5nm process, this device delivers exceptional performance across various tasks. The hexa-core CPU, consisting of 2x3.1 GHz Firestorm and 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm cores, ensures smooth multitasking and fast app loading speeds.

In terms of GPU benchmarks, the Apple GPU with 4-core graphics delivers outstanding graphics scores and enhances the gaming experience on the iPhone 12 Pro. Gaming capabilities are further enhanced by the device's Super Retina XDR OLED display, which features HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, offering vibrant and immersive visuals. Gamers can enjoy their favorite games with excellent graphics and smooth gameplay.

The iPhone 12 Pro's performance is not limited to gaming alone. The device excels in handling demanding tasks and offers a lag-free experience. Synthetic benchmark tests, such as AnTuTu and GeekBench, showcase the iPhone 12 Pro's impressive performance metrics. It achieves a high AnTuTu score of 596,244 and a GeekBench score of 4,056.

One of the key factors contributing to the iPhone 12 Pro's exceptional performance is its system optimization. The iOS 14.1 operating system, upgradable to iOS 16.5, ensures efficient resource management and seamless performance. The thermal management of the device is also commendable, as it prevents overheating during intensive tasks, maintaining consistent performance.

Overall, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro stands out in terms of processor efficiency and GPU performance. It delivers a smooth user experience, whether it's gaming, multitasking, or running resource-intensive applications. The combination of the powerful A14 Bionic chip, optimized software, and efficient thermal management sets a high standard for performance in the smartphone market.

Software and User Interface

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro runs on the iOS operating system, specifically iOS 14.1, which is upgradable to iOS 16.5 with a planned upgrade to iOS 17. iOS is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with other Apple devices. It offers a smooth and intuitive experience, making it easy for users to navigate through the phone's features and settings.

One of the notable aspects of the software on the iPhone 12 Pro is its customization options. Users can personalize their device by arranging app icons, creating folders, and selecting various wallpapers. The iOS also allows users to customize their home screen with widgets, providing quick access to information without opening specific apps.

In terms of pre-installed apps, the iPhone 12 Pro comes with a range of essential applications such as Messages, Mail, Safari, and Calendar. These apps are well-integrated with the operating system, ensuring a seamless user experience. Additionally, Apple's App Store offers a vast selection of third-party apps that users can download to further enhance their device's functionality.

Unlike some other smartphones, the iPhone 12 Pro does not come with bloatware, which refers to unnecessary pre-installed apps that can occupy storage space and potentially slow down the device. Apple focuses on providing a streamlined experience, offering only essential apps and allowing users to choose which additional apps they want to install.

Overall, the software on the iPhone 12 Pro offers a user-friendly interface, customization options, and a range of pre-installed and downloadable apps. With regular software updates and a planned upgrade to iOS 17, users can expect a smooth and optimized experience on their iPhone 12 Pro.

Camera

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro boasts an impressive camera setup that delivers exceptional image quality in a variety of shooting scenarios. With its triple rear camera system, including a 12-megapixel wide lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, users can capture stunning photos with great detail and clarity. The wide aperture and focal length options allow for creative control over depth of field and composition, while the sensor size ensures excellent low-light sensitivity and dynamic range. The camera's image stabilization feature helps reduce blur and shake, resulting in sharper images, even in low-light conditions.

Whether it's outdoor photography in bright daylight or indoor shots with challenging lighting, the iPhone 12 Pro excels in capturing natural colors and preserving fine details. The camera's advanced AI scene recognition technology enhances image quality by automatically adjusting settings for optimal exposure and color accuracy. For portrait enthusiasts, the device offers a portrait mode, which produces professional-looking shots with beautifully blurred backgrounds and precise subject separation.

In terms of video recording capabilities, the iPhone 12 Pro supports 4K video at various frame rates and offers video stabilization for smooth footage. Slow-motion video and time-lapse options further expand creative possibilities. The device also supports various video formats, ensuring compatibility with different platforms and editing software.

Overall, the camera of the iPhone 12 Pro delivers remarkable performance, combining high-resolution sensors, advanced image processing, and a range of versatile shooting modes to capture stunning photos and videos in any situation.

Battery Life

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro is equipped with a Li-Ion 2815mAh battery, which offers a decent battery life. The device supports wired charging with PD 2.0, allowing users to charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes. Additionally, it supports 15W wireless charging through MagSafe and 7.5W wireless charging via Qi technology. The battery performance of the iPhone 12 Pro is generally good, providing a satisfactory standby time and screen-on time. It also features power efficiency and optimization features to maximize battery usage and minimize drain. With its battery saver and management options, users can further optimize the battery longevity and endurance. The charging speed and efficiency are commendable, ensuring that users can quickly recharge their device. Overall, the battery of the iPhone 12 Pro offers a reliable backup and capacity, enabling users to stay connected throughout the day.

Connectivity and Networking

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro offers a wide range of connectivity options to ensure a seamless user experience. With support for 5G technology, users can enjoy faster data speeds and improved network compatibility. The device also features Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, allowing for high-speed internet connectivity and compatibility with various Wi-Fi standards. Bluetooth 5.0 ensures efficient and reliable wireless communication with other devices, while NFC enables convenient contactless payments and data transfers. The iPhone 12 Pro also comes with a Lightning port for wired connections and USB 2.0 support. Additionally, the device supports wireless charging, making it easy to power up without the hassle of cables. For those who require dual SIM capabilities, the iPhone 12 Pro offers the option of using a Nano-SIM and eSIM or a Nano-SIM with dual stand-by. GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and QZSS are supported for accurate navigation and positioning. Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro provides a comprehensive range of connectivity features, ensuring users stay connected wherever they go.

Additional Features

- Water resistance: The iPhone 12 Pro comes with an IP68 rating, making it resistant to water and dust. You can confidently use it in up to 6 meters of water for 30 minutes without worrying about damage.

- Wireless charging: With the iPhone 12 Pro, you can conveniently charge your device without any cables. It supports both Qi wireless charging and MagSafe, allowing for fast and efficient charging.

- Advanced sensors: The iPhone 12 Pro is equipped with a range of advanced sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, and barometer. These sensors enhance the user experience and enable features like Face ID and motion tracking in apps.

- Ultra Wideband (UWB) support: The iPhone 12 Pro features Ultra Wideband technology, which allows for precise spatial awareness and improved connectivity. It enables features like AirDrop prioritization and enhanced location tracking.

- Ceramic Shield glass: The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a Ceramic Shield glass front, which is tougher than any other smartphone glass. It provides increased durability and better protection against accidental drops and scratches.

- Dolby Vision HDR: The Super Retina XDR OLED display of the iPhone 12 Pro supports Dolby Vision HDR, delivering stunning visuals with enhanced contrast and color accuracy. It offers an immersive viewing experience for watching HDR content.

- 5G connectivity: The iPhone 12 Pro is compatible with 5G networks, providing faster download and upload speeds, improved streaming quality, and a more responsive browsing experience.

- A14 Bionic chip: Powered by the A14 Bionic chip, the iPhone 12 Pro offers exceptional performance and efficiency. It enables smooth multitasking, fast app launches, and immersive gaming experiences.

- Impressive camera system: The iPhone 12 Pro boasts a triple-camera system with 12 MP wide, telephoto, and ultrawide lenses. It also includes a LiDAR scanner for improved low-light photography and augmented reality experiences.

- iOS 14: The iPhone 12 Pro runs on iOS 14, which brings a host of new features and enhancements. It offers a more customizable home screen, improved privacy settings, and enhanced app experiences.

- Long battery life: The iPhone 12 Pro's 2815 mAh battery provides long-lasting usage. With its efficient A14 Bionic chip and optimized software, you can enjoy all-day battery life on a single charge.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro is a high-end smartphone that offers a range of impressive features and specifications. When comparing it to other related gadgets in the market, it stands out as a strong competitor. One of its main competitors is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is also a flagship device with top-of-the-line features.

In terms of specifications, both the iPhone 12 Pro and the Galaxy S21 Ultra offer powerful processors and ample RAM for smooth multitasking and gaming. However, the iPhone 12 Pro is powered by the Apple A14 Bionic chip, which is known for its impressive performance and efficiency. On the other hand, the Galaxy S21 Ultra features the Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, depending on the region.

When it comes to camera capabilities, both devices excel. The iPhone 12 Pro boasts a triple camera setup with a LiDAR scanner, allowing for better low-light photography and augmented reality experiences. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, features a quad-camera system with a dedicated 108MP sensor, offering higher resolution images. Both devices are capable of capturing stunning photos and videos.

In terms of market positioning, the iPhone 12 Pro is positioned as a premium device with a sleek design, a vibrant Super Retina XDR OLED display, and a ceramic shield glass for durability. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, offers a larger display and a versatile S Pen support, catering to users who prioritize productivity and multimedia consumption.

When considering pricing, the iPhone 12 Pro tends to have a higher price point compared to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. However, it is important to note that the pricing strategy of both companies can vary depending on the region and availability of carrier deals.

In conclusion, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra are both flagship devices that offer top-of-the-line features and performance. They compete in terms of specifications, camera capabilities, design, and market positioning. Ultimately, the choice between these devices depends on individual preferences, such as operating system preference and specific feature requirements.

Pros and Cons