iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Don't make a costly mistake
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Intro
For the first time ever, the new iPhone 14 uses the same processor as the previous model, and when you add the mostly unchanged cameras and very similar design, Apple might just have called this the iPhone 13S.
It is important to know that in the past, Apple made more significant changes to its new iPhone every year, which is why the iPhone 14 feels different and mostly similar to the iPhone 13. Some even call it identical, and we wouldn't fault them.
But it's not like Apple suddenly stopped innovating as a company. We still have a new and more powerful A16 chip, a more capable camera, and clever features like the Dynamic Island and an Always-On display, but… all of that is nowhere to be seen on the iPhone 14! It is only available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max!
So, then, what is actually new in the iPhone 14 over the iPhone 13? And should you even consider upgrading? And in 2024, should you bother with any of these, or should you switch your attention to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16?
Both of those are already official, so iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 users definitely have choices when it comes to upgrading. Still, even though the newer devices are nice to have, we wouldn't call such an upgrade compulsory.
What we'd call a more realistic upgrade target for users of either the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 is the iPhone 17. It will have a ton of improvements in most areas, making it logical and okay to upgrade. Chief among these would be a ProMotion display, a long time coming to the regular iPhones.
Key iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 differences:
- Very similar design (but 14 is a bit thicker, so cases from the 13 won't fit)
- New 12MP ƒ/1.9 front-facing camera with autofocus
- New 12MP ultrawide camera
- New main camera with larger, 1/1.65" sensor, and 1.9 micron pixels
- 4K Cinematic mode at 30fps
- Better low-light photos with Photonic engine
- Faster, more energy-efficient 6nm Qualcomm 5G modem made by TSMC
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 6GB RAM
- Satellite connectivity for SOS messages
- Penta-core GPU
- New purple color and different blue and red hues
- Larger battery
- HDR gyro and high-g accelerometer for the new Crash Detection service
- Action Mode video stabilization
Table of Contents:
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Design and Display Quality
No major changes
(Image Credit - PhoneArena) iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 design
The iPhone 14 looks and feels almost the same as the current iPhone 13 model. The 6.1-inch form factor and the flat side design remain the same, and so does the dual camera system on the back. It comes in a new Purple color, though, and also the Blue as well as the Red models come in slightly different, more flashy shades.
Learn more: iPhone 14 colors
The iPhone 14 is made of glass on the back and Ceramic Shield display protection at the front, with an aluminum frame in the middle. To answer your most pressing question - no, an iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 cases won't fit the iPhone 14 as it's thicker and throws their snugness off.
However, there is one very important design change that is invisible to the eye. The iPhone 14 is completely rearranged on the inside, and these changes make it far easier to repair. If you broke the back glass on the iPhone 13 or earlier models, you would have to pay nearly $600 for a replacement in an incredibly complex repair, but now that is much easier on the iPhone 14 and only costs $150. Battery and screen replacement is also easier.
5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm
6.07 oz (172 g)
5.78 x 2.81 x 0.3 inches
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm
6.14 oz (174 g)
5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm
6.07 oz (172 g)
5.78 x 2.81 x 0.3 inches
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm
6.14 oz (174 g)
See the full Apple iPhone 14 vs Apple iPhone 13 size comparison or compare them to other phones using our Size Comparison tool.
At the front, the iPhone 14, just like the iPhone 13, has a 6.1-inch OLED screen with the familiar notch (the new pill-shaped cutout is only available on the iPhone 14 Pro series).
What matters here is what hasn't changed: the iPhone 14 still runs at 60Hz, so you DON'T have ProMotion 120Hz support like on the Pro models. Screen brightness remains the same, with a peak of up to 1,200 nits and a typical brightness of 800 nits.
For some reason, perhaps because this is now the entry-level model, Apple didn't pay as much attention to the display calibration of the iPhone 14 and as a result, its wide color gamut coverage is less accurate than on the iPhone 13 panel as seen in our charts below.
Our lab display tests show that there hasn't been any change whatsoever in the display quality between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13. The brightness is the same, and the color accuracy is actually worse on the iPhone 14 unit we have at the office, by a lot, actually.
Nothing has changed on the biometrics front either: you have the familiar Face ID, and now that it works with masks, one of our major complaint against it is no longer a concern.
Performance and Software
The lack of a performance upgrade might be the biggest disappointment
(Image Credit - PhoneArena) iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 performance
The big news, or rather lack of, is Apple using mostly the same A15 Bionic chip on the iPhone 14 as it did on the iPhone 13 series. However, it is not quite the same configuration. The version of the A15 on the iPhone 14 comes straight from the 13 Pro with its 5-core GPU that delivers a 20% boost as illustrated by our benchmarks below, so this is your consolation prize.
We also get a RAM boost from 4GB to 6GB on the iPhone 14.
Benchmark Results:
Still, as you can see, the CPU performance on the iPhone 14 is absolutely identical to that of the previous generation phone.
However, with the new 5-core GPU, gamers will be happy to see the numbers the iPhone 14 can crunch. In 3D Mark, you have a 28% improvement in the initial performance, and after 20 minutes and some throttling, you still get a nearly 24% better GPU performance.
Another upgrade that you should know about is the brand-new modem inside the iPhone 14. It uses the Qualcomm X65 modem, which was measured to deliver big improvements in 5G speeds in the US, plus it's the component that provides the important bands for the satellite connectivity features.
At the moment, both devices run on iOS 18. This one brings a ton of customization features and revamps to stock apps like Mail, Photos, and Messages, but also brings Apple Intelligence on board, Apple's take on artificial intelligence which will get sprinkled throughout the interface.
While iOS 18 will arrive on both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, Apple Intelligence will not. The latter has some serious hardware requirements, so it will only work on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the latest iPhone 16 series.
Camera
Improved main, big news for the front camera
(Image Credit - PhoneArena) iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 cameras
Both phones were run through the paces of the PhoneArena Camera test, and the result is clear: the iPhone 14 takes much better videos, but the iPhone 13 performs slightly better in still image photography. Overall, this makes the iPhone 14 a winner, but the iPhone 13 still performs pretty decent.
PhoneArena Camera Score:
The iPhone 14, like its predecessor, features two cameras on the back, a main and an ultrawide one, in a similar diagonal arrangement. Unfortunately, neither of the phones comes with a dedicated telephoto lens, which hurts their zoom performance (and gives Apple a reason to convince you to get a pricier Pro model).
The iPhone 14 upgrades to a larger sensor size with the same 12MP resolution as before, and it is now paired with a faster, f/1.5 aperture, again a component directly lifted from the iPhone 13 Pro. The ultrawide camera hardware is the same, but actually all of the cameras on the newer model benefit from a new processing model called the Photonic Engine.
All iPhone 14 models are also getting a new 12MP front facing camera with autofocus and optical image stabilization. The end result?
The iPhone 14 upgrades to a larger sensor size with the same 12MP resolution as before, and it is now paired with a faster, f/1.5 aperture, again a component directly lifted from the iPhone 13 Pro. The ultrawide camera hardware is the same, but actually all of the cameras on the newer model benefit from a new processing model called the Photonic Engine.
All iPhone 14 models are also getting a new 12MP front facing camera with autofocus and optical image stabilization. The end result?
Well, photos from the iPhone 14 are just better in all key aspects. The diminished halo around lamps at night shots and the brighter shadows evidence dynamic range improvement, while the iPhone 14 captures more details, too.
Apple has also finally moved the white balance slider towards the colder side of the spectrum by default, so the colors are not as bathed in an yellow overcast as on the iPhone 13 and all previous iPhones. The colors are still warm and pleasant to look at, but not as yellowish, and the slight increase in contrast makes them pop more along with finer detail.
The new 12MP selfie camera with autofocus and OIS is also better as it captures more detail and face features are not as smoothed over and beautified as on the iPhone 13, not to mention the higher color fidelity.
On the video front, both phones support up to 4K video, but you get a new Action Mode gimbal-like stabilization for extreme conditions where you have to run or walk at a fast pace with the iPhone in your hands.
The video from the iPhone 13, however, is recorded in a slightly higher exposure bracket and looks brighter than what the iPhone 14's new HDR algorithms churn out.
Audio Quality and Haptics
One of the most underrated improvements in the iPhone 13 was without a doubt the boomier, richer loudspeakers that delivered sound quality better than most other phones on the market. Needless to say, the same goes for the iPhone 14 now, a very welcome handover to keep a close... ear on!
There is no headphone jack on the iPhone 14, just like there hasn't been one on iPhone in the past few years. Haptics are taken care of by the giant Taptic Engine mechanism inside, which has been excellent, and we are glad there are no changes here.
Battery Life and Charging
A mixed bag
(Image Credit - PhoneArena) iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13
Last year, Apple made a huge jump in battery life with the iPhone 13 series, but the new iPhone 14 offers mostly the same battery life as its glorious predecessor.
Apple says the iPhone 14 lasts 16 hours for video streaming (up from an estimated 15 hours on the iPhone 13), and for audio playback, the iPhone 14 musters 80 hours, a bit more than the 75 hours you get out of the iPhone 13, so a battery increase is present, it's just not a huge one.
iPhone battery sizes:
- iPhone 14: 3,279 mAh (+1.6% from previous gen)
- iPhone 13: 3,227 mAh (+14.6% from previous gen)
- iPhone 12: 2,815 mAh (-9.4% from previous gen)
- iPhone 11: 3,110 mAh (+5.7% from previous gen)
- iPhone XR: 2,942 mAh
The unit capacity is a tiny bit larger, and the iPhone 14 offers a bit longer battery life. Apple says that compared with the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 it can last an hour more of local video playback or streaming video, or five hours longer during audio playback sessions.
With a more efficient chip and marginally larger battery, the iPhone 14 only achieves mostly the same battery life as its predecessor, something totally unsurprising. While the iPhone 14 lasts longer in our web browsing test, it lags in the 3D gaming test, where the iPhone 13 performs better. Both phones are mostly tied in our video streaming test.
PhoneArena Battery and Charging Test Results:
We, however, clocked a much smaller difference when it comes to, say, YouTube video streaming. During the Wi-Fi browsing session, however, our standardized test returned more significant gains for the iPhone 14 that surpass even what Apple promises. That said, the faster penta-core GPU drew more energy during 3D gaming and gave way to the iPhone 13 when it comes to battery life. Overall, the battery endurance of the iPhone 14 is a mixed bag compared to the iPhone 13.
The iPhone 14 is not getting faster charging speeds, however. The same 20W charging speeds apply to the 14, just as they did to the 13, and that works out to roughly 2 hours for a full top-up, a pretty pathetic metric compared to Android phones, no matter how you slice it. Plus, you have to buy the charger if you don't have one, but both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 also support MagSafe wireless charging at 15W speeds.
Specs Comparison
If you just want a quick reference to the key specs, well, you have it right below. Please keep in mind that we also have our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 specs page where you can find all the details.
| Specs | iPhone 14 | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm |
| Weight | 172g | 174g |
| Screen | 6.1" OLED 60Hz Notched Face ID 19.5:9 | 6.1" OLED 60Hz Notched Face ID 19.5:9 |
| Processor | A15 Bionic | A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR4X | 4GB LPDDR4X |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP Main (1X), 26mm f/1.5 12MP Ultra (0.5X), 13mm f/2.2 | 12MP Main (1X), 26mm f/1.6 12MP Ultra (0.5X), 13mm f/2.2 |
| Front Camera | 12MP Front with AF and OIS, f/1.9 | 12MP Front with FF |
| Battery Size | 3,279 mAh | 3,227 mAh |
| Charging speeds | 20W wired charging 15W MagSafe wireless | 20W wired charging 15W MagSafe wireless |
| Price | from $800 for 128GB | price dropped to $700 after iPhone 14 launch |
Summary and Final Verdict
If we had to sum our iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13 comparison in one phrase, it would be "mostly the same." The iPhone 14 is probably the least worthy of a new name iPhone ever. This would barely pass for an iPhone 13S, let alone an iPhone 14.
With Apple dropping the price on the iPhone 13 by $100, however, we can argue this gives many users a perfect argument to actually get the older model at that cheaper price since the differences are really not that many.
Two things might change your mind: SOS by satellite and crash detection. While these two features could be lifesaving and might sway your decision in favor of the new model, rarely would anyone choose the iPhone 14 just because of them. You can use a better camera for taking pictures in low light, capturing details, and taking selfies. This is important.
Two things might change your mind: SOS by satellite and crash detection. While these two features could be lifesaving and might sway your decision in favor of the new model, rarely would anyone choose the iPhone 14 just because of them. You can use a better camera for taking pictures in low light, capturing details, and taking selfies. This is important.
So, is the iPhone 14 worth it in the end?
For all intents and purposes, except for the significantly lower repair cost, as it is no longer necessary to replace the entire body for a backplate, the iPhone 14 is a rather subpar upgrade compared to the iPhone 13. It appears that Apple is pushing everyone towards its more expensive Pro models, rendering any upgrade from its predecessor futile.
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