At a time when persons are making an attempt to avoiding spending greater than they want, there’s an attention-grabbing dilemma for these fascinated about upgrading an outdated iPhone. Instead of shopping for the iPhone 14 it can save you $100/£100 and purchase an iPhone that, whereas a 12 months outdated, shares the identical look, a really related processor, and lots of the options of the newer handset. But there are nonetheless significant variations that justify the distinction in value. We’ll assist you to determine which one to purchase.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Cameras
We don’t often soar straight to the cameras in these comparisons, however that’s by far the most important distinction between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13. The iPhone 14 has two cameras on the again, similar to the iPhone 13, however the newer mannequin features a quicker aperture (ƒ/1.5 reasonably than ƒ/1.6) and a bigger sensor on the primary digicam to convey higher total efficiency and enhancements in low-light capturing.
The iPhone 14 additionally advantages from a brand new Photonic Engine computational system that helps seize extra element in difficult gentle and aids options reminiscent of the brand new Foreground Blur in Portrait Mode. The enhancements in low gentle images don’t simply imply that the ensuing pictures are higher, it signifies that when you’re taking a photograph in low gentle you don’t have to carry the iPhone regular for as lengthy.

Low-light pictures taken with the iPhone 14 seize extra element and protect shadows higher than the iPhone 13.
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There’s additionally an Action Mode for video capturing that’s designed to enhance stabilization when you’re recording video whereas transferring. This works rather well and is a characteristic that can make a distinction to nearly anybody, the place previous video options, such because the Cinematic Mode that arrived with the iPhone 13, have reasonably fallen flat (we’ve by no means fairly labored out the place we’d profit from Cinematic Mode).
It’s not simply the cameras on the again of the iPhone 14 which might be higher than the these on the iPhone 13. The selfie digicam—aka the TrueDepth digicam used for FaceTime and Face ID—has additionally been upgraded on the entrance of the iPhone 14. This digicam features autofocus and a wider aperture, which can result in improved low-light efficiency.
If you primarily use your iPhone for images these are all glorious causes to decide on the iPhone 14 over the 13.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Design
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 have very related designs, with just a few exceptions. Thanks to the modifications to the rear cameras, the cameras protrude barely additional on the again of the iPhone 14, which signifies that in the event you lay the iPhones on the desk the iPhone 14 will likely be barely much less flat than the iPhone 13. Also the buttons have been shifted barely, so a case for an iPhone 13 will in all probability not be appropriate for an iPhone 14
iPhone 14: 5.78 inches (146.7 mm) x 2.82 inches (71.5 mm) x 0.31 inch (7.80 mm) x 6.07 ounces (172 grams)
iPhone 13: 5.78 inches (146.7 mm) x 2.82 inches (71.5 mm) x 0.30 inch (7.65 mm) x 6.10 ounces (173 grams)
Another distinction between the 2 telephones is the colour finishes you may select from. The iPhone 13 colours are typically darker than these of the iPhone 13. For instance the iPhone 14 has a pale blue possibility in comparison with the deep blue of the iPhone 13, and even the Product Red end for 2022 seems to be brighter than regular. Plus pink has been switched for purple.

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iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Safety options
There are two different issues that the iPhone 14 presents that the iPhone 13 doesn’t, though one in every of them will solely make a distinction to you in case you are based mostly within the U.S. or Canada, and the opposite will solely matter in case you are in a automotive crash. The first is the a brand new capacity to make an emergency name through satellite tv for pc – so in case you are in bother and don’t have mobile protection you’ll nonetheless have the ability to name the emergency providers so long as you’ve gotten adequate visibility of the sky. It’s one thing you in all probability gained’t want to make use of, however may make a giant distinction in the event you had been personal such a scenario.
Similarly the Crash Detection characteristic (which can be obtainable on all the 2022 Apple Watches) is one thing you’ll hopefully by no means want to profit from, but it surely may have the potential to save lots of your life. The iPhone 14 can really detect in case you are in a automotive accident and can contact the emergency providers in your behalf.
It’s a difficult one this. On the one hand we’ve an iPhone that would prevent $100/£100, on the opposite we’ve an iPhone that would save your life. We suppose most individuals will conclude that they’ll in all probability be okay.

$799.99
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: A15 processor
We started this text by noting that the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 share the identical A15 chip. However, it’s not precisely the identical chip. The A15 within the iPhone 14 is extra just like the A15 from the iPhone 13 Pro because of its further GPU core. But in truth, as per our benchmarks, the A15 within the iPhone 14 can really beat the A15 within the iPhone 13 Pro in some exams. It appears doubtless that the iPhone 14’s A15 chip advantages from inner modifications Apple claims to have made to the telephone that support warmth dispersion. Even if the iPhone 14 was equivalent to the iPhone 13 these inner modifications may nonetheless have resulted in higher benchmarks.
These benchmarks exhibit that the iPhone 14 delivers first rate pace boosts in comparison with the iPhone 13.
If you play video games or use different graphics intensive apps the additional GPU core may matter to you, however for typical customers it could not make any distinction in any respect.
There’s one different benchmark that the iPhone 14 beats the iPhone 13 in: battery life. Apple claims that the iPhone 14 can present as much as 20 hours video playback, in comparison with 19 hours for the iPhone 13. We ran the considerably extra demanding Geekbench 4 battery exams and located the same story. Here we obtained 8:57 hours for the iPhone 14 in comparison with 8:11 for the iPhone 13.
One further hour of battery life doesn’t sound all that thrilling, though in case your journey house from work is an hour then it might be the distinction between your iPhone working out of battery and it hanging on till you get house. Not that 20 hours is a practical information to battery size – that every one is dependent upon what you might be utilizing your iPhone for. The most necessary factor might be how lengthy you’ll need to plug your iPhone in for to get sufficient energy to final a day at work – and that’s the identical for each iPhones: Up to 50% cost in half-hour with 20W adapter.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Storage
There’s one different comparability between the 2 iPhones that may not be instantly apparent, however ought to definitely be thought of. While each telephones begin at 128GB for storage, value remains to be a difficulty. On one facet, we’ve the iPhone 14 for $799/£849 with 128GB storage, on the opposite we may contemplate an iPhone 13 with 256GB storage, for $799/£859. There are many for whom further storage will trump the extra options provided by the iPhone 14.
Just how a lot storage do you actually need although? As we talk about in a separate article, you might not want as a lot storage as you suppose you do because of providers reminiscent of iCloud and Apple Music. However, in our expertise, if the storage in your new iPhone is smaller than that of your outdated iPhone there are challenges to be confronted when transferring the information between the iPhones.
If you might be blissful to sacrifice storage for the the options of the iPhone 14 learn our story on tips on how to release house on an iPhone for tricks to scale back the quantity of house you might be utilizing earlier than you make the transfer.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: What’s the identical
While that’s a good quantity of distinction between the 2 iPhones, there’s rather more that’s the identical. In reality these two iPhones are so related that it’s a little bit of a problem to inform them aside.
Both iPhones have a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR show with 2532-by-1170-pixel decision at 460 ppi, 2,000,000:1 distinction ratio (typical), 800 nits max brightness (typical), and 1200 nits peak brightness (HDR). The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 even have an equivalent notch. This is a smaller notch than that of the iPhone 12, but it surely’s nonetheless a notch. If you need much less notch that you must look to the iPhone 14 Pro with it’s new Dynamic Island space.
As we’ve already defined, there are new digicam options on the iPhone 14, however there are additionally a variety of digicam options that each iPhones share, so selecting the iPhone 13 gained’t imply sacrificing images options such because the Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting results, Photographic Styles, Cinematic Mode, and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision in 4K at 60 fps.
If you might be clumsy neither of those telephones are extra sturdy than the opposite. Both have water-proof to a depth of 6 meters for as much as half-hour. They each characteristic a Ceramic Shield entrance, which ought to imply that the glass on the entrance is much less more likely to smash in the event you drop it. However, each characteristic a glass again (which is critical for MagSafe charging) and in the event you drop your iPhone with no case on then you might be just about assured to interrupt the glass on the again. So our suggestion is that you simply pop your new iPhone in a case.

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iPhone 14 or iPhone 13: Which telephone is the higher purchase?
Never earlier than have two generations of iPhone been fairly so related. Even when Apple would introduce a S model of the iPhone each different 12 months, there was a distinction in processor, however the iPhone 14 Apple has widened the hole between the iPhone Pro and the usual iPhone. Come subsequent 12 months we may once more see a generational leap in processor between the iPhone 14 and its successor, which can certainly get the A16.
That’s to not say that there isn’t a processor bump for the brand new telephone, as you may see from the benchmarks this chip means the iPhone 14 is extra just like the iPhone 13 Pro, so it’s higher than the iPhone 13. It’s simply not a complete technology higher.
But ought to the main target be on the processor? When contemplating a brand new iPhone the capabilities of the processor may very well be seen as much less necessary than how lengthy Apple will assist that processor for. We can assume that the iPhone 13 and 14 will each lose iOS compatibility on the similar time, however this gained’t be a priority for a few years.
The huge distinction between the 2 iPhones is the improved digicam capabilities within the iPhone 14, which embody higher (quicker) low gentle images and the Action Mode. The Action Mode is unquestionably the marquee characteristic and one many individuals are doubtless to make use of, in contrast to the Cinematic Mode that arrived with the iPhone 13. For our cash, Active Mode is the one purpose to improve to the iPhone 14, but it surely’s an excellent one. If you don’t take many movies or care about Action Mode, you may safely stick to the iPhone 13 and save a couple of bucks.
For extra assist deciding on the perfect iPhone for you, learn our full information to all of the iPhones Apple sells. We even have the next opinions:

$699.99
$829.00
$1,129.00