Comparison Guide: Apple iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

As we all know, there are four models in the Apple iPhone 14 series namely iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Also, the pre orders have just been opened by the authorities. 

In our today’s piece, we’re going to compare the likes of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with last year’s iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 as well as the older iPhone 12 models. 

A lot of people are asking whether they should upgrade to the iPhone 14 from iPhone 13 or iPhone 12, if they have the bucks. Also, we would see if it is feasible to add some money and opt for the iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 if someone is using an older version such as the iPhone XR or iPhone 11.

Design:

iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

iPhones that are featuring in this offer are all coming with almost similar designs. They are made of rounded aluminium frames and all of them come with a notch at the top of their displays. 

They all offer a glossy glass back with a frosted dual rear camera situated in the top left corner. However, you can see that the notch on the iPhone 14 and 13 models is fractionally smaller than the iPhone 12 models. 

Also, it is obvious to predict that the mini models are smaller than the standard models in terms of physical size and the iPhone 14 plus is larger, without any doubt.

As far as the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 models are concerned, they come with a diagonally-arranged dual rear camera and the housing is quite larger too. Also, it is important to note that the iPhone 12 models have a vertically-arranged dual rear camera. 

There is no doubt that the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 mini devices are the smallest and lightest in terms of size and compactness. In terms of footprint and weight, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 are almost the same, with a difference of just a couple of grams. The iPhone 14 Plus is the largest and heaviest of the devices that are being compared here and it’s a really good size based on the overall user experience and mindset. 

All the devices that listed here are coming with IP68 water-resistance certification that allows them to handle depth of almost six-meters for 30 minutes. You would also see different color options between the iPhone 14 models, iPhone 13 models and iPhone 12 models.

Hardware:

iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

It is really important to mention that the Apple iPhone 14 models and the iPhone 13 models all are powered by the A15 Bionic chipset. However, the iPhone 14 models come with a 5-core GPU compared to the 4-core GPU found in the iPhone 13 models. 

The iPhone 12 models are run on the A14 chip so there is a clear difference in hardware from the 12 to the 13 and 14. Surely, it is not as big of a bump from the 13 to the 14. 

As far as the storage options are concerned, the iPhone 14 models and iPhone 13 models come in storage options of 128GB, 256GB and 512GB, however; the iPhone 12 models come in 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB options. You would not get a microSD option for storage expansion in any of the devices.

All of the devices talked about in this article support dual SIM with a non-SIM and eSIM. Also, you would get an eSIM only in the US models of the iPhone and 14 and iPhone 14 Plus and there is no SIM tray as well. 

All of these devices are charged through Lightning and all models come with a MagSafe on board – that is quite useful than you think they are. 

There is no wall plug in the box in any of the devices and the MagSafe charger is also sold separately. You would get the Apple Pay options and 5G capabilities in all models and the iPhone 14 models also have the Emergency SOS via satellites – and they’re only available in the US market. There is also a Car Crash detection feature, which is another great addition to be honest. 

Cameras:

iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

There is a dual rear camera in all of the iPhone models that are listed here and they comprise of a 12-megapixel wide angle sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor as well. Also, there are some minute differences as well. 

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are offering an upgraded main sensor along with a wider f/1.5 aperture compared to the f/1.6 aperture on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models. 

Basically, all models are coming with an ultra-wide sensor with f/2.4 aperture, however; the iPhone 14 models also come with a Photonic Engine on board that is made to help with shots taken in low light conditions. 

The results of iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 in good lighting conditions are great and they are better in low light too. We are also hoping to get the same in the iPhone 14 model.

You would also get optical image stabilization on all models along with portrait lighting with six effects and Smart HDR 4 for photos and Night Mode. The front camera of all the models listed here also offer the night mode. 

You would also get the HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30 fps that is supported on the rear and front cameras and will also kick in automatically. As far as other camera features are concerned, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 models also pack photographic styles, Cinematic Video mode and sensor shift optical image stabilization. 

Furthermore, the iPhone 14 models will improve Cinematic Video mode by offering 4K HDR up to 30 fps, in comparison with the iPhone 13 models 1080p. Also, there is an Action Mode on the iPhone 14 models too.

You would see a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front in all the models, however; the iPhone 14 models are coming with a wider aperture of f/1.9 compared to the f/2.2 offered on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models. The iPhone 14 models also come with an autofocus feature.

Display:

iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

As far as we talk about the display, The iPhone 14, iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models all are coming with OLED displays along with HDR and a maximum brightness of 1200 nits. 

However, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 models are going to up the peak brightness from the iPhone 12’s 625nits to 800nits. When to comes to the color, the OLED panels mean that there is a lot of punch in it and the blacks remain black. 

The iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 mini are offering a 5.4-inch display with a 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution for a pixel density of 476ppi. On the other hand, it offers a 6.1-inch display with a 2532 x 1170-pixel resolution for a pixel density of 460ppi.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Plus is offering a 6.7-inch display with a 2778 x 1284-pixel resolution that results in a pixel density of 458 ppi. It also means that the mini devices are offering the sharpest screens as far as the pixel count is concerned. 

However, there is not enough in between the models that you can notice. All models in this list are offering True Tone technology along with wide color gamut and you would also get a Haptic Touch over 3D Touch.

Price:

iPhone 14 vs 13 vs 12

The iPhone 14 is starting at $799 in the US and £849 in the UK. The iPhone 14 Plus is being sold for $899 in the US and £949 in the UK. As far as the iPhone 13 mini is concerned, you can get it for $599 in the US and £649 in the UK. Also, the iPhone 13 is now starting at $699 in the US and £749 in the UK. If you are short on budget, you can get the iPhone 12 that starts at $599 in the US and £649 in the UK. Although, the iPhone 12 mini is no longer available through Apple.

Conclusion:

The Apple iPhone 14 models are offering a couple of upgrades over the iPhone 13 models that also includes the GPU bump. There are some camera upgrades as well as some other features such as the Car Crash Detection and Emergency SOS through the satellites.

In case of the iPhone 12, the differences are a bit huge because the processor is upgraded along with a refined design and a reduced notch. The differences are also widened out by the camera adjustments. Now, to answer the real question. 

Should you upgrade from iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14? Well, you’d get a massive boost in speed, camera improvements along with a slight change in design.

For people that are looking to upgrade from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14, they should understand that the differences are a bit more subtle. If someone is thinking about upgrading from an older iPhone or the iPhone XR, then they should consider buying the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 as they are now available at cheaper prices. 

If you are looking to pick a larger device then the iPhone 14 is a fantastic option for you as it will offer a decent bump in battery and will give you a larger display with some extra iPhone 14 features.

Write it down in the comments below if you have any queries regarding this topic. We shall try and answer them as soon as possible. See you soon in our next analytical piece. Until then, goodbye and good luck with whatever you choose.