If you own an iPhone, read this review to find out if the new iPhone 14 is worth the money.
There is hardly a way to find fault with Apple's latest smartphone, the iPhone 14.
Excellent display, quick operation, top-notch software, and among the best-in-class cameras can be found on this device.
It shines with other Apple products like the Apple Watch or AirPods, and the build quality is just the right amount of lightweight and high-end.
We think it's the best phone currently available, but we wouldn't advise you to run out and get it.
You'll be sorely disappointed if you're hoping for a radical redesign compared to the iPhone 13 series from last year.
The list of commonalities with the previous flagship is much longer, including the screen size, CPU, water resistance certification, megapixel count, and design.
There are a few minor upgrades, such as a video mode that improves stabilization and a crash detection tool we hope you never need.
Before you read the article further, you might be curious about the due date calculator that lets you determine if you are conceiving.
iPhone 14 design
We agree that the iPhone 14 looks great, just like the previous iPhone 7 and 8.
Appearance-wise not much has changed from the previous model, and the average person won't be able to detect the difference at a glance either.
Despite being £100 more expensive in the UK this year, the handset's aluminum and glass construction are worth the asking price.
It's strong yet lightweight, and the handset's buttons have a satisfying click when hit.
Although the notch is still present, we are disappointed that the new Dynamic Island technology that allows iOS apps to take advantage of this space for alerts and notifications is not included in the base model.
You'll need to hire a pro if you want to do that.
You'll want to invest in a decent case to safeguard the glass from scratches and bumps, but it's also available in red, white, black (midnight), and purple.
The new phone is only slightly thicker than the old one. Therefore cases designed for the 13 could not work perfectly with the new one.
Overall, we're fans of the iPhone X's button placement, which places the power button on the right and the volume rocker on the left.
Although Apple has been slow to replace the Lightning charging port on its phones with USB-C, the moment has come.
iPhone 14 Camera
The dual-camera configuration on the iPhone 14 (12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide) has been tweaked a little bit this year with the addition of Apple's "Photonic Engine," which is a fancy way of stating it employs software intelligence to improve the quality of your images, especially in low light.
Even though it hasn't been completely revamped, this remains one of the greatest ways to acquire high-quality photos using a mobile device. You can aim and shoot.
We put the cameras to the test alongside an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone 13 Mini (unfortunately, there is no new mini model this year) in London's Trafalgar Square. We found that they performed surprisingly similarly, though the 14 Pro easily wins as a package for any keen photographers thanks to its larger 48MP sensor that lets you shoot in raw format (ideal for photo editing) and a significantly better zoom (not to mention better processing due to the A16 Bionic chip).
Still, the iPhone 14 impressed us with its capabilities.
Even though it was cloudy, the shadows cast on the gray building of The National Gallery looked beautiful. When we turned to Nelson's Column, we could capture the afternoon sun glistening off puddles on the ground against distant storm clouds.
One image taken at a train station in the morning captured the clear sky and brilliant sun without being overexposed. Another shot at sunset preserved true colors despite the dimmer lighting.
These samples illustrate the possible outcomes achievable with the iPhone 14's cameras.
These are unedited and fresh out of the camera.
The camera performance is unchanged from the iPhone 13, so there's no reason to upgrade if you already own one.
However, we like that the iPhone 14's portrait mode can blur things in the foreground and the backdrop. The front lens is still 12 megapixels, but it autofocuses and has a larger aperture (f/1.9 as opposed to f/2.2) to let in more light.
Apple has added "activity mode" to the iPhone 7's video settings, significantly reducing the jerkiness we experienced while walking compared to earlier iPhone models.
Extremely smooth video is a great way to make your Instagram followers green with envy, but we have to admit that we probably wouldn't utilize this function very much in our day-to-day lives.
iPhone 14 Software
The current version of Apple's operating system, iOS 16, is included with the iPhone 14, and it does more to give the phone a modern feel than any of its hardware upgrades.
Use it with delight; it's that good.
Now more than ever, you can personalize your lock screen with a wide range of options, including the ability to add widgets for the weather, news, calendar, fitness, and reminders, as well as modify the font and background color of the clock.
We like that a sizable widget can display the current battery status of other connected devices like the new AirPods Pro. The focus modes can exclude notifications from specific apps or contacts.
Of course, the iPhone 14 isn't the only device that can run iOS 16. It's not just the newest iPhone that's getting it; older models will as well, and since they all share the same A15 chip, you won't notice much of a difference between them.
New to the 14 series is Crash Detection, which automatically notifies emergency services in the event of a collision.
We haven't tested this, and we hope you never have to!
iPhone 14 Battery
The iPhone 14's battery won't last as long between charges as other modern Android phones.
If you use your phone moderately throughout the day, such as we do (listening to music or viewing videos on YouTube for about two hours while commuting, checking social media and email, and so on), it should last you a little over 24 hours before it needs a recharge.
MagSafe (up to 15W) and Qi wireless are supported on the iPhone 14, just like the iPhone 13 (up to 7.5W). While the 20W wall adapter isn't included, you can obtain one of the best iPhone chargers for under £20, giving you about half a charge in about half an hour.
While Apple has embraced the USB-C lifestyle on its MacBooks and iPads, the Lightning Connector used to charge the device feels ancient. One year, maybe.
IPhone 14 Display
The iPhone 14's 6.1-inch OLED screen displays vivid colors and sharp contrast.
The resolution, variable brightness, and pleasant haptic feedback of last year's model are all still present in this year's display.
Even though it's not novel, it's still excellent.
As has been the case for several previous iPhones, Apple is sticking to a 60Hz refresh rate on this model, and it’s a little strange when so many competitors offer up to 90Hz – which allows for far better scrolling and performance – as a minimum.
If you compare the iPhone 14 to the iPhone Pro side-by-side, you might see a difference, but we quickly adjusted to the lower refresh rate after coming from the Pixel 6, so it's not a dealbreaker.
The borders around the display are thin and inoffensive. However, the notch on the screen is still too high for our liking – especially when it’s practically wasted space.
In our head, we know Pro users are lounging on their Dynamic Island and enjoying an always-on display, making the base 14 feel suddenly antiquated.
iPhone 14 Verdict
In contrast to recent iPhone models, the 14 does not use the same processor as the Pro variants.
The A15 Bionic chip seen in the iPhone 13 is carried over to the base model, while the A16 is found in the Pro variants. For casual use, it works just fine; we experienced no lag or slowdown when installing or launching programs, surfing the web, playing music or videos, or navigating menus.
Mobile took a few minutes to download; Mario Kart Tour and Angry Birds 2 downloaded and played smoothly and lag-free over a home WiFi connection in under a minute.
When we used the Google Pixel 6a, we had no problems with it being too hot.
The iPhone 14, with the appropriate data plan, is capable of 5G connectivity, allowing for lightning-fast downloads.
Although we have no plans to use the handset's IP68 water resistance classification, which would let it withstand being submerged in water at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, Face ID is quick and accurate.
We tried out the 512GB version, but like the iPhone 13, you can acquire models with 128GB and 256GB of storage.
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