Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Base iPhone 14
New iPhones get announced every year, but there’s always someone who scoffs and says Apple is selling last year’s iPhone in a new color at a new price. With the iPhone 14, though, unless you’re looking at the iPhone 14 Pro, that person is not entirely wrong.
A Departure From Normal iPhone Releases
With the introduction of the iPhone X as Apple’s very first bezel-less device, Apple’s lineup has been relatively simple to follow. Apple offers regular flagship phones, with aluminum builds and standard specifications, and “premium” flagship phones, with bleeding-edge features and a more premium build quality. The former phones are marketed to regular iPhone users, while the latter ones are marketed to enthusiasts and folks who don’t mind paying more to get the very best.
We saw that in 2017, when the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the “phone for everyone,” and the iPhone X was the ultra-premium flagship. The pattern repeated itself in 2018 with the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS, and XS Max. Things got a little clearer in 2019 when the iPhone 11 was introduced alongside the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
Through all of those releases, and since then, both the Pro and non-Pro iPhones got substantial improvements, both inside and outside. We didn’t always get external radical design changes, but we always got, at least, Apple’s newest system on a chip (SoC), alongside a handful of other generational improvements, like camera or battery upgrades.
This is where problems begin with the iPhone 14.
The iPhone 14’s Existential Problem
Once you get past the fact that Apple got rid of the Mini and replaced it with an iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 is… just a souped-up iPhone 13. Apple took most of the iPhone 14’s big upgrades, like the Dynamic Island, and made them exclusive to the Pro, with the base iPhone 14 being barely an upgrade.
Through the iPhone’s lifetime, Apple always did yearly chip upgrades with its newest phones. That was something everyone always took for granted, even through boring upgrades like the iPhone 5s or the iPhone 6s. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro have the A13 Bionic, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro have the A14 Bionic, and the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro have the A15 Bionic.
The iPhone 14 Pro has the A16 Bionic CPU, but the iPhone 14 has… the A15. Again.
During its conference, Apple’s employees said the A15 was so good that they basically didn’t feel the need to change the chip. The company tried hard to make the news sound good (it has one extra GPU core compared to the iPhone 13!), but the real reason could be related to the ongoing chip shortage. Apple could be having trouble making enough A16 chips for all iPhone 14 buyers, and the company probably has a massive stockpile of A15 silicon it wants to get rid of. It did launch an A15-powered iPhone SE in early 2022, after all.
It’s the first time Apple recycled a chip since the iPhone 3G in 2008. You could count the iPhone 5C from 2013, but that phone was more of a precursor to the SE, with a plastic build and no Touch ID.
Even setting the previous generation chip aside, the phone is still just an iPhone 13 in most ways. It has the same exact design, the same 60Hz screen, and the same ol’ notch as the iPhone 13. Storage options are also the same, starting at 128GB. In some ways, it’s even worse. While Apple wants to force an eSIM-only future by removing the SIM tray with the iPhone 14, that’s coming at the cost of making some users switch carriers (since not all networks support eSIM) and hampering the ability of people to stay connected when traveling (if they would prefer getting a SIM card in another country.)
To Apple’s credit, the iPhone 14 does have a few upgrades. Emergency SoS via Satellite is legitimately great and lets you get help in situations where you otherwise wouldn’t have any cell signal or contact with the world. And crash detection is a great addition that could save your life if you’re ever involved in an ugly car accident.
Other than that, the iPhone 14 has a slightly bigger and wider 12MP rear camera sensor, an improved front camera with autofocus, and very slightly improved battery life. Otherwise, it’s identical to the iPhone 13, inside and out.
What About the iPhone 14 Plus?
Of course, we can’t talk about the iPhone 14 without mentioning its bigger sibling, the iPhone 14 Plus. Apple killed off the Mini and brought back the Plus branding for the first time since the iPhone 8 Plus, to give us a non-Pro alternative to the massive Pro Max phones.
If you want a massive phone but you don’t necessarily need everything the Pro phones have, you might be compelled to buy the iPhone 14 Plus. For what it’s worth, it’s pretty much the same iPhone 14, except with a larger 6.7-inch display instead of a 6.1-inch panel.
Of course, there isn’t an iPhone 13 Plus, so the 14 Plus is actually an all-new model. But unfortunately, the fact that it’s the same phone also means that it runs an A15 Bionic, and it suffers from the same deficiencies as the iPhone 14. Many of the same arguments that apply to the standard model also apply to the Plus, so unless you really want a non-Pro large iPhone, it’s probably a skip.
Skip the iPhone 14 (or Go Pro)
The fact that the iPhone 14 has so few improvements manages to make the iPhone 13 an amazing purchase, especially since the fact that the iPhone 14 was released means that the iPhone 13 got discounted.
If you already have the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 overall isn’t much of an upgrade for you. The two big upgrades are Satellite Emergency SOS and crash detection, which are legitimately useful features.
If you’re planning to upgrade for those two things, or if those features made you consider an iPhone for the first time, we would still recommend skipping the base iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and trying to fork over more money for an iPhone 14 Pro or an iPhone 14 Pro Max. It’s an extra $200, sure, but you’re also getting the full set of generational upgrades, such as the Dynamic Island, the A16 Bionic CPU, and way better cameras.
If you don’t care about satellite emergency services or crash detection, then you should keep your iPhone 13. And if you don’t have one, it’s the perfect time to buy one.
The iPhone 14’s MSRP is $800, while the iPhone 14 Plus will set you back $900. When this new phone was released, the iPhone 13 Mini’s price was lowered to $600, and the standard 13’s price dropped to $700. Since you’re getting basically the same phone for $100 less ($200 if you don’t mind going small), the decision seems pretty clear to us.
If you’re willing to give the second-hand market a look, you can probably score an even better deal, too. There is plenty of used, slightly used, open-box, or even sealed smartphones making the rounds selling for cheaper than Apple’s MSRP, so you can save some serious cash if you want to go down that route.
If you do go second-hand, you can also give the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max a look. That way, you can get a faster 120Hz display and a better camera setup for basically the same price Apple is asking for an iPhone 14, or even less.
As we said before, the iPhone 14 Pro is a massive upgrade. But I feel like Apple could’ve done a lot better with the non-Pro models.
Top 5 reasons why you should buy an iPhone 14
Find out the 5 reasons to buy the latest iPhone 14 over iPhone 13 in 2022.
At a glance, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 may look identical in terms of design and even some features. But on closer look, you will be able to find some notable changes that make the new iPhone 14 special. To looking for a buying guide should know exactly what they are getting into and here we provide 5 main reasons to get iPhone 14 priced at $799 in the US or £849 in the UK. Have a look.
1. Same chip on iPhone 14 as iPhone 13?
The iPhone 14 has got the same A15 Bionic chipset that last year's iPhone 13 had. However, Apple has seeded the A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU which was available only in both th premium phones, the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. That means you will find a much improved and smoother graphics performance than before.
2. Crash Detection feature
This year's iPhone lineup comes with car-crash detection, which uses sensors inside your iPhone to detect when you've been in a severe motoring accident and also notify your emergency contacts. iPhone 13 did not have it though.
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3. Better battery backup
Last year's iPhone 13 is said to have a battery backup of up to 19 hours of video playback. While Apple says that the new iPhone 14 comes with up to 20 hours of video playback.
4. Advanced dual-camera system
The iPhone 14 features the same dual-camera setup of 12MP primary and 12MP ultra-wide but comes with some improved image processing that lets you have better low light photos than before. Also, there is a new Action Mode which lets you have ultra-stabilized videos to record in 4K at 24fps.
5. Same price of iPhone 13 with SOS emergency feature, water resistance, and more
Yes! Apple smartly kept the price of the iPhone 14 same as the iPhone 13 launch price. That too, while featuring some important features such as SOS emergency feature, water resistance to a depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes, Ceramic Shield front protection, 5G capability, and much more.
In brief, these improvements make it worthy of getting the iPhone 14 in 2022 as they enhance the experience to another level.
Should You Buy The iPhone 11 In 2022? Why It Is (And Isn't) A Good Purchase
The iPhone 11 used to be one of the best iPhones available. But is that still true in 2022? Here's how the phone's holding up over two years later.
The iPhone 11 was one of the best smartphones available in 2019. Over two years later, is Apple's aging handset still worth buying in 2022? The smartphone world is constantly moving forward. New phones are regularly released, even newer models are always on the horizon, and that leaves little time for looking back at older generations. If the iPhone 13 is out and the iPhone 14 is on the horizon, why should someone stop and think about the iPhone 11?
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While that's what it often feels like, there are many reasons why 'old' phones are still worth keeping in the conversation. If you want a high-end smartphone but have a limited budget, buying an older model is enticing. Older flagship phones are typically more capable than current budget models. And after a year or two of price cuts, they usually cost about the same.
Related: iPhone Not Charging Or Charging Slowly? Try These Tips To Fix It
This is a situation the iPhone 11 finds itself in. Released in September 2019, the iPhone 11 is far from the newest iPhone available today. It's two generations old, has an aging processor, and is no longer the hot new thing on the market. But it's also a smartphone Apple still sells on its website. You can easily visit and buy a brand new iPhone 11 for $499. But should you?
Why You Should Buy The iPhone 11 In 2022
Despite being well over two years old, so much about the iPhone 11 holds up remarkably well in 2022. The biggest reason for this is its processor. Powering the iPhone 11 is Apple's A13 Bionic chip. The A13 has since been succeeded by the A14 and A15. Even so, it continues to be a performance champ. With a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 8-core Neural Engine, everything on the iPhone 11 should still be more than fast enough.
The iPhone 11's camera system also holds up quite well in 2022. Like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 11 has a 12MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. It also has Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Portrait Mode, and Smart HDR for improved photo processing. And on the video side of things, the iPhone 11 supports 4K recording at 60fps. Newer features like Photographic Styles and Cinematic Mode aren't available, but for casual sharing on Instagram, Snapchat, etc., the iPhone 11's camera setup remains a strong performer.
You'll also find plenty of other flagship goodies on the iPhone 11. It has Face ID, an IP68 dust/water resistance rating, Qi wireless charging, and is promised up to 17 hours of battery life (just two hours shy of the 19-hour rating for the iPhone 13). More important than all of that, Apple is still actively supporting the iPhone 11. It's running the latest version of iOS 15, is fully expected to get iOS 16 later this year, and should keep getting updates through 2025. Apple's software support remains the best in the industry, and it's one of the reasons why its older smartphones are still worth recommending years after release.
Why You Shouldn't Buy The iPhone 11 In 2022
But that's not to say it's all sunshine and rainbows for the iPhone 11. No smartphone ages perfectly, and the iPhone 11 isn't an exception. One area where this is most noticeable is the iPhone 11's display. On its own, the screen looks fine. It's a 6.1-inch LCD panel with a 1792 x 828 resolution, has a 1400:1 contrast ratio, and there are 625 nits of max brightness. For casual movie watching, playing games, and browsing Twitter, it's more than serviceable. But Apple's made considerable leaps forward since then — especially when compared to the iPhone 13. Splurging for the iPhone 13 gets you a more vibrant OLED panel with deeper blacks and better colors. It also has a sharper 2532 x 1170 resolution, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and 800 nits of max brightness. And when you're watching HDR content (something the iPhone 11 doesn't support), the screen goes up to 1200 nits. Casual users may be totally fine with the iPhone 11's screen, but if display quality is something you take seriously, the iPhone 11 might not cut it.
Related: Why It's Better For iPhone Users To Manually Update iOS
The iPhone 11 also isn't the most durable iPhone available today. While it has IP68 water resistance, it only covers the phone for up to 2 meters of submersion. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 can both survive up to 6 meters, making them much more likely to survive being dropped in a deep pool or lake. Similarly, the iPhone 11 has weaker glass on its display. Newer iPhones have Apple's 'Ceramic Shield' glass, offering four times better drop protection than the iPhone 11. If you're particularly clumsy and drop your phone a lot, splurging for an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 is money well spent.
There are a few other things to consider before picking up an iPhone 11. Unlike more recent iPhones, the iPhone 11 does not work with MagSafe. This means accessories like the iPhone Leather Wallet, MagSafe Charger, and MagSafe Battery Pack don't aren't compatible with the iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 also doesn't have 5G connectivity — instead topping out at 4G LTE. 4G LTE is still perfectly usable in 2022, but if you want a phone that supports the fastest data speeds possible, you'll want to look elsewhere.
The iPhone 11 Is Still A Great Purchase
There's more to like about the iPhone 11 than dislike. It's plenty fast, has capable cameras, good battery life, and will keep getting updates for years to come. The lower-quality display and lack of 5G are annoying, but they're not big enough issues that most people should be deterred from the phone — especially when it costs $499.
The only other iPhone you can get for under $500 in 2022 is the iPhone SE 3. It has a newer A15 Bionic chip, 5G connectivity, and is cheaper at $429. But it also comes with its own list of disadvantages. The iPhone SE 3 has a much smaller and lower-quality display, no ultra-wide camera, worse battery life, and even lesser water resistance. If you have $499 to spend and don't need the fastest processor available, the iPhone 11 stands tall as a great purchase in 2022.
Next: iPhone 13 Vs. iPhone 8
Source: Apple
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