Apple’s baseline model from 2022, the iPhone 14, strikes an ideal balance between staying future-ready and being wallet-friendly.
But should you still consider buying an iPhone 14 in 2024, especially with the shiny new iPhone 15 now on the scene? We’ve put both phones to the test, and we’re here to tell you why the iPhone 14 remains a smart choice for value-conscious buyers.
In the world of smartphones, value isn’t just about the initial cost—it’s about how long your device can go the distance. You want a phone that will serve you well for years without lagging behind or losing its edge. Or, if you’re the type who likes to upgrade frequently, you want a device that holds its trade-in value, so you get more for your next purchase.
That’s where iPhones excel. Apple is known for retaining excellent resale value, largely because they keep supporting their devices with software updates for around 6 years after launch. This longevity keeps them relevant and valuable, even years down the line. Plus, Apple doesn’t typically offer discounts on their devices, which helps maintain their market value.
So, if you’re after the best value iPhone, your money’s on a refurbished model from the last couple of years—like the iPhone 14. It offers premium features at a reduced price, without compromising on performance or longevity.
Pros ✅
Provides longer battery life compared to the iPhone 13, with up to 20 hours of video playback, allowing more use throughout the day without frequent charging.
Comes pre-installed with iOS 16, offering new features like customisable lock screens, improved notifications, and enhanced privacy controls, making the overall user experience more intuitive and personal.
The 12MP TrueDepth front camera now includes autofocus and better low-light performance, resulting in clearer, more detailed selfies and sharper FaceTime calls.
Cons ❌
The iPhone 14 does not have a telephoto lens, limiting its zooming capabilities compared to the iPhone 14 Pro or other flagship phones from competitors.
Unlike the Pro models, the standard iPhone 14 lacks the 120Hz ProMotion display, which offers smoother scrolling and better responsiveness. It sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate.
The A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 is the same one used in the iPhone 13 Pro, meaning there isn’t a noticeable performance improvement unless upgrading from an older model.
Unique Features
The iPhone 14 introduced crash detection and satellite SOS to the iPhone – which are two safety features that have actually saved lives.
Crash Detection uses advanced sensors to recognise when you’ve been in a serious car accident, and if you don’t respond, it automatically calls emergency services for you. It’s like having a safety net, just in case life throws you a curveball.
Then there’s Satellite SOS, a lifesaver when you’re out of signal range. If you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere, your iPhone can connect to satellites to send for help, even when you’ve got zero bars of mobile reception. It’s the ultimate “just in case” feature for adventurers or anyone with a knack for getting lost!
Design and Build
The iPhone isn’t just a piece of technology – it’s a fashion accessory, and one that has a fairly timeless design. The iPhone 14 looks very similar to the phones that come before and after it, with the most noticeable difference being the colours you can choose from – especially compared to the pastels of the iPhone 15. Personally, I’m a big fan of the iPhone 14’s general colour palate, although I do wish it came in green.
The phone is water and dust-proof (with the same IP68 rating as every other modern iPhone), although all flagship iPhones lose some durability points thanks to their rear glass panelling.
Price (vs. Storage Size)
This entry-level iPhone was launched in 2022 at a starting price of £699, although you could end up paying much more than that for increased storage. This follows Apple’s recent trend of each iPhone being more expensive than the last, rather than keeping prices steady and selling older models at a discount. The question of whether the upgrade is worth it largely depends on how much improvement that extra £100 buys you.
Here are the prices, next to storage size information:
| Model | Price (Brand New) | Price (Refurb) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 | £414.99 (128GB) | Very Good condition |
| £524.99 (256GB) | ||
| iPhone 14 Plus | £434.99 (128GB) | Very Good condition |
| £579.99 (256GB) | ||
| *Prices as of 16/09/24. While refurbished stock lasts | ||
Is 128GB Enough?
For most users, we think yes.
Once you take away the storage space you need to cover the bare minimum functions, you’re left with a comfortable 100GB. That’s enough for up to 30 hours of Full HD video, up to 22,000 photos, or 5 huge mobile games.
If you have a love for taking 4K videos with your iPhone, then you’ll only squeeze a few hours of footage onto your phone before needing to delete something, but serious camera lovers should consider a higher-spec iPhone anyway. Also, Apple offers affordable cloud storage options with iCloud+!
Did you know? Unlike many Android phones, iPhones don’t come with expandable storage – which means there is no option to add storage with a microSD card.
3.23 GHz + 6GB RAM
Processing Power: A15 Bionic Chip
The iPhone 14 uses the A15 Bionic processor – the same as the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. This chip features AI processing and has top speeds that rival most laptops! But what does that mean?
The truth is, unless you’re a pro gamer, you aren’t likely to notice any difference between the iPhone 14’s processor speed and basically any other recent iPhone. The phone also has 6GB of RAM, which is much more than enough for most users.
Finally, the iPhone 14 was launched with iOS 16. Assuming that you look after your phone well, it could keep receiving updates and running smoothly and securely until 2028.
Attention Gamers!
For keen mobile gamers, or power users like me, we recommend the iPhone 15 Pro (or Pro Max). The A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro even supports ray-traced graphics, and can play recent triple-A games!
All-Day Battery
The iPhone 14’s battery, when brand-new out of the box, is advertised to last through up to 16 hours of constant YouTube videos.
To an Android user, the impressive battery life feels like a magic trick. The iPhone 14 has a smaller battery capacity than its main competitors but still manages to outlast them in testing. Here’s how the iPhone 14’s battery stacks up against Apple’s other phones:
Fast Charging
The iPhone 14 supports Apple’s 20W Fast-charging standard, same as the iPhone 12 and 13. All you need is a 20W charger from Apple, which will get the iPhone 14 to 50% charge in only half an hour! You can manage without your phone for half an hour! … can’t you?
Wireless Charging
The iPhone 14 is compatible with all Qi-certified wireless chargers (that’s all modern wireless phone chargers).
Apple’s MagSafe chargers will snap to the back of a MagSafe iPhone case for optimal wireless charging.
Smart Battery Optimisations
Thanks to Apple’s closed ecosystem, iPhones are typically able to get more battery life out of a smaller-sized battery (when compared to similar Android phones)
Battery Life
After using a brand-new iPhone 14 for work, 5 days a week for 12 months, our tester has noticed that it’s sitting at 93% battery!
When you’re buying a refurbished phone, battery life can vary depending on the grade of the phone. At The Big Phone Store, our phones have a MINIMUM of 85% battery health – enough for up to 12 hours of streaming video.
Camera
The iPhone 14 keeps it simple with just two rear-facing cameras: a wide and an ultra-wide lens. What’s missing? The telephoto lens you’ll find on all of Apple’s Pro models. So, if zooming in without losing detail is high on your list, you might need to look elsewhere.
While the iPhone 14 sticks with the same 12MP camera sensor as the iPhone 13, it’s not without some upgrades. Enter the Photonic Engine—Apple’s clever AI image processor that gives your photos a serious boost, especially in tricky lighting.
On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro steps things up with a flashy “48MP” quad-pixel camera. But here’s the catch—it still produces 12MP images. The difference? Those 12MP photos pack in a lot more detail, thanks to the magic of combining pixels for sharper, clearer images. So while the megapixel count might sound the same, the Pro’s camera gives you a noticeable edge in image quality.
iPhone 14 Camera Specs
Powered by: Photonic Engine (AI)
Main Lens (OIS, AF):
12MP, 26mm, ƒ/1.5
Wide Lens (120° FOV):
12MP, 13mm, ƒ/2.4
Selfie (TrueDepth):
12MP, ƒ/1.9
Display: Super Retina XDR
The iPhone 14 uses the same Super Retina XDR display as every other iPhone since the 11 Pro.
Super Retina XDR displays like the one on the iPhone 14 have a pixel density of about 460ppi (pixels per inch) – which for a phone held at a normal distance from your face, is a higher resolution than the human eye.
Here’s how far you need to zoom in before you can see the individual pixels on the screen:
Unlike the iPhone 11’s Liquid Retina screen, Super Retina is an LED display. LED displays (which include OLED and AMOLED) allow more contrast and brightness compared to LCD displays. Most flagship phones today use LED.
The screen refresh rate is 60hz, which might feel just ever so slightly less smooth than the 120hz display on the recent Pro iPhones (and slower than both the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7), but you should of course remember that most videos are only 30hz or less!
Sustainability
Apple aims to make all its products 100% carbon-neutral by 2030, with its operations already fully carbon-neutral thanks to carbon offsetting. With each iPhone release, Apple increases the use of recycled materials, although some plastic is still used in the iPhone 14’s packaging.
The iPhone 14 has a carbon footprint of 61-91kg CO2e, sitting between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 15, but still lower than the 14 Pro Max. If sustainability is key, the iPhone 15 is the cleaner choice. However, the iPhone 14 is more energy-efficient than many Android phones, lasting longer on a single charge despite having a smaller battery.
“Apple’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030 looks achievable, but it doesn’t change the fact that buying a new phone always creates unnecessary emissions. The best way to avoid a large carbon footprint is always to buy a refurbished phone.” –Steve Athwal, Sustainability Expert
How does the iPhone 14 compare to Android?
Let’s dive into the flagship showdown of 2022: the Samsung Galaxy S22, Google Pixel 7, and iPhone 14. At their core, these phones are all about personal preference—whether it’s the display style or camera output that wins you over. For instance, Apple’s Photonic Engine enhances contrast in selfies, giving some shots a stylish edge, though it might make others appear too dark.
Design-wise, each has its own vibe. Both the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7 feature a sleek punch-hole camera centred at the top of the screen, while the iPhone 14 sticks with Apple’s wider notch design. The S22 and Pixel 7 are slimmer, although the Pixel’s signature camera bar adds a bit of bulk.
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison:
Samsung Galaxy S22
Pros: 50MP primary camera, 3x zoom lens, better low-light photography, lighter, faster display
Cons: only 10MP selfie camera, £70 more expensive
iPhone 14
12MP main camera, 12MP selfie camera, Longer battery life
Works well with Apple ecosystem (AirDrop, AirTag, Apple Watch, FaceTime, App Store)
Google Pixel 7
Pros: 50MP primary camera, faster display, larger screen, £100 cheaper, works seamlessly with Google account
Cons: only 10MP selfie camera, heavier
The Boring Bits: Detailed Specifications
Below is a list of detailed specifications highlighting the differences between the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus:
