iPhone 14 Review: A Good Upgrade for Most People

In addition to being an upgrade over the iPhone 13 it replaces, the iPhone 14 is one of the most minor incremental updates in Apple’s history.

The exterior of the iPhone 14 looks and feels very similar to the iPhone 13, which means it has the same flat aluminum design.

Apple has effectively repackaged the iPhone 13 Pro on the inside, except for the telephoto camera and the high refresh rate display. It turned out beautifully, and the iPhone 14 is a solid upgrade for most users.

As with the iPhone 12 and 13, the iPhone 14 begins at $799 (with a $30 connection discount if activated with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon).

More serious upgrades can be seen in the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.

Some businesses have kept prices the same while offering less as Americans struggle with inflation and devaluation.

The iPhone 14 looks to be Apple’s strategy for releasing a new iPhone at the same price as the previous year’s model.

Do we have shrinkflation on our hands here? Perhaps, but probably not.

I can’t help but compare the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 5C, which debuted in the same year as the iPhone 5S, 2013.

The 5C was essentially an iPhone 5 housed in a new plastic body designed to attract a less affluent clientele.

There are some similarities, but the 14 is designed to balance cost and additional functionality.

Apple included various security features, like Crash Detection and satellite connectivity for sending emergency messages while you’re not near a cell tower, in its 14 updates.

The iPhone 14’s internals has been rethought to improve heat dissipation, and the device’s glass back is now more simply and cheaply replaceable.

However, this is advanced functionality that most users would never need to access and is mainly hidden from view.

To most individuals, changing their phone number is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, even if they have to deal with the iPhone’s transition from physical SIM cards to eSIM on US models.

Version 14 of the Apple iPhone

LIKE

• An improvement to the primary camera is fantastic.
• Autofocus enhances the quality of selfies.
• It’s excellent that repairs are easier to make now.
• For a smooth experience, go to action mode.

NOT a fan of

• Taking an ultrawide snap is not worth the sacrifice in image quality.
• Minimal improvements are made from year to year.
• Low-light video footage is usable.
• The most noticeable change is the introduction of the iPhone 14 Plus, a larger version of the iPhone 14.
• The iPhone 14 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen, making it a good option for those who want a huge smartphone but don’t want to spend $1,099.
• The 14 Plus, though, won’t be available until October 7.

New with iOS 14: Features

The iPhone 14 is full of the familiarity that is so often overlooked.

Similar to the iPhone XS, the 6.1-inch OLED display, screen notch, and matte-finished aluminum are all present.

And although being physically the same in size as the iPhone 14 Pro, it weighs 17% less. It’s a pleasure to hold and use the 14 with or without a case because to its reduced weight.

 

The IP68 rating for water and dust resistance means the iPhone 14 is safe even if submerged in water for up to 30 minutes at a time (about 20 feet). A spilt can of Yerba Mate shouldn’t harm it.

The 14 lacks a SIM card tray. The Apple iPhone 14 can only be used with an eSIM in the United States.

Apple has worked with US carriers to make porting your number from an older iPhone to the new iPhone 14 as easy as setting up a Bluetooth connection between the two devices and following the on-screen prompts.

Mint Mobile and US Mobile are the only smaller providers that support eSIMs.

Google Fi, which uses eSIMs, is the service I use for my phone.

However, the carrier had to be contacted for help when I attempted to port my number to a review unit.

My SIM card expired a long time ago.

Apple provided me with a blue iPhone 14 to review, but the other four hues offered are Product Red, midnight, starlight, and purple.

The New Apple iPhone 14 has a Better Camera but the Same Familiar Design as Previous Models.

A 14-megapixel camera for the iPhone

The primary wide-angle and ultrawide cameras are located on the back of the iPhone 14, along with an improved TrueDepth camera technology on the front.

One of the reasons I referred to the iPhone 14 as an iPhone 13 Pro without the telephoto camera is because its camera is very comparable to the main camera on the iPhone 13 Pro.

The primary camera in the iPhone 14 is improved over the 13 with a bigger sensor and a new lens with a quicker f1.5 aperture.

The combination of this hardware and Apple’s new processing pipeline, the Photonic Engine, results in noticeably higher image quality, particularly in low light.

Should you upgrade?

The iPhone 14 is an incremental improvement over the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, but it doesn’t offer enough new features to justify the price difference.

If you’re still using an iPhone 11 or an earlier model, upgrading to the iPhone 14 is a terrific idea.

It has better battery life, faster performance, a better screen, more durability, and better cameras, and it also has safety features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite.

A cheaper option to the iPhone 14 would be the iPhone 13, which is now only $699, or the even more affordable iPhone 13 Mini, which retails for $599.

However, the iPhone 14 is a good option if you’re looking for the latest security upgrades.

With the iPhone 14, I had a great experience. People who only want a new iPhone and are upgrading from older models will be satisfied with the standard changes included in the iPhone 14.

The iPhone Pros may have the most eye-catching new features, but the iPhone 14’s upgrades sometimes go unnoticed in favor of the Pros.

However, the tried-and-true iPhone 14 will satisfy most people like their favorite comfort meal.