Apple iPhone 14 Plus review: The underrated phone

I was never a fan of big-screen phones. But something changed in 2020 — most of which I spent staring at the 5.8-inch screen of the iPhone XS late at night, while my newborn slept next to me. I realised after all those sleepless nights that I needed a phone with a bigger screen. So the next year, I ultimately switched to the iPhone 12 Pro Max– a stark contrast from my earlier preference. Since then, the 6.7-inch iPhone has remained my daily driver — whether for scrolling Instagram or watching shows on Netflix. But Apple had kept the bigger screen reserved for its Pro series so far. This year, it has changed the iPhone lineup, introducing a bigger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus.
Of course, the iPhone 14 series appears to be an incremental upgrade — Apple hasn’t changed the processor for one, sticking with the A15 Bionic that powered last year’s iPhone 13 series. The camera specification remains at 12MP– though Apple has claimed there are improvements, especially in low-light performance. But is that good enough to make the iPhone 14 Plus a good pick? Here’s my review where I try to answer some questions.
The Apple iPhone 14 Plus’ biggest highlight is the big screen, which was previously limited to the Pro Max. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Apple iPhone 14 Plus specifications: 6.7-inch OLED display | A15 Bionic chipset | 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage | 12MP+ 12MP ultra-wide | 12MP selfie camera | iOS 16
Apple iPhone 14 Plus price in India: Rs 89,900
Apple iPhone 14 Plus: So why would anyone consider this?
The iPhone 14 Plus is supposed to be a big-screen option for those who don’t want to pay the Rs 1.4 lakh price tag that the iPhone 14 Pro Max attracts. The iPhone 14 Plus is thus comparatively more ‘affordable’, since it costs Rs 89,900 — of course, at this price, this is still more expensive than most other flagships in the market. So if you’ve wanted an iPhone with a bigger display, and better battery life, the iPhone 14 Plus is your go-to option.
The iPhone 14 Plus in the new blue colour option. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Apple iPhone 14 Plus: Has anything changed compared to the iPhone 13?
This is a tough one to answer. With the iPhone series, the upgrades are now incremental. And given the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, comparisons with the iPhone 13 will be inevitable. Apple has continued with the notch design on the iPhone 14 Plus — the ‘Dynamic Island’ is reserved for the Pro. The processor is the same as the A15 Bionic–though with an extra core for graphics compared to the older iPhones. The higher refresh rate on the screens is also not an option here.
The iPhone 14 Plus continues to offer excellent daily performance. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Of course, since the iPhone 14 Plus has a bigger form factor, it packs a bigger battery. Apple typically does not reveal the battery size — reports claim it stands at 4,325 mAh for the Plus. Apple’s own website ls a video playback time of 26 hours for the iPhone 14 Plus, while for the Pro Max it stands at 29 hours. In my usage, I found the battery life of the iPhone 14 Plus impressive. This is a phone which will easily last the day even with heavy-duty usage. With moderate usage, you can easily get one and a half days. My usage included WhatsApp, and Instagram, taking plenty of pictures, watching shows on various OTT apps, and some gaming. The battery life remains one of the strongest arguments for getting the iPhone 14 Plus compared to the iPhone 14 or even the older iPhone 13–which might be available at a better deal.
Battery life on the iPhone 14 Plus is very good and will easily last over a day. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Let’s talk performance now, the iPhone 14 Plus can handle most tasks without any problems. There’s no lag in performance, whether it’s games like Genshin Impact or just browsing on Instagram or Facebook. Nor did I face any significant heating up. The iPhone remains the only device where I don’t have to worry about many tabs open on the Chrome or Safari browser– typically I have over 100-120 open.
But is it significantly faster than the iPhone 13 or the same? That’s a tough one to answer. One way is to look at numbers from tests such as GeekBench 5. The iPhone 14 Plus scored 1734 in single-core and 4704 in multi-core tests during my testing. The older iPhone 13 scored 1725 in single and 4615 in Multi-Core score. The reason I’m mentioning these tests– which I typically don’t— is because empirically, it is hard to show that the iPhone 14 Plus is a leap ahead.
The iPhone 14 Plus comes with same A15 Bionic processor as the older iPhone 13. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Apple iPhone 14 Plus: What about the camera? There’s nothing new, is there?
When I started using the iPhone 14 Plus’ camera, I honestly could not see much difference. But as I took more photos–especially low-light– you can see that this marks a change–especially compared to the older iPhone 13. With the iPhone 14 Plus, you will get detailed and crisp photos. The colours are certainly sharper, and I turned on the ‘Rich Contrast’ option for the photographic styles. The iPhone 14 Plus continues to deliver excellent photos in well-lit scenarios, as you can see from the photos taken below.
A camera sample taken using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
A Portrait image of a dog taken using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Another image taken in bright sunlight using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
A picture of a horse taken at a farm using the iPhone 14 Plus, (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
Another camera sample taken using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
But the biggest difference I noted was in low light. I took pictures of some coloured lamps outside a house, and the iPhone 14 Plus gave excellent photos. I also took pictures from an iPhone 13, and the colours were just washed out, despite my best attempts. With the iPhone 14 Plus, I took photos at 2.5X zoom, and Apple still did a great job in preserving colour accuracy and details.
An image of a red candle taken using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
An image of lamps taken using the iPhone 14 Plus. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/ Indian Express)
The iPhone 14 Plus also did well when I took pictures of a candle I had lit in my bathroom with no other light source in the room. The selfies are also more detailed. The cinematic video has improved, though I still prefer what the Pixel 7 and Vivo X80 Pro are doing in this department.
Is this the best camera I’ve seen on a flagship? Of course not. The iPhone 14 Plus has its moments of struggles, especially if you use too much zoom in poor lighting. The optical zoom is limited to 2x here, so keep that in mind. It is still not the best or most convenient device to use for portraits. But if you wondered whether the camera is the same, I would say there are changes and improvements.
Apple iPhone 14 Plus: Should you buy?
Yes, if you are looking for an iPhone with a big screen, and don’t have the budget or need a Pro variant. The iPhone 14 Plus does not disappoint when it comes to camera and battery, and it manages to hold its own against the best in the business. But, keep in mind, you are paying nearly Rs 90,000 for what is essentially a bigger screen. Those on an iPhone 11 or older can consider this an upgrade option.
No, if you are an iPhone 13 user. I’ve used the iPhone 13 till recently, and it is the primary device for others in my family. And it continues to work just as smoothly. If you have an iPhone 13 and even an iPhone 12, it might make sense to wait and watch before you upgrade.