Apple's iPhone Showdown: iPhone 14 Plus Versus iPhone 13 - Which is Better?

Previous generations of iPhones have enjoyed popularity for many years. Let's compare iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14 Plus to understand how they differ and whether it's worth upgrading from the 13 series to the 14 Plus.

Key difference

In the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, there are minimal changes. The cameras have been slightly updated, and autonomy and performance have been tweaked ever so slightly. Additionally, the SIM tray has been removed, and you can no longer insert a physical SIM card into the smartphone, only an eSIM is supported.

Table of content:

Technical specifications

Design and Size comparison

With the introduction of the 14th lineup in 2022, the company bid farewell to the mini version. Instead, they brought an enlarged variant – the iPhone 14 Plus. When comparing iPhone 13 vs 14 Plus size, the newer model is 14 mm longer, 6.6 mm wider, and 0.15 mm thicker than the base iPhone 13. It is also 30 g heavier. So, if you prefer sleek smartphones, the base iPhone 14 model might be more suitable for you.

Comparing the iPhone 13 and 14 in terms of design is almost a futile endeavor. Nevertheless, there are slight differences. Due to changes in the camera optics on the back panel, the iPhone 14 protrudes slightly. The buttons are also slightly shifted compared to the iPhone 13.

The hit parade of aesthetic differences is completed by the color variants of the offered models. For some, this may seem important. The difference between iPhone 13 and 14 Plus in shades is visible to the naked eye. For example, the iPhone 14 has a pale blue color option compared to the dark blue of the iPhone 13. Even the (PRODUCT) RED shade in the 2022 models looks brighter than we are accustomed to. In addition, the pink color has been replaced with a more trendy purple (Purple). And, of course, they added some vibrancy with the yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.

Display comparison

As evident from the previous point, the 14 Plus has a larger diagonal – 6.7 inches, while in the 13, it is 6.1 inches. Overall, the screen area increased by 9.84%. The resolution has been improved by 20.41%: 2778×1284 compared to 2532×1170 pixels.

In other aspects, the screens are the same – OLED panels protected by Ceramic Shield glass. The sensors and Face ID are located in the familiar notch, with no dynamic island or always-on display in either model. These features are added to the more premium Pro and Pro Max versions.

Performance

Despite both the 2021 and 2022 lineups using the same A15 Bionic processor, comparing iPhone 13 vs 14 Plus based on this criterion is possible and necessary. The chip in the iPhone 14 Plus resembles that of the 13 Pro, thanks to the additional graphics processor core. According to Apple's assurances, users can expect a 18% increase in GPU performance. This can be important for gaming and graphics-intensive applications. However, an average user might not feel the difference from the addition of one core. Moreover, there is more RAM used in this model.

On the security front, new features have been introduced. Here's another difference between iPhone 13 and 14. iPhone 14 Plus now includes Emergency SOS via Satellite Messaging and Crash Detection.

Camera comparison

At first glance, the similarity is evident – both models have two rear cameras. However, the iPhone 14 Plus has a ƒ/1.5 aperture, not ƒ/1.6 like the iPhone 13. Accordingly, the smaller the ƒ-number, the more open the aperture, allowing more light to pass through the lens. The aperture value also affects the depth of field and the area of blur in the photo. Additionally, the larger sensor on the main camera of the iPhone 14 enhances performance and quality in night mode.

The iPhone 14 features a new computational system called the Photonic Engine, which helps capture more details in challenging lighting conditions and supports features such as foreground blur in portrait mode. Improvements in low-light shooting mean, among other things, that capturing a high-quality photo no longer requires holding the iPhone steady for an extended period.

Another difference between the Apple iPhone 14 Plus vs iPhone 13 lies in the camera department – the introduction of the Action mode for video recording. This mode is designed to enhance video stabilization when capturing videos during motion. It represents a significant improvement compared to the iPhone 13, where Cinematic Mode does not support such a feature.

The selfie sensor, known as TrueDepth camera and used for FaceTime and Face ID, has also undergone changes. Yes, it is indeed better in the iPhone 14 Plus. This is due to the support for autofocus (great for vlogging) and a wider aperture, leading to improved image quality in low-light photography.

In addition, the front camera of the iPhone 14 captures in two modes:

1. Horizontal: In this orientation, the smartphone provides a resolution of 12 MP and a wide-angle "equivalent focal length."
2. Vertical: When holding the device vertically, the camera automatically crops the frame to 7 MP and captures with a narrower field of view.

The camera automatically switches modes depending on the current orientation of the device. However, you can also manually switch it using the menu on the screen.

Speaker test

Typically, differences in the size of the chassis positively affect the quality of the speakers, but in this case, no differences in sound are noticeable. Moreover, Apple iPhone 13 vs Apple iPhone 14 Plus user reviews  have shown that the 13th model sounds slightly louder than its successor.

Battery life

In the iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14 Plus comparison, victory goes to the newer model. The increase in battery capacity contributed to the overall improvement in autonomy. In real-world tests, the 14 Plus lasted three hours longer during video playback, half an hour longer during web surfing and gaming. Overall, the increase amounted to +14%.

Charging speed

Fast charging, MagSafe, and other features remain in place. In half an hour, smartphones recharge to about half, but the iPhone 13 is slightly faster. Similarly, the model with a less capacious battery fully charges approximately 15 minutes faster (105 minutes compared to 120 minutes).

Price, availability

Both models are still available for purchase on the official website. The cost of the iPhone 14 Plus on the Apple website is:

• $799 for 128 GB,
• $899 for 256 GB,
• $1099 for 512 GB.

The price for the iPhone 13 on the website starts at $599. The other two versions cost $699 and $899, respectively.

Conclusions

If you've decided to upgrade to the iPhone 14 Plus from an older model (prior to the iPhone 13), it makes sense. However, jumping from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14 is not necessary; it's better to wait for discounts on the 14 Pro models. A comparison of Apple iPhone 13 vs Apple iPhone 14 Plus specs  revealed only conditionally significant improvements in camera capabilities, while the devices are otherwise very similar. Even though the iPhone 14 Plus is closer to the iPhone 13 Pro in terms of performance, the difference for everyday use is not so noticeable.