This story is a part of Focal Level iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of reports, suggestions and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.

Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Professional arrived on Sept. 16, and chances are you’ll be questioning if both iPhone is price the trade-up from a earlier iPhone. Above all else, the reply is dependent upon which telephone you at present personal. If in case you have a current mannequin like the iPhone 13 or 12, it is best to wait. In case your telephone is older although, it is price determining how a lot you will acquire by leaping to a more recent iPhone.

The $799 (£849, AU$1,399) iPhone 14 brings modest enhancements which can be appreciated however not game-changing, like nitty-gritty digicam enhancements, car-crash detection and the help for satellite-based emergency messaging. (Hopefully, you will by no means be in a state of affairs the place you will want to use the latter two.) The iPhone 14 additionally has a brand new inner design with simpler entry to inner parts, making it simpler to restore than earlier fashions. iFixit, an internet site that disassembles tech merchandise and assesses how straightforward they’re to repair, referred to as it “the most repairable iPhone in years.” 

The iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max’s upgrades are extra dramatic, however you continue to do not want to improve until you may rating an awesome trade-in deal. Apple saved its most attention-grabbing new options for the Professional lineup, together with the Dynamic Island that replaces the notch, the new A16 Bionic processor and a 48-megapixel primary digicam sensor. In the event you want bigger telephones, it’s your decision to wait till Apple releases the iPhone 14 Plus earlier than making your choice. 

In the event you want bigger telephones, you additionally would possibly need to wait till the 6.7-inch $899 iPhone 14 Plus arrives on Oct. 7. It’s vital to keep in mind that you do not have to purchase the iPhone 14 to get digicam, battery and efficiency enhancements over an earlier iPhone. 

The not too long ago discounted $699 iPhone 13 or the smaller $599 13 Mini could possibly be an excellent choice if you happen to nonetheless need extra storage, sooner efficiency and an improved digicam, particularly in case you are coming from a telephone that is three years outdated or extra. It’s additionally the solely choice if you’d like the smaller Mini and its 5.4-inch display, since the iPhone 14 line eliminates that measurement in favor of the new $899 iPhone 14 Plus with a 6.7-inch display. 

Buying choices will all the time range relying on funds, how nicely your telephone works proper now and your private wants, so there is no easy reply that works for everybody. However listed here are the greatest variations between the iPhone 14 lineup and former iPhone generations to assist you decide.

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 13, 13 Professional, 13 Professional Max

The iPhone 14 lineup introduces new options akin to car-crash detection, the removing of the bodily SIM card for US telephones, and enhanced cameras on the rear and entrance. Regardless of these adjustments, iPhone 14 is not completely different sufficient to justify upgrading from the iPhone 13. And regardless that Apple lastly removed the notorious notch in the Professional Fashions, the 14 and 14 Plus nonetheless have one — it is the identical smaller notch that debuted on the iPhone 13 sequence. Actually, the iPhone 14 represents “one in all the most minimal year-over-year upgrades in Apple’s historical past,” in accordance to CNET’s Patrick Holland, who reviewed Apple’s newest telephones. 

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have the A15 Bionic chip from final yr’s iPhone 13 Professional and iPhone 13 Professional Max. The 14’s display appears to be like precisely like the one on the 13. Maybe the most outstanding change this yr is the introduction of a bigger model of the iPhone 14 referred to as the iPhone 14 Plus, which has a 6.7-inch display like the Professional Max. Which means you not have to splurge on Apple’s most costly iPhone if you’d like the largest display potential. 

In fact, the iPhone 14 continues to be extremely rated, however we advocate saving your cash and skipping the improve. In the event you’ve made up your thoughts to improve, we recommend going for an iPhone 14 Professional or iPhone 14 Professional Max if you happen to can afford it. These telephones are costly, however buys you entry to some salient adjustments — specifically a high-refresh price show, Apple’s new Dynamic Island multitasking bar, an always-on show in addition to higher cameras amongst different options.

The underside line: If in case you have an iPhone 13 or 13 Professional, do not improve. However in case you are decided to get a brand new telephone, go for the iPhone 14 Professional or 14 Professional Max, particularly if you happen to should have the Dynamic Island proper now. 

Learn extra: iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max Evaluate

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12, 12 Professional 

Although the iPhone 12 lineup was launched two years in the past, they nonetheless share many similarities with Apple’s newest telephones. Each the iPhone 12 and iPhone 14 help 5G, run on quick processors, provide nice cameras and embrace MagSafe accent compatibility.

Since the iPhone 14 is extra of a refresh than a serious improve, we advocate hanging onto your iPhone 12 if it is nonetheless in good situation. You possibly can benefit from the iPhone’s newest software program options akin to lock display customizations, widgets and the capability to unsend textual content messages by upgrading to iOS 16.

The iPhone 14 obtained a couple of notable digicam upgrades, like a bigger sensor, a brand new lens with a sooner aperture, improved picture processing and Motion Mode which makes the actions in movies look smoother once you document them.

However the iPhone 12’s cameras stay wonderful regardless that they’re two years outdated. The iPhone 12 has a 12-megapixel twin digicam system, whereas the iPhone 12 Professional features a third digicam with a telephoto lens. Try our iPhone 12 overview to see how the cameras held up when CNET put them by means of the paces.

It’s price remembering that you just get extra noticeable upgrades with the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max. These embrace every thing that is new in the 14, in addition to an upgraded primary digicam with a bigger 48-megapixel sensor, an ultrawide digicam that permits you to take Macro photographs and a 3rd digicam with a telephoto lens. If you will get an excellent trade-in deal that considerably knocks down the iPhone 14 Professional’s worth, upgrading from the common iPhone 12 is an honest step-up. 

The underside line: Maintain onto your iPhone 12 for an additional yr since the iPhone 14 is not dramatically completely different. Nevertheless, the iPhone 14 Professional and 14 Professional Max carry extra vital adjustments that could possibly be worthwhile if you happen to can snag an excellent trade-in deal. 

Learn Extra: All The “New” iPhone Options That Have Been on Android For Years

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 11, 11 Professional

In the event you’re utilizing an iPhone 11, we advocate upgrading to an iPhone 14 (and even an iPhone 13). In the final three years, Apple has made sufficient adjustments to options together with battery life, efficiency, display high quality, cameras and sturdiness to advantage shopping for a brand new iPhone. 

Upgrading to the iPhone 14 will get you 5G help, extra storage (128GB at the base degree versus 64GB) a greater primary digicam with a wider aperture lens, new video taking pictures choices like Motion mode and Cinematic mode, a greater selfie digicam with Evening mode and Apple’s Photonic Engine processing, compatibility with Apple’s MagSafe equipment, longer battery life and sooner efficiency. That is as well as to car-crash detection and Apple’s new emergency satellite tv for pc messaging characteristic. 

Most of the pictures and videography enhancements are dramatic adjustments in contrast to the iPhone 11. And the longer battery life and extra space for storing are welcomed upgrades that you will discover each day.

As beforehand talked about, if you happen to go for the 14 Professional as an alternative, you get a brand new 48-megapixel primary digicam, a more in-depth 3x optical zoom versus the 11 Professional Max’s 2x zoom, the Dynamic Island as an alternative of the notch and quite a few different upgrades like an always-on show.

The underside line: The iPhone 14 lineup contains sufficient adjustments to justify upgrading from the iPhone 11. But when your telephone continues to be in good situation and also you’re happy with it, set up iOS 16 and maintain onto it for an additional yr. 

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iPhone 14 vs. iPhone XS, XS Max, XR

In the event you purchased the iPhone XS, XS Max or XR at launch, meaning your telephone is roughly 4 years outdated and could also be beginning to really feel sluggish. That alone makes a robust case for upgrading, however there’s loads extra to acquire. 

In contrast to the iPhone XS, the iPhone 14 gives six hours of extra battery life (in accordance to Apple’s estimates). As well as to every thing that is new in the iPhone 14 particularly, you will additionally get different upgrades Apple has added to the iPhone over the previous few years. 

These embrace 5G help, extra storage (once more, you get 128GB versus 64GB), sooner efficiency and a greater digicam. The iPhone XS technology lacks Evening mode for taking clearer photos in the darkish, and it additionally does not have Deep Fusion, which is Apple’s title for its picture processing method that improves element and readability in darker environments. The XS’s entrance digicam has a decrease 7-megapixel decision in contrast to the bigger and newer 12-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 14. In the event you’re upgrading from an iPhone XR, you will additionally get an extra digicam with an ultrawide lens for taking broader group photographs for the first time. 

The iPhone 14 additionally has a bigger 6.1-inch display in contrast to the iPhone XS’ 5.8-inch show (the iPhone XS Max has a 6.5-inch display, whereas the XR’s display can also be 6.1 inches). The design has additionally modified fairly a bit over the previous 4 years; newer fashions have flat edges, a barely smaller notch, completely different finishes and a brand new “squircle”-shaped digicam module that replaces the pill-shaped rear digicam cutout. So your telephone is not going to solely really feel extra trendy, nevertheless it’ll look newer, too. 

The underside line: If in case you have an iPhone XS, XS Max or XR, it is undoubtedly price upgrading. You get a noticeable enhance in digicam high quality, battery life and efficiency amongst different areas.

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone X

The iPhone X is about 5 years outdated, which implies it in all probability feels sluggish and its battery life is not what it used to be. With an iPhone 14, you will discover a serious improve in each classes, in addition to design, improved sturdiness, connectivity and digicam high quality. 

Let’s begin with efficiency. The iPhone X runs on a a lot older A11 Bionic chip that is now 5 years outdated, whereas the iPhone 14 runs on Apple’s A15 Bionic processor. The iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max run on Apple’s newer A16 Bionic chip. Each new processors are method forward of the A11 chip, which solely has a two-core neural engine in contrast to the A15 Bionic’s 16-core neural engine. 

The iPhone’s neural engine powers duties that depend on machine studying and synthetic intelligence, which have gotten a much bigger a part of the iPhone expertise. Issues like app strategies in the App Library and Apple’s Translate app depend on machine studying to operate, which signifies that the iPhone X could wrestle to sustain with newer capabilities.

The iPhone X additionally has a dual-lens digicam comparable to that of the iPhone XS, which means it is lacking the iPhone 14’s digicam {hardware} enhancements as well as to Evening mode, Deep Fusion and the capability to management depth-of-field and blur ranges in Portrait mode. Like the iPhone XS, you are solely getting a 7-megapixel entrance digicam in contrast to a 12-megapixel selfie digicam on Apple’s newer telephones.

Apple’s five-year-old iPhone additionally has shorter battery life, with Apple estimating it ought to final for 13 hours when taking part in again video in contrast to 20 hours on the iPhone 14. The iPhone 14’s 6.1-inch display is greater than the 5.8-inch show on the iPhone X, and it also needs to be brighter since it could actually attain 800 nits of max brightness in contrast to the iPhone X’s 625-nit display.

The iPhone 14 helps Dolby Atmos and spatial audio playback, whereas the iPhone X simply has stereo playback. That is in all probability not a deal-breaker, however is perhaps essential if you happen to watch quite a lot of video in your telephone with out headphones.

And naturally, there’s the advantage of getting car-crash detection, Apple’s new emergency SOS messaging through satellite tv for pc choice, higher water resistance (up to 6 meters for half-hour versus 1 meter), 5G help, extra space for storing, Ceramic Defend for the show, a refreshed design and the choice to use MagSafe equipment on the iPhone 14.

The underside line: If in case you have the iPhone X, it is time to improve. The iPhone 14 will really feel new in nearly each method, from the digicam to efficiency, battery life and the method it appears to be like and feels. 

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 8, 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 technology has Apple’s legacy iPhone design, which is becoming for a telephone that is now 5 years outdated. If in case you have an iPhone 8 and are contemplating an improve, a lot of the causes to do which can be the identical as the causes to improve from the iPhone X. The processor is getting outdated, which may make it more durable to use newer iPhone options that depend on machine studying. The cameras are outdated and lack options like Evening mode (the smaller iPhone 8 does not have Portrait mode both, because it solely has one lens). By upgrading, you will get extra storage, considerably longer battery life, help for 5G connectivity and MagSafe equipment, too.

However the greatest distinction is in the iPhone 8’s design, which is far more than simply an aesthetic improve. Phones with Apple’s extra trendy edge-to-edge display commerce Contact ID for Face ID, which helps you to unlock your telephone and authenticate funds simply by your system. In the event you want Contact ID over Face ID, particularly because it’s tough to use Face ID whereas carrying a masks, you may want to at the least take into account upgrading to the $429 iPhone SE, because it has the identical processor as the iPhone 13, 5G compatibility and loads of pictures enhancements inside an identical physique to the iPhone 8.

Upgrading to the iPhone 14 has a noticeably giant leap in show measurement and high quality. Since newer telephones like the iPhone 14 haven’t got a house button, there’s extra room for Apple to broaden the display with out making the system really feel cumbersome. The iPhone 14’s display is even bigger than the iPhone 8 Plus’ 5.5-inch display regardless of the system itself feeling extra compact. (And for extra perspective, take into account that the iPhone 13 Mini has a 5.4-inch show). In the event you go for the 14 Professional you get one other massive change: the Dynamic Island, which transforms the notch space into an space for viewing alerts, system notifications and apps operating in the background like Spotify or Apple Music. 

From private expertise, switching from an iPhone 8 (which has a 4.7-inch display) to the iPhone 12’s 6.1-inch show makes studying, checking electronic mail and watching movies far more comfy. The display is not solely bigger, nevertheless it’s additionally extra vibrant with higher distinction because it makes use of an OLED show quite than LCD.

The underside line: The iPhone 14 is a big leap from the iPhone 8. Every part about this telephone will really feel quick and new: the a lot bigger and bolder display, Face ID, the speedier processor, its longer battery life and naturally the considerably upgraded cameras. Of be aware nonetheless, if you happen to really need to get a more recent iPhone however maintain the iPhone 8’s design, commerce up to the present 2022 iPhone SE.

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 7, 7 Plus

If in case you have an iPhone 7, it is time to improve. It is six years outdated, and it exhibits in every thing from the processor to the digicam and space for storing. The iPhone 7 does not help iOS 16, offering much more incentive for buying a more recent system. 

Whereas we typically advocate selecting the iPhone 14 Professional over the iPhone 14 typically, coming from a telephone this outdated, means you will discover loads that is new in the iPhone 14. 

The iPhone 7 runs on an growing older A10 Fusion processor, which does not actually have a neural engine and is a number of years behind Apple’s newest know-how. It has a single-lens digicam with out Portrait mode, whereas the 7 Plus has two cameras. However these cameras lack many trendy options like Evening mode and Portrait Lighting, which provides particular lighting results to your portraits. 

Related to the iPhone 8, the iPhone 7 sequence contains Contact ID and is available in both 4.7- or 5.5-inch display sizes. However since the iPhone 7 is a yr older than the iPhone 8, it is also lacking wi-fi charging, which implies it’s essential to plug it in to cost. 

In the event you’ve owned an iPhone 7 for a number of years, it is in all probability bursting at the seams because it has considerably much less space for storing. The entry-level iPhone 7 solely got here with 32GB of area, which is 1 / 4 of capability out there on the most cost-effective iPhone 14. 

The iPhone 14 brings main positive factors in almost each side. The usual mannequin has a bigger, bolder and brighter bezel-free 6.1-inch display that also feels compact because it does not have a house button. It runs on Apple’s A15 Bionic processor, which is healthier geared up to deal with newer iOS options. And it has a drastically improved dual-lens digicam with a bigger primary digicam sensor and superior options like the new Cinematic mode for video and Evening mode. Plus, Apple’s estimates point out it’s going to provide seven hours of extra battery life throughout video playback, which is a big bump.

The underside line: In the event you’re nonetheless holding onto your iPhone 7, there is no query that you just’re due for an improve. A greater display, compatibility with iOS 16, longer battery life and extra superior cameras are only a few of the positive factors the iPhone 14 has to provide over the iPhone 7. And comparable to my suggestion with the iPhone 8, if you happen to really need to maintain the dwelling button and avoid wasting cash, take into account the iPhone SE. It offers you more moderen efficiency upgrades whereas maintaining an identical telephone model.