Apple iPhone 13 Mini (Refurbished)

I was on a waiting list for a 'Renewed Premium'. Seemed to be a long waiting list. I finally gave up and went with a 'Renewed' advertised in excellent condition. Given Amazon's generous return policy, returning it would have been easy if there had been issues. I probably wouldn't have tried this with an online retailer other than Amazon and Apple. The supplier was TECHMINT, Amazon was only the purchase portal. There seems to be a number of 'Amazon-qualified suppliers' involved. To know who you're buying from, the 'ships from/sold by' info. is on the right side of the product page. There may also be differences in packaging and accessories. Best to read through the advertising to know exactly what you're buying. Or contact the supplier before purchasing. Given that Amazon backs these purchases, not a concern. It arrived without scratches, dings, or apparent wear. Looks like new. That said, those buying a 'Renewed' phone should expect varying degrees of condition within the parameters of Amazon's advertising. I'd suggest buying a 'Renewed Premium' for your best chance of a like-new phone. I probably got lucky with a 'Renewed'. It shipped in a *very* well designed and protective box designed for phones. Not much larger than the boxes Apple packages iPhones in and similarly sturdy. Well suited for protecting the phone during shipping. If you plan on shipping your phone or storing a back-up, I'd suggest keeping it. The box has spacers to accommodate different sizes. Kudos to the packaging engineers. Well done. It was delivered with 100% battery health which almost certainly means that the phone was opened up and the battery replaced. The likelihood of a 'renewed' 13 Mini arriving with battery health at 100% is slim to none. I assume that they did this because the phone was traded in with < 80% battery health. Amazon advertising states that the phone will arrive with battery health of ≥ 80%. Notably, the battery is recognized bu iOS as 'genuine' (thanks TECHMINT). Batteries that are not can lead to various issues, most importantly, safety issues. Look up "how to check if an iPhone battery is genuine". Very easy to do. If it isn't, best to return it to the supplier. I'd suggest reaching out to the supplier before purchase and asking what the battery health will be. In my experience with the iPhone 12 Mini, once you drop into the high 80% range, battery life becomes more noticeable. Note that Apple recommends replacing an iPhone battery when it reaches 80% battery health. I ran two diagnostics to check functions. In both cases, no issues. One of the diagnostics is built into iOS. You'll need iOS 17 or later and not a beta release. Search for 'built in iPhone diagnostic' for instructions. There's another which makes doing this quite a bit easier. From the Apple app store search for 'Phone Doctor Plus'. It's not a diagnostic as much as it is a function check but great for making sure everything works. There's a free and paid version. There are others but these are the only two I've tried. The advertising stated that an MFi certified charging/data cable ships with the phone. Mine shipped with a 3ft braided USB C to Lightning charging cable. No branding or print on the cable, no included documentation, no packaging. It appears similar to what you sometimes see without packaging and hanging from peg racks in convenience stores. I have no reason to believe that the provided cable isn't MFi certified and from a reliable manufacturer but without more information, I'd suggest using an Apple product or something from a reliable aftermarket supplier such as Anker or Belkin. Look for 'MFi certified' especially if you want fast charging capability. There are reasons USB C cables can be pricey, especially those designed for high power delivery. Mine shipped without a charger. I checked the interior packaging to be sure. I'd say the same about a charger as I did about the cable - MFi certified and from a reputable manufacturer - Apple, Belkin, Anker, etc. For the 13 Mini, Apple recommends a minimum of a 20 watt charger for optimal/fast charging . Apple's is about 20 dollars. It's also what Apple recommends for powering *the original* MagSafe accessory. The updated version of the MagSafe charger supports faster charging and according to Apple, a minimum of a 30 watt charger for optimal performance. Some suppliers advertise that a sim card removal tool is included. Mine didn't. If yours shipped with a sim card (mine did not), I'd suggest reading through the pros and cons of SIM vs eSIM. If eSIM meets your needs, I'd recommend removing the SIM and switching to eSIM. Switching to eSIM can be done in your phone's settings. No expertise or hardware required. Although unlikely if buying from an 'Amazon-qualified supplier' (I assume), SIM cards can be compromised. If you need a SIM card, best to get one from your carrier instead of a mystery SIM. You'll need a case. Without, it's not a matter of if you'll drop it but when. This is my second mini, the first an iPhone 12 Mini. Slippery and with a smaller form factor than other iPhones, very easy lose grip especially if you have large hands. Further, without a case the camera lenses and screen make contact with whatever surface you place them on. The Apple leather case has been my go-to for the last 3-4 iPhones. Very well designed, doesn't add significant bulk, no sharp edges and it slips into and out of a pocket easily. The drop protection has proven to be excellent. Great case for all but extreme circumstances. They're relatively pricey so If you're looking to save, there are often Amazon customer returns available at steeply discounted prices. The iPhone 12 mini and 13 mini cases are not interchangeable. I tried. The camera lens housings are different. The 12 mini case will not fit the 13 mini. The 13 mini case will fit the 12 mini but there will be a gap on the right side of the lens housing. Not to overstate it but If you're considering both the 12 mini and 13 mini, battery life may be problematic for heavy users. True of all phones but more so for a Mini. If you have a full size phone with a larger battery at ≥ 90% battery health (guesstimate) and often find yourself scrambling to find a charger, the Mini may not be for you. If you're on the move a lot without convenient charging options, a small power bank (≤ 5000mAh) will bring some peace of mind and a lot of convenience. Great when traveling. Definitely stick with time tested manufacturers. Anker and Belkin sell a wide variety. Note that the TSA only allows powerbanks in carry-ons. Apple discontinued it's iPhone powerbanks (Magsafe Battery Pack). As of this writing, you can still find them new from third party sources such as Walmart online. Never buy used. There are confirmed and very convincing counterfeits out there so I'd be cautious about which supplier you choose. If you're looking at both the 12 and 13 Minis, the 13 Mini uses an A15 processor which is somewhat more energy efficient and slightly faster. It also has a ~10% larger battery. There are quite a few other differences including an upgraded camera. In day to day use, I found the differences to be negligible. Having a larger battery is nice but rarely something that makes a difference given my usage habits. Those that push their phones harder will probably appreciate the extra power. Definitely worth reading comparison reviews. Some of the updates will be important for some, less so for others. Search for "iPhone 13 mini vs iPhone 12 mini". If you read only one, Laptopmag.com did a good real-world comparison. Long term, the 13 Mini will receive system/feature updates from Apple for about a year longer. This may be the most value added difference. Generally speaking, Apple devices continue to receive security updates beyond the point that they are no longer officially supported with system/feature updates. Happy customer. I'm fully committed to the Mini form factor/dimensions. I carry it all day in a front or back pocket and barely know it's there. Having a phone with more screen, battery and features is nice but after the novelty wears off, having a phone that disappears into a pocket is more important for some of us. Sadly, not enough of us for Apple to justify continued production. When I need to replace it, perhaps Mini's will be back in the menu from Apple. Hope so.