Refurbished iPhone 12 Buyer’s Guide
The iPhone 12 was first introduced during a virtual unveiling in October 2020. It became globally available later that month with Apple fans clamouring to get their hands on the set of four new smartphones. They came at a range of prices, including the “affordable” iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, as well as the “premium” iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The iPhone 12 is an older product now, and purchasing a refurbished iPhone 12 model has become a popular option as they can now be found at a much lower cost. Consumers have leaned towards refurbished smartphones with both affordability and sustainability on their minds. It’s a great environment and budget-friendly alternative that still contains all the key features of a top-quality iPhone.
A refurbished iPhone 12 can be just as good as a new one, straight from a fresh white box. The combination of high quality and low price has sent purchases of refurbished products soaring, with 60 per cent of UK consumers considering refurbished instead of brand new.
In this refurbished iPhone 12 user guide, we will discuss the cost, quality, performance, and key features to expect with your refurbished iPhone 12.
Where can I buy a refurbished iPhone 12?
A refurbished iPhone 12 will be a pre-owned phone that has been impeccably repaired and fully restored to factory conditions and quality. The iPhone may have been returned to its manufacturer for any reason. As soon as it’s taken out of the box, an iPhone can no longer be sold as new. It may have been returned after seeing damage from its previous user or sent back for an upgrade. Either way, the product will receive a refresh, fixing any issues found and replacing missing pieces. When it is finally re-sold, the iPhone 12 refurbished device will be almost as good as new.
This is incredibly different from any used product you may find online or buy at a marketplace. For example, an iPhone 12 Pro refurbished device will have a much different performance quality than a used one found on eBay. WeSellTek has a 70 point diagnostics check and a battery drain test, as well as some other in-depth screening. A used product will have no established tests, may be damaged, and can develop many problems after a few weeks. Refurbished is often a little more pricey than used, but it may be worth the extra cost to ensure a quality device that will last for a long time. You can read more about the benefits of a refurbished item in our guide: Refurbished iPhone VS New.
This makes it even more important to research and makes sure you buy from a reputable refurbishing company. You can purchase refurbished products from the Apple Refurbished Store, but you’ll typically save only about 15 per cent off the retail price.
WeSellTek is an accredited online seller of refurbished smartphones. Our refurbished iPhone 12 is 5G ready and features an A14 Bionic, the fastest smartphone chip available. You will also get an edge-to-edge OLED display and a ceramic shield with four times better drop performance.
If you buy from an alternative source, make sure that your iPhone 12 is fully refurbished by checking you receive documents such as the factory certification, a return policy, a warranty, and a valid invoice. WeSellTeck offers a year warranty and a 14-day free return policy. No matter who you buy from, it’s important to check you receive these guarantees to avoid losing money.
How much does a refurbished iPhone 12 cost?
Brand new iPhones bought straight from Apple, can be incredibly expensive. Depending on the type, an iPhone 12 could sell from around £700 to a little over £1,200. These prices can make devices feel out of reach, especially for those living on a budget and looking for something affordable. Refurbishing companies can provide substantial discounts and savings from these prices. A refurbished iPhone 12 can easily sell for under £600.
Most refurbishing companies use a grading system to help determine the price. WeSellTek offers refurbished iPhones in four types of conditions:
- Fair - These devices may show heavy signs of wear, such as deep scratches or chips. However, these can be easily hidden with a protective case, and still pass the extensive cleaning and testing process.
- Good - Light to medium signs of wear may be visible.
- Excellent Condition - The scuffs and light scratches on these devices are generally not visible during normal use.
- Pristine - As good as new. At worse, there will be very light signs of wear that may only be seen on close inspection.
The iPhone refurbishment process will provide you with a well-functioning device, no matter the condition. Even devices found in pristine conditions can be much more affordable than brand new Apple products. For example, a pristine refurbished iPhone 12 sold on WeSellTek will cost around £590. That’s around £100 less for a device in equally perfect condition to the brand new iPhone 12.
Difference between iPhone 12 and 12 mini
If you do decide to purchase a refurbished iPhone 12, you’ll have some wiggle room when it comes to the size of phone you want, battery life, or screen size. While iPhone 12 specs are essentially the same across both models, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini will differ in some regards.
The iPhone mini has a smaller:
- Super Retina XDR display (5.4”)
- Battery - providing up to 15 hours of video playback time instead of the iPhone 12’s 17 hours
Aside from this, the iPhone mini and the iPhone 12 are more or less the same phone, with similar features and enhancements. They both present the buyer with 5G connectivity, super fast and high-quality streaming and downloads, water resistance for up to 30 minutes, and a capacity range of 64GB to 256GB.
Refurbished iPhone 12: technical specifications and key features
- Height - 5.78 inches
- Width - 2.81 inches
- Depth - 0.29 inches
- Weight - 164 grams
- Memory - Can range from 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB
- Screen size - 6.1 inches of Super Retina XDR display
- Camera quality - Contains a dual 12 MP camera system (Wide and Ultra Wide) and comes with features such as:
- Night vision
- Deep fusion
- Optical image stabilisation
- 2x zoom out and digital zoom up to 5x
- Truetone flash
- Portrait mode
- Portrait lighting
- Smart HDR 3
- Dolly Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 30 fps
The iPhone 12 pro specifications are more or less the same as the iPhone 12 specs. The only differences are in the camera and that it has a slightly heavier weight (187 grams). The iPhone 12 Pro has an added Telephoto lens, a 4x optical zoom range, video recording of up to 4K at 60 fps, and a LiDAR scanner for night mode portraits, faster low light autofocus, and next-level AR experiences.
iPhone 12 performance
The iPhone 12 has a much better performance than its previous models. This is largely due to its updated processor. The A14 bionic chip has a 20 per cent higher CPU performance than the A13 chip found in iPhone 11 models. A refurbished iPhone 12 will contain this same, super-fast chip.
The A14 bionic chip is also vastly superior when it comes to power optimisation. This means that while an iPhone 12 may have a smaller battery (2,815mAh) compared to the 11’s (3,110mAh), the battery life in a refurbished iPhone 12 should last for the day without needing a charge.
Does a refurbished iPhone 12 come with a new battery?
An iPhone 12 refurbished model may not always come with a new battery. WeSellTek performs a battery health test on every device in order to ascertain if a battery replacement is necessary. We also perform a battery drain test to determine iPhone battery life while in use. If the battery health is seen to be at 80 per cent or lower, the old battery will be exchanged with a new one.
Does a used iPhone 12 have wireless charging?
A refurbished iPhone 12 will have the ability to charge wirelessly. The glass back supports compatible wireless charging pads that utilise the Qi standard. It will also be compatible with Apple’s new MagSafe magnetic charger that delivers up to 15 watts of power to your phone.
How much storage is in a second hand iPhone 12?
The iPhone 12 comes with a range of storage sizes, and the price of your refurbished device can depend on how much space you want. The cheapest models will start at 64GB, with 128GB and 256GB available in more expensive ones.
How much RAM is there in a preowned iPhone 12?
The “affordable flagship” phones - the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini - both come with 4GB of RAM. The “premium flagship” phones - the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 pro max - come with 6GB of Ram each. This, paired with the A14 processor makes the iPhone 12 Pro vastly faster than the iPhone 11 Pro.
Does a refurbished iPhone 12 come in its original box?
A refurbished device will most likely not come in its original packaging. Our handsets usually come in a plain white box. This means that while you may not experience an authentic unboxing of an Apple purchase, it will still feel like a brand new phone.
Does the Pre-Owned iPhone 12 have a good camera?
A check on the camera is part of WeSellTek’s 70-step diagnostics testing. We detect any potential defects or issues and fix them before the point of sale to ensure the camera is as good as new. The refurbished iPhone 12’s camera will have a 12 MP front and rear camera resolutions. It will also contain:
- TrueDepth cameras
- ƒ/1.6 aperture for the wide lens and ƒ/2.4 aperture for the ultra-wide
- Night mode
- Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
- Portrait lighting with Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage Mono, and High Key Light Mono effects
- Retina flash
- Smart HDR 3
An iPhone 12 pro will have more to offer when it comes to camera and photo quality since it also contains a telephoto lens.
Refurbished iPhone 12 video performance
Likewise, an iPhone 12 refurbished model will have mint-condition video performance with features like:
- 4K video and 1080p HD video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4k at 30 fps
- Optical image stabilisation for video
- 2x optical zoom out and digital zoom up to 3x
- Audio zoom
- QuickTake video
- Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
- Night mode Time-lapse and Time-lapse with stabilisation
- Stereo recording
Does a refurbished iPhone 12 come with headphones?
Refurbished devices come in good condition, but they don’t always include the extras put in an Apple box bought straight from the manufacturer. It is not guaranteed to get headphones with any refurbished device.
Does a refurbished iPhone 12 come with a charger?
Some refurbishing companies will also not include a charger with the purchase of a refurbished iPhone. WeSellTek takes care to provide both a USB lead and a UK main plug with a purchase of the refurbished iPhone 12.
Does a used iPhone 12 come with a sim card?
Most refurbished phones will also be sold without the inclusion of a SIM card. However, WeSellTek does offer the SIM tool required to open the phone and insert the card.
Does the second hand iPhone 12 have Face ID?
A refurbished iPhone 12, like a brand new one, will come with FaceID instead of the older touch ID technology. This means you can unlock your device, send animated emoji messages, or authenticate payment all with one look at your phone. This is possible with the TrueDepth feature found in the front-facing camera.
Save up to 40% on a pristine-condition iPhone 12 that looks, feels, and performs just like new. Shop our refurbished iPhone 12 today or explore our full range of refurbished iPhones. Feel free to contact WeSellTek to discover what affordable devices are available for you.