29.09.2022
7 min read

iPhone 14 review: To Pro or not to Pro

The latest iPhones are here, but is it the base model or pros that are worth your while?

Apple unveils latest tech products

Apple announced the annual refresh of its iPhone line-up early in September with a couple of new additions to the Pro models and the swap of a mini for a Plus.

We’ve had iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max for two weeks now, and have been testing them out daily drivers to see how they perform.

Our reviews always remain independent of the manufacturer, and the first time they will see the review is at the same time you’re reading it. Keep reading to find out what we think.

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How do I get it and what will it cost?

iPhone 14 is available now starting from $1,399 in Midnight, Blue, Starlight, Purple and (PRODUCT)RED colours. The iPhone mini has been replaced this year by the larger iPhone 14 Plus. Pricing starts at $1,579.

iPhone 14 Pro can be purchased from $1,749, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1,899. The pro models come in black, silver, gold and a new purple colour.

If you intend to get one of the new iPhones on a phone plan, you can check out our list of the latest deals here.

Who is it good for?

The iPhone 14 series is a rather odd proposition, as the more interesting features are exclusive to the pro models this year. In saying that, there are still a few improvements to the base iPhone 14 model, such as improved camera and better display.

But if you’re already on an iPhone from the past two years, you might just want to stick with the phone you have and wait to see what Apple reveals in 2023.

While we don’t have the new iPhone 14 Plus for this review, Apple has said that it will have the best battery life out of any iPhone to date. So if that’s important, you might want to wait for those reviews to start coming out before you make a final choice.

iPhone 14

iPhone 14 comes in at 6.1-inch, which is the same size as iPhone 13. The display has been slightly improved, and so has the camera. iPhone 14 also uses the A15 Bionic chip (which was used in last year’s devices) and the frame made of aerospace-grade aluminium.

None of this should make you second guess choosing this model, especially if you’re upgrading from anything before iPhone 11. The improvements you’ll get are well worth it.

Battery life is fantastic, and will easily get you through the day with ease. From starting the day at 98 per cent at 7am, I was seeing 40 per cent left at 8pm.

The display is a custom-designed OLED panel that is very nice to look at, but under direct-sunlight it was a little difficult to read things on the screen without tilting the phone. The pro range does a better job here.

Water and dust resistance is included, up to six metres for up to 30 minutes.

The most notable upgrade is the camera with a new 12MP main shooter that includes Apple’s ‘Photonic Engine’, which aims to increase low-light performance. The 12MP Ultra Wide lens also benefits from the low-light improvements. The inclusion of a new 12MP front-facing camera improves depth and details for selfies.

In good lighting, all cameras do a really decent job. Low-light capture is up there with the best smartphones you can buy right now.

Where iPhone 14 comes in a winner is the new ‘action mode’, which records smooth video while you’re moving around. The stabilisation is impressive, and while some Android phones have had this feature before, iPhone tends to do video much better.

Finally, iPhone 14 is much cheaper and easier to repair with the glass back and front able to be opened - so those accidental drops won’t put as much strain on your wallet as previous models. Nicely played, Apple.

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 14 Pro has a 6.1-inch display, while iPhone 14 Pro Max turns things up to a 6.7-inch. Instead of the aluminium frame on iPhone 14, you get stainless steel and a textured matte back glass - which helps keep fingerprints at bay.

The upgrade from the base model to the pro is more noticeable this year, with a slightly new design on the front, new A16 Bionic chip, better cameras and updated display.

Starting with what Apple calls the ‘Dynamic Island’. This is the pill-shaped cutout within the display that houses Face ID and other sensors, as well as the selfie camera. While Android devices have had cutouts for years, what Apple has done with the software is clever - making the space more useful.

Alerts, indicators, system notifications and activities display to the side of the cutout for music, podcasts and calls. Certain notifications also take advantage of this space, but this is currently limited to system alerts and notifications. Hopefully Apple can open this up at some point to apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Long pressing on the Dynamic Island notification or alert will bring up additional interactive controls for certain apps and features.

I found this to be very useful in getting to some notifications and controls quicker, and is a welcome addition.

Another big inclusion to the lineup is the always-on display. Again, while Android devices have previously seen this feature, the implementation is unique in that the display almost looks like it’s dimmed, and not as blank as you’d see on devices like Samsung’s Galaxy series.

Widgets and live activities can be displayed on the always-on display, and more surprisingly, the battery impact is very minimal due to the display supporting a very low refresh rate.

However, it does take some getting used to, as I found during an evening out. While the iPhone was on the table next to me, I kept thinking that the screen was still active. This was diverting my attention away, and I end up flipping the iPhone over face-down on the table. You can turn the always-on display off, but there are no other dimming options.

Unlike the iPhone 14, the display in direct sunlight is one of the best I’ve used to date. In fact, Apple says it’s the highest peak brightness out of any smartphone in the market. I’d believe this claim too.

The display is stunning and watching content is an experience in itself, especially on the larger iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Battery life is also worth noting for both the pros, with both devices recording solid endurance. If you want the longest battery out of the Pros, the Pro Max is the device for you - but the Pro can keep up, and comes in at a smaller and more manageable size.

Camera goes even more pro

There are more impressive camera upgrades on the pro models too, with a new 48MP main camera and improved low-light performance. Compared to iPhone 14, the Pro models fair much better when in dim lighting.

In addition to the large main lens, we see 12MP Ultra Wide and 12MP telephoto. The front-facing camera is also 12MP.

That is a lot of numbers, but boiling it down - both iPhone 14 Pro models take fantastic and consistent photos and video in both daylight and low-light scenarios. There are certainly slight improvements from iPhone 13 Pro, especially in night photography, but I also found some photos would sharpen quite aggressively.

As with iPhone 14, both pros have action mode to improve stabilisation and output smooth video when things get shaky.

Across all the iPhone 14 models comes some security features like crash detection. With the addition of an updated gyroscope and accelerometer, iPhone 14 can detect if you’re in a severe car accident and contact emergency services with a voice loop.

The other safety feature uses satellites to provide access to emergency services even when you don’t have mobile service. However, at launch, this is only available to the USA and Canada.

All the usual features are on board including 5G connectivity, MagSafe, wireless charging and eSIM.

What we think

When Apple announced the iPhone 14 series, there were mixed reactions across social media. While there are always two sides to every argument, I could see exactly what these two sides were getting at.

From iPhone 13, or even iPhone 12, the upgrades appear minimal. But on the other hand, a lot of the improvements come from the internal elements of the new devices that aren’t as obvious at first glance.

Is the always-on display a must-have for you? Does the Dynamic Island tickle your fancy, and justify splashing the cash? Or is it all about the camera, and the need for a reliable phone when it comes to snapping the moment?

This is what you need to keep in mind if you’re looking at upgrading.

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