iPhone 14 Review: worth the upgrade?

The ‘regular’ iPhone has been Apple’s most popular model for ages – with the iPhone 14 now taking up the mantle as its most ‘basic’ of smartphone.

But it wasn’t always this way. Before 2019 the iPhone came in a single flavour, with a few different variants depending on how much hard drive space you wanted. But three years ago – with the introduction of the iPhone Pro range – that changed.

Still, Apple’s plucky iPhone has done well with the internal competition; and for the past couple of years, we’ve been hard-pressed to find a reason to really choose a Pro model over the standard iPhone (unless you absolutely needed a slightly more peppy camera).

But this is an unusual year. Apple has given its iPhone Pro range a major upgrade, in both the camera and spec department. Is Apple’s standard iPhone still its best?

Apple iPhone 14 Design

The iPhone 14 is almost identical to the iPhone 13 for good reason. It is exactly the same. You get two plates of extra-strong glass sandwiched between aluminium rails. It’s as pretty as it was last year (which might bother some, but at the same time please others).

Unfortunately, the camera bump is a tad larger on the new model. Meaning your old iPhone 13 case will no longer fit it – something worth knowing if you are thinking about making an upgrade.

The big news this year is that the iPhone 14 now has a bigger brother – the iPhone 14 Max. It’s the same phone – essentially – with one big difference; a larger 6.7-inch display.

Apple iPhone 14 – Display

Although the iPhone 14’s display is identical to last year, Apple has slightly brightened it (a handy feature for when your phone is in direct sunlight).

Unlike the Pro variants, the iPhone 14 still retains its 60Hz refresh rate. The screen is good, but it’s easily bested by most competitors at this point. This is not a major issue (especially if you’ve never fiddled with high refresh rate screens), but it does feel like the standard iPhone 14 already needs an upgrade.

Apple iPhone 14: Cameras

Apple has been making great smartphone snappers for quite some time now.

The iPhone 14 gets a major upgrade with a new sensor for the main camera and an aperture that is slightly wider. You also get autofocus for the selfie cam. This means that you can take stunning shots in almost any lighting condition (low-light shots are amazing).

The same “Photographic styles” feature is available on the Pro models. This allows you to apply different image processing styles. You can choose from styles like warm, cool or rich contrast. These styles can be customized to your taste.

Apple iPhone 14: Performance

The iPhone 14 has the same chipset at last year’s iPhone 13 Pro.

Of course, the A15 is still extremely capable. The A15 can handle almost any task and provides up to 20% more battery life. However, this is irrelevant. While the processor from last year might be useful for some applications, it may not be the best option if you want a phone that will perform well in the future.

The iPhone 14 is the same model as last year’s model. It has 15W MagSafe charging and a physical Lightning Dock. Apple’s argument to keep its proprietary cable in place is becoming weaker.

The base storage for this year is 128GB. 256GB and 512GB.

Apple iPhone 14: Verdict

Given this year’s Apple lineup, the iPhone 14 poses a bit of a quandry.

Yes, it is slightly better than the iPhone 13 but only slightly better. 

If you have an older iPhone 11 or iPhone 12, then the upgrade is a no-brainer. But if you are currently happy with your iPhone 13, then there’s little more that you’ll gain from the iPhone 14.

iPhone 14 Pro: Availability

The iPhone 14 is available today in all good gadget stores, and online via the Apple Store. The iPhone 14 Max is available October 7, 2022.

• The iPhone 14 starts at AED3,399
• The iPhone 14 Max starts at AED3,799