The 13 mini was discontinued in 2023.

The smallest possible iPhone ever was possibly the original iPhone.

You can still buy a pristine 13 mini on the secondary market. The original iPhone is not a viable device today, but the 13 mini is better across every tech axis (better processor, battery life, screen, camera, ...) than the SE and is worth comparing to.

>but the 13 mini is better across every tech axis (better processor, battery life, screen, camera, ...) than the SE and is worth comparing to.

They have the exact same A15 Bionic, with the same 4GB of memory. The 13 mini has an extra 400maH of battery.

I've had both and the iPhone SE (2022) lasted longer in my personal use. (sold the 13 in an antiapple mood only to come back and get an SE later)

This is missing the point. I have a 3rd gen SE and am not currently in the market for a new phone. The issue is that Apple is no longer selling anything to people who want a small iPhone. Moreover, the used market will dry up eventually, and iOS support will be dropped even sooner.