2022 saw the launch of a quartet of new iPhone models – the iPhone 14 range. Each phone in the family comes in a different price range and is targeted toward different audiences. However, it’s the base iPhone 14 that really captured our attention. Of course, there’s plenty to love about the Pro models and the iPhone 14 Plus as well. But the iPhone 14 meets the perfect balance. It’s neither too big nor too small, plus it’s not that expensive, yet it’s still feature-packed. With that said, can the iPhone 14 stand on its own in 2023? Here is our full review of the iPhone 14.

Price

At launch, the iPhone 14 was availed at a starting price of $1,399 AUD for a 128GB model. Prices have since dropped, and the good news is that you can buy the iPhone 14 at third-party retailers like JB Hi-Fi, Phonebot, and Harvey Norman, or from Apple’s online storefront. 

Display

The display on the iPhone 14 doesn’t appear to be much of an upgrade. Compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 14 has thinner bezels, but it features the same sized 6.1 display. However, this time we get a Super Retina XDR OLED screen which was previously exclusive to the more expensive models – the Pro variants. The Apple iPhone 14 has Ceramic Shield glass protection and the display’s resolution stands at 1170 x 2532 pixels at 461 PPI.

Cameras

At first, you might not think there is any worthy upgrade in the camera department for the iPhone 14. It has a dual rear camera setup that is arranged in a different fashion than they were on the iPhone 11. They sort of look like robot eyes. We get wide and ultrawide optics, both backed by 12-MP sensors. Apple did make some upgrades, and the wide 12MP sensor is now combined with an f/1.5 aperture. This enhances the phone’s low-light photography capabilities, delivering brighter shots with more detail. Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 3 are also handy features, with the former enhancing the image quality pixel by pixel while the latter ensures you get the best using AI technology. As for the selfie camera, the iPhone 14 packs a 12MP wide lens with an f/1.9 aperture which is not too shabby. Both cameras are capable of shooting 4K videos. Regardless of the great performance of the iPhone 14 Pro Max camera, there can be certain issues that can be repeated but don’t feel threatened since you can find lots of information on the Internet to help you to solve your problem.

Performance and Battery

The iPhone 14 is definitely a beast performance-wise. It comes equipped with Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, which offers a ton of processing power. It’s worth noting that this was the first processor ever built on a 5nm process. The A15 Bionic chip is coupled with 6GB of RAM, which might not seem like much by today’s standards. However, the phone still offers snappy performance with no lag, even when running highly-intensive applications.

The A15 Bionic chip is more energy-efficient compared to the previous generation A14 or A13 chip. Therefore, the phone should comfortably last you on a single charge for a full day. You can enjoy perks such as fast charging with a 20W adapter, delivering 50% of the charge in 30mins. The phone also supports MagSafe wireless charging at 15W and Qi magnetic fast wireless charging at 7.5W.

Verdict

The Apple iPhone 14 is speedier, delivers better photos, and has a longer battery life, the iPhone 14 is one of the best phones you can buy in 2023. It not only comes at an attractive price tag, but you also get an attractive design with full 5G connectivity, excellent cameras, and super-fast performance. There are some things Apple could have improved on. Perhaps equipping it with a faster refresh rate and better zoom levels. But let’s face it, no phone is perfect. The iPhone 14 strikes all the right notes, and we think it’s a great all-around phone. Therefore, if you are in the market for a smartphone this year, the iPhone 14 is definitely worth considering.