Why Choose the iPhone 14 Plus – Is Bigger Really Better?

It’s finally here – the Apple iPhone 14 Plus was announced during the September Apple Event, released on October 7th and looks to offer a great alternative to the Pro & Pro Max models.

However, compared to the rest of this new Apple smartphone series, many are left wondering what the real difference is… Outside of a larger screen & a price tag ~£150 cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro. Worry not!

We’re here to dig a little into the specs/features behind this phone & see how it stacks up to the rest of the range, and why you should choose the iPhone 14 Plus…

So, read on for all the changes to this model, from a different display and bigger battery to our most common FAQs, along with everything that has remained the same…

What’s new? All iPhone 14 Plus upgrades:

Apple has decided to break away from its range of “Mini” models, with the iPhone 13 Mini proving the last of its kind (grab them whilst you can, they could turn into collectables!). For those who miss the Mini, you are not alone. It seems that Apple has done a complete 180, and is offering the opposite of compact variants.

So, with such a dramatic change, what’s new? It’s a fair question and one that’s important to answer correctly. To give you the best perspective, we’ve further compared the iPhone 14 Plus to the stock 14 and Pro models throughout this post; this should help you get a better understanding of its true value.

UPDATE – Get with the times! Learn all the latest iPhone 15 leaks and rumours here.

Read our post on the iPhone 14 Series release for a deep dive into all of these new smartphones, or continue reading and learn all about the iPhone 14 vs PLUS:

With those immediate specs out of the way, let’s kick it off with all the exciting new additions to the iPhone 14 Plus, starting with its bigger display:

Display

To those who say size is everything, this one is for you. As mentioned, the key traits behind the iPhone 14 Plus are its significantly increased size and lower price tag.

Surprisingly, the Plus packs a display larger than both the default 14 and Pro models, very impressive. In fact, it’s only marginally smaller (~20 px) than the Pro Max!

For all those pixel pushers, here are the exact resolutions:

• Plus: 2778x1284px at 458 ppi
• Pro Max: 2796x1290px at 460 ppi
• Pro: 2556x1179px at 460 ppi
• iPhone 14: 2532x1170px at 460 ppi

Both the default and Plus models continue to claim HDR display, haptic touch, and 800 nits max brightness (1,200 nits peak). If you were expecting more, so were we! Other than display dimensions and resolution, their overall functionality remains the same.

Finally, the PLUS also retains the trademark Apple “notch” as seen in so many prior designs, for any who may prioritise these things! We still feel that both models offer more than enough for the price, including “Super Retina XDR” and an OLED display.

Now that the display is done, let’s move on to dimensions:

iPhone 14 Plus Dimensions

One of the largest iPhone models to date

Let’s discuss the size, weight and other dimensions surrounding the iPhone 14 Plus. It comes as no surprise that this year’s iteration of their range also contains their biggest iPhone models to date. Yet the Plus takes it a step further, offering a significant increase in size for a lower price:

In fact, it’s actually bigger than the Pro Max, albeit by a matter of millimetres, making it one of the largest iPhone 14 models available. However, this bigger screen and lower price do not come without a cost, with the Plus weighing 203g (7.16 oz), around 31g more than the iPhone 14.

Worth noting, the iPhone 14 Plus does NOT feature “Always-On Display”, which may actually contribute to its slightly longer battery life. Check out our full selection of Apple iPhone business deals here.

Learn all about the battery life behind the iPhone 14 Plus below:

Battery Life

This is where things get interesting, with Apple claiming that the iPhone 14 Plus has a longer battery life than their top-tier Pro Max model. However, we haven’t found any evidence to support this, with data on their own website contradicting this claim.

PRO performance at the perfect price

Giving Apple the benefit of the doubt, they may have been referring to the upgraded 100-hour audio playback, the best achieved by an iPhone to date. The overall performance of the iPhone 14 Plus is slightly better than the Pro model, claiming an extra 3 hours of video and 25 hours of audio playback.

Here are the key differences between the iPhone 14 Plus battery life, compared to the rest of the range:

Key Differences:

So, the advantages behind the bigger (and better for your budget) 14 Plus are clear. It claims the best audio playback time out of any Apple smartphone to date, at around 100 hours of use. It also outperforms the standard & Pro models in video playback length & claims a battery capacity on par with the Pro Max.

Love a bit of smartphone speculation? Read up on the latest iPhone 14 leaks, rumours and more. With those new iPhone 14 Plus upgrades and differences out of the way, let’s take a look at what specs stayed the same:

What specs have stayed the same?

Other than the aforementioned changes, there is little difference between the Plus and standard models. It’s functionally an iPhone 14, with an upgraded battery and display at just ~£100 extra. It still includes all the same fantastic features brought with iOS 16, including Emergency Crash Detection, SOS, Satellite Support and much more.

So, here are all the sections of the iPhone 14 Plus that haven’t received any upgrades:

Camera & Video Recording

First up, the iPhone 14 Plus camera remains the same as the standard model. Both claim a dual 12 MP camera system (main & ultra-wide), with 2x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom. All models from the 14 to the Pro Max include portrait lighting with six professional effects.

Not quite up to par with the Pro, but almost there.

Although both the 14 and Plus can still record 4K up to 60 fps, they do not claim the same “ProRes” 4K & Macro video recording capabilities as the Pro/Max. The camera is a little last-gen, but still great quality and not a deal breaker for most.

Other than ProRes 4K and Macro support, video recording on the Plus remains fairly similar to the Pro Max model. However, the Pro/Pro Max models feature a quad “Pro camera” system, comprised of an incredible 48MP main camera with a 6x optical zoom range.

Read our post on the iPhone 14 Series specs & features for more information on all of the components that make up these marvellous models. Otherwise, read on and learn all about the hardware and capacity of the iPhone 14 Plus:

Hardware & Capacity

Much like the standard model, the iPhone 14 Plus claims a capacity ranging from 128GB, 256GB and 512GB – unfortunately, no 1TB options as seen with the Pro & Pro Max. Whilst we would have liked to see an increased capacity, it would have been impractical considering the Plus’ nature as a more cost-effective alternative.

Same CPU
Both models share the same A15 CPU/processor, which has seen a noticeable upgrade over the previous generation. However, the Pro & Pro Max models both boast the cutting-edge A16 bionic chip, released earlier this year by Apple.

Same Water Resistance
All iPhone 14 Series models feature the same IP68 water ingress resistance, rated for a maximum depth of 6 metres up to 30 minutes. It’s no surprise that all models include the same level of protection, durability is always in everyone’s best interest and should not influence cost!

Mobile/Wireless
Surprisingly, all models share very similar mobile & wireless compatibility. 5G compatibility, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit LTE, NFC and much more are all proudly supported by each iPhone 14 model. However, we did notice that the 14 Pro Max features an upgraded “precision dual-frequency” GPS over the 14/Plus.

Lastly, the Plus has all the same sensors as the base model, although no LiDAR scanner as seen on the Pro/Max models. Regardless of a few missing features, we feel the iPhone 14 Plus makes a worthy addition to the series and works great with the new iOS 16.

Read our full opinion on the iPhone 14 Plus next:

What’s our opinion?

What do we think about this new addition to the series? We love it, although it’s a bittersweet moment as it marks the end of Apple’s “Mini” series. It appears that it costs more to create something compact, and also takes much more effort to recreate the desired performance.

The start of something… Big?

Doing this for each new iPhone series must have put pressure on Apple’s team to innovate, something they are well known for. Still, it seems they have chosen a new path, offering a more cost-effective alternative to the Pro whilst remaining on par in many aspects.

Personally, we welcome the iPhone 14 Plus to the family, although we feel Apple may have to pull a few more surprises out of the bag in order to stay special in the world of smartphones. That’s nothing new for their team though, who has been leading the push in smartphone innovation for years.

Larger-than-life smartphones!

We don’t blame them for ditching the Mini and pushing for the Plus, as studies indicate that smartphone users worldwide are increasingly favouring larger screen sizes. Over the years, we’ve seen demand for screen sizes under 5″ shrink by -83%, with demand for screens above 6-7″+ exploding by just over ~120%.

This smartphone is shaping up to be one of the top performers of 2022. Get the iPhone 14 Plus on an EE business contract now, OR see our top picks for the 10+ Best Phones for Business.

Looking for something else? See our list of the 10+ Best Tablets for business here!

iPhone 14 Plus Unboxing

See our official iPhone 14 Plus unboxing with Ryan from Simply Mobile:

Want to learn more about this model? Read all of the iPhone 14 Plus FAQs below:

iPhone 14 Plus FAQs: