Apple announced its iPhone 14 series at an event in Cupertino at the beginning of September, meaning we can sink our teeth into the different models available for 2022.
There are four devices within the series, comprising the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Yes, that’s right, no iPhone 14 mini this year.
We’ve compared all four iPhone 14 devices based on their published specifications – along with our experience – to help you figure out which might be the right one for you.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro price
Naturally, the price differs between the iPhone 14 models, you don’t need us to tell you that.
If you’re in the US, there thankfully hasn’t been a price hike compared to last year though, but other territories may find it’s a different story (in particular, we’ve been hit hard in the UK).
This time around, the prices are as follows:
- iPhone 14: From $799 / £849 / €999
- iPhone 14 Plus: From $899 / £949 / €1,049
- iPhone 14 Pro: From $999 / £1099 / €1,299
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: From $1099 / £1199 / €1,449
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro design
- iPhone 14/14 Plus: Aluminium frame, dual camera, notch, five colours
- iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max: Stainless steel frame, triple camera, Dynamic Island, four colours
The standard Apple iPhone 14 models follow an identical design to the iPhone 13 models, retaining the notch at the top of the display. The iPhone 14 Plus looks identical to the iPhone 14 but on a larger scale, as you’d expect.
Like in previous years, that means for both sizes you get dual lenses again, flat edges and an aluminium frame. They also offer IP68 water and dust resistance.
The iPhone 14 Pro models, though, look different to the standard iPhone 14 models, and indeed different to any iPhone that’s come before them.
As was heavily rumoured, the notch has been replaced by what Apple calls the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped cutout that houses the front camera and sensors, and plays host to animations and widget-like information. Various alerts will appear in the Dynamic Island and it will adapt depending on what you’re doing.
For example, if you use Apple Pay, the Dynamic Island will turn into a square, while when you are on a phone call, it will widen and show the call duration and sound waves if you open another app whilst on the call. Overall, it’s a major change to the design language that Apple’s been using for years now, and it feels quite different using the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max compared to their regular counterparts – in a good way.
The iPhone 14 Pro models also feature a triple rear camera on the back and they are heavier than the standard models, offering a shiny stainless steel frame over aluminium.
The models also don’t come in the same colours. Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus buyers can choose from Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple and (Product) Red. The iPhone 14 Pro range, meanwhile, comes in Space Black, Gold, Deep Purple and Silver.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro display
- iPhone 14: 6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, 2532×1170, 460 ppi, 1200 nits
- iPhone 14 Plus: 6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, 2778×1284, 458 ppi, 1200 nits
- iPhone 14 Pro: 6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556×1179, 460 ppi, 1-120Hz refresh rate, Always On Display, 2000 nits
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR OLED, 2796×1290, 460 ppi, 1-120Hz refresh rate, Always On Display, 2000 nits
The Apple iPhone 14 is sticking with the same display size as the iPhone 13, which means a 6.1-inch screen. The iPhone 14 Plus meanwhile, features a 6.7-inch display.
The iPhone 14 Pro also offers a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch screen. All four offer an OLED panel, along with True Tone, Haptic Touch and HDR support, though the Pro models do offer a bunch of extra features including power-efficiency modes that can dim the display more smartly.
The iPhone 14 Pro models again offer the ProMotion adaptive refresh rate, though this time they have a lower minimum refresh rate than the iPhone 13 Pro models, clocking in at a tiny 1Hz. This is great for battery-saving.
Another big boost for the Pro models comes in the brightness department, where they get a huge jump up to 2000nits of peak brightness, which makes a difference when you’re using your phone in bright light or sunshine.
The iPhone 14 Pro models also feature an Always On Display – something most Android phones offer, allowing you to see information without your screen being on and unlocked. This cleverly reflects what you have on your Lock Screen under iOS 16.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro specs
- iPhone 14/14 Plus: A15 chip, 128GB/256GB/512GB storage, up to 20hours/26 hours video playback
- iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max: A16 chip, 256GB/512GB/1TB storage, up to 20 hours/29 hours video playback
The Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus run on the same chipset as the iPhone 13 Pro, which is the A15 with five-core GPU. For reference, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini also ran on the A15, but they have a four-core GPU.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, though, run on the A16 chip, which offers a performance boost on the A15 and therefore the standard iPhone 14 models. This is actually the first time Apple has used different chips in its iPhone models of the same series.
Storage options for the standard models are the same as the iPhone 13 models. That means you can choose from 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options. The iPhone 14 Pro models start at 128GB and there are also 256GB, 512GB and 1TB models.
Battery capacity is different between the standard iPhone 14 models and the iPhone 14 Pro models, as well as between the standard and Pro models themselves, with the Plus and Max variants offering larger batteries.
Apple typically measures this in hours rather than mAh, and from its comparison pages, if you take video playback as your chosen comparison you can expect 20 hours for the standard iPhone 14 and 26 hours for the iPhone 14 Plus. The iPhone 14 Pro will offer at least 23 hours, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max sits at around 29 hours.
We’ve tested the battery performance of all of the iPhone 14 models and the iPhone 14 Plus comes out on top, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max following behind. The iPhone 14 Plus is excellent in this department so if you’re after big screen and big battery, it’s a great option.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro cameras
- iPhone 14/14 Plus: Dual rear, 2x optical zoom, Digital zoom up to 5x
- iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max: Triple rear, 3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, 6x optical zoom range, Digital zoom up to 15x
The Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus each come with a dual camera on the rear. You get a 12MP main wide camera and a secondary ultra-wide camera. These are the same resolutions as the iPhone 13, though the main camera has been upgraded to the same as the iPhone 13 Pro, meaning a slightly wider aperture of f/1.5 instead of f/1.6.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max meanwhile, got a big upgrade. There’s a 48MP main sensor, along with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with a wider aperture and a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor.
The iPhone 14 Pro models are able to offer 3x optical zoom thanks to the telephoto lens and 15x digital zoom. The standard iPhone 14 models have 5x digital zoom but no optical zoom. The Pro models also offer ProRES, allowing you to shoot 48-megapixel raw shots.
There are similar features across all four models, with features like Portrait Mode with Depth Control, Night Mode, Photographic Styles and Cinematic Mode. You’ll also find Action Mode on all four iPhone 14 models, as well as a Photonic Engine, said to improve low light images. All four models offer great results and while the Pro models are superior, the standard models still deliver great point-and-shoot images.
In terms of the front camera, all four models see an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera to include a wider aperture of f/1.9 and autofocus for the first time, which is hugely helpful for selfies and video calls.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro software
- iOS 16
All four of the Apple iPhone 14 models run on iOS 16. The user experience is therefore be pretty much identical across the four models, though as we mentioned, the iPhone 14 Pro models do get some extra features in the camera department, as well as Always On Display and Dynamic Island.
You can read all about iOS 16 and what features it offers in our separate feature on the operating system.
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Conclusion
There are a few differences between the standard iPhone 14 models and the iPhone 14 Pro models, including design, materials, chipset, storage options, battery capacities, display features and camera offerings.
There are also some noteworthy similarities too, like the flat edges, Face ID, iOS 16 software experience, front camera upgrades, and display sizes. On the whole, the iPhone 14 Pro models are more distinct than in previous years thanks to that Dynamic Island more than anything else.
For those who want the newest tricks that Apple has cooked up, the iPhone 14 Pro models are the devices you’ll want to look at. For anyone looking for a great phone that costs less, the standard iPhone 14 options are still impressive – especially in the case of the iPhone 14 Plus – but with minimal differences compared to the iPhone 13 models, you could consider an iPhone 13 Pro to gain a few more features for the a similar price.