Hands-on with the iPhone 14, now available in a larger Plus variant

Hands-on with the iPhone 14, now available in a larger Plus variant

Note: This feature was first published on 8 September 2022.

There are now two versions of the “regular” iPhone. Alongside the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, Apple also announced the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.

The size of the iPhone 14 is unchanged, so it has a 6.1-inch display. As for the larger Plus variant, that has a 6.7-inch display. This mimics the “Pro” iPhones. So now you can get 6.1 and 6.7-inch versions of both models. The displays are still Super Retina XDR OLED displays but unlike the “Pro” iPhones, these phones still have a notch in the top and middle of their screens. 

The chassis is aluminium so even though their sizes are similar to the “Pro” iPhones, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus both feel noticeably lighter than their “Pro” counterparts. Aesthetically, it looks like nothing has changed. These phones still have flat sides that make it look and feel like you are holding a slab of high-quality machinery.

The cameras have been improved. Though they don’t have the high-resolution 48MP sensor of the new “Pro” iPhones, the main camera and ultra wide camera on iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have both been improved with larger sensors and with what looks like hardware from last year's "Pro" iPhones. And together with Apple’s new Photonic Engine image signal processing technique, Apple claims the main and ultra wide cameras can take 2.5 times and 2 times better photos in low-light conditions.

And if battery life is a crucial consideration, Apple says the new iPhone 14 Plus will deliver the longest battery life of any iPhone. According to Apple’s tests, the iPhone 14 Plus can deliver up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 100 hours of audio playback.

Inside, these phones are powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, specifically the ones used in last year’s “Pro” iPhones. This means it has an 8-core for better graphics performance. Additionally, it has an updated internal design which should let it sustain peak performance for longer periods.

Is it disappointing that these phones didn’t get the A16 Bionic chip? Sure, but then it’s not like the A15 Bionic is a slouch. It’s still significantly more powerful than any chip that’s found in a phone not made by Apple. It’ll be interesting to see if its new thermal design will let it run any faster than last year’s “Pro” iPhones.

Ultimately, these phones aren’t drastically different from last year’s models. But users who have been hoping for a more affordable version of the Pro Max will find the new Plus variant a godsend. 

That said, these phones aren’t exactly cheap. Prices of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus start at S$1,299 and S$1,499 respectively. Pre-orders will start on 9 September 2022, 8pm SGT and the iPhone 14 will be available in retail on 16 September. The larger iPhone 14 Plus will be available in retail later on 7 October.

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