In 2020, when Apple unveiled the iPhone 12 lineup, users were puzzled by little to no difference between the "standard" and Pro variants. One extra camera, different chassis materials, and a Max variant are everything iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max had to offer. In 2021, Apple provided a solid reason to go for its Pro smartphones—a ProMotion display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Fast-forward 2022, and we have the iPhone 14 lineup with a standard iPhone, a plus-sized variant, and two Pro models. This time, more expensive iPhones offer more new stuff to those willing to spend extra shekels on Apple"s latest smartphones.
The display is probably the most significant and notable difference between the iPhone 14 and its Pro variants. Instead of a slightly shrunken notch, Apple uses a pill-shaped cutout with fancy animations, extra indicators, and additional ways to interact with the operating system. You can see Dynamic Island in action below:
Apple has also lowered the minimum refresh rate to just 1Hz, thus enabling the always-on display feature. As a cherry on top, engineers have boosted the max outdoor brightness to a whopping 2000 nits.
On the other side of the new Pro smartphones, buyers will find a reworked camera array, where, for the first time since the iPhone 6S, Apple has swapped a primary 12MP camera for one with a 48MP sensor. There is also an adaptive 9-LED flash.
Also, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have the next-gen Apple A16 processors. Apple says its latest CPU is up to 40% faster than the competition, but early Geekbench tests show modest performance uplifts compared to the slightly upgraded Apple A15 with one extra GPU core in the standard iPhone 14 models. You can check how the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus compare to the older iPhone 12/13 (still in the lineup) in our dedicated Specs Appeal article.
Here are the key distinctions between the iPhone 14/14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max summed up in a list:
- Brighter displays with up to 2000 nits outdoors brightness
- Pill-shaped cutout called "Dynamic Island" with fancy animations, new gestures, and extra information
- ProMotion display with the always-on-feature and 1-120Hz refresh rate
- The new A16 Bionic processor
- 1TB storage option
- A reworked camera system with a 48MP primary sensor plus a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom
- LiDAR scanner and ProRes video recording up to 4K 30 fps
- Three extra hours of battery life (video playback)
- Stainless steel chassis
Now here is a more detailed spec comparison:
| iPhone 14 | iPhone 14 Plus | iPhone 14 Pro | iPhone 14 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1" 2532x1170 800 / 1200 nits brightness Narrower Notch 60Hz | 6.7" 2778x1284 800 / 1200 nits brightness Narrower Notch 60Hz | 6.1" 2556x1179 1000/1600/2000 nits brightness Dynamic Island Always-on-display 1-120Hz ProMotion | 6.7" 2796x1290 1000/1600/2000 nits brightness Dynamic Island Always-on-display 1-120Hz ProMotion |
| CPU | 6-core A15 Bionic with 5-core GPU | 6-core A16 Bionic with 5-core GPU | ||
| RAM | 6GB | |||
| Storage | 128/256/512GB | 128GB/256GB/512 GB/1TB | ||
| Main Cameras | 12MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide f/1.5 + f/2.4 aperture Second-gen sensor-shift OIS Photonic Engine Photographic Styles 2x optical zoom out | 48MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 12MP telephoto f/1.78 + f/2.2 + f/2.8 aperture Second-gen sensor-shift OIS Photonic Engine Photographic Styles 3x optical zoom 2x optical zoom out LiDAR Scanner | ||
| Front Camera | 12MP f/1.9 aperture Photonic Engine, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4 Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | |||
| Video Recording | Cinematic mode with shallow depth of field at 4K HDR 30 fps Action Mode Macro Video recording HDR video at 4K 60 fps Sensor-shift OIS | Cinematic mode with shallow depth of field at 4K HDR 30 fps ProRes video up to 4K 30 fps Action Mode Macro Video recording HDR video at 4K 60 fps Sensor-shift OIS | ||
| Connectivity | GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+/5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) Wi-Fi 6, UWB chip, Bluetooth 5.3 Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash detection | |||
| SIM | No physical SIM, Dual eSIM support | |||
| Battery | TBD mAh 20 h video playback | TBD mAh 26 h video playback | TBD mAh 23 h video playback | TBD mAh 29 h video playback |
| Ports and Charging | Lightning, MagSafe and Qi Up to 50% charge in 35 minutes with a 20W adapter. | |||
| Chasis | Aerospace-grade aluminum Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, Product(RED) | Surgical-grade stainless steel Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, Space Black | ||
| Price | $799 | $899 | $999 | $1,099 |
Like their more affordable siblings in the lineup, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max are now available for preorder, with shipping starting September 16.