Verdict
The iPhone 14 is a very good phone for the money, offering improved cameras, a faster A15 Bionic chip and fun Action mode for video capture. But at this price, we’d like to see a telephoto zoom and 120Hz display. Some may want to get the iPhone 14 Plus instead for its larger screen and bigger battery.
Pros
- +Excellent cameras
- +Vibrant display
- +Fast A15 Bionic performance
- +Impressive Action mode video
Cons
- -Still just 60Hz refresh rate
- -No optical zoom
- -Lack of SIM card slot will annoy some
Whether you already own one, or are considering upgrading to an older, cheaper iPhone, the iPhone 14 is a strong pick even a year and a half after it first launched.
Some may prefer the bigger iPhone 14 Plus if you want a larger screen and longer battery life. And the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, plus the latest iPhone 15 series, offer more exciting features like an always-on display, Dynamic Island, 120Hz refresh rate and telephoto zoom.
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But the iPhone 14 still features welcome updates like a revised design and improved display, camera and performance. My iPhone 14 review breaks down all the pros and cons so you can decide if this is the right handset for your needs.
iPhone 14 specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Row 0 – Cell 1 |
| Price | from $799 |
| Display | 6.1 inches (2532 x 1170 pixels, 60Hz) |
| CPU | A15 Bionic |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Cameras | 12MP wide (f/1.5), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.4), 12MP front f/1.9 |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
| Colors | Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Product Red, Blue |
| Battery life | 9 hours 28 minutes (5G web surfing) |
| Size | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches |
| Weight | 6.07 ounces |
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iPhone 14 review: Design and colors
The iPhone 14 design is not what I’d call fresh. It’s basically a carbon copy of the iPhone 13, complete with the notch.
Don’t get me wrong, the aluminum and glass body is solid and fairly attractive — and you get the same tough (removable) Ceramic Shield front and tough glass back, along with IP68 water resistance. But you’ll probably be jealous when you see the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island, which replaces the notch with a smaller and interactive cutout for alerts and live activities.
The iPhone 14 colors are Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Red and Yellow. We tested the paler blue model, which is an attractive cornflower blue shade. Apple announced the iPhone 14 in yellow on March 7.
The iPhone 14 remains compact and fairly light, weighing 6.07 ounces and measuring 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches. That’s actually a bit lighter than the iPhone 13’s 6.17 ounces, although that model was a slightly thinner 0.30 inches.
In a somewhat controversial move, Apple removed the SIM Card slot from the iPhone 14, relying on eSIMs only. Fortunately, it’s easy to add a line of service in the Settings app, and you can have up to eight 8 SIMs on your phone with two active at any given time (say one for personal and one for business). There are some smaller and international carriers that don’t yet support eSIM, but the technology is gaining traction.
iPhone 14 review: Cameras
The iPhone 14’s main camera doesn’t get the bump to 48MP that the iPhone 14 Pro series does, but it does feature enhanced cameras in its own way. The main 12MP wide camera has a larger sensor than the one in the iPhone 13, with 1.9 micrometer pixels and a faster f/1.7 aperture. As a result, you should expect better action shots and low-light performance.
The iPhone 14 also packs an ultrawide camera that’s rated to capture 4x more of a scene and deliver 2x better low-light performance. And the TrueDepth camera offers autofocus for the first time along with a faster f/1.9 aperture. To help capture brighter images across the board, there’s a new computational photography feature called Photonic Engine.
iPhone 14 review: iOS 16
The iPhone 14 runs iOS 16 by default, and there’s a lot to like in this new software update. You can customize the lock screen with widgets, photos and more. Other highlights include the ability to unsend texts and edit them, a replacement for passwords called Passkeys, a new Fitness app and (finally) the return of the battery percentage indicator.As of fall 2024, the iPhone 14 series is able to update to iOS 17, and iOS 18 once it’s out of beta. Unfortunately, no iPhone 14 models are capable of using Apple Intelligence once it’s available.
iPhone 14 review: Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection
Apple will launched two key safety features for the iPhone 14. The first is Emergency SOS via satellite, which combines new antennas and software to connect to satellites when you can’t get a cellular or Wi-Fi signal. You’ll then get help from emergency services to your location, or can send your location to a contact. This is available for free for three years after the phone’s activated, meaning that you’ll at least make it to 2025 before needing to pay for this service.
During a demo, the iPhone 14 locked onto a satellite quickly, and the phone walks you through a series of questions so Apple can tell dispatchers everything they know about your condition and exact location.
The second safety feature is Crash Detection, which leverages the iPhone 14’s improved accelerometer and gyroscope to detect whether you’re in a car crash. From there, it can automatically dial emergency services, as well as notify your emergency contacts you designate.
In one iPhone 14 Crash Detection test by a YouTuber, the feature worked well during simulated crashes using a remote-controlled vehicle. Both times, the iPhone began its countdown to automatically call emergency services before being canceled.
iPhone 14 review: Verdict
The iPhone 14 is the best iPhone for most people, but despite that, it’s not that exciting. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max get the biggest upgrades this year, including always-on displays, a clever replacement for the notch and a 48MP main camera.
The iPhone 14 delivers fantastic-looking photos and video; the display is stellar; and you get performance that still beats the best Android phones — except for the new Galaxy S23. Action mode is another plus if you’re looking for super smooth video. Plus Apple may be offering easier access to repairs for this generation, giving the iPhone 14 a surprise advantage over the iPhone 13.
If you’re not wedded to iOS, Samsung’s Galaxy S22 is better in some ways, as it offers both a telephoto zoom lens and 120Hz display — two features Apple reserves for its Pro models. But the S22’s cameras and performance aren’t quite as good as the iPhone 14. You can check out our detailed comparison between the phones in our iPhone 14 vs Samsung Galaxy S22 face-off.
If you want longer battery life and a bigger display, you might want to wait for iPhone 14 Plus, but overall the iPhone 14 is a great — yet safe — choice.