No iPhone 13 user with a normal mind should consider upgrading to the iPhone 14, as it is such a ridiculously small update. The iPhone 14 barely justifies an upgrade. Apple’s smartphone market dominance allows it to get away with controversial decisions that others can’t.
In a nutshell, with the iPhone 14, Apple is essentially offering you the same thing it sold you a year ago, but with a new label. I’ll admit that I’m being a little bit dramatic here. Some significant improvements have been made. However, during the launch event, Apple didn’t even bring up one of the significant changes.
Therefore, it isn’t easy to convince users of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 to upgrade.
Most exciting features, like Dynamic Island, the new A16 Bionic chipset, and a 48MP primary camera, are restricted to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Since the Pro models’ benefits are more clearly defined and rationalized, there’s more reason to spend more on them.
Now let’s take a look at the iPhone 14 specifications.
| Specification | Apple iPhone 14 |
|---|---|
| Dimensions & build |
|
| Display |
|
| Camera |
|
| Battery |
|
| SoC, RAM & Storage |
|
| Sensors |
|
| Ports |
|
| OS |
|
| Colors |
|
| IP rating |
|
| Connectivity |
|
| Price |
|
Cost & Availability of the Apple iPhone 14
The Apple Store and other authorized retailers worldwide now sell the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. With discounts and deals, you may significantly reduce the price of the regular iPhone 14, which starts at $799. But in some countries, the iPhone 14 price may differ a bit.
- The 512GB iPhone 14 costs $1,099, while the standard model costs $799.
- It is available in Red, Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Purple.
Design & Display
Except for the various color options, there are no visual differences between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13. The iPhone 14 is lighter than the iPhone 13. Even though the iPhone 14 is 2 gm lighter than the iPhone 13, I couldn’t tell the difference while holding the two phones side by side.
A ceramic shield protects the front, and the flat metal frame gives a secure grip. The phone seems robust and durable, as expected. However, the iPhone 14’s harsh edges were uncomfortable after years of using Android phones with curved backs. But protective cases solved this.
The 6.1-inch screen on the iPhone 14 is the same size as it was in 2021. A DCI-P3 wide color gamut OLED screen works with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It’s a top-notch panel with accurate colors, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles.
In terms of color accuracy and brightness, it’s one of the finest displays you can get at this price point.
The Camera of the iPhone
The primary camera on the Pro models is now 48MP. Still, the dual cameras on the regular iPhone 14 and 14 Plus remain at 12MP. A 12MP primary camera with a larger aperture (f/1.5 vs. f/1.6 on the iPhone 13) and 1.9μm pixel size improves low-light performance. The ultra-wide camera appears untouched.
The iPhone 14 takes nice shots in the daytime with true-to-life colors that may seem drab compared to Samsung’s more saturated and vivid tones.
What about low-light images? The primary camera takes excellent low-light shots. Accurate colors, high contrast, and low luminance noise. Night Mode automatically brightens dark areas when the light is low so that you can see more detail.
I didn’t see any better photo quality in comparing the low-light photo-taking abilities of the 14 and 13 cameras.
The iPhone 14’s three cameras can shoot 4K footage at 60 frames per second. Dolby Vision 10-bit HDR videos can be shot. The iPhone 14 outperforms similarly priced Android smartphones in real-world video performance.
Performance of iPhone 14
Apple’s latest chipset isn’t in the regular iPhone for the first time. Pro models get the new A16 Bionic chipset this year, while regular models get the same A15 chipset as the iPhone 13 series.
The iPhone 14’s chipset is still among the most powerful, and the iPhone 14’s A15 chip surpasses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. It features two 3.23GHz performance cores and four 1.82GHz efficiency cores.
The iPhone 14 features the same chipset as its predecessor but performs better. Apple claims the new model’s 5-core GPU is 18% faster than the iPhone 13’s 4-core GPU. The iPhone 13 has 4GB of RAM, but the iPhone 14 has 6GB. Finally, it has been changed internally to improve heat management.
In terms of performance in the real world, the iPhone 14 is a quick and consistent performer. Games and apps load swiftly, and iOS animations are still slick and flawless.
Battery & Charging
The iPhone 14’s 3,279mAh battery is 39mAh higher than the iPhone 13’s 3,240mAh. Apple promises one hour more endurance over last year’s model with this tiny capacity increase and other efficiency enhancements. The charging speed hasn’t improved. Qi wireless charging is 7.5W, USB Power Delivery 20W, and MagSafe 15W.
Compared to OnePlus and Xiaomi, the iPhone 14’s 20W charging is frustratingly slow.
But we are aware that excessive charging speed can harm battery health over time. And none of us would like to see Apple follow the path of OnePlus or OPPO.
Software
The iPhone 14 comes with iOS 16 and many new features. The new lock screen is fascinating. The lock screen can be entirely customized.
iOS 16 also includes substantial improvements to Live Text and Focus mode, the option to unsend and modify iMessages, Live Activities that show scorecards and your current workout right on your lock screen, haptic feedback for the keyboard, Safety Check, and more.
Connectivity & Sound
The iPhone 14 now has satellite connectivity and crash detection. Like Google’s Car Crash Detection, crash detection acts similarly. iPhone 14 networks perform well. I haven’t experienced unusual call drops or network problems throughout my review period.
Stereo speakers are loud and among the best, I’ve tested. They produce clear sound with solid bass if you don’t crank the volume.
Finally, The Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent build and elegant design
- 48-megapixel camera for stunning photos
- The Dynamic Island.
- Has an always-on display at last
Cons:
- No SIM tray
- The optical zoom is still only 3x
- Apple overstates camera improvements
Unless you want satellite SOS (which isn’t even available yet), significantly improved photos, or a more repairable phone, the iPhone 14 isn’t worth upgrading from the iPhone 13. Buying the iPhone 13 on sale seems wise. You won’t miss much.
If you are interested check out the review of the iPhone 14 Pro.
