Which Apple Phone 2022 Should You Buy?

Apple launched the iPhone 14 series back in September 2022, and this time, the company started to make a big difference between the Pro models and the regular ones. The regular iPhones of 2022 are almost a slim iteration of the iPhone 13. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro models got some very interesting changes, both visually and internally. So phones not only look different, they have different capabilities. This can make it difficult if you are planning to buy an iPhone 14. Which of the different iPhone 14 models should you target? Well, that’s the iPhone 14 vs. the iPhone 14 Pro – the battle between Apple’s flagship phones in 2022.

iPhone 14 in Starlight color Handheld

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Specifications: Apple iPhone 14 vs Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Apple iPhone 14 Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Healer
  • A15 Bionic chip
    • Six-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficient cores
    • Five-core GPU
    • 16 core neural motor
  • A16 Bionic chip
    • Six-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficient cores
    • Five-core GPU
    • 16 core neural motor
the body
  • 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm
  • 172 grams
  • 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85 mm
  • 206 grams
Show
  • Super Retina XDR display
  • 6.1 inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED display
  • 2532 x 1170 resolution at 460 pixels per inch
  • HDR . screen
  • real tune
  • wide color (P3)
  • Contrast Ratio 2,000,000:1 (typical)
  • 800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits peak brightness (HDR)
  • Super Retina XDR display
  • 6.1 inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED display
  • 2556 x 1179 resolution at 460 pixels per inch
  • dynamic island
  • always on screen
  • ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
  • HDR . screen
  • real tune
  • wide color (P3)
  • Contrast Ratio 2,000,000:1 (typical)
  • 1000 nits maximum brightness (typical); 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR); 2000 nits peak brightness (external)
cameras
  • Dual camera system:
    • Primary: 12 MP, ƒ / 1.5
    • Ultra Wide: 12 MP, ƒ / 2.4
  • TrueDepth Camera: 12 MP, ƒ / 1.9
  • Professional Camera System:
    • Primary: 48 MP, ƒ/1.78
    • Ultra Wide: 12 MP, ƒ / 2.2
    • Telephoto: 12 MP, ƒ/1.78
  • TrueDepth Camera: 12 MP, ƒ / 1.9
memory
  • Storage: 128GB; 256 GB; 512 GB
  • RAM: 6 GB
  • Storage: 128GB; 256 GB; 512 GB 1 TB
  • RAM: 6 GB
battery
  • Up to 80 hours of audio playback
  • Up to 75 hours of audio playback
Connection
  • 5G network
  • 4G
  • Wifi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • SOS via satellite
  • 5G network
  • 4G
  • Wifi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • SOS via satellite
resistance
protection
The operating system
Colors
  • midnight
  • purple
  • starlight
  • red
  • blue
  • black space
  • silver
  • He went
  • Deep Purple
Material
  • glass back
  • aluminum frame
  • glass back
  • Stainless steel body
price


Design: familiar yet different

Apple iPhone 14 Pro in front of plants

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, For the most part, they look the same. After all, Apple usually doesn’t make big changes all at once, and familiarity is one element any iPhone user can attest to. However, in terms of design, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro use distinct materials that make it easy to distinguish between them.

Starting with the body, the cheaper model features a clear glass back and an aluminum frame. Meanwhile, as with Apple tradition, the Pro model has a glossy stainless steel frame and a matte glass back. While I like the look of the matte glass, the frame is a fingerprint magnet. I’ve used a regular iPhone without a case in the past, but I can’t use the iPhone 14 Pro without a cover. Stainless steel loses its premium feel when it stains completely. Regardless of your purchase decision, you must purchase a case. This is to reduce potential damage if you drop your previous iPhone somewhere.

iPhone 14 in white holding hands on blue sky background

Other than that, both iPhones have similar designs in terms of size and overall appearance. On the back side, apart from the different glass, the most noticeable difference is the camera bump. The iPhone 14 Pro has a triple camera system, while the regular iPhone 14 has only two rear lenses. One of the benefits of getting the regular iPhone 14 is that you get five vibrant colors to choose from. The iPhone Pro rests on four dimmers. Apple usually uses faded colors on its high-end iPhones. Other than that, the two phones look the same – apart from the dynamic notch/island.

We can’t pick a winner for this fight because it’s a very subjective battle and it depends on you. Bear in mind though, that the stainless steel of the iPhone 14 Pro is much heavier than the aluminum of the iPhone 14. So if you spend hours on your phone every day, your hand could literally get tired of holding it (true story). I mean, it doubles as a Screen Time feature that you can’t get past, so there’s that.

Screen: The high-end iPhone 14 Pro gives you an island

iPhone 14 is placed on a flat surface that shows the Home screen

In the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro screen department, there are several notable differences. Starting with the most obvious, you’ll need to choose between a notch and a dynamic island. While the notch is larger, many users find Dynamic Island an unnecessary and unnecessary distraction. Whichever you prefer is subjective, so we can’t weigh in here. However, the showdown battle is far from over.

Both iPhone models have 6.1-inch screens with a density of 460 pixels. However, the iPhone 14 Pro offers ProMotion technology, which allows the refresh rate to reach 120 Hz instead of the standard 60 Hz. As a result, you get smoother animations and transitions. In addition, the Pro iPhone has a higher maximum brightness that allows you to easily view the content on the screen in direct sunlight. Notably, the iPhone 14 Pro also offers the Always On Display feature on the Apple phone. This reduces the refresh rate to 1 Hz and leaves the screen on at all times.

The iPhone 14 Pro display is clearly superior. However, most of the exclusive offers that it packs are not necessary. So, if you’re on a tight budget, a regular iPhone 14 will get your stuff done just fine. In the end, the only obvious differences between the two are Dynamic Island and Always-on display. Both features can be dispensed with for a large part of the users. The regular iPhone 14 has a great screen that isn’t high-end, and that’s okay. If you’ve never used a screen with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz before, you won’t notice anything out of place on the regular iPhone 14 either.

Performance: Regular iPhone 14 belongs to 2021

Apple A16 Bionic chip

With the launch of the iPhone 14 line, Apple began to differentiate the regular and Pro models by their respective operations. The company used the same chip across the entire high-end line up until this year, so the regular iPhone 14 gets the A15 Bionic chip from 2021, while the Pro model goes for the A16 Bionic. Both phones have 6GB of RAM and offer at least 128GB of storage space. The Pro model, though, can exclusively go up to 1TB of storage while the regular phone maxes out at 512GB.

Personally, I don’t think the performance department should influence your buying decision. Other outlets have already launched on the 2022 chip A15 Plus instead of A 16. Ultimately, the performance boost is minimal, and unless you need a 1TB iPhone, either iOS device should be fine.

Cameras: Dual vs Pro

iPhone 14 Pro Max cameras

Smartphone cameras have replaced digital cameras meant for most users. Usually people take out their phones and shoot. As you may have guessed, iPhone Pro 14 has better cameras compared to the regular model. It also has an exclusive telephoto lens. Meanwhile, the regular iPhone settles on only the main and ultra-wide lenses. Both iPhones support shooting new motion mode footage, but the regular model loses some of the Pro’s perks, like Macro Mode and Night Portraits.

On the front, the two phones offer identical TrueDepth cameras. It is true that the screen cutouts look different on both devices, but they both have the same sensors and lens. Both support first-time autofocus as well, and they also support Face ID biometric authentication. Just like older iPhone models, you can take photos in portrait mode thanks to the 3D mapping capabilities built into the camera system.

If you’re an active photographer or need a LiDAR scanner for 3D mapping, you’ll appreciate the Pro model even more. If you’re just a regular shooter or take selfies mostly, the regular iPhone 14 is fine.

Battery: iPhone 14 minimalist is more conservative

iPhone 12 Pro comes with a MagSafe charger.

Apple doesn’t officially share much information about iPhone batteries. It does highlight, however, that the iPhone 14 lasts longer on a single charge than the Pro model, although the differences aren’t significant as both can easily get a day of use. To help conserve battery life on the Pro model, you can disable the Always On Display feature, which we’ve found to consume a relatively large battery power.

When it comes to charging, both phones can charge to 50% in 30 minutes if you’re using a compatible 20W brick, although you’ll have to buy the charger separately as the box only contains a USB Type C to Lightning cable. Both support Qi and MagSafe wireless charging standards as well. Neither is compatible with reverse wireless charging, so you can’t charge your AirPods case or Apple Watch through your iPhone.

Plus and Max: larger replicas of Standard and Pro

Now that we’ve broken down the regular iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, it’s time to address their larger counterparts. The high-end iPhone lineup for 2022 includes the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Fortunately, the differences are minimal. The iPhone 14 Plus and 14 Pro Max are just bigger models than the 14 and 14 Pro. So you get the same set of features with the benefit of larger batteries and 6.7-inch screens. So, whether you go for the 6.1-inch or 6.7-inch iPhone model depends on whether you’re a fan of giant screens. Ultimately, this is a subjective matter, as some people, myself included, might consider the larger screen a negative.


Conclusion: Familiar and affordable versus premium and expensive

iPhone 14 Pro Max in hand

The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro cater to two different types of audiences. The former has a reasonable price, but retains most of the elements of its predecessor. Meanwhile, the Pro model has all the notable and exciting changes for this year. However, these offers come at a rather steep price, especially if you don’t reside in the US

In the end, it really depends on your budget, your needs, and what you expect from this upgrade. If you’re looking for a phone that just works, the iPhone 14 is a solid upgrade. If you’re interested in a Pro camera system and major display upgrades (brightness, AOD, 120Hz, Dynamic Island, etc.), the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max is for you.

iPhone 13 Mini in Starlight

Though, if you are not planning to buy the iPhone 14 Pro, you may want to consider getting the regular iPhone 13 instead. Apple still sells this model at a discount, which makes it more value-oriented than the iPhone 14. On top of that, it packs most of the user-facing technology you’ll find on the iPhone 14. Personally, if I didn’t. Convinced to buy the iPhone 14 Pro, I’d definitely buy the iPhone 13 – instead of the 14. After all, both phones are groovy, look the same, pack the same processor, support iOS 16, etc.

Of course, the iPhone 14 includes some exclusive features, such as Action Mode, fault detection, and satellite SOS. However, it is possible that many users do not pay much attention to them. The iPhone 13 is a powerful device that will garner support for many years to come, and it packs in 2021 technologies that are still relevant today. In fact, I think Apple should only have released Pro iPhones in 2022 and skipped the regular iPhone 14 in favor of the 2021 iPhone 13.

Which of the two 2022 iPhones would you buy? Will you get an iPhone 13 instead? Let us know in the comments section below.

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