0Phone autonomy is an important indicator when choosing a device. In our review, we will compare the iPhone 14 battery life to determine which gadget in the series is the longest-lasting.
With the release of the new 15 series smartphones, the company is reducing prices for previous lineups. This is a good reason to upgrade to a more current smartphone.
Battery Performance
Starting with the iPhone Xr, Apple has a positive trend of increasing the battery life of its devices every year. And this is indeed the case, not just a marketing move. Even if it's just a little, each successive generation of smartphones works longer than its predecessors. And the 14 series is no exception.
With each generation, the battery capacity also increases. The battery capacity for the iPhone 13 series was as follows:
- iPhone 13 mini: 2406 mAh
- iPhone 13: 3227 mAh
- iPhone 13 Pro: 3095 mAh
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: 4352 mAh
And the battery capacity for the iPhone 14 series is as follows:
- i phone 14 battery: 3279 mAh
- iPhone 14 Plus battery mah: 4325
- iPhone 14 Pro battery: 3200 mAh
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: 4323 mAh
Taking into account the battery capacities and the presence of modern chips, the current Apple smartphones do indeed work a bit longer than their predecessors or at least not worse.
All models come equipped with large lithium-ion batteries, support MagSafe magnetic charging up to 15W, and wireless charging up to 7.5W. You can also recharge the battery using the USB port on your computer or a separate power adapter (sold separately). The factory package includes a USB-C/Lightning cable. Fast charging (up to 50%) takes no more than 30 minutes.
User Experience
Apple indicates on its website the battery life during video playback. However, it's unlikely that anyone will simply watch movies for 20 hours straight; real smartphone usage scenarios are much more complex. In real tests, all models of iPhone 14 were used, performing typical user actions.
Each smartphone went through an hour of calls, iMessage conversations, scrolling through emails, browsing, and using social networks. After 5 hours of continuous usage, all models had more than half of their charge remaining:
- iPhone 14 — 67%
- iPhone14 Pro battery — 68%
- i phone 14 Plus battery — 73%
- iPhone 14 Pro Max — 75%
Then, the devices were left in standby mode for 16 hours. To ensure a fair comparison, the Always On feature on the Pro models was not activated. Here's how the battery levels changed during this time:
- iPhone 14 — 57%
- iPhone 14 Pro — 54%
- iPhone 14 Plus battery — 65%
- iPhone 14 Pro Max — 64%
Next, they returned to intensive usage: one hour of watching YouTube, playing Alto’s Adventure, using navigation, listening to music on Spotify, and using the camera. After that, on the surviving Plus and Pro Max models, the same applications were opened and closed sequentially until the devices were fully discharged. The results are as follows:
- iPhone 14 — 9 hours 43 minutes (plus 16 hours in standby mode)
- iPhone 14 Pro battery life — 9 hours 47 minutes (plus 16 hours in standby mode)
- iPhone 14 Plus battery life — 11 hours 38 minutes (plus 16 hours in standby mode)
- iPhone 14 Pro Max battery life — 11 hours 38 minutes (plus 16 hours in standby mode).
Comparative Analysis
The comparison of the iPhone 14 revealed that all four devices are equipped with Super Retina XDR displays. The screen diagonal of the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro is 6.1 inches, while that of the 14 Plus and 14 Pro Max is 6.7 inches.
OLED displays support True Tone, HDR, Haptic Touch, and a wide color gamut (P3) technologies. The maximum contrast ratio is 2000000:1. However, brightness values differ: for the base models, the range is from 800 to 1200 nits, while for the "Pro" models, it is from 1000 to 2000 nits outdoors. Among the advantages of the Pro series, the presence of the Always-On display option and a high screen refresh rate of 120 Hz are notable. In such a comparison, it is evident that the displays of the professional models are more advanced.
When conducting a comparative analysis, it became clear that the base models did not receive an updated processor. Here, the 6-core Apple A15 Bionic chip is employed, featuring a 16-core Neural Engine machine learning system and a 5-core graphics accelerator. The "Pro" versions are equipped with the 6-core A16 Bionic chipset (2+4 cores for performance and energy efficiency, respectively). Manufactured using a 4-nanometer process, the A16 chip has undergone changes to the memory subsystem, adopting LPDDR5 at a frequency of 6.4 GHz. As for devices with the A15 chipset, they implement LPDDR4X RAM at a frequency of 4.26 GHz. Thanks to these innovations, the bandwidth has increased significantly, ranging from 42 to 51 gigabits per second. Apple representatives note that the Pro versions will be 10–15% more powerful and use less power consumption.
When choosing a device, you can select a model with internal storage capacities of 128, 256, or 512 GB. Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro Max and 14 Pro are available with 1 TB of storage.
The new gadgets operate on the enhanced iOS 16 operating system. Apple's development is considered the most secure software globally, characterized by advanced features and standards for the owner's personal privacy.
The difference in SIM card support is absent: the smartphones operate on dual eSIMs, and there is no slot for a physical SIM card in the phones. The recognition of a person's identity occurs through the standard use of the Face ID volumetric facial scanner. The voice assistant Siri is always ready to assist with tasks such as sending messages, searching for information, launching applications, setting reminders, and more.
The smartphones are equipped with proximity and ambient light sensors, barometers, accelerometers, high-performance gyroscopes, and digital compasses. There is also no difference in terms of navigation systems:
- GPS
- Galileo
- BeiDou
- QZSS
- GLONASS
Wireless and internet connectivity are provided by Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6, and 5G modules. Traditionally, the NFC chip with reading mode support facilitates quick and hassle-free wireless payments for purchases.
One of the key differences is the number and specifications of the rear cameras. iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have two lenses:
- Main 12 MP camera with f/1.5 aperture, optical stabilization, and 26mm focal length.
- Ultra-wide 12 MP camera with f/2.4 aperture and a 120-degree field of view.
In terms of photo and video capabilities, the Pro series is more intriguing, equipped with the following cameras:
- 48 MP main camera with f/1.78 aperture, optical stabilization, second-generation sensor-shift, and a 24mm focal length.
- 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a six-element lens, 120-degree field of view, and f/2.2 aperture.
- 12 MP telephoto module with a 4-pixel sensor, aperture ranging from f/1.78 to f/2.8.
The camera is enhanced with a sensor that has a 65% larger capture area compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, providing a greater light capture. Regardless of the lineup, the devices support standard photo features from Apple, including portrait lighting, photographic styles, portrait mode with improved background blurring, Smart HDR 4, and Deep Fusion. However, there is some difference in photo capture: the Pro models offer adaptive True Tone flash, while the base models have a standard one.
The Pro series allows capturing images in formats beyond JPEG and HEIF, including ProRAW (for professional use) and macro photography. When using such formats, 48 MP images can be cropped without worrying about a loss in quality.
Using the front and rear lenses, you can record videos up to 4K resolution at frame rates ranging from 24 to 60 fps. Slow-motion video recording at 1080p and 120 fps is possible. However, there are some differences; for instance, the Pro model allows shooting ProRes video up to 4K at 30 fps. Note that the 128 GB internal memory configurations permit ProRes video recording at 1080p and 30 fps.
Conclusions
Which iPhone 14 is better to buy? There is no definitive answer to this question, as everyone chooses a device based on their own requirements and financial capabilities. The iPhone 14 Pro battery life hours is the highest, followed by the 14 Pro Max battery life. However, these models are more expensive than the base ones.
