In our review of the iPhone SE, we recommended people consider a higher-priced iPhone instead to get a better design, features and cameras. Today you can have both: Amazon’s Woot is selling a refurbished iPhone 12 mini for $390, a savings of more than $200 off Apple’s price and a great deal for anyone looking for a budget phone.
Woot’s refurbished phones come with a few caveats: They are expected to have “a moderate level of wear & tear including (but not limited to) scratches, dents, and dings.” Otherwise, they’ve been tested to be in full working condition with batteries guaranteed to function at a minimum of 85 percent capacity. The phone comes with a 90-day warranty, which should be plenty of time to see if it’s to your liking.
While the iPhone SE has a newer A15 processor, the iPhone 12 mini is superior in every other way, with an OLED display, dual camera, and Face ID. It also has Apple’s modern “all-screen” design and newer features such as MagSafe and night mode. And in our testing, battery life was about the same for both phones. The sale also applies to 128GB ($450) and 256GB ($500) and is available in most colors.
So if you want a modern iPhone without busting your budget and don’t mind a scratch or two, go grab this deal before it’s gone.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.