Apple iPhone 14 review: Apple has launched four new iPhones this year- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Reportedly, the Pro variants are so much in demand that Apple has dismantled its iPhone 14 production line to focus on the production of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. The Pro models get Apple’s dynamic notch, a triple rear camera set up, an always-on display and not to forget, the company’s latest chipset which aren’t there in iPhone 14. In fact, if you put these phones in line, there are many reasons why you might overlook the iPhone 14.
iPhone 14 has the same size as last year’s iPhone 13. There is no change in overall design from last year. The specs, too, are largely the same except for some minor differences here and there. The iPhone 14 even comes at the same price Apple launched the 13. However, you can get iPhone 13 at a much lower cost now officially and during sales. For many, this would be a no-brainer choice- just buy the iPhone 13 when it’s more or less the same thing with the 14.
Of course, choosing between the two phones has more to do with personal preferences than their capabilities but it would be unfair to dismiss one over the other just on the basis of a look at their spec sheet. iPhone 14 is more than the sum of its parts really.
Buy iPhone 13 if your budget is tight
Flipkart
Go for 13 if you want to save some money.
iPhone 14— Apple may be underselling its biggest feature
We’ve come to the million-dollar question now which is why buy the iPhone 14 then. There are several reasons why I feel iPhone 14 is better buy but most important of all is that this is a landmark iPhone for Apple. It comes with one of the biggest upgrades an iPhone has seen in years— it is the most reparable Apple iPhone in years.
Thanks to iFixit, we know that Apple has redesigned the iPhone 14 from within making it the most “repairable and sustainable phone in years.” While Apple is yet to bring it under its self-repair service wing, it does look like in the future, getting your iPhone fixed should you crack its glass back, could be cheaper and more convenient. That is a big win for the right to repair movement and consumers.
Now, let’s look at the rest of the phone.
iPhone 14 design and display
There are no radical changes in design this time. iPhone 14 is ditto iPhone 13 in looks. With iPhone 13, Apple reworked the camera alignment and that has stayed with the 14. The phone sports the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display featuring HDR support, 800 nits of brightness and 1,2000 nits of peak brightness with HDR content.
The two have the same aluminium body, ceramic shield front, dual camera system including its positioning, and the same old notch. The display looks bright, beautiful and doesn’t hurt your eyes even at maximum brightness setting.
iPhone 14 performance and battery life
For the first time in Apple’s history, the new iPhone 14 come with the same A15 Bionic chipset that powered last year’s iPhone 13. But it is still an upgrade from the iPhone 13 because the iPhone comes with A15 Bionic with a 5-core GPU instead of the 4-core SKU to offer better gaming experience to users, like the iPhone 13 Pro.
While the battery life of iPhone 14 is more or less the same, I am satisfied with its battery life. The battery lasted for almost one full day upon moderate usage which involved clicking photos for testing the camera, accessing Google Maps for an hour-long journey, watching three episodes of a Netflix show, taking phone calls, 20 to 25 minutes of Facebook and Instagram and a couple of video calls made on WhatsApp. The phone did a decent job here.
iPhone 14 camera
This is one of the biggest points one generally digs into before buying an iPhone. iPhone 14’ cameras are better than iPhone 13 but less than what Pro models offer. iPhone 14 comes with a pair of rear 12MP cameras —one main camera and the other an ultrawide sensor. However, this time the main sensor is larger and comes with a faster f/1.5 aperture and sensor-shift image stabilisation. The photos and video appear slightly better. They have better detail and look sharper.
The front camera on the iPhone 14 has also changed. This new TrueDepth camera has an ƒ/1.9 aperture that clicks better selfies even in low light conditions. Also, Apple for the first time is giving autofocus on a front iPhone camera with the iPhone 14s.
Apple has also integrated a new Action mode in the latest iPhone’s camera this time. It aims to cut down on the significant shakes or vibrations when capturing video, thus, resulting in more stable videos taken on the go with iPhone 14.
Should you buy the iPhone 14?
Like we said before, buying a phone is more about personal preferences and if it’s an iPhone in question then the preferences are furthermore vast. With iPhone 14 offering all the same features as iPhone 13 mostly, you wouldn’t be wrong to pick 13 and save some cash here.
If you own an iPhone 12 or older model and looking to upgrade then the Pro models are a better option if you have the budget to spare.
But if you are looking for an iPhone that picks up the goodness of last year’s flagship, adds some improvements to it, marks the beginning of something monumental and costs a little less than the Pros, then buy this phone. The iPhone 14 comes with an extensive redesigning at its core and for that Apple deserves all the credit.
| Pros | Cons |
| Premium fit and finish | No always-on display |
| Beautiful display | Old chipset |
| Good cameras | Battery life could be better |
| Good performance | Notch stays |
ALSO READ: iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max hands-on: A bitter pill for Android brands to swallow?
ALSO READ: iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini review: If it ain’t broke
