The iPhone 14 Plus–or ‘iPhone 13 Pro Max v2 lite’, as I would call it, goes on sale today. While it doesn’t have the fancy features found on its Pro cousins, everything else points to the fact that this might low-key be the ‘daily-beater’ iPhone that most people need.
Battery life
The biggest thing going for the iPhone 14 Plus is battery life (up to 26 hours video playback), which is somewhat similar to the rated battery life for iPhone 13 Pro Max (up to 28 hours video playback). So if you want to use your phone irresponsibly for a day, you can more or less be assured there’s still juice left at dusk for the ride home.
Display
No ProMotion (120Hz) screen here like the 13 Pro, but that’s not really useful for most people unless you’re a high-level gamer or something. But that large 6.7-inch Super Retain XDR display (OLED) is great for displaying content thanks also to its brightness (up to 800 nits typical and 1,200 nits peak).
Processor
It’s using the same old processor from last year: the A15 Bionic. While that might seem laughable or strange, the truth is Apple’s mobile phone SoCs have always been ahead of the performance curve that you aren’t really missing much when it comes to real-world performance. Also, the internals have been reworked for better thermal efficiency.
Finish
FinishThe colours look good and translate well from renders to real life. Kind of frivolous, I’ll admit, but if you’re spending this kind of money on a phone, you definitely want the colours to meet expectations, even if you’re going to cover it all up with a case. Purple and Blue are pretty on point here.
OG island
More promontory than dynamic island but honestly it doesn’t really matter if Apple’s most talked about feature isn’t on the regular iPhone. While it’s a nice feature to have, there are some ways to go before it becomes an indispensable tool. The familiar notch is just fine, and you aren’t missing out on the new core iPhone features like the new lock screen, crash detection and Photonic Engine.
Price
Unless you need the better cameras on the Pro, the 14 Plus gets the job done for the most part. With prices starting from $1,499, it’s a full $300 cheaper than the 14 Pro Max.
