The question on people’s minds will be whether they should go for the more expensive model, or settle for the cheaper phone. Of course, we’ll make our final, conclusive decision after the phones are announced — and we’ve reviewed them — but there’s no harm in taking a look at what we know so far and dabbling in a little speculation.
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iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Rumored Specs
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Price
We have not heard any rumors to suggest we’re going to see any differences in the pricing, and in this situation, it would be fair to make a logical assumption that Apple stays consistent. That means the iPhone 14 should be set to start at $799, with the Pro weighing in from $999. For many, paying over $1,000 for a phone is a huge chunk of cash to drop, so it’s important to figure out whether the iPhone 14 Pro will be worth it. Let’s look at the rumors around the design, display, cameras and more, to see whether this could be a must-buy.
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Design
On the face of it, we’re not expecting much of a change to the blockier design of the iPhone, but there could be some significant changes to the notch and the charging port. First, as we reported on back in January, the iPhone 14 Pro looks set to ditch the notch (opens in new tab) and go for a pill-shaped cut out. While the signature notch did get slightly smaller on the iPhone 13 Pro (opens in new tab), it’s always been quite the chunky tab at the top of your screen that disturbed your viewing experience. The fact that the next Pro phone seems to be changing things up (note: only the Pro version as standard iPhone 14 will reportedly continue the controversial notch design) opens up a few more questions about what to do with that extra screen real estate. My suggestion: please give us a battery percentage! As for the port, you may have seen that the EU put Apple in the hot seat recently with a ruling that states all new phones in 2023 must support USB-C. In response, we initially reported on notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo confirming that next year’s iPhones will get rid of Lightning (opens in new tab) and jump to this universal standard. However, Kuo’s claims are debatable. Towards the end of last year, Tom’s Guide reported on a rumor that the iPhone 14 Pro may make an early jump to USB-C (opens in new tab). This would be a far more helpful connector to have for any prosumer to share any photos and video quickly and easily, without having to rely on slower AirDrop speeds. You could also see USB-C open the door to faster charging, too! My money is that this standard will be coming to the iPhone 15 line, but the rumor mill is split over this, so anything could happen.
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Display
Again, the physical specs on first impressions seem to be staying the same from the 13 and 13 Pro, but there are some rumblings about small but, impactful changes to the 14 Pro specifically. Namely, second generation LTPO technology, which means the screen is able to slow its refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz if there is no moving image (great for battery life), and as we reported on back in May, the iPhone 14 Pro could get an always-on display mode. That last one is particularly exciting. It’s a feature that could be easily added with iOS 16 across all phones (it would be a battery life killer), but the new LTPO tech means they could get away with doing this on the Pro without really hurting it’s stamina.
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Processor
This section is normally an easy one to write — both iPhones normally get the new chip. But it’s not that simple this time. While it is, indeed, looking likely that the A16 Bionic will come to the iPhone 14 Pro, which will use a 4nm process to cram more transistors on and further increase performance, the standard iPhone 14 looks set to stick with the A15 Bionic (opens in new tab), according to Ming-Chi Kuo. Will this matter to most users? Not really because the iPhone is already crazy fast, but it’s worth noting for those who are always chasing the latest specs.
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Cameras
The camera systems were already diverging on their own paths — the standard iPhone is reportedly getting two great lenses that can handle all your quick snapping needs. The Pro will likely offer a comprehensive hardware suite with optical image stabilization and larger apertures. This year, that trend looks set to continue, as the iPhone 14 Pro is rumored to have an upgraded main camera (opens in new tab) sensor to a 48MP shooter, which would be a massive resolution jump over the 12MP of the 13 Pro. This could result in an up-to 35% increase in the sensor size and a 10% increase in the lens diameter, and it’s warmly welcomed because you can only go so far with improving the software before you need to update the hardware.
Outlook
Based on what we know so far, there’s plenty to get excited about for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. Will the iPhone 14 Pro Max have any exclusive features? What about this new big-screen iPhone 14 Max (opens in new tab), which looks set to replace the mini iPhone and provide a larger display with some of the updated specs of its Pro siblings? All that and more will be revealed fully in September, but keep it locked on Laptop Mag for any new iPhone 14 rumors.
