Apple has given select media outlets and YouTubers access to the iPhone 14 Plus ahead of its launch on Friday, October 7.
The iPhone 14 Plus is Apple's largest entry-level iPhone model with a 6.7-inch display, a display size that's been historically reserved for only the highest-end iPhone. The iPhone 14 Plus shares many of the same features of the standard smaller iPhone 14 model, which was reviewed prior to launch last month.
Battery Life
Thanks to a display that lacks Pro features such as always-on capability and more internal space allocated to the battery, the iPhone 14 Plus features the longest battery life of any non-Pro iPhone. The Verge's Allison Johnson says the iPhone 14 Plus is capable of offering users multi-day battery life, saying it offered three days of battery life on a single charge in testing.
Apple's claim of the "best battery life in an iPhone" isn't an exaggeration. Typically, a day of moderate use with about two hours of screen-on time and plenty of time away from Wi-Fi only drained the battery by about 25 percent in my experience. I even managed to get three days of use on a single charge. Reader, I can't remember the last time I used an iPhone that comfortably made it through multiple days of use.
The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern said the iPhone 14 Plus lasted 20 hours in a video streaming test, shy of the iPhone 14 Pro Max at over 21 hours.
Display
The iPhone 14 Plus features just a 60Hz display, and CNET's Patrick Holland says while the display is impressive with good brightness and colors, the lack of a higher refresh rate is disappointing for a phone in this price range.
A higher refresh-rate screen looks more immersive, whether you are playing a game or just scrolling on Twitter. The 14 Plus' screen is locked in at 60Hz. I wish Apple had included a higher refresh-rate display on the 14 Plus, even if it's a more modest 90Hz. And it's strange that only the Pro models get an adaptive refresh rate.
The 14 Plus' screen looks good, but the one on the 14 Pro Max looks better. Some of that is about the refresh rate, but some of it is that the 14 Pro Max can get much brighter. In my time testing the 14 Plus, I didn't have any issues being able to see the screen outdoors. But I live in San Francisco, so in a sunnier locale that could be more of a challenge.
Cameras
Both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus share the exact same camera system, so camera reviews for the iPhone 14 will also be applicable to the iPhone 14 Plus. As expected, reviewers say the iPhone 14 Plus handled low-light situations well, with poppy colors and good highlights. From The Verge's Allison Johnson:
What that boils down to is better low-light performance, especially from the ultrawide and selfie cam, even though the hardware isn't exactly new or special. You can read a little more in-depth analysis in my iPhone 14 review, but the short version is that this is a very good camera system — not solely worth upgrading for, but it'll be a pleasant update if you're coming from an iPhone 11 or older.
Performance
Both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus share the same chip from last year's iPhone 13 Pro. Despite this, the iPhone 14 Plus "still feels premium though, and has more than enough performance to handle anything you can throw at it," according to Engadget's Sam Rutherford.
Top Rated Comments
Also @samifathi, "early access ... ahead of its launch" is redundant. 😏