Those hoping that iPhone 13 mini might ship with faster MagSafe charging will be disappointed to learn that it’s no quicker than its predecessor. Top-ups are restricted to a maximum of 12W when using a 20W charging adapter.
iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models, like last year’s larger iPhone models, can charge at up to 15W.
iPhone 13 mini restricted to 12W charging with MagSafe
“The MagSafe Charger is designed to quickly and safely wirelessly charge your iPhone,” explains Apple’s support document on the MagSafe Charger. “The system intelligently adapts to conditions in order to optimize charging your iPhone at up to 15W of peak power delivery for faster wireless charging.”
However, that peak only applies to larger iPhone models when you use a 25W (or higher) charging adapter. “iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 mini can get up to 12W for faster wireless charging” when using a 20W adapter, Apple says.
Still, this is a lot faster than the 7.5W limit imposed on third-party wireless chargers that don’t use MagSafe. And because iPhone 13 mini packs a smaller battery, actual charge times aren’t going to be that different.
iPhone 13 mini does offer better battery life
It should be noted, however, that MagSafe charging also drops to 7.5W if you use Lightning accessories — such as headphones — while the device is charging. Apple says this is to comply with regulatory standards.
Given that iPhone 13 mini is so similar to its predecessor in size and shape, it is perhaps not too surprising that its wireless charging speed didn’t get an upgrade this year. However, the device does offer better battery life, with an additional 1.5 hours of usage in between charges compared to iPhone 12 mini.