The recently unveiled iPhone 14 Pro will be perfect if you don’t feel like carrying a Max-sized phone in your pocket. However, how does it differ from the prior iPhone 13 Pro? And if you already own the 13 Pro, does it make sense to upgrade to the more recent model?
The iPhone 14 Pro has an unchanged design aside from two significant changes: first, the notch has been replaced by the new Dynamic Island cut-out, and second, a higher resolution camera promises a significant improvement in image quality.
Along with additional features like an Always-On Display option, you will receive the standard upgrades of a faster Apple A16 chip and faster memory.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Design and Display
The iPhone 14 Pro has recognizable design cues from the previous two generations, including a flat body, a stainless-steel body, and a matte glass back. Practically speaking, the 14 Pro and 13 Pro use the Lightning connector and have the same IP68 water and dust protection.
The front of the device has undergone the most noticeable change, where the pill-shaped Dynamic Island has replaced the familiar notch. Although it takes up a little less room than the notch, its real benefit is that it integrates seamlessly with the system and provides you with helpful information. It animates and bubbles in and out to let you know when to look at your phone for Face ID, when you turn on or off silent mode, or when the battery-saving low power mode is enabled. It’s like a status bar on steroids. Although it isn’t a game-changer, it is an excellent new addition.
The bright Sierra Blue model is replaced by the Deep Purple model, giving the iPhone 14 Pro one less color option and eliminating the green color scheme. Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black are the available colors for the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 13 Pro, in contrast, was available in Alpine Green, Silver, Gold, Graphite, and Sierra Blue.
However, the package’s contents have stayed the same. It still contains a Lightning to USB-C cable but no charger. What about the display? The 6.1-inch OLED screens on both phones have nearly the same resolution.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Performance and Software
The A16 Bionic chip, which represents Apple’s newest silicon, is included in the iPhone 14 Pro. This new processor offers a slight performance improvement over the Apple A15. Although it is constructed using a 4nm process (as opposed to a 5nm process for the older A15 chip), most benefits have gone toward improving its power efficiency.
Apple is using faster LPDDR5 memory, another improvement over the LPDDR4X used in the previous model, even though we still have 6GB of RAM.
The newest iOS 16 operating system is supported by the iPhone 14 Pro and 13 Pro. The 13 Pro received it as an update, while the 14 Pro launched with it, but overall, the two have primarily the same software. The iPhone 14 Pro introduces two fresh features that were absent from earlier models:
- Satellite connectivity enables you to establish a connection to a satellite in remote areas devoid of cellular service. To lock the signal, you must have a clear sky view and point your iPhone at a satellite, but this function can save your life.
- Crash Detection — The new iPhone can now detect if a person has been in a severe auto accident and will immediately call 911 thanks to an improved accelerometer. This feature has the potential to save lives once more.
These devices are entirely future-proof because Apple typically updates its phones for five or even six years.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Camera
The main camera’s higher resolution 48MP sensor is the biggest new feature of the iPhone 14 Pro camera. The bump for the camera on the back has grown even more in size as it takes the place of the current 12MP one.
Camera differences between the iPhone 14 Pro and 13 Pro:
- 1X camera: 48MP on 14 Pro vs. 12MP on 13 Pro
- 0.5X camera: 12MP on both
- 3X camera: 12MP on both
The newer iPhone’s slightly wider field of view (24mm vs. 26mm) is another thing to note. Color reproduction is roughly the same, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the 14 Pro has quite a bit of excessive sharpening—something we haven’t seen before.
The 14 Pro has a slight advantage over the previous generation iPhone because of the wider main camera and the improved low-light processing, which help it capture more light in very dark conditions.
It’s worth noting that the main camera can’t focus as close as it used to with this new sensor.
Both iPhones capture portraits at 1X and 3X, with few differences in those modes, but the real difference here is the iPhone 14 Pro’s new 2X portrait mode. This is a very versatile focal length, ideal for portraits.
On the video front, Cinematic Mode, which debuted last year but only supported 1080p, is now available in 4K resolution with a choice of 24fps or 30fps.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Battery Life and Charging
The iPhone 13 Pro provided a noticeable improvement in battery life over previous models, owing primarily to the battery’s more extensive physical capacity.
Here’s how the iPhone 14 Pro’s battery compares to the 13 Pro’s:
- Size of the iPhone 14 Pro battery: 3,200 mAh (+3% larger)
- Size of the iPhone 13 Pro battery: 3,095mAh
According to Apple’s official battery estimates, the battery life on both models is the same: 20 hours of video streaming and 75 hours of audio playback.
There are no changes in charging speeds. The 14 Pro, like the previous model, officially supports 20W charging (but can top up at 23W speeds), which means a full top-up with a compatible charger takes about 2 hours.
And the iPhone 14 and 13 series both support MagSafe, the cool magnetic wireless charging technology that can charge at speeds up to 15W.
Conclusion
The iPhone 14 Pro has a slightly faster processor, a brighter screen, an interesting new Dynamic Island feature, an impressive ProRAW 48MP photo capture, and a surprisingly useful new 2X zoom mode.
Should you replace your 13 Pro? With no significant changes to battery life or speed, consider upgrading if you intend to make the most of the camera, particularly the 48MP ProRAW capture. Also, if you like having new features like a brighter screen, Dynamic Island, and Always-on Display. Unless you’re obsessed with camera quality, the new iPhone 14 Pro feels much like the iPhone 13 Pro.