The iPhone 14 family consists of a total of four family members. After the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max celebrated their sales launch in September, the iPhone 14 Plus has also been available since the beginning of October. Our iPhone 14 Plus test shows why the iPhone 14 Plus is significantly more exciting than the iPhone 14 and why the additional charge of 150 euros is worth it.
iPhone 14 Plus review
We have already dedicated ourselves to the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max and the iPhone 14 in separate tests. While the iPhone 14 Pro Max was able to completely convince us apart from a few deductions in the B grade, the verdict on the iPhone 14 was a bit more sober. Basically, Apple has selectively improved the iPhone 13 and given the iPhone 14 an improved A15 chip with 5-core GPU, accident detection, emergency call SOS or satellite (starting in November in the USA and Canada) and a new two-camera system. Of course, this also applies to the iPhone 14 Plus, but the larger screen and the noticeably longer battery life make the iPhone 14 Plus a much more exciting non-pro device.
6.7 inch Super Retina XDR display
In our review of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, we already mentioned our preference for larger displays. The 6.7-inch display is one reason why we have regularly opted for the largest iPhone model and thus the Pro Max model in recent years. Of course, the Pro models offer further arguments with a better camera model and a better display. However, we can well imagine that many users only used the Pro Max because of the larger display or were forced to choose it.
This is exactly where the iPhone 14 Plus comes in. The display size is identical to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, the corresponding Pro functions are not included.
Let’s dig a little further. In recent years, it has already become apparent that the trend is towards larger rather than smaller smartphones. Apple has also lived up to this trend in recent years. This year, Cupertino does without a 5.4-inch mini model. This was the case with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 family. Why is Apple replacing the 5.4 inch model with a 6.7 inch model? Several reasons are conceivable here. The demand for the Mini was simply too low, so the Plus model was chosen. Is Apple already planning and launching a new iPhone SE next year, which is based on the mini model in terms of size? Whatever the reason, Apple has opted for an iPhone 14 Plus instead of an iPhone 14 mini.
By the way, the Plus models are not new and were first introduced with the iPhone 6. At that time, however, still with 5.5 inches. This then continued with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. However, the new Plus model is now 1.2 inches larger than the previously known Plus models. This makes the iPhone 14 Plus the biggest Plus model to date and the biggest non-Pro model to date.
With the iPhone 14 Plus, Apple relies on the dimensions 160.8mm x 78.1mm x 7.80mm (H x W x D) and a weight of 203g. This corresponds to the size of the iPhone 14 Pro Max with minimal deviations. However, it is 37g lighter in weight. Honestly? You can feel that. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is certainly not a heavyweight, but the iPhone 14 Plus is noticeably lighter in the hand.
With the 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, Apple relies on a resolution of 2778 x 1284 pixels. The pixel density corresponds to 458ppi. This means that the pixel density is slightly lower than that of the iPhone 14 (460ppi). Whether 458ppi or 460ppi, the human eye does not recognize any differences. In addition, Apple uses HDR, True Tone, a large color space (P3), haptic touch, a typical contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and 800 nits maximum typical brightness and 1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR) for the display.
There isn’t really anything to complain about on the display. Brightness, color reproduction and more are convincing in any case. The 60Hz refresh rate is also not a real problem. However, owners of a current Pro model with ProMotion and 120Hz will notice that scrolling on the iPhone 14 Plus, for example, is not quite as smooth as on the Pro models.
A larger display is noticeable in our eyes throughout everyday life. It doesn’t matter whether you surf websites with the iPhone 14 Plus, read longer emails, chat via iMessage or WhatsApp, stream videos, show photos to a friend or play with the iPhone, the difference in size can be felt in every app. Those who have increased the font size via iPhone -> Settings -> Display & Brightness -> Text Size also benefit, as more larger text can simply be displayed on the larger display. By the way, mathematically speaking, the iPhone 14 Plus offers a 21 percent larger display than the iPhone 14.
For the sake of completeness, we would like to briefly point out the display differences to the iPhone 14 Pro Max: “old” display cutout without Dynamic Island, no always-on display, no ProMotion, lower peak brightness. Users who can do without these aspects and instead think about their own wallet are very well served with the iPhone 14 Plus and the large 6.7-inch display.
New two-camera system
With the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, Apple uses an identical camera system. We have already presented this to you in our separate iPhone 14 test. Here are just the rough key data:
- 12 MP main camera: 26 mm, ƒ/1.5 aperture, optical image stabilization with sensor shift, 7-element lens
- 12 MP Ultra Wide Angle: 13 mm, ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120° field of view, 5-element lens
- 2x optical zoom out, up to 5x digital zoom
Compared to the iPhone 13’s camera system, Apple has primarily been able to improve low-light photography. Apple speaks of an improvement by a factor of 2.5 for the main camera, and the ultra-wide-angle camera offers up to 2x better photos in low light.
To demonstrate that photography with the iPhone 14 Plus is “child’s play”, we have made the device available to an 8-year-old on various occasions in the last few days without much instruction. Since pictures say more than a thousand words, we have integrated a few test photos here in the article. The whole thing is to make it clear that the iPhone 14 Plus camera system is easy to use and allows everyone to take beautiful photos without a pro camera system.
Just like the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro (Max), the iPhone 14 Plus also has the new action mode for video recording and the improved cinematic mode. Of course, the front camera of the iPhone 14 Plus also offers a larger aperture for better shots in low light and the new autofocus.
Battery life is a “real plus”
With regard to the iPhone 14 Plus, Apple speaks of “our best battery life to date”. But what does this thesis refer to? If you look at the technical details, at least those that Apple publishes, the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers up to 29 hours of battery life when playing videos (iPhone 14 Plus: up to 26 hours). For video playback (streamed), it’s 25 hours (iPhone 14 Pro Max) to 20 hours (iPhone 14 Plus). When it comes to audio playback, the iPhone 14 Plus wins with up to 100 hours against the iPhone 14 Pro Max with up to 95 hours. Apple has probably generated a user scenario in which the iPhone 14 Plus emerges as the winner at the end of the day.
Every day you use your iPhone in different ways. What we can note, however, is the fact that the battery life is noticeably above the iPhone 14 and roughly on par with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Despite intensive use and a combination of surfing, chatting, photography and Apple TV+ streaming, we still had a battery level of 60 percent in the evening. In any case, you can still make it through a second day.
Of course, the battery life depends on many factors and so no general statement can be made with different uses every day. So it can happen that you only have 20 percent battery left in the evening or the battery is even completely empty. One thing is certain, the iPhone 14 Plus will definitely last longer than the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. On days when you previously took a power bank with you, you can now safely leave it at home.
Many users are simply not interested in the remaining battery level in the evening. Is it 20 percent? Is it 60 percent? It is charged overnight, so that you start the day with 100 percent in the morning.
Charger
Keyword chargers. Apple hasn’t included power adapters with its iPhones for a few years. You can find that good or bad. If you are still looking for the right charger, we have had good experiences with Anker over the past few years. The manufacturer offers a variety of USB-C power supplies, power banks, cables, etc.
Most recently, the manufacturer introduced the GaNPrime technology and since then we have been using the Anker 737 65W USB-C charger and the Anker 737 power bank, among other things. The Anker 737 65W USB-C charger offers you two USB-C and one USB-A port and a maximum charging power of 65W. So you can charge three devices at the same time. This gives you a lot more flexibility when charging
The same applies to the Anker 737 Powerbank. This even offers a maximum charging power of up to 140W and has a capacity of 24,000mAh. So you can not only charge iPhone and iPad, but also the current MacBook Pro via the quick charge function.
Conclusion
The iPhone 14 Plus is a refreshment for the iPhone 14 family and at the same time represents the largest non-Pro iPhone model to date. The design is well-known and there is absolutely nothing to complain about in terms of workmanship. The display size and the battery life are a real asset compared to the basic iPhone 14 model. Compared to an “iPhone 14 mini”, the leap would be even greater. If you ask us, these two aspects represent real added value.
The built-in A15 chip is powerful enough that it will still be ready for everyday tasks for years to come. Nevertheless, one has to certify that it is the processor of the iPhone 13 Pro from last year. Although the camera system cannot match the pro camera system of the iPhone 14 Pro (Max), it should be perfectly sufficient for the ambitious amateur photographer to capture vacations, birthdays, other celebrations and many other events in picture and sound. Compared to the iPhone 13, an increase in photo quality can be seen.
Who is the iPhone 14 Plus suitable for? iPhone 13 owners are likely to be eliminated unless there is a compelling reason to switch. Things get more exciting with the iPhone 12 or older. Those who wanted a larger display and longer battery life without wanting to go for the Pro or Pro Max model will definitely be happy with the iPhone 14 Plus. Sure, the Pro models offer a variety of other selling points, but the whole thing then leads to a significantly higher price.
With its starting price of 1,149 euros, the iPhone 14 Plus is only 150 euros more expensive than the normal iPhone 14. In our opinion, this surcharge is justified in any case and it is worth it. At the same time, the iPhone 14 Plus is $150 cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro and $300 cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Price & Availability
iPhone 14 Plus is available in Midnight, Blue, North Star, Violet and PRODUCT(RED) colors and with storage capacities of 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB from the Apple Online Store starting at EUR 1,149. You can get the iPhone 14 Plus with a contract from Telekom, Vodafone and o2.
Tag: iphone design, iphone 14, apple iphone, iphone release