Review of the iPhone 14 Lineup

In an ever-expanding sea of smartphones—some illogically cheap and others boasting of mind-boggling tech—Apple still manages to claim a seat at the pinnacle of the industry. Why?

IPhones have a rapport for their premium hardware designed to last, cutting-edge features that just work, and an unparalleled customer-oriented approach. All these values that make people fall in love with Apple are reflected in their latest iteration of iPhones; iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 14 series borrows everything that was great about last year’s iPhone 13 lineup and takes it up a notch (pun intended).

If top-of-the-line cameras and unyielding performance wrapped up in a gorgeous body are your ideas for a great phone, the iPhone 14 lineup is a no-brainer. The question is: Which of the iPhone 14’s is your perfect companion?

Read on for our review of Apple’s latest flagship smartphones (Hint: There’s more to the devices than what’s on paper).

 

Specs – iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus/iPhone 14 Pro/iPhone 14 Pro Max

First things first, what’s on paper? Here are the official specs of the 2022 iPhone 14 series:

	iPhone 14	iPhone 14 Plus	iPhone 14 Pro	iPhone 14 Pro Max
Body	Gorilla Glass (front and back) + Aluminum frame	Gorilla Glass (front and back) + Aluminum frame	Gorilla Glass (front and back) + Stainless steel frame	Gorilla Glass (front and back) + Stainless steel frame
Display size (Type)	6.1-inch (Super Retina XDR OLED)	6.7-inch (Super Retina XDR OLED)	6.1-inch (LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED)	6.7-inch (LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED)
Refresh rate	60Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz
Resolution (Pixel Density)	2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)	2778 x 1284 pixels (458 ppi)	2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)	2796 x 1290 pixels (460 ppi)
Dimensions (Inches/mm)	5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm)	6.33 x 3.07 x 0.31 inches (160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8 mm)	5.81 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches (147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9 mm)	6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 inches (160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm)
Weight	6.07 oz. (172 g)	7.16 oz. (203 g)	7.27 oz. (206 g)	8.47 oz. (240 g)
Mobile software	iOS 16	iOS 16	iOS 16	iOS 16
Rear cameras	12MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide)	12MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide)	48MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 12MP (telephoto)	48MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 12MP (telephoto)
Front-facing camera	12MP	12MP	12MP	12MP
Video	HDR recording up to 4K at 60 fps	HDR recording up to 4K at 60 fps	HDR recording up to 4K at 60 fps	HDR recording up to 4K at 60 fps
Processor	Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)	Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)	Apple A16 Bionic (4nm)	Apple A16 Bionic (4nm)
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Expandable storage	No	No	No	No
Battery	Li-Ion 3279 mAh, non-removable (12.68 Wh)	Li-Ion 4323 mAh, non-removable (16.68 Wh)	Li-Ion 3200 mAh, non-removable (12.38 Wh)	Li-Ion 4323 mAh, non-removable (16.68 Wh)
Connector	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning
Headphone jack	No	No	No	No
Special features	Emergency SOS via satellite, 5G, MagSafe, wireless charging; dual-SIM (e-SIM)	Emergency SOS via satellite, 5G enabled; MagSafe, wireless charging; dual-SIM (e-SIM)	Emergency SOS via satellite, Dynamic Island; Always-On display; 5G enabled; MagSafe, wireless charging; dual-SIM (e-SIM)	Emergency SOS via satellite, Dynamic Island; Always-On display; 5G enabled; MagSafe, wireless charging; dual-SIM (e-SIM)
Colors	Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red	Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red	Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple	Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
Price off-contract (USD)	$799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB)	$899 (128GB), $999 (256GB), $1,199 (512GB)	$999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB)	$1,099 (128GB), $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB)

 

The published spec sheet aside, how do all the nifty perks translate to the consumer? Are the new camera features worthwhile? How practical is the ‘ground-breaking’ dynamic island? Here’s a breakdown of what the iPhone 14 packs outside and under the hood based on an in-depth analysis of hands-on reviews:

 

Design – Out with Notch, In With the Island

If you’ve had the opportunity to grab hold of the iPhone 13, expect the same feel with 2022’s iPhone 14—at least body-wise. The dimensions and even the screen are identical—with most of the tuning happening on the inside.

While the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus (expected to be released on October 07) have relatively uninspiring designs, the Pro models are the exact opposite. For the first time since the 2017 iPhone X, the team at Cupertino has finally made the bold of reinventing the trademark notch.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max displays feature a pill-shaped cutout dubbed the “Dynamic Island.” While the name attracted its fair share of memes, the Dynamic Island may prove to be a gem. It’s a creative way to refresh the iconic notch by turning it into a more practical tool that improves the user experience.

The Dynamic Island functions like an adaptive blob that stretches, contracts, and even changes shape as needed. Its elegant feel and functionality make it one of Apple’s most significant design upgrades in recent years. The island takes multitasking up a notch by allowing you to dock an app and revisit it with a quick tap.

And as you’d expect from Apple, the animations are silky smooth and subtle. But some users have identified some rough spots such as uncharacteristic cropping of things like timers. It’s one of those features that gradually grow on you until you can’t imagine a life without them

While Dynamic Island is attracting most of the plaudits, Apple managed to sneak in a useful feature that may end up saving you a couple of bucks. You can now replace the back glass without going through the expensive hassle of disassembling the phone. Even better, you don’t need to remove the True Depth Camera module to replace the display. Talking of display…

 

Display – Smoother, Brighter, and Always-On

To the disappointment of fans, Apple maintained a 60Hz display for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models—a refresh rate that is relatively outdated among high-end smartphones. Besides that, the entire lineup delivers crisp OLED screens with Dolby Vision and HDR10 technology.

Following the same trend with the design, Apple reserved the best display features for the Pro models. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max boast LTPO OLED screens with a 120Hz refresh rate. Coupled with the Dynamic Island and a bumped-up camera (more on this in the next section), emerging reports by market analysts suggest the Pro models are racking up higher demand to the point that Apple may be doubling down on their production.

The Pro models also ship with an Always-On display turned on. If you’ve used an Apple watch, you might be familiar with how this feature works. Always-On dims the screen to about 10% and chops the refresh rate up to 1Hz. This gives you a constant sneak peek of time and notifications without significantly hogging your battery. It’s a feature that may take some getting used—with online search results showing a spike in people looking to toggle the feature on-off.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Pro models pack an impressive 2000nits of peak brightness—compared to the 1200nits in the 14 and 14 Plus. The extra nits may not matter much in normal usage, but they might come in handy when you need a clear view of your phone in bright light.

 

Camera – Bumped Up, But Bumpy

Apple rarely disappoints when it comes to cameras—this reputation holds true with the iPhone 14 lineup. Refined features like Cinematic Mode, Night Mode, Depth Control, and the all-new “Photonic Engine” give the iPhone 14s the software juice to deliver brighter, lifelike images.

You’ll also find Action Mode, which stabilizes images when you move the camera around a lot. Though you have to sacrifice resolution from 4k to 2.8k – a small price to pay for quality videos.

In terms of the selfie cameras, they all get an upgrade with autofocus (finally) and a wider aperture of f/1.9. Video calls and portrait shots are about to be better than they’ve ever been.

While all devices in the 2022 lineup offer impressive camera output that’s on par with the best smartphones out there, the Pro models take the limelight.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus comes with the familiar dual rear camera setup with a 12MP main camera. This is the same resolution as their predecessors, the iPhone 13—but with an upgrade in aperture from f/1.6 to f/1.5.

And if you thought iPhone cameras were good at 12MP, wait until you catch a whiff of the 48MP sensor on the Pro models? On top of the larger sensor (around 65% larger than the iPhone 13 Pro), the Pro models also feature a 12MP telephoto sensor that allows 3X optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor with a wider aperture, and ProRES for 48MP raw shots.

This is all great news for the photographers and filmmakers in us. Most camera test show improved color rendition, more light gathering, and faster focusing. But all this goodness comes with a caveat: a bigger camera bump.

If the wonky feel of the iPhone 13 Pro was a concern for you, wait until you place the iPhone 14 Pros on a table. Sure, it’s highly unlikely that the wobble will be a deal breaker—but it’s hard to ignore the risk of accidental falls on slanted surfaces. When this is the case (*another pun), we got your back with our top-of-the-line iPhone 14 screen protectors to safeguard your precious device.

 

Processor – A Partial Upgrade

To widen the gap between the Base and Pro models, Apple decided to reuse last year’s A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus—only reserving the cutting-edge A16 Bionic for the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.

The A15 Bionic is already some steps ahead of most competitors, so it should still suffice. But if you want the best in processing power—especially for long-term use—the A16 Bionic packed in the Pro models is a great choice.

 

What Does the eSIM Spell for You?

Another major change to the iPhone lineup is the contentious idea to ditch the physical SIM card tray in favor of an eSim—at least in the U.S., This move is so far divisive among consumers.

Some users argue that the idea to ‘force’ the eSIM-only iPhone 14s is an anti-consumer approach that is uncharacteristic of Apple. There’s also the frustration of hiccups when transferring your phone number from an old device to the iPhone 14. Not to mention the privacy risk from waiving the option to remove the physical SIM card.

But for most people, setting up your new iPhone and switching between carriers should be a breeze. It might even be smoother and more seamless than the conventional way with physical SIMs.

 

Safety and Security

Safety first! SOS over satellite and crash detection are two features that are not necessarily in the spotlight as far as early iPhone 14 impressions are concerned. But they could mean the world to some users when their lives are at stake.

The crash detection feature basically works by using advanced sensors to identify a car crash before dialing emergency services and notifying them of your location for help. If sending an emergency message is not possible due to signal issues, the iPhone 14 will use satellite.

 

Battery Life and Charging

Interestingly, the base iPhone 14 packs a larger battery than the iPhone 14 Pro. But this does not translate to better battery life. With a more efficient A16 Bionic chipset and the adaptive ProMotion display, the Pro model may slightly edge past the iPhone 14. But all this depends on your real-world usage.

Either way, Apple claims you can recharge your device to 50% in 30 minutes using their fast charging adapter or 15W MagSafe charging. Time will tell how this holds up.

 

Color

Specs and neat features aside, sometimes the buying decision comes down to the phone’s aesthetic. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are available in Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and (PRODUCT) Red. The Pro models ship with fewer color options—but eye-catching ones nonetheless. They include Space Black, Silver, Gold, and Deep Purple.

We feel Deep Purple will be a fan favorite and a top candidate for users who prefer transparent cases. The Space Black is a nice shade for those of you who prefer something dialed down. It’s slightly darker than last year’s Graphite shade.

 

Verdict?

With the 120Hz display, the Dynamic Island, a 48MP camera, and the A16 Bionic chip, all signs point to the iPhone 14 Pro models. They are a few drawbacks like the wobbly camera bump and lack of a USB-C connector, but they are mostly negligible. But regardless of your pick, this year’s iPhone lineup offers great value for money.

And when you upgrade to the latest iPhone, ensure you enjoy your device for as long as possible by installing a glass screen protector from Tech Amor. We have reliable and easy-to-install iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max screen protectors. Plus, a handful of accessories such as cleaning kits, car mounts, and premium cables.

It is that time of the year again. It is the season of giving and receiving – it’s the Christmas holiday! A time when the smiles of your loved ones are inversely proportional to the health of your wallet and/or bank account.

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? No? No worries, we’ve got you. In this article, we unwrap our gift to you.

With all budget categories taken into consideration, here are the best gadgets to gift your loved ones this holiday season!

 

Gifts Under $100

1. Anker Nano Pro Charger | $19.99

Anyone who has recently bought a top-tier smartphone has faced a sad, but eco-friendly new reality. Getting a charger in the packaging is no longer guaranteed.

With how fast phones can charge these days, it is almost comical that the chargers supporting these speeds are a separate purchase. Regardless, Anker’s Nano Pro Charger is a great and affordable option, especially for the 2021 range of iPhones.

2. Isotoner Women’s Touchscreen Cold Weather Gloves | $30

How good would it be not to have to remove your gloves in the freezing cold just to use your phone? Suppose you need an affordable and thoughtful gift for the special ladies in your life. Isotoner’s range of women’s touchscreen gloves is what you are looking for.

3. Tile Mate Essentials 4-Pack | $79.99

With all the traveling during the holidays, keeping track of your stuff is more important than ever. With the essentials pack from Tile, you get 3 mate trackers, a slim one, and a sticker. Anyone who tends to lose their keys and wallet would be done a world of good if they received this pack as a holiday gift. There’s a free companion app on Android and iOS, with Smart Home integration and a Tile Network to help find lost items.

4. LARQ Self-Sanitizing Water Bottle | $98

How about a whole water purification system inside a bottle? UV-C LED light eliminates 99% of any bio-contaminants found in the water within either a minute or 3-minutes for thorough purification. It is an excellent gift for someone who travels or goes for hikes often where they may be unsure of the water sources in the new locations. It has a great design as well—with a variety of finishes to add some personality.

5. Apple AirTags 4-Pack | $99

For anyone already in the Apple Ecosystem, picking this AirTags 4-pack over the Tile Essentials may be the way to go. However, there is no slim form factor with AirTags to help keep track of the wallet. Either way, the 4-pack is a great deal and an excellent gift for some of your more forgetful family members and loved ones.

6. Canon IVY Mini Photo Printer for Smartphones | $99

Having a gallery full of memories is fun and all, but there’s just something about a printed photo that’s special. With the IVY Mini printer from Canon, those special holiday moments can be made tangible. Photos are printed via Bluetooth with the help of the Canon print app and are 2″ x3″ with peel and stick capabilities. A great gift for that sentimental person in your life.

7. Apple HomePod Mini | $99

Bring a lot of rich sounds and bold color into the holiday season and beyond with one or more HomePod Minis. It delivers excellent, 360-degree sound for a smart speaker of its size and is easily integrated into the smart home ecosystem. The bold color choices make it an excellent gift for the person who has personality and meshes well with any and all décor. With a bunch of HomePod minis, you can gift someone a smart sound system for the whole home, with Siri as the ever-present DJ!

8. DJI Tello Mini Drone | $99

This budget-friendly drone is the perfect introductory gift for someone who’s always wanted one. It offers great value for the price, being capable of shooting HD video for 13 minutes at a time. With two antennas and a relatively powerful battery, the flight experience is extremely enjoyable.

 

Gifts Under $500

9. Apple TV 4K | $179

The 2^nd gen. Apple TV 4K 2nd generation is a nice gift for any entertainment lover. It combines great TV with access to your favorite Apple services, making it great for anyone already using Apple products.

It supports 4K, High Frame Rate HDR with Dolby Atmos sound, delivering a truly cinematic experience. You also get to enjoy content from Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+, as well as live channels from Hulu, YouTube TV, and Sling TV.

Bundled with it is the 2^nd gen. Siri Remote with its all-new touch-enabled click pad for more precise control. Do you know anyone that might need one?

• Apple AirPods 3^rd | $179

AirPods have become a staple accessory for anyone owning an Apple product (iPhone, iPad, Mac). This makes it one of the safest bets for gift ideas. The third generation of the world’s most popular earbuds comes with spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for an immersive 3D listening experience. Other perks include impressive sound quality, an even more comfortable contoured design, force sensor control, and sweat and water resistance. Daily workouts and gym sessions? Anyone?

The setup process for Apple devices has been made as easy as possible, so even the most non-techie recipient will be able to get set up. The bundled case can be charged wirelessly using a MagSafe charger, Qi-certified charger, or the Lightning connector.

• Theragun Prime | $299

Surely you must know someone who’s always in need of a massage? Theragun Prime from Therabody finds the perfect balance between depth, speed, and force to bring you the best of percussive therapy and true deep muscle treatment. It is a great hand-held massager that helps ease discomfort, soothe tightness and tension, and recover faster in seconds.

• Meta Oculus Quest 2 | $299

This holiday, you can gift someone an escape. You can gift someone an experience that is so unique, so immersive, and as easily achievable as putting on the Oculus Quest 2 headset.

You can get lost in a game and cool down at a concert before running up a scenic mountain from the expansive comfort of your personal space. There are no wires, giving you the freedom to move as you please as you explore worlds unknown. What’s even better is that you can link up with friends for all your escapades!

• Nintendo Switch OLED | $349

The OG switch was the benchmark for portable gaming, and this year’s Switch OLED took that a notch higher. With a bigger, much better screen and double the storage, gaming on the Switch is as enjoyable as it has ever been.

• Apple Watch Series 7 | $399

The design of the Apple Watch has barely changed, and the bump up in features has been negligible from the series 6 to this year’s series 7. However, the Series 7 continues Apple’s reign atop the smartwatch totem pole. If you know anyone with an older series watch, or an Apple fan who’s never had one, the Series 7 is a solid bet.

• DJI Mini 2 | $449

The DJI is a significant step up from the Tello in terms of price and features. The Mini 2 weighs as much as an Apple, making it travel-friendly.

It boasts a 4K camera with Quickshots capability and 4X zoom on a 3-axis gimbal for consistently smooth shots. You can shoot 4K/30fps video from as high as 4,000 meters for as long as half an hour.

• iPad Mini 2021 | $449

The 2021 iPad Mini (iPad Mini 6) is bound to be one of the most gifted devices this holiday season. The iPad Mini got a design refresh with flatter edges and beautiful finishes. It has a stunning 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, the powerful A15 Bionic with 5G, an impressive 12MP Ultrawide front-facing camera, and TouchID in the power button. It also supports the 2^nd gen. Apple Pencil, which sticks to its side using magnets.

Unlike the iPhone series, it has a USB-C charging port and cable and charger bundles in the packaging. There is no going wrong with this one.

 

Gifts Under $1000

• Apple AirPods Max | $549

Upon release, the AirPods Max met mixed sentiments, largely because of the price. There seemed to be much better-value offerings in the market. However, only after experiencing the AirPods Max did that sentiment change, and with good reason.

They sound and feel great; really great. The AirPods have a different design, with the primary aim being comfort for extended periods. Ultimately, they will appeal most to an Apple fan.

• Google Pixel 6/6 Pro | $599/$899

Google has released this year’s best value phone in most people’s opinions. As has become customary with Google products, every single detail about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro was general knowledge way before they were announced. The announcement did not disappoint, with the price of the standard Pixel 6 making it what most people gravitated towards. Looking at it objectively, the difference between the sibling phones is not enough to justify the $300 price difference—except maybe for those who want the best of the best.

It is the phone to get for an Android enthusiast. It has clean software, a great design, and an epic camera to capture precious holiday moments.

• Dyson Air Purifier & Humidifier | $699.99

The Dyson Pure is an excellent gift for any space – home or office. It purifies, humidifies, and cools the space that it is in. It has a fully-sealed filtration system that captures gases and particles, ensuring that the occupants don’t breathe them in. Its HEPA and activated carbon filters capture 99.97% of allergens.

Gift this to someone who has fallen victim to allergies.

• iPhone 13/13 Pro | $799/$999

Not much can be said about the iPhone 13 series that is not already widely known. While not a lot changed from last year, there’s a better camera, a better processor, more color options, 5G, 120Hz ProMotion displays on the Pro models, and the best battery life on any smartphone this year.

• M1 MacBook Air | $999

2021 will probably be the year that laptops return to the top of everyone’s Wishlist, all thanks to Apple. Their M1 series of processors, which debuted on the MacBook Air, was nothing short of revolutionary. It performed better than most other laptops, including the Intel MB Pros, with great battery efficiency and no fans.

For most people, students, and professionals, the M1 MacBook Air is the laptop to get. It comes in just shy of $1000 for the base model.

 

Gifts Over $1000

• Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | $1,169.99

This is arguably one of the best Windows laptops there is. Simple. It is sleek, beautiful, powerful, eco-friendly, and a joy to use.

• 65” LG OLED C1 | $1,796.99

As described by LG themselves, “LG OLED TV is a joy to behold. Self-lit pixels allow truly spectacular picture quality and a whole host of design possibilities, while the latest cutting-edge technologies help deliver unprecedented levels of wonder. This is everything you love and TV – elevated in every way.”

This is possibly the best TV you can gift someone this holiday season.

• ASUS ROG Zephyrus 15.6″ Gaming Laptop | $1,849.99

An excellent gift for the gaming enthusiast. It houses an AMD Ryzen 9 processor with 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card, a 15.6-inch 165hz QHD display, and a 1TD SSD. There is also a bonus. You get 1 month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

• 14″ M1 MacBook Pro | $1,999

This is for the tech enthusiast. The creative. The aspiring filmmaker or Youtuber. This is for anyone with intense workflows that they need to breeze through. This is the best laptop there is for the price.

 

Priceless Protection

This part is the bonus gift you find at the bottom of an unwrapped package. It’s the thing that brings it all together.

For all the gadgets you will gift and receive this holiday season, make sure that they last. Make sure that they are protected.

Tech Armor provides protection for all your tech devices, leaving you fully invested in moments instead of constantly worrying about their safety. Did something spill on your device? We have the best cleaning kit to return it to its former glory.

Find protection for your device here.

Happy Holidays!