An Unbiased Review of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Expect stunning graphics, the introduction of the Dynamic Island, excellent cameras and more.

Thinking of getting an iPhone 14 Pro? Let this iPhone 14 Pro review take you through the Must-Knows before you make that jump. 

Pros and Cons of the iPhone 14 Pro

Pros:

• Sleek and premium build with a textured matte glass back and stainless steel frame. Comes with Ceramic Shield front cover for enhanced durability.

• Smooth visuals, high resolution and vibrant colours.

• Always-On display provides at-a-glance information.

• Handles multitasking and resource-intensive applications with ease.

• Versatile camera setup with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses.

• Crash Detection can automatically contact emergency services in severe accidents.

• Improved battery management thanks to the efficient A16 Bionic chipset.

Cons:

• No headphone jack. 

• Tends to heat up during intense gaming sessions or while downloading large game assets.

• Slight frame rate drops and stutters can occur during extended gaming sessions.

• Heavier compared to some newer models like the iPhone 15 Pro, which uses lighter titanium instead of stainless steel.

iPhone 14 Pro specifications

👉 Read our helpful guide on choosing the right storage capacity for your iPhone 14 model.

Design

First off, you’re probably wondering how the iPhone 14 Pro differs from its direct predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro. When it comes to appearance, there aren’t that many major differences at first sight. At 147.5x71.5x7.9mm, the iPhone 14 Pro is slightly taller than the 13 Pro though the iPhone 14 Pro comes with a larger and slightly protruding camera module. With its rounded corners, flat edges, textured matte glass back and Ceramic Shield-protected display, there’s no doubt the iPhone 14 Pro is a stunner.

But of course, there’s more than just looks here because there’s certainly substance to this model. The Ceramic Shield offers more protection against damage compared to other smartphones out there. To add on, the surgical grade stainless steel on the model contributes to increased solidity in build and adds some heft too, giving the iPhone 14 Pro a bit more weight.

In comparison to newer models, the iPhone 15 Pro is slightly lighter at 187g, compared to the iPhone 14 Pro’s 206g. This reduction in weight is due to the new iPhone series using lighter titanium instead of stainless steel. The screen remains 6.1 inches, and both models feature Super Retina XDR OLED displays.

The iPhone 14 Pros come in Space Black, Gold, Silver and Deep Purple, with Space Black being the most popular choice in the series.

Display/screen

We kid you not when we say that the quality of the iPhone 14 Pro’s screen is breathtaking. It’s got an 1179 x 2556 resolution and 460ppi pixel density which makes everything look bright and stunning at all times. 

The Pro model also comes with a 120Hz ProMotion feature which means it’s got a higher refresh rate that helps with seamless visuals when you’re viewing videos. This results in reduced eye strain and deep, beautiful colours with great contrast.

In terms of display, you could say that the iPhone 14 Pro is a level up from the iPhone 13 Pro. The most obvious physical change is the notch, now replaced with a nifty new feature called the Dynamic Island. The Dynamic Island is an interactive pill-shaped widget which covers real-time alerts, notifications & shortcuts. While the old notch contributed little in terms of functionality, the Dynamic Island is interactive and helpful, expanding in size according to the real-time info being displayed. It shows multiple handy shortcuts while using your phone, be it important incoming notifications such as ApplePay transactions or privacy indicators, as well as various background tasks such as Apple Maps directions and the music being played.

The Dynamic Island sits at the top of the screen and hides the front camera as well as the Face ID sensor. We found it to be intuitive and pretty straightforward to use, though we expect that the feature will be expanded even more in terms of use in the future.

Performance

When we put performance to the test, we found that the new A16 Bionic chipset is an upgrade from iPhone 13 Pro’s A15 Bionic chipset. There’s faster processing data and 50% more memory bandwidth (which really helps if you’re into mobile games). The phone also comes with a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a 3,200mAh battery with a battery life of up to 23 hours with video playback. It’s fast-charge capable and supports an impressive 20W max charging speed. Compared to older iPhone models, the iPhone 14 Pro gets an added hour of battery life for video playback. 

Thanks to the Super Retina XDR display and ProMotion technology, what’s notably new is the Always-On display that allows users to view key info at all times. Apple assures that with the A16 Bionic chipset, the Always-On feature won’t impact battery life as much as you think it might. That said, though the Always-On feature runs on a low-power version of the lock screen, seeing our phone lit up at all times definitely took some getting used to. But don’t worry – if this feature isn’t something up your alley, you can always turn it off under Settings.

When we looked at the audio aspect of the iPhone 14 Pro, we were impressed by the depth of its sound. With stereo speakers located on the earpiece and at the bottom of the phone, you’re able to maximise the sound without it sounding like it’s emanating from tinny speakers. The microphones on both sides also work great when it comes to recording 3D audio. However, do note that the iPhone 14 Pro doesn’t come with a headphone jack. Guess it’s team wireless headphones all the way for the Apple folks at this point in time. 

Wondering how the iPhone 14 Pro would perform in terms of gaming? We tested out some games on the iPhone 14 Pro, anticipating excellent performance, and it more or less delivered. The phone smoothly handled games, except in rare instances where developers hadn't enabled top graphics presets. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the iPhone's transitions were slightly smoother, with consistent high frame rates and no stuttering or frame drops—until about 20-30 minutes into intense gaming. However, stutters appeared during heavy combat in certain games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact, and the phone heated up even while downloading large game assets. We found that demanding games run between 45-59 fps under moderate settings. Least demanding games performed a lot better in comparison. 

The iPhone 14 Pro comes with iOS 16 installed and the OS introduces new features such as a customisable Lock Screen with widgets, an iCloud Shared Photos Library, improvements in older apps and the ability to finally edit and delete messages. Probably the most talked about feature so far is the redesigned Lock Screen which allows more flexibility than in the past with a tonne of options for typefaces, animated wallpapers and more. We had a lot of fun testing out different variations of Lock screens and thought that it was neat that we could also customise our Lock Screens with our Focus modes. It’s a great way to get info at a glance without having to delve too deep into our phones when we really should be spending time getting a task done. 

Another worthy mention is the Crash Detection feature. The iPhone 14 Pro is able to detect a car crash and can automatically dial emergency services if the user is unable to reach their phone. This is thanks to the dual-core accelerometer in the phone that can detect crashes up to 256Gs.

“Groundbreaking safety capabilities bring users even more security, offering help when they need it most. And with the incredibly powerful and efficient A16 Bionic chip and all-day battery life, this is the best iPhone yet,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, upon the phone’s release in 2022.

Source: https://www.apple.com/my/newsroom/2022/09/apple-debuts-iphone-14-pro-and-iphone-14-pro-max/ 

Camera specs/review

The iPhone 14 Pro has a 48-megapixel sensor on the main wide camera compared to iPhone 13 Pro’s 12-megapixel sensor. It’s possible to take impressive shots with 2x optical zoom to its main sensor. Autofocus now comes with the front camera which allows better low-light selfies. With its 24mm wide angle lens with f/1.78 aperture, it’s almost effortless to take beautiful portraits with stunning results. 

The latest feature for all Apple iPhone 14 models is the Photonic Engine, Apple’s computational photography technology which improves the quality of its images. In the process of capturing a shot, the phone captures several uncompressed images to reproduce images with more detail, making even the most mediocre low-lit images vibrant in the process.   

The front-facing camera remains at 12MP, but with a wider f/1.9 aperture and the autofocus feature. Though it may be a slight improvement, it’s worth a note all the same. 

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro also comes with a brand new Action Mode feature which helps to make video footage look smooth thanks to its advanced stabilisation techniques This means less shaky videos for everyone!

👉 Read here for more info about the iPhone 14 Pro camera specs.

Price and availability

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is currently no longer retailing on the official Apple site but you can get it for as low as *£554.41 via Back Market, a huge price cut compared to its original selling price of £1,090.00. The reduced price tag is due to the fact that the phone models are refurbished products that work just as well as new ones. Buying refurbished products also means you’re doing your part in keeping things sustainable for the environment, all without having to compromise on quality or performance. 

We set ourselves apart from other platforms that sell items in second-hand condition by opting for refurbished goods. Our sellers diligently refurbish all products before making them available for purchase. The refurbishment process is thorough, involving the replacement of parts to ensure optimal functionality. The end result is a product that performs just as well as new. This offers a cost-effective alternative and elevates the safety and overall quality of our offerings compared to strictly second-hand items.

When you purchase a refurbished iPhone from Back Market, you benefit from a hassle-free return policy of up to 30 days. If you encounter any defects or issues, there's no need to worry, as all purchases are accompanied by a 1-year warranty, providing the same coverage as when buying a new phone. This ensures a risk-free buying experience for customers.

Overall verdict

So is the iPhone 14 Pro worth it? Overall, we think that the iPhone 14 Pro is an excellent investment. The Pro justifies its hefty price tag with its impressive cameras, powerful processors and great battery life, along with all the other great features which we mentioned above. 

Whether you’re just looking for a brand-new phone to serve your daily use or want something specifically for photography, content creation or even mobile gaming needs, the Apple iPhone 14 Pro is sure to impress in more ways than one. It’s a strong step above previous iPhone models and is a powerful device that can last anyone a long way.  

Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro offers a blend of cutting-edge technology, robust performance, and sleek design, making it a top choice for those looking for a high-end smartphone, despite some minor drawbacks.

*Price at date of writing