Apple iPhone 12 Blue 256GB

The iPhone 12 256GB is a refurb market darling with an 84th percentile social proof score and a USD 250 to USD 385 price spread. The A14 Bionic still performs fine, but the 2815mAh battery lands in the 37th percentile and the 60Hz display feels dated. Buy it cheap or skip it.

The A14 Bionic is a 6-core chip clocked at 3.00GHz, and it's still no slouch. Our performance percentile lands at 58th, which puts it solidly in the middle of the pack for current phones. That sounds mediocre until you remember this chip launched in 2020 and still handles everyday tasks, gaming, and photo processing without breaking a sweat. The 4GB of RAM is the real constraint here. Modern iPhones ship with 6GB or 8GB, and you'll feel that ceiling when juggling lots of apps or editing video.

Dolby Vision video recording is a nice touch, and the dual 12MP camera system with OIS and 2x optical zoom holds up okay. The camera percentile sits at 48th, which is about average. The ultrawide lens covers 120 degrees, which is fun for landscapes and group shots. But low-light performance and zoom range are where this phone shows its age compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL or Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Against the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, this phone loses on every spec that matters: display, battery, camera, and RAM. But the S24 Ultra costs several times more. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a dramatically better camera and a 120Hz display, but again, you're paying flagship money. The OnePlus 13R is the real threat here. It's newer, has a bigger battery, and faster charging, often at a similar price point to the upper end of the iPhone 12 range. The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro and Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 are wildcards, but the Razr's foldable form factor is a different conversation entirely. If you want iOS specifically, the iPhone 12 is the cheapest way into a modern iPhone with 5G and 256GB.

Here's where things get interesting. The iPhone 12 256GB is listed between USD 250 and USD 385 across 29 US listings, and that USD 135 spread means you should absolutely shop around. The refurb market is flooded with these, and the retailer notes show everything from Grade A+ to Grade B conditions, some with pre-installed tempered glass. For a phone with this much storage, 5G connectivity, and an 84th percentile social proof score, the low end of that range is a steal. At the high end, you're creeping into territory where a used Pixel or OnePlus 13R starts looking tempting.

The iPhone 12 sits in a weird spot in 2025. It's not the newest thing on the block, but our database puts its social proof at the 84th percentile, which means people still really like this phone. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display pushes 2532 by 1170 pixels, and while the 60Hz refresh rate feels dated next to modern flagships, the screen itself is still sharp and color-accurate. You get 256GB of storage here, which is plenty for most people, and the A14 Bionic chip keeps iOS 15.4 running smoothly.

The catch is the battery. At 2815mAh, it lands in the 37th percentile for battery life, which is rough. Our scoring puts the battery_life subscore at 40.8 out of 100, making it the weakest area by a wide margin. If you're coming from an older iPhone, this will feel like a huge upgrade. If you're coming from anything with a 5000mAh battery, you'll notice the difference by mid-afternoon.

Skip this if battery life is a priority. The 2815mAh cell lands in the 37th percentile, and our battery_life subscore of 40.8 out of 100 is the weakest area of this phone. Heavy users will be reaching for a charger by early evening. Also skip it if you're sensitive to display smoothness. The 60Hz panel is fine for casual use, but anyone coming from a 90Hz or 120Hz phone will notice the difference immediately. And if you need a strong camera, the 48th percentile camera score means this isn't the phone for serious mobile photography.

The iPhone 12 in 2025 is a budget iOS entry point, not a performance pick. The 256GB storage, 5G, and IP68 rating make it a practical daily driver, and the A14 Bionic still gets the job done. But the battery life is genuinely bad by modern standards, and the 60Hz display will annoy anyone who's used a 120Hz screen. If you can find one at the USD 250 end of the price range, it's a solid buy. At USD 385, you're overpaying for aging hardware.