This is the Apple iPhone 14, the new vanilla model in Apple’s yearly lineup.
Not a lot changes from year to year, and on top of that, the gap between the Apple iPhone 14 and the pro models is as wide as ever.
With the release of the newer, more expensive iPhone 16, is the iPhone 14 still a relevant choice? This is a list of the more important iPhone 14 pros and cons.
iPhone 14 pros and cons
Better connectivity – There are a couple of new additions when it comes to connectivity. There is Bluetooth 5.3, and a region-specific satellite connection that you can use to contact emergency services, if you don’t have phone coverage, bringing you peace of mind.
Not a new look – Holding the phone, it’s hard to tell if it’s the new model, or the old one. The design changes are minimal, the iPhone 14 is very similar to the iPhone 13, offering few visual updates and potentially less excitement for those searching for a new look.
Missing features compared to the pro model – It’s not like the pro version of the iPhone 14 are breaking the mold, but they do come with a new hyped-up selfie cutout functionality, and they support an always-on display for the first time on an iPhone. You don’t get these features with the vanilla model.
Lower refresh rate – Also, the refresh rate of the display doesn’t compare to the pro versions, with the vanilla iPhone 14 having a 60 Hz refresh rate, compared to the 120 Hz of the pro model.
Nice screen – This is however a nice screen, a 6.1” OLED, 1170 x 2532 px, with a 60 Hz refresh rate, with ceramic shield protection. It is also quite bright, achieving a max brightness of 800 nits.
No auto brightness boost – Unlike the pro models, there is no auto-brightness boost beyond 800 nits.
Nice looking content – Content on the iPhone 14 looks great. The panel is sharp, contrasty, and colorful, and the color accuracy is excellent. There is also HDR 10 and Dolby Vision support.
Good sounding audio – For audio, the iPhone 14 has a pair of stereo speakers, and sound also comes from the ear piece. The sound quality is excellent, with great mids and highs, and nice bass.
Better graphics processing – The previous models ran on the A15 Bionic Chipset, but they weren’t all the same. The vanilla model had 4 GPU cores, while the pro model had 5. The iPhone 14 uses the same chipset as the iPhone 13 Pro, the A15 Bionic Chipset with 5 GPU cores, making it perform better when it comes to graphical intensive applications such as games, but the processing performance remains the same.
No USB-C Port – The iPhone 14 still uses a Lightning connector, which might feel outdated compared to many devices that have adopted USB-C.
Good thermal management – The iPhone 14 throttles its’ performance quite a bit with prolonged stress, but does so in a gradual way, without sudden dips that might cause lag.
Longer lasting battery – Battery capacity for the iPhone 14 is 3279 mAh, similar to the 3240 mAh in the iPhone 13, but there is an increase in the screen on time, which comes to 90 hours.
Improved Camera System – Camera system is vastly improved on the iPhone 14, particularly in low-light performance, video stabilization, and front camera improvements.
The main camera has 12 MP, with a larger sensor and faster aperture (f/1.5 compared to the iPhone 13’s f/1.6). This allows more light to come in, improving low-light photography by making images brighter and more detailed.
iPhone 14 introduces Apple’s Photonic Engine, which is a computational photography feature, enhancing mid and low-light performance significantly across all cameras. The result is better texture, details, and color accuracy.
Regarding the video, the iPhone 14 adds Action mode for stabilized video recording, allowing for smoother footage without the need for additional equipment. It also supports Cinematic mode, now recording in 4K at 24 or 30 frames per second.
The front-facing camera includes autofocus and an improved aperture (f/1.9), leading to sharper selfies.
The iPhone 14 is a great phone for anyone looking to spend less on a smartphone with great performance. You can find it renewed on Amazon for $452.45, a much lower price compared to the $900 price of the newest iPhone 16.