Apple managed to turn heads with the iPhone 14 series by introducing some really innovative features. However, most of the top-end upgrades have been reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, widening the gap with the essential phones a bit this time around.
The iPhone maker was smart about managing its space on the iPhone 14 Pro models’ screen with its new notch system. It has introduced a new dynamic slit-like island where users can check current alerts and ongoing activities. Pros also love the new A16 Bionic chip, which Apple is touting as “the fastest chip ever in a smartphone.”
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus miss out on some of these upgrades by using the same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13 series. Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro sits at the top of the range. The best camera phones The list has a 48MP main camera and an additional telephoto lens compared to the iPhone 14 which has a dual camera setup with a 12MP main lens.
There are many other upgrades the pros get, from a 120Hz refresh rate to an always-on display, but I recently opted to buy the basic iPhone 14.
Apple “Pro” pricing
Yes, price and budget played a huge role in my decision, but they weren’t the only factors I’ll go on to explain.
By using the iPhone 14 instead of the iPhone 14 Pro, I’ve saved $200 and can add AppleCare Plus along with a MagSafe bag.
The iPhone 14 Pro is priced at $999, which is $200 more than the iPhone 14 and is listed for $799 for the 128GB storage versions. I couldn’t go for the amazing iPhone 14 deals offered by some carriers because I wanted the unlocked version so I had the freedom to connect to any network in the future.
I was initially tempted to get my hands on the iPhone 14 Pro. When I added the Pro to my cart for a final price comparison, I found that the price with sales tax had jumped to $1,088 with free shipping.
Even the iPhone 14 price with tax was easily about $73 more. Most US states have sales tax added to the final purchase invoice. People who live in states like Alaska or Oregon are lucky enough not to have additional taxes added to their purchases. But I live in Georgia where it’s unavoidable, so I wondered about buying a roughly $1,100 phone.
I was ready to trade in my iPhone XR, which fortunately wasn’t affected by the sudden drop in exchange values for some iPhones recently. Apple is listing the iPhone XR for $150 to trade in if in “good” condition. Mine is in great shape after four years of use and the jury is still out on whether Apple will give me the full $150 or lower the price. Even if that exchange happened, the iPhone 14 Pro would still make me spend $937, which is still a lot compared to the cheaper iPhone 14.
In fact, by “saving” $200 and using the iPhone 14, I can even add AppleCare Plus at $150 with a MagSafe case.
Heck, I realize that $999 is how much I’m willing to spend on a nice TV, like the LG C2 42-inch OLED TV that dropped to $999 earlier this month.
Moving on from iPhone XR
I was finally in the transition from my iPhone XR, which is now nearly four and a half years old and has recently been steadily deteriorating in some basic functions. I realized everything I wanted from a new phone, I was getting it with the base model iPhone 14.
More storage for one person – I was happy to finally move from a 64GB iPhone XR to a 128GB one. Every aspect would be a big upgrade from the XR — better cameras, I can take advantage of all the new iOS 16 features, and a longer battery life. Most importantly, the A15 Bionic chip will be a huge upgrade from the A12 Bionic chip from the XR.
Normally, between one generation of Apple chips, the difference is barely noticeable in day-to-day performance, but skipping forward three generations would be a huge leap that’s hard to miss. On the contrary, this is the same reason that kept me from using the A16 Bionic chip on the iPhone 14 Pro since the difference between the A15 and A16 might be barely noticeable.
iPhone 14, on its own, makes a case for itself. Apple has included the new Photonic Engine, for example, which uses artificial intelligence to improve low-light photography across both cameras. The front camera also gets a boost with an improved hybrid focus system.
Video now has motion mode that eliminates the need for a gimbal to provide smooth footage when you’re on the move. There are also new security features like Emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection that Apple introduced across the iPhone 14 series.
Given all of this, I found that the iPhone Pro didn’t offer me the extra $200 more value and moving on from the iPhone XR, I’d be happy with the upgrades the iPhone 14 model offers. If someone was moving on from the iPhone 13, it might be a different case.
The iPhone 14 comes in a beautiful light blue color, which I chose when I ordered the 128GB version. I’m excited to have a more refined phone with much better cameras. Yes, the iPhone 15 is expected to move to a USB-C port this year and introduce the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island, but as long as the Lightning port is supported for the next four years, it looks like I’ll be fine.
