Smartphone Review: Should you upgrade to iPhone 14?

Apple iPhone 14 review: Tech giant Apple launched the iPhone 14 lineup worldwide in September. The company introduced four models -- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple which is well-known for its innovation has introduced new and exciting features with its new smartphones. The iPhone 14 lineup features improved cameras, upgraded battery life and more. In terms of design, iPhone 14 model is the only device that follows the predecessor's design. A quick comparison between iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 shows that the Cupertino-headquartered has not introduced major design changes in the latest model but there are some improvements in the camera and battery departments. 

Apple iPhone 14 price and colour options 

I tested the Apple iPhone 14 for almost two weeks and here is what I have to say about this vanilla variant of Apple iPhone 14 series. Lets start with pricing and colour options. iPhone 14 is available in India from Rs 79,900 (128GB) at Apple Store Online, Apple Authorised Resellers and e-commerce platforms. The smartphone comes in midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT) RED colour options.  I have the blue one for the review. Now, it's time to find out more about iPhone 14 and why are we comparing it with the predecessor - the iPhone 13. 

Apple iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 

Not only the design and structure, both iPhone 13‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ comes with same screen size, 5G connectivity, A15 Bionic chip, and more. Nevertheless, the ‌iPhone 14‌ still has a upper hand because of some noticeable upgrades, such as, improved battery, Emergency SOS via satellite, the Photonic Engine, Crash Detection, night photography, selfie camera performance, 4K cinematic mode and Action Mode. Another difference between the two iPhones is the colour options you can choose from. 

Apple iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Specifications compared

Apple iPhone 13: 4-core GPU (A15 Bionic) chip, 4GB of memory, Bluetooth 5.0, Dual-camera system, 12MP Main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture, 12MP front-facing camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture, Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps), Up to 19 hours battery life during video playback, Thickness of 7.65mm, Weighs 174 grams, eSIM optional amd Emergency SOS

Apple iPhone 14: 5-core GPU (A15 Bionic) SoC, 6GB of memory, Bluetooth 5.3, Advanced dual-camera system, 12MP Main camera with ƒ/1.5 aperture and larger sensor, 12MP front-facing camera with ƒ/1.9 aperture and autofocus, Photonic Engine, Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (4K HDR up to 30 fps), Action mode, Up to 20 hours battery life during video playback, Thickness of 7.80mm, Weighs 172 grams, Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection

Apple iPhone 14 Design

Last year, Apple brought iPhone 13 with two visible changes when you compare it with the older models. The camera bump that houses the dual-rear cameras diagonally and the other difference was that the notch -- 20 percent smaller than iPhone 12 and iPhone 11. But, this time, it is hard tell by just looking -- whether you have an iPhone 14 or an iPhone 13 in your hand. They both look similar to me. But in the end, it is an Apple product, there's no compromise on the build quality. The build quality of the iPhone 14 is absolutely great. It is extremely comfortable to use the phone with one hand. The size vanilla model is very comfortable and handy when compared to the Plus variant.

Featuring a beautiful design with sleek flat edges, the iPhone 14 measures 146.70 x 71.50 x 7.80mm and weighs 172.00 grams. On the other hand, iPhone 13 has almost same structure, measuring  146.70 x 71.50 x 7.65mm and weighs 173 00 grams. The looks and feel of the iPhone 14 is same. The device is not slippery and overall, like the other iPhones, iPhone 14 offers premium and appealing design. So, those who are still using iPhone 12 or lower models and planning to buy the latest iPhone - 14 might the right option for them. 

Apple iPhone 14 Display

Similar to iPhone 13, the latest iPhone 14 comes with 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display that supports 1200 nits of peak HDR brightness, a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and Dolby Vision. It  also feature the durable Ceramic Shield front cover and protected from common spills and accidents with water and dust resistance. In terms of performance, the super Retina XDR OLED display has ensured a brighter, more better viewing and good gaming experience. The screen has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design. The colours came out good on screen in various light conditions and it offers a good touch experience as well. On iPhone 14, switching between apps is extremely smooth and seamless. The overall experience with Apple iPhone 14 display was up to the mark. 

Apple iPhone 14 camera

This is the section where you will see maximum changes when compared to iPhone 13. The latest iPhone 14 has a 12MP (f/1.5) primary camera, and a 12MP (f/2.4) camera. For video calls and selfies, it has 12MP front sensor with an f/1.9 aperture.  iPhone 14 has a larger sensor and larger pixels, a new front TrueDepth camera and Photonic Engine for a giant leap in low-light performance. The iPhone 14 has given better performance than an other smartphone available in the market and it performs better than iPhone 13, especially in low light conditions and at night. The iPhone 14 offers better detail and motion freezing, less noise, faster exposure times, and sensor-shift optical image stabilization. Using autofocus for the first time, it can focus even faster in low light and capture group shots from farther away.

sharing few camera samples taken from Apple iPhone 14. #iPhone14 #apple pic.twitter.com/maCkw21UAC

— Bharat Upadhyay (@bharatupadhya11) October 6, 2022

Also, the new Action mode on iPhone 14  adjusts to significant shakes, motion, and vibrations, even when video is being captured in the middle of the action. The new Photonic Engine improves mid to low-light performance for photos across all cameras: up to 2x on the Ultra Wide camera, 2x on the TrueDepth camera, and an impressive 2.5x on the new Main camera. iPhone 14 offers Cinematic mode, available in 4K at 30 fps and 4K at 24 fps and end-to-end Dolby Vision HDR. You can expect brighter, sharper, and colorful pictures. The Portrait mode on iPhone 14 is excellent. The selfie camera has impressed me with the performance. The photos were sharp and detailed in various light conditions. Overall, the camera alone has justified the pricing of iPhone 14 in India.  

Apple iPhone 14 performance

While the iPhone 13 comes with 4-core GPU (A15 Bionic) chip, the iPhone 14, on the other hand, has upgraded 5-core GPU (A15 Bionic) chipset. I have tested this chipset on last year's Pro models and I can tell that it brings incredible performance. The 5-core GPU enables even smoother graphics for video apps and high-performance gaming, and powers incredible camera features like Photonic Engine and Cinematic mode, all while delivering impressive battery life, and protecting privacy and security with the Secure Enclave. The 6-core CPU handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently, and the 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling even faster machine learning computations for features in iOS 16 and third-party app experiences. 

While playing games like Traffic Rider, Asphalt 9: Legends, and Call of Duty: Mobile on the iPhone 14, the experience was lag-free gaming. The graphic quality on the advanced setting was excellent. Overall , the video streaming and viewing experience on iPhone 14 is something you will enjoy. From watching web series and movies on various OTT platforms to switching between the apps, the device didn't disappoint us. Even, the audio performance is better the competition present in the market. The bottom speaker did produce high-quality sound while playing games and watching videos.

Another new and the most useful feature on iPhone 14 is the Crash Detection. With a new dual-core accelerometer capable of detecting G-force measurements of up to 256Gs and a new high dynamic range gyroscope, Crash Detection on iPhone can now detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone.
These capabilities build on existing components, like the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognise loud noises typified by severe car crashes. 

Apple iPhone 14: iOS 16

Also, with iOS 16, the experience on the iPhone 14 will be better. iOS 16 is offering a reimagined Lock Screen along with new communication, sharing, and intelligence features. For Lock Screen inspiration, the wallpaper gallery offers a range of options, including Apple collections, an Astronomy wallpaper for views of the Earth, moon, and solar system, and many more. With Messages, you can can now edit or recall recently sent messages, and mark conversations as unread to revisit them later. Live Text gets more powerful with the ability to recognise text in video and quickly convert currency, translate text, and more. 

Apple iPhone 14 battery

Compared to iPhone 13, Apple is offering improved battery life on the iPhone 14. It offers good battery life and lasts for more than a dat on basic-to-moderate usage better than iPhone 13 and iPhone 12.  iPhone 14 is giving up to two and a half more hours in a day than iPhone 13. While heavy games for longs hours, the phone lasted for around 16-17 hours hours. Also, we didn't face any heating issues on the iPhone 14 during heavy usage. Even after watching movies for long hours and intense gaming, the device lasted for 1.5 days without any heating issues. The good part is, despite packing a bigger battery, the iPhone 14 feels extremely light and comfortable to always use.

Apple iPhone 14 Verdict:

Available at a starting price of Rs 79,900 in India, the iPhone 14 is coming with a number of upgrades -- improved camera features, big battery life, Emergency SOS via satellite, the Photonic Engine, Action Mode, 4K cinematic mode and more. However, it has an old chipset with minimal changes on the design front when you compare it with the iPhone 13. This vanilla variant is undoubtedly for those using Android smartphones and if they are planning to switch. Also, iPhone 12, 11 users can pick this device.