❤ iPhone 14 Plus
Table of Contents
Exit iPhone mini, enter iPhone Plus! Indeed, the rumors came true, and this year Apple launched a bigger non-Pro model instead of a mini one. We can only guess what Apple‘s plans are about the mini model, but today’s review is about Apple’s newest addition to the iPhone series – the iPhone 14 Plus.
We thought the iPhone 13 would go down in history as the most insignificant iPhone update ever, but the iPhone 14 snatched that title. See, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are based on the same Apple A15 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 13 models, and even the screen specs have stayed the same – OLEDs with about 460ppi, 800nits brightness and 60Hz refresh.
In fact, there are only four notable upgrades on the iPhone 14 when compared to the iPhone 13 – the new primary rear camera (lifted from iPhone 13 Pro), the updated selfie camera with the new lens and AF, 2GB more RAM, and the Emergency SOS via satellite feature.
The new iPhone 14 Plus adds a couple of extra ones – the larger screen and the larger battery. The Plus model brings a Max-sized screen to the regular series – even if it’s only 60Hz.
The selfie camera, while retaining its 12MP sensor, has a new brighter aperture lens with optical stabilization, and autofocus. We always wondered why Apple didn’t introduce AF capabilities sooner, as the Face ID tech is there to provide a massive assist to that, but alas, it is finally here.
The iPhone 14 Plus is as waterproofed as the rest of the recent iPhones – it can last for 30minbs in up to 6m deep clean water. And it should be a desirable smartphone for its large screen and yet thin and lightweight design. It is also touted as the iPhone with the best battery life, and we will surely test this out.
Let’s see the specs first.
Apple iPhone 14 Plus specs at a glance:
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM) | |
| CDMA 800 / 1900 | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 – A2886, A2888 | |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66, 71 – A2632, A2885 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 – A2887 | ||
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A2886, A2888 | |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – A2632 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A2885 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A2887 | ||
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| LAUNCH | Announced | 2022, September 07 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 07 |
| BODY | Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.31 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 203 g (7.16 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), aluminum frame | |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM – International Dual eSIM with multiple numbers – USA Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) – China |
|
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) |
| DISPLAY | Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass |
| PLATFORM | OS | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 17.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2×3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4×1.82 GHz Blizzard) | |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM | |
| NVMe |
| MAIN CAMERA | Dual | 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7″, 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), Cinematic mode (4K@30fps), stereo sound rec. |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″, PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, Cinematic mode (4K@30fps) | |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) |
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Ion 4323 mAh, non-removable (16.68 Wh) |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (MagSafe) 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| MISC | Colors | Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red, Yellow |
|---|---|---|
| Models | A2886, A2632, A2885, A2896, A2887, iphone14,8 | |
| SAR | 1.14 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) | |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | |
| Price | $ 625.00 / € 781.13 / £ 599.99 / ₹ 71,999 |
| TESTS | Performance | AnTuTu: 797976 (v9) GeekBench: 4582 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | |
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Loudspeaker | -24.7 LUFS (Very good) | |
| Battery life |
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Just like the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus has one glaring omission – high refresh rate support. And the size of the notch is an eyesore you need to put up for a few more years, apparently. At least, it looks subjectively smaller on this large screen.
We are glad the non-Pro iPhones are getting the new software features like Action Mode for the video camera, the improved Cinematic Mode, and the satellite connection, too.
Unboxing the iPhone 14 Plus
The eco-friendly iPhone box contains a USB-C-to-Lightning cable and the iPhone 14 Plus. There is also a SIM ejection pin, some paperwork, and an Apple sticker.
Apple was among the first manufacturers to ditch the headphones and the charger from its boxes.
If you have a 20W+ USB-PD power adapter with a USB-C port, you should be good.
Alternatives
The iPhone 14 Plus makes total sense in the grand Apple design – the maker has turned the SE model into a special mini edition iPhone, and that’s why the mini had to go from the flagship series. In fact, the vanilla iPhone 14 is so compact and lightweight that we can argue it has been the mini one all along.
Meanwhile, the absence of a larger iPhone for the masses has been quite obvious for the last couple of years, and it was only time for Apple to answer that call. And it did, in its own way.
The iPhone 14 Plus is essentially a supersized iPhone 14 and not much else. What you get is a Max-size display of non-Pro quality and better battery life thanks to the larger battery.
Now, all those Apple users who wanted a large iPhone that’s not overweight and ‘oh so premium’ can have the iPhone 14 Plus.
But, if you are still on the fence about this new Plus model, probably because of its €1,150 price tag, we can understand why you would want to explore more options.
For example, you can get the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is pretty much the same phone but with an additional zoom camera, a better ultrawide shooter with AF, and a 120Hz ProMotion display. It can be purchased for €1,200 – which is quite an offer to consider. Yes, it is heavy because of the stainless-steel frame and the extra parts like LiDAR and the telephoto, but it’s a tradeoff many would take.
The iPhone 14, as we established, is the most compact current iPhone in circulation, and it’s quite the treat despite the 60Hz screen. It has the same specs as the Plus; it’s just smaller in size and incredibly pocketable. Oh, and it’s €150 cheaper.
Finally, Apple is also selling the older iPhone 12, which is basically an iPhone 13, and so on, starting at €800 for the 64GB model at Apple Store, or about €650 from third-party retailers. So, if you want the cheapest premium iPhone officially available, that’s the one.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max • Apple iPhone 14 • Apple iPhone 12
Of course, there are plenty of cheaper offers you can consider for their large screens outside Apple’s lineup. The €780 Xiaomi 12T Pro impressed us with its screen, charging speed, all-around performance and camera quality. The same goes for the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra – a phone with a 144Hz OLED screen, one of the first 200MP imagers, a 60MP selfie camera, and 125W fast charging. Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G has a large 120Hz OLED, one of the fastest Android chips, and an excellent trio of cameras on the back, including a zoom one.
Xiaomi 12T Pro • Motorola Edge 30 Ultra • Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
Our verdict
The iPhone 14 Plus is one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made, as usual. It does exactly what it is supposed to do – offering the non-Pro experience on a larger display. A big bonus from the new size is the larger battery capacity and hence – the better battery life.
The iPhone 14 Plus is one of the lightest 6.7-inch smartphones around with a flagship-grade design, screen, speakers, battery life, performance and video quality. Meanwhile, its new cameras, including the AF-capable selfie one, are as controversial as usual – it’s like their quality hasn’t changed for generations because of the heavy processing and over-sharpening.
Still, this iPhone 14 Plus finds its way to the hearts and pockets of people despite the lack of a high refresh rate screen or zoom camera. A lot of users won’t mind this.
Its price tag may be too close to the 13 Pro Max for its own good, but last year’s flagship model has been officially discontinued, so you’d have to source it from an independent retailer but it’s definitely the better one between the two.
That doesn’t make the iPhone 14 Plus a bad smartphone and it’s well worth considering if you don’t need the extra features that the Pro models bring.
Pros
- Sturdy design and sleek looks.
- Excellent OLED, Dolby Vision, HDR10, high brightness.
- Very good battery life.
- Top-notch stereo speakers.
- Flagship-grade performance even if not the latest chipset.c
- Dependable photo quality from the main and selfie cameras.
- Outstanding video quality and stabilization across the board, great action clips.
- Every iPhone gets at least five years of iOS updates.
Cons
- Wide feature gap with the 14 Pro family: no 120Hz refresh rate, A16 Bionic, zoom camera or AF on the ultrawide.
- Priced too close to last year’s iPhone 13 Pro Max, which has most of the above.
- No charger in the box, somewhat slow charging.
- Apple’s iOS restrictions can be off-putting to newcomers to the ecosystem.
