iPhone 14 revisit: still worth it, after all these months, and with those discounts? | 91mobiles.com

It is (still) the newest iPhone out there. But the Apple iPhone 14 has had to deal with a fair bit. When it was launched, many wondered if buying it made any sense, it so closely resembled the iPhone 13 not just in terms of design, but even in spec sheet terms. It did turn out to be a bestseller, but the doubts have persisted. More than six months after its launch, it has a number of deals and offers coming up on it. For instance, the Amazon Summer Great Sale, sees the price of the iPhone 14 go down to Rs. 66,999 as compared to its launch price of Rs. 79,900, and if you can manage to get all the additional discounts and offers available on the device, you might even be able to nab the phone for as low as Rs. 39,293.

But even with all the discounts and offers, many might wonder whether it makes sense to buy the iPhone 14 months after it was initially launched, and when we are basically a few months away from the launch of the new iPhones (they normally arrive in September). And of course, there is STILL the question of whether it would not simply make more sense to go for an iPhone 13, which is more affordable? We have been using the iPhone 14 for a few months now, and here are our answers to some very frequently asked questions about the iPhone 14 to help you decide whether to buy it or skip it months after it was been launched:

Q. They say the iPhone 14 looks exactly like the iPhone 13. Is that true?

A. Yes, that is actually true. Apart from a slight difference in thickness– the iPhone 14 is slightly thicker at 7.80mm as compared to the iPhone 13 which is 7.65mm thick, a minor difference in weight– the iPhone 14 is actually a wee bit lighter at 172 grams as compared to the iPhone 13 which weighs 174 grams – the two are basically clones. Even these differences are too minor to get noticed even if you have the two phones right in front of you. The only thing that might be able to tell the two phones apart just from their look would be the exclusive colour options available in the two devices – green for the iPhone 13 and the recently-released yellow for the iPhone 14. Other than that, you get the same-sized display with the same resolution, the same flat sides, the same diagonally placed dual cameras on the back, same port and button placement and the same rectangular notch. As we said, basically clones. This does not mean the design of the iPhone 14 in any way is bad. It feels very premium and looks very familiar yet classy. Just remember that unless you go for an exclusive colour (and choose not to place a case over it), no one will be able to say whether you have an iPhone 14 or an iPhone 13. Which is a little uninspiring and disappointing, really.

Q. Will the case and tempered glass protector of an iPhone 13 work with an iPhone 14 too?

A. The iPhone 14 is slightly thicker as mentioned in the previous point which means if the case that you have is too rigid, it might not fit the iPhone 14 properly. But if there is even some space to spare or it can be stretched a bit (in case of a soft silicone case), then the case of the iPhone 13 might fit the iPhone 14. That said, we would advise you to buy a proper case for the phone. You can save some bucks in the tempered glass department though, if you have the tempered glass of an iPhone 13 lying around. As the display size of both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 13 is exactly the same, you can easily use the tempered glass protector of an iPhone 13 on an iPhone 14.

Q. What are the materials used to make the iPhone 14? Does the phone have dust and water resistance?

A. Even though the iPhone 14 is a suffix-less variant in the latest iPhone series, the device is built from high-quality premium materials, which is something that would hit you right from the moment you hold the phone in your hand. The iPhone 14 comes with a Ceramic Shield front which Apple claims is tougher than any other smartphone glass in the market. The frame of the phone is made of aero-grade aluminium material which gives the phone a very chic, metallic finish and to make it even more sturdy, Apple has also made the phone water-resistant. It comes with an IP68 rating, which means that it can survive diving in water up to six meters deep for up to 30 minutes.

Q. What is the major difference between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13?

A. On the surface, the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 may look like identical twins and this might seem like the case while reading out the two spec sheets as well, but the iPhone 14 is actually superior to its predecessor. The two phones differ in the camera, battery and processor departments.

Q. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, both come with dual 12-megapixel cameras on the back and a single 12-megapixel sensor on the front. So what is the difference between their performance?

A. While the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 both have dual 12-megapixel cameras on the back, the iPhone 14 comes with Apple’s Advanced Dual Camera System which brings features like Photonic Engine, Action Mode. There is even autofocus on the front camera of the iPhone 14, which the iPhone 13 lacks. These features make a big difference in the overall photography experience of the iPhone 14 and can prove to be really useful, especially for those who create a lot of content with their phones.

The Photonic Engine takes the colour and detail reproduction on the iPhone 14 a level up. This might not hit you right away but as soon as you compare the results of the two phones side by side, it will become evident. The second feature and the one that makes the most noticeable difference is Action mode. This mode allows you to take stable, steady videos even when you are moving, or capturing moving subjects. Those who like to vlog will especially like autofocus on the front camera of the iPhone 14. Also, the aperture of the main sensor on the iPhone 14 is also bigger than that of the iPhone 13 – it has an f/1.5 aperture while the iPhone 13 has f/1.6 aperture, and this can make a difference in the low light performance of the cameras.

Q. Both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 13 have the same A15 Bionic processor. Are they exactly the same?

It is true that both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 13 come with the same A15 Bionic processor which was introduced last year but the chipsets on the two phones are not entirely the same. The iPhone 14 comes with an extra GPU core, giving it a 5-core GPU whereas the iPhone 13 comes with a 4-core GPU. In fact, the iPhone 14 comes with a chip that is the same that was seen in the iPhone 13 Pro last year!

Q. Is the performance of the iPhone 14 likely to be very different from the iPhone 13?

A. During our days with iPhone 14, we have not seen any difference between the performance of the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 13 that would jump out at us. We think this is mainly because the difference is basically an added GPU core which means you get the processor present on the iPhone 13 Pro on the iPhone 14. The iPhone 14 feels marginally better at handling graphics-oriented tasks but again, this difference is too minor to be immediately noticed or to even make a difference to our experience. Having said that, the iPhone 14 is a very capable smartphone (just like the iPhone 13) and can handle even the most strenuous smartphone chores with ease. Whether it is handling high-end games like Genshin Impact or editing videos, the phone can do it all without any glitches. And in the camera department (as we specified earlier), the iPhone 14 does add more to the photography and video shooting experience. As we have used the iPhone 14 for so many months now, we can also safely say that the phone can not only keep up with your day-to-day tasks but will not slow down even if you pack it with data and content. To give you an idea, we have over 14,000 photos saved on our iPhone 14 and the phone does not drag its feet even now.

Q. Is the battery life of the iPhone 14 better than the iPhone 13?

A. Apple is one of the few brands (if not the only one) that does not give you the absolute mAh value of the battery on its phones. Instead, it gives usage stats. Apple claims that the battery of the iPhone 14 lasts for about 20 hours as compared to that on the iPhone 13 which lasts for about 19 hours. The battery of the iPhone 14 is definitely better than that of the iPhone 13 but after the first few months where we could easily see a day of usage with our iPhone 14, we now find ourselves looking for a charging point as the day nears an end. That said, the same was faced with the iPhone 13 as well. The iPhone 14 can still go on for a day but you will have to plug it in around late evening after using it thoroughly all day. Just like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 comes with support for wireless charging (MagSafe and Qi) and has support for fast charging which can charge the phone up to 50 per cent in around 30-35 minutes with a 20W charger. You still do not get a charger in the box which means if you do not have an adapter already, you will have to invest in one.

Q. What are the differences between the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro?

A. If the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 basically seem like twins born minutes apart, the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro are more like first cousins. The two phones come from the same family but come with a number of differences. The first and the biggest one comes in the form of a floating island instead of a rectangular sea shore. We are talking about the most hyped feature of the Pro variants of the iPhone 14 series, the Dynamic Island. The shape-shifting, pill-like notch which hovers on top of the display like a UFO waiting to kidnap cows, is the most prominent difference between the Pro variants of the 14 series and all other iPhones, and definitely adds a new dimension to the UI of the devices.

Read more: Reasons to love Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro

Then there is the processor. The iPhone 14 Pro dons the new age, latest A16 Bionic processor which is a step ahead of the A15 Bionic on the iPhone 14. With the iPhone 14 Pro, you also get a triple camera set up on the back with a 48-megapixel main wide sensor (the first time we have a 48-megapixel camera on an iPhone), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and another 12-megapixel telephoto sensor. While on the iPhone 14 you only get two 12-megapixel wide and ultra-wide sensors. You also get features like ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps on both front and back cameras on the iPhone 14 Pro and Macro video recording, both of which are perspective-changing to say the least.

The display of the iPhone 14 Pro is also better than that of the iPhone 14 as it brings features like ProMotion Technology with 120Hz refresh rate, an always-on display, and 2,000 nits peak brightness. Apart from this, the iPhone 14 Pro also uses surgical grade stainless steel for its frame while the iPhone 14 comes with aero-grade aluminium and the iPhone 14 Pro is also a bit heavier at 206 grams as compared to the 172 grams weight of the iPhone 14. The 14 Pro is a clear step ahead of the iPhone 14, way more powerful and capable. And the Dynamic Island definitely makes the Pros the most recognisable of the iPhone 14 series – there is no way you can confuse an iPhone 14 Pro with an iPhone 13 Pro from the front!

Q. What is the difference between the iPhone 14 and the 14 Plus? Should I be considering the iPhone 14 Plus?

A. If the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 were cousins, the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus would be siblings. The iPhone 14 Plus is bigger than the iPhone 14 in size but otherwise, they have the same DNA. The iPhone 14 Plus comes with a considerably bigger 6.7-inch display as compared to the 6.1-inch one on the iPhone 14. It also has a slightly higher resolution – 2,778 x 1,284 as compared to 2,532 x 1,170 on the iPhone 14 – but actually has slightly lower pixel density (458 ppi as compared to 460 ppi), although this is too small to be actually noticed. Its bigger size also allows the iPhone 14 Plus to accommodate a bigger battery. As per Apple the iPhone 14 Plus can last for up to 26 hours which easily gets in the next-day territory as compared to the very 20-hour / one-day battery life of the iPhone 14.

In fact, Apple claims that the iPhone 14 has the “looongest battery life of any iPhone. Ever” and it certainly lives up to that billing – you can actually get through two days of usage on it with a bit of care. The two phones obviously also come with different measurements. The iPhone 14 Plus is bigger at 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8 mm as compared to the much more compact 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm of the iPhone 14. It is also noticeably heavier at 203 grams as against the 172 grams of the iPhone 14. We would say that the iPhone 14 Plus should be considered if you really want way better battery life and a bigger display. The battery life is actually the biggest factor in our book, as this is a department in which the iPhone 14 Plus even beats the flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Q. I have an iPhone 12 or earlier. Should I update to the iPhone 14 or go for the iPhone 13?

A. With the kind of discounts and offers which are now available on the iPhone 14 (given you can somehow manage to avail all offers), we would recommend going for the latest and greatest iPhone 14. With the iPhone 14 you are also likely to get iOS updates for perhaps a year longer as compared to the iPhone 13. But if money is a constraint, we would suggest you upgrade to iPhone 13 because the difference between the performance or design of the two phones is not as evident as the one between their prices.

Q. Finally: should I go for the iPhone 14 right now, or wait for a few months for the new iPhones to come in?

A. It all really depends on your budget. The iPhone 15 (or whatever Apple chooses to call it) is expected in September, and while rumours suggest that it will be a much more significant upgrade than the iPhone 14 was as compared to the iPhone 13, it is also likely to come with a hefty price tag. So yes, you will get a better phone but for much more money. The iPhone 14 on the other hand is a bestseller and a proven performer. What is more, its prices are coming down and it will continue to attract a number of deals and offers. So if you need a new-ish iPhone right now and want very good value for money, we would recommend going for the iPhone 14 right now. And if you want to make sure that everyone knows you have got an iPhone 14, get the yellow one!