I've been an iPhone user for most of my life, and I vividly remember the day I got my hands on the futuristic-looking iPhone 4S in 2014. It was the pinnacle of smartphone design at the time and the last iPhone designed by the late Steve Jobs. Although it was passed down from my parents, buying an iPhone was all I wanted, especially since I could now show it off at school. Since then I've used several newer models like the iPhone 8 and iPhone XR, but none have delivered that new and futuristic feel. I upgraded to the iPhone 12 last year and it seemed like a value for money decision given the price difference and similarity between it and the iPhone 13, and I've enjoyed my time until recently.
Apple recently updated the iPhone 14 series with a mid-cycle color refresh and introduced a new yellow color that caught my attention. I recently had the chance to spend a few weeks experiencing the new and shiny yellow iPhone 14 that Apple recently launched and the experience was worth it. So if you're an iPhone 12 user like me, you'll definitely want to do thatcontactfor iPhone 14 but don't know if it's worth spending your hard-earned moneymoneyfurther, read on.
Display and design
Are you unsure about which mobile phone to buy?
Let's go over the specs first. The iPhone 14 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with a 60 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels at 460 ppi. While specs do matter, I think seeing is believing. Without the handy Dynamic Island, the iPhone 14 has an almost identical screen to the iPhone 12. Although the notch is smaller and the bezels are thinner on the iPhone 14, you can only see the difference when you hold the devices. in your hand. The iPhone 14 doesn't have ProMotion, so you're still stuck with the 60Hz refresh rate you see on the iPhone 12. The maximum brightness is slightly higher, but until you go outside it doesn't matter much.
The design of both iPhone 14 and iPhone 12 is also similar. Both phones have an aluminum design, Ceramic Shield on the front and glass on the back. Since the iPhone 14 weighs just 10 grams heavier, there haven't been any major design changes aside from the rear camera module (which we'll talk about later).
That said, the iPhone 14's refreshing yellow color is attractive. Apple has brought the yellow color back to the iPhone for the first time since the iPhone 11, and the new color is a pastel color. It's not that yellowPoco M3, but instead it's a soft shade of yellow, except for the side rails, which are a shade darker.
Performance
Apple isn't known for cutting corners on its iPhones, but the Cupertino-based tech giant surprisedosall when it was announced that the iPhone 14 would retain the A15 Bionic chipset from the iPhone 13, albeit with some improvements. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 will have an A14 Bionic under the hood. Apple builds its iPhones to last, and that's the case here too. Although the iPhone 14 is one of the fastestsmartphonesThe iPhone 12 is not lagging behind on the market, especially with moderate daily use. Granted, the iPhone 14 lasts longer because it's a newer model, but the iPhone 12 doesn't feel two generations older.
The only features that make the iPhone 14 stand out are Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite, both of which are not yet available in India.
Camera
Camera has always been one of the iPhone's strong points, and this is where Apple's A15 Bionic comes in with an improved 5-core GPU and Photonic Engine. It improves on the Deep Fusion technology of the iPhone 12 and offers stunning image quality on the iPhone 14. Not only do you get more detailed images with better HDR, but low-light photography is also a huge improvement. Although the number of megapixels on the standard iPhone 14 remains the same as on the iPhone 12, the better sensor together with the Photonic Engine results in sharper, more detailed and better balanced snapshots.
Cinematic mode is hands down my favorite camera feature on the iPhone 14, which can record 4Kvideosup to 60fps, a feature I'll dearly miss when I return to my iPhone 12. There's also a new Action mode, which allows for 2.8K recording at 60fps. All in all, an upgrade to the iPhone 14 is a no-brainer if you're a photo freak.
Battery life
Exceptcamera'sBattery life is another area where the two-generation leap is noticeable. The battery life of the iPhone 14 is a huge improvement over the iPhone 12, and the iPhone can easily last a day, if not longer, with average daily use. According to Apple, the iPhone 14 offers up to 20 hours of video playback, compared to 17 hours on the iPhone 12, and the difference is a big win for Apple's current-generation iPhone.
Both iPhones support fast charging up to 20W, so the time needed to charge the devices remains virtually the same.
iPhone 14 vs iPhone 12: Should You Upgrade?
If you are someone who wants to upgrade from an iPhone 12 to an iPhone 14, then I recommend that you stick with your current device. Both iPhones have identical designs, except for a smaller notch and the rear camera module. While the camera and battery upgrades are significant on the iPhone 14, the lack of new features like Dynamic Island and the ProMotion display diminishes its appeal, especially due to its high price. Performance remains the same, and unless you're an extremely heavy user, you won't notice much of a difference.
So you're better off going for the iPhone 14 Pro models, or you can wait for the iPhone 15 series, which is rumored to bring features like Dynamic Island to all models.
