Apple iPhone iPhone 12 Blue 64GB

The iPhone 12 is a capable 5G phone with a great display and solid performance that's now cheap on the refurb market. But battery life is mediocre and quality control from third-party sellers is all over the place, so buy from a reputable source with a warranty. If you land a good unit, it's one of the best values in iOS right now.

The iPhone 12 is a phone a lot of people are still eyeing in 2025, and for good reason. It packs a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, 5G connectivity, and the A14 Bionic chip into a design that still looks and feels premium. At this point, though, you're almost certainly buying refurbished, and that changes the conversation. Prices range from around $90 to $319 depending on condition and seller, which makes it one of the more affordable ways to get into a modern iPhone with a solid camera setup and MagSafe.

We've been tracking how the iPhone 12 holds up in our database, and the story is a bit of a mixed bag. The build quality is still excellent—it's in the 94th percentile among all phones, so the Ceramic Shield front and aluminum frame feel sturdy even in a used unit. The display brightness hits 1200 nits peak, which keeps things visible outdoors. But the battery life was never a strong suit, and age has pushed it further into mediocre territory. For basic daily use, though, it's still snappy enough to handle iOS updates and most apps without breaking a sweat.

If you're looking for a cheap entry into the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 12 is on your radar because it's genuinely good at the fundamentals. The dual 12MP cameras can still produce sharp, vibrant shots, and Night mode works across all lenses. Just know that when you're shopping refurbished, you're rolling the dice a bit on what condition you'll actually get. We'll dig into that more below.

Our database shows the A14 Bionic hanging around 1,580 single-core and 4,100 multi-core in Geekbench 5, which in everyday terms means apps open fast, iOS 17 runs smoothly, and you can edit 4K video without wanting to throw the phone across the room. It's middle of the pack by today's flagship standards, but that still puts it ahead of most budget and mid-range Android phones when it comes to raw responsiveness. 4GB of RAM might feel tight if you're a heavy multitasker, though—some users report apps reloading a bit more than they'd like.

Gaming performance is fine for casual titles, but the 60Hz display holds things back. If you're into competitive shooters or rhythm games where every millisecond counts, you'll notice the lack of smoothness compared to newer iPhones or high-refresh Android devices. For the price, though, the A14 still delivers a lot of punch. In our own testing, it handled Genshin Impact at medium settings with reasonable frame rates, which is more than acceptable for a refurb in this price bracket.

At $90 to $319, the iPhone 12 is one of the cheapest ways to get a modern iPhone, but there's a big price spread depending on where you look. Best Buy's Geek Squad Certified Refurbished models come with a warranty and typically cost closer to the high end of that range, while Newegg often has deals that dip below $150 for 'Grade B' condition. If you're okay with cosmetic blemishes, the savings are real. We'd recommend sticking with a seller that has a solid return policy, because the variance in battery health and camera functionality we've seen in the wild makes a warranty worth the extra $30 or so.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a direct competitor if you're willing to spend more on a used phone. Its display blows the iPhone 12 out of the water with 120Hz and a sharper screen, and the camera setup is far more versatile with that 10x optical zoom. But it's also bigger, heavier, and pricier even in the refurbished market, so the iPhone 12 still wins on compactness and value for pure iOS fans.

On the Android side, a used Google Pixel 7 Pro is the alternative that gives you a better camera experience and a smoother display for not much more money, though you give up MagSafe and the iOS ecosystem. If you're just looking for the cheapest phone that works, a Moto G Power is dramatically less powerful but offers incredible battery life and a new-in-box guarantee. Between these, the iPhone 12 sits in a sweet spot for someone who wants iOS, a good camera, and doesn't want to spend used Galaxy or Pixel money.

Skip the iPhone 12 if you demand all-day battery life without thinking, a high refresh rate display, or out-of-the-box reliability with zero hassle. The refurb market's quality lottery means you might end up with a headache instead of a deal. If you can stretch your budget, a used Pixel 7 Pro or even a new Moto G 5G will give you a more consistent experience, and for just a bit more money, a refurbished iPhone 13 solves the battery and storage shortcomings outright.

Should you buy a refurbished iPhone 12? It depends on your tolerance for risk. When you get a good unit—one with a healthy battery and a fully functional camera—it's a steal. The display is still lovely, the A14 chip holds up, and 5G means you won't feel dated for a couple more years. But our data and user feedback both point to a higher-than-usual defect rate in the refurb market. Cameras that arrive faulty, batteries that are already at 80% health, and screens with dead spots aren't rare.

If you're buying from a trusted seller with a warranty and you can inspect the phone first (or have a good return window), we think the iPhone 12 is worth the gamble. The sheer number of people who report receiving a phone that 'works great' and looks flawless tells you the good ones are out there. Just don't expect every box you open to be a winner.