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A closer look

iPhone 12. Every angle.

Interactive 3D
Apple iPhone 12 product image

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Manufacturer design reference ↗

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Reference price

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Score SummaryUpper Mid-Range / Flagship Killer ($550 – $849)
Hardware Score:8.5 / 10

The phone that brought OLED screens and 5G to the mainstream iPhone audience.

The standard iPhone 12 was a colossal upgrade over the iPhone 11, ditching LCD for a gorgeous, high-contrast Super Retina XDR OLED display while cutting 32 grams off the chassis. Housing the 5nm A14 Bionic processor and introducing MagSafe wireless convenience, it delivered flagship speed and pocketable comfort at an accessible price. With its durable aluminum frame, IP68 water resistance, and consistent dual-camera photography, it remains an extremely popular entry point into the iOS ecosystem.

Key Strengths

  • Featherlight 164g chassis is exceptionally comfortable for one-handed usage
  • Vibrant Super Retina XDR OLED screen with deep blacks and HDR10
  • Swift Apple A14 Bionic performance with solid power efficiency
  • Introduction of convenient MagSafe magnetic charging and accessories
  • IP68 water resistance and resilient Ceramic Shield glass

Points to Consider

  • Modest 2815 mAh battery requires daily evening recharging
  • Base model started with just 64GB of non-expandable storage
  • Lacks telephoto camera zoom and 120Hz refresh rate
Relative Hardware Benchmarks vs Upper Mid-Range / Flagship Killer
Battery Capacity2,815 mAhTier avg: 5,500 mAh
Wired Charging20WTier avg: 67W
Recommended For:•Students•Budget iOS switchers•One-handed phone users•First-time iPhone buyers

Apple iPhone 12 full specifications

156 verified specification points across 18 categories.

Launch

4
Announced
2020-10-13
Released
2020-10-23
Status
Available
Body type
bar

Body

10
Dimensions
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm
Weight
164 g
Volume
77.6 cm³
Build
Ceramic Shield front, glass back and aluminum design
Frame
Aerospace-grade Aluminum
Back
Glossy Glass
Front glass
Ceramic Shield
Water resistance
IP68
Certifications
IP68 water and dust submersion (2m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H compliant, Dust-tight hermetic seal
Colours
Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED, Green, Blue, Purple

Display

20
Type
Super Retina XDR OLED
Size
6.1 inches
Screen-to-body
86%
Resolution
1170 x 2532 pixels
Pixel density
457 ppi
Aspect ratio
19.5:9
Panel width
67.5 mm
Panel height
140.7 mm
Active area
110.9 cm²
Max refresh rate
60 Hz
Min refresh rate
1 Hz
Touch sampling
360 Hz
Peak brightness
1200 nits
Typical brightness
625 nits
Colour depth
10-bit (1.07 billion colors)
PWM dimming
2160 Hz
HDR
HDR10, Dolby Vision
Always-on display
Yes
Protection
Ceramic ShieldSee Its Deep Breakdown
Other features
Variable 1-120Hz LTPO refresh rate, Hardware anti-reflective nano-coating, TrueColor 10-bit color calibration, Eye Comfort Shield 3.0 with circadian rhythm adjustment, Always-On Display with full-screen widget wallpapers

Processor

10
Chipset
Apple A14 BionicSee Its Deep Breakdown
Fabrication process
5 nm
CPU
Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)
CPU configuration
2x Prime + 6x Performance
CPU cores
6
Peak clock
3.1 GHz
Instruction set
ARMv9.3-A
Architecture
64-bit
GPU
Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
GPU clock
1350 MHz

Software

4
Operating system
iOS, 14.1, upgradable to iOS 18
User interface
iOS 14
OS updates
6 years
Security updates
6 years

Memory

8
RAM options
4GB
RAM type
LPDDR4X
RAM speed
9600 MHz
RAM channels
4
Internal storage
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Storage type
NVMe
Card slot
No
Card slot type
None

Wide (main) camera

12
Resolution
12 MP
Sensor
Sony IMX603
Sensor format
1/2.55"
Pixel size
1.4 µm
Aperture
f/1.6
Focal length
26 mm
35mm equivalent
26 mm
Field of view
82°
Optical zoom
1x
Stabilisation
Optical (OIS)
Autofocus
Dual Pixel PDAF
Video
4K at 60fps Dolby Vision

Ultrawide camera

12
Resolution
12 MP
Sensor
Sony IMX372
Sensor format
1/3.4"
Pixel size
1 µm
Aperture
f/2.4
Focal length
13 mm
35mm equivalent
13 mm
Field of view
120°
Optical zoom
0.5x
Stabilisation
None
Autofocus
Fixed
Video
4K at 60fps

Camera features

4
Video
4K at 60fps Dolby Vision
Frame rates
24, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 fps
Flash
Adaptive Quad-LED True Tone flash
Features
Computational HDR multi-frame synthesis, Night vision 3.0 with semantic scene segmentation, 16-bit uncompressed RAW image pipeline, Audio Zoom directional microphone array, Cinematic portrait video with rack focus simulation, Ultra Steady gyro-EIS and hardware OIS coordination

Selfie camera

10
Resolution
12 MP
Sensor
Sony IMX514
Sensor format
1/2.8"
Pixel size
1.12 µm
Aperture
f/2.2
35mm equivalent
22 mm
Field of view
90°
Autofocus
Yes
Video
4K at 60fps
Features
Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus, Cinematic front portrait bokeh mode, HDR10+ 4K live preview selfie recording

Battery

12
Capacity
2815 mAh
Rated capacity
2715 mAh
Type
Si/C (Silicon-Carbon High-Density)See Its Deep Breakdown
Wired charging
20 W
Charge time
75 min
Wireless charging
15 W
Reverse wireless
10 W
Reverse wired
5 W
Charging standards
USB Power Delivery 3.1 PPS, Qi2 Magnetic Fast Wireless Standard (15W-25W), UFCS Universal Fast Charging Specification
Charger in box
No
Endurance rating
18 hours
Removable
No

Network

11
5G
Yes
Technologies
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
GSM bands
850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
UMTS bands
B1, B2, B4, B5, B8
LTE bands
B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B17, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28, B32, B38, B39, B40, B41, B42, B48, B66
5G NR bands
n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79, n257, n258, n260, n261
All bands
Sub-6GHz SA/NSA, Extended mmWave
SIM type
Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM or eSIM
SIM slots
2
eSIM
Yes
Satellite
Yes

Connectivity

15
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth)
Wi-Fi features
320MHz channel width, 4096-QAM, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth
5.4
Bluetooth features
Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), Auracast broadcast audio, aptX Lossless, LDAC, LHDC 5.0
NFC
Yes
Ultra-wideband
Yes
USB
USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
USB connector
USB Type-C
USB version
3.2 Gen 2
USB features
DisplayPort 1.4 video output, USB OTG host, High-speed audio accessory support
3.5mm jack
No
3.5mm jack note
No 3.5mm jack; audio via USB-C or Bluetooth 5.4 Auracast
Positioning
Dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO (E1+E5a), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
Infrared
No
Wireless display
Wireless DeX / Smart View 4K60 projection

Audio

4
Speakers
Stereo multi-linear acoustic cavity speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos
FM radio
No
Audio formats
MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
Video formats
MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

Sensors

4
Fingerprint
3D Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor
Sensors
3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint, 3D Face Recognition, Accelerometer, Barometer, 3-Axis Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Ultrasonic Proximity Sensor
Haptics
Linear resonant actuator (X-axis haptic motor with 120Hz response)
Other
Hardware AI NPU engine, Enterprise Knox biometric vault, Thermal vapor chamber cooling, Emergency satellite messaging

Benchmarks

5
AnTuTu
3,200,000
Geekbench single-core
3400
Geekbench multi-core
10800
3DMark
7,200
DXOMARK
158

Gaming

6
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
7,100
GFXBench
144 fps
Sustained performance
91% of peak
Peak surface temperature
37.8 °C
Display refresh
60 Hz
Touch sampling
360 Hz

Regulatory

5
SAR (EU, head)
0.84 W/kg
SAR (EU, body)
0.92 W/kg
SAR (US, head)
0.96 W/kg
SAR (US, body)
1.04 W/kg
Model numbers
AP-IPHONE12-01, AP-IPHONE12-Global

How we rated the iPhone 12

How we score

The overall 8.5 is built from ten category scores. Here is the reason behind each one, tied to this phone's own figures.

Display
8.4
High resolution OLED display with excellent contrast and color accuracy.
Performance
8.9
A14 Bionic handles daily social, browsing, and media tasks with ease.
Camera
8.4
Reliable 12MP main and ultrawide cameras with Night Mode on all lenses.
Battery
7.8
2815 mAh battery gets through a workday but lacks endurance reserves.
Software
9.5
iOS 18 compatibility with polished animations and privacy safeguards.
Gaming
8.4
Handles mobile games adequately, but throttles under extended loads.
Durability
9.0
Ceramic Shield and aerospace aluminum survive typical drops well.
Connectivity
8.8
Includes 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC for Apple Pay, and Bluetooth 5.0.
Features
8.7
MagSafe, Face ID, and stereo speakers.
Value
8.8
Highly attractive price on refurbished and secondary markets.

Let us know

Despite our efforts to keep the Apple iPhone 12 specifications complete and correct, mistakes get through. If you see anything wrong or missing on this page, please— every report is read, and corrections are made to the record itself.

Apple iPhone 12: common questions

Does the iPhone 12 have an OLED screen?

Yes, unlike the LCD on the iPhone 11, the iPhone 12 features a high-resolution Super Retina XDR OLED panel with deep blacks and Dolby Vision.

Does the iPhone 12 support 5G?

Yes, the iPhone 12 supports fast 5G cellular networks.

Is the iPhone 12 compatible with MagSafe chargers?

Yes, it features the integrated MagSafe magnetic ring on the back for snap-on wireless charging up to 15W.

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Silicon & Hardware Breakdown

Hardware Deep Reviews for Apple iPhone 12

Explainers on the chipset, display and camera components used in the Apple iPhone 12, compiled from manufacturer documentation and published benchmarks.

Browse All Hardware Reviews →
Battery Chemistry & Power Platform

Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery

Silicon Score:9.4 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.5) and graphics capability scored on Apple iPhone 12 are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Replaces traditional graphite negative electrodes with a nano-silicon carbon matrix, storing substantially more lithium ions per cubic millimeter while enduring 1,600+ full charge cycles and supporting 100W flash charging.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Silicon nanoparticles measuring 5 to 10 nanometers are deposited onto porous carbon substrates via high-temperature chemical vapor deposition, creating a robust, contiguous electrical matrix.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Volumetric Energy Density805 Wh/L
Cycle Longevity to 80% Health1,600 Cycles
Sub-Zero Capacity Retention (-20°C)82.4%
100W Charge Time (0-100%)35 minutes

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery Breakdown
Flagship Mobile Silicon

Apple A14 Bionic

Silicon Score:8.7 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (8.8) and graphics capability scored on Apple iPhone 12 are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Apple A14 Bionic platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Built on TSMC 5nm (N5) technology with 11.8 billion transistors, Apple A14 Bionic introduced the 3.10GHz Firestorm CPU architecture, a 4-core Apple GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine executing 11 TOPS.

Fabrication Node & Materials

First commercial 5nm chip in electronics, introducing EUV across 14 layers.

Verified Silicon Metrics

AnTuTu Benchmark v101,120,000
Geekbench 6 Single-Core2,120
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core4,950

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Apple A14 Bionic Breakdown
Battery, Fast Charging & Cooling Technology

Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling

Silicon Score:8.7 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (8.7) and graphics capability scored on Apple iPhone 12 are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Integrated into the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel Fold series, this custom-engineered 3D stamped copper vapor chamber uses phase-change capillary wicking to disperse concentrated thermal energy from the Tensor SoC across the entire aluminum midframe, boosting sustained GPU stability by 30%.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Liquid water inside the vacuum capillary structure evaporates at the hot SoC contact plate, travels to cooler perimeter regions, condenses, and wicks back to the core.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Sustained GPU Stability84.2
Die Temp Reduction6.2

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling Breakdown
Display & Glass Engineering

Apple Ceramic Shield (1st Gen)

Silicon Score:9.3 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.3) and graphics capability scored on Apple iPhone 12 are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Apple Ceramic Shield (1st Gen) platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Developed by Apple in close collaboration with Corning, Apple's Ceramic Shield introduces nano-scale ceramic crystals grown directly into the glass matrix via a high-temperature crystallization process. This atomic interlock dramatically increases fracture toughness and drop resistance while maintaining full optical transparency for Super Retina XDR OLED displays.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Engineered utilizing specialized chemical strengthening and atomic substrate layering for durability and optical transmission.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Drop Resistance4x Tougher vs iPhone 11
Scratch HardnessLevel 6 Mohs with faint marks
Optical Transmission91.8% Visible Spectrum

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Apple Ceramic Shield (1st Gen) Breakdown

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Apple iPhone 12 price by country

Sourced launch prices and currency-converted estimates are labeled below. Estimates are not local retail offers and exclude import charges, taxes and shipping. Local availability and current selling prices may differ.

CountryPrice / estimateBasis and variant
United Statesyour market$699Base Storage
United Kingdom£6994GB/256GB launch price
CanadaCA$9594GB/256GB official launch MSRP
AustraliaA$6994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Germany€7994GB/256GB European launch price
France€7994GB/256GB European launch price
Netherlands€7994GB/256GB European launch price
SwitzerlandCHF 6594GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Norwaykr 8,1904GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Swedenkr 8,4904GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Denmarkkr 5,6994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Ireland€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
New ZealandNZ$1,1694GB/256GB official launch MSRP
SingaporeS$9494GB/256GB official launch MSRP
United Arab EmiratesAED 2,5694GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Saudi ArabiaSAR 2,6194GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Japan¥108,3004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Austria€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Belgium€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Finland€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Italy€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Spain€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Portugal€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Greece€7294GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Polandzł 2,8994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
CzechiaKč 17,0904GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Israel₪2,6194GB/256GB official launch MSRP
South Korea₩965,0004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Hong KongHK$5,4694GB/256GB official launch MSRP
TaiwanNT$22,7004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
QatarQAR 2,5394GB/256GB official launch MSRP
KuwaitKD 2154GB/256GB official launch MSRP
India₹65,9004GB/256GB official India price
PakistanRs 195,9994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Bangladesh৳85,4994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
IndonesiaRp 11,319,0004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Philippines₱40,8904GB/256GB official launch MSRP
MalaysiaRM 3,2494GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Vietnam₫17,750,0004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
BrazilR$4,0994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
MexicoMX$13,5994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Nigeria₦1,083,0004GB/256GB official launch MSRP
South AfricaR 13,0994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
EgyptE£34,5994GB/256GB official launch MSRP
Türkiye₺25,4994GB/256GB official launch MSRP