The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus were announced in September of this year as the successor to the iPhone 13. Apple promises several improvements with the phones, including increased battery life, better cameras, a new lock screen widget feature, and the removal of the SIM card slot in favor of eSIM.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus comes with three storage sizes (128GB, 256GB, and 512GB) and can be purchased in five colors (blue, purple, black, white, and red). At a beginning price of $799 (14) or $899 (14 Plus), is the iPhone 14/14 Plus right for you?
These are the Apple iPhone 14 And 14 Plus pros and cons:
Pros:
The Cameras
The iPhone 14’s and 14 Plus’ cameras don’t differ a whole lot from the iPhone 13, but they do feature a few improvements to the already competent camera system. On the back, both phones have a 12-megapixel, f/1.5 main camera and a 12-megapixel f/2.4 ultrawide one.
The main camera boasts improved low-light performance thanks to the larger sensor size. Though some competitors, like the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S22, have more realistic and sharp results from their low-light features, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro are nevertheless capable. Its low-light images are a bit brighter than others.
On the front, you’ll find a 12-megapixel, f/1.9 camera, which also sees improved low-light performance. Selfies from the camera are expectedly sharp and satisfactory.
If you are wanting a higher megapixel count, you’ll have to go with the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max to get the 48-megapixel main camera. For the vast majority of users, however, 12-megapixel will be plenty sufficient.
Video Capabilities
To complement the great cameras, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus can record 4K video at up to 60fps and 1080p video at up to 60fps as well. In slow-motion mode, this can be extended to 120fps and 240fps (with 1080p) for impressive results.
The phones also have a new Action mode, featuring improved stability. Paired with Cinematic Mode, which enables smooth focus transitioning between subjects, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro have a good array of tools to help any creator make fantastic videos.
Durability
As with previous iPhones, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have glass fronts and backs with aluminum siding. The duo is nothing new, but it’s proven in terms of durability and attractiveness. The glass that makes up the front and back is Apple’s Ceramic Shield, a product made by Corning, the producer of Gorilla Glass.
The phones receive an IP68 rating, meaning it is dust and water-resistant for up to 6 feet for up to 30 minutes.
Bigger battery
It’s not a significant leap in size, but the iPhone 14 does have a bigger battery compared to last year’s device. The new phone now has a 3,279 mAh capacity, an improvement over the 3,240 mAh size of the iPhone 13. With typical usage, the phone has no issue lasting the whole day with a little bit to spare.
For an even larger battery, the 14 Plus is the alternative. And its battery size is 4,323 mAh, the same as the 14 Pro Max, and has the potential to last two days with mild usage.
Performance
Continuing the standard set by the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are powered by the A15 Bionic chipset. This includes a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, a slight improvement over the predecessor. With this, the iPhone 14 receives a GeekBench score of 4761, a bit higher than the already impressive 4645 score with the iPhone 13. The 14 Plus has a slightly lower score of 4582, likely due to the larger screen, but the performance difference is negligible.
Upgraded safety features
One of the headline features of the new phones is the upgraded Emergency SOS function. Emergency services can now be contacted without a signal through text via satellite. On top of this, the phones use their accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect when there has been a crash, though some concerns have arisen over false positives.
New customizable lock screen
iOS isn’t known for its customizability, but the new iOS 16, which comes preinstalled in the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, now allows users to make the lock screen their own. The font can be adjusted and widgets can be added below the clock, such as sunset/sunrise times, activity trackers, and other options.
Overall good display
The display in the base model 14 is about the same as the iPhone 13. It’s a 6.1” Super Retina XDR OLED display with 800 nits of brightness, perfect for viewing the screen in the sun. Similarly, the 14 Plus has a 6.7” version of the same screen. The colors on the displays are vibrant, yet accurate. Though it hasn’t changed much from the last phone, the display still impresses with its color and clarity.
Cons:
Still just 60Hz
The great displays in the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus would be excellent with a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, but unfortunately, this is still reserved for the Pro and Pro Max models despite other base model flagships, like the Samsung Galaxy S22, having 120Hz screens.
No telephoto
Though I don’t mean to downplay the current camera system on the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, it would be nice to see a telephoto camera added. For zooming, you’re limited to just 5x digital zoom. The Galaxy S22, on the other hand, comes with 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. Quite a bit more reach than Apple’s flagship.
Charging could be faster
The charging speed of the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus remains unchanged from last year’s 20W. Apple claims this will charge the battery 50% in 30 minutes, and while it does indeed fulfill this on both devices, other competitors come with a speed of 25W or more.
No SIM support may be troublesome
Many will have no issue with the removal of the SIM card slot. eSim technology has been around for a while now and has progressed quite a bit with most major carriers now supporting it. Those on smaller networks, though, may run into a few issues in getting their data transferred over. With the number of supporting carriers growing, however, it’s only a matter of time before all carriers will be compatible with eSIM.
Pulse 2.0 Score: 4.0 out of 5
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are highly capable, well-rounded devices that will doubtlessly satisfy most users. They don’t differ all too much from last year’s phone, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Many of the phone’s features, like the camera system and chipset performance, were already great in the predecessor. Subtle additions in the iPhone 14/14 Plus have made them even better. Unfortunately, there are a few aspects still lacking, like a 120Hz display. For the price, though, you do still get quite a bit with either phone.
The iPhone 14 is priced at $799 for 128GB, $899 for 256GB, and $1,099 for 512GB, whereas the 14 Plus is $899 for 128GB, $999 for 256GB, and $1,199 for 512GB.
If you’re a current iPhone 13 user, you will definitely want to wait until at least next year before upgrading. The changes just aren’t substantial enough yet. For those with phones older than 2021 who are looking to upgrade, the iPhone 14 would certainly fit the role well. Of course, the iPhone 14 Plus would be a great match for anyone desiring a larger screen or bigger battery.
Want To Buy The iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus? Here are some options:
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