Today we are going to compare two mid-range HTC phones: The One Mini and its successor, the One Mini 2. Let’s get started.
Design
The One Mini 2 has a curvier design than its predecessor, much the same as the One M8 is curvier than the earlier One M7. Both designs feature front-facing stereo speakers, but the One Mini 2 uses on-screen buttons instead of the capacitive buttons of the original One Mini.
Display
Side by side, you’ll see that there’s a difference here. The One Mini 2 has a 4.5-inch display, while the One Mini has a 4.3-inch display. Both displays have a resolution of 1280 by 720 and are called Super LCD 2 by HTC.
Hardware
The One Mini 2 comes with a Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor at 1.4 GHz, backed with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. The One Mini has the same core specifications, including the same processor, RAM and internal storage.
As the two phones share a chipset, connectivity is identical as well – both phones can connect to the same LTE bands, and both support Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-band WiFi N.
Where the two models differ is that the One Mini 2 can expand its storage by up to 128 GB via microSD, something that isn’t possible for the original One Mini.
The One Mini 2 also has a larger battery, rated at 2110 mAh compared to the 1800 mAh of the original Mini. Talk time for the One Mini 2 is 16 hours and 10 minutes, compared to the 13 hours and 20 minutes of the original One Mini.
Cameras
The original One Mini comes with the 4-megapixel Ultrapixel camera that debuted in the One M7, and returned in the One M8. In contrast, the One Mini 2 has a more standard 13-megapixel rear shooter.
The One Mini 2 has more pixels in its camera sensor, while the One Mini has larger pixels. That means that the One Mini 2 will be more adept in well-lit scenarios, while the original One Mini will be better in low light.
The front-facing cameras also differ. The One Mini 2 has a 5-megapixel front facer, while the One Mini has only a 1.6-megapixel unit. The One Mini 2’s improved camera is also capable of recording 1080p videos, while the One Mini’s front camera is only able to record in 720p.
Software
The One Mini 2 was released with Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), while the One Mini came with Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). However, the One Mini has since been updated to KitKat, making this an effective tie.
Accessories
Having been out for longer, there are a wider range of HTC One Mini accessories than there are One Mini 2 accessories. This is particularly prevalent for HTC One Mini cases, which include models from Otterbox, Incipio, Rock and Otterbox. In contrast, there are fewer One Mini 2 cases, including examples from Case-Mate and FlexiShield. This situation will improve in time, but for now the One Mini holds the accessory ecosystem advantage.
Conclusion
The One Mini and One Mini 2 are very similar phones, but the Mini 2 does include some small upgrades over its predecessor. The microSD card slot, larger screen, larger battery and higher megapixel camera are the most substantive changes. If you had a choice of either phone at the same price, then the One Mini 2 is the obvious choice.
However, the two phones also differ in price – the One Mini 2 costs around £360 sim-free, while the One Mini is only £250. For that reason, I’d choose the earlier model, as the differences between the two aren’t enough to justify the extra expense.