Apple iPhone 14 Plus review: Big on features, smaller on price

It’s been almost a month since Apple revealed the iPhone 14 Plus but it finally arrives in stores tomorrow. Ahead of the launch, we have had our hands on the all-new big phone from Apple and there’s plenty to like especially if you’re a fan of big displays and want the battery to last longer than a day.

Of course, there are other new large iPhones on sale and if you’re looking to compare the iPhone 14 Plus with the pricier Pro models, check out our in-depth iPhone 14 Pro Max review.

For those that have their heart set on the Plus here’s what we really think of it.

Until now, the only way to go large when buying an iPhone was to splash the cash and upgrade to the Pro Max range from Apple. That’s no longer the case with the 14 Plus now offering more space for your content without the price pushing past the scary £1,000 barrier.

Get it in your hands and you’ll be treated to an expansive 6.7-Super Retina XDR screen which is around 20 percent bigger than the standard iPhone 14.

If you like big phones you are going to love this larger display with colours appearing punchy and bright. Blacks are also rich and the extra space really improves a Netflix binge or watching movies on Disney+.

Our only real niggle about this new phone is that it doesn’t get Apple’s ProMotion 120Hz technology. That means things just feel a tiny bit laggy as you scroll through content or whizz around your apps. The standard iPhone 14 also lacks this Pro upgrade but the smaller screen on that device means it’s far less noticeable and we really think Apple should have considered switching things up on Plus.

The screen might not be as fast as we’d like, but one thing that’s really noticeable about the iPhone 14 Plus is, despite its size, it feels incredibly light in your hands.

In fact, place the 14 Pro Max and Plus on the scales and you’ll see a 40g difference between the two. That’s all thanks to the Plus being made from lighter aluminium rather than the stainless steel design found on the Pro.

And don’t worry about things being more fragile as all of Apple’s phones are covered in Ceramic Sheild technology, making them less likely to smash if you drop them on the floor.

Besides its size, the iPhone 14 range looks identical to the iPhone 13 (and pretty similar to the iPhone 12 for that matter) with the same flat and dual-lens camera that sits in a diagonal pattern on the rear case. There is a slight refresh to the choice of colours – the subtle glossy Purple model we’ve been testing looks really nice – but that’s about it.

This is still a good-looking device and that larger display is definitely worth considering if you consume endless content on your phone.

It’s not just the screen that has benefitted from the larger design. Apple has also been able to boost the battery with the US firm boasting that the Plus offers the longest life yet in an iPhone.

We’ve put it through numerous tests and the battery is impressive with the device easily getting through a day and beyond. In fact, with average use, you might just get a whole weekend without going near a plug.

Even with a video running and the screen set to full brightness we only lost 8 percent from the tank after 2 hours and 30 minutes of screen time.

It’s impressive stuff and is probably one of the biggest reasons to consider buying the Plus.

Like all new iPhones, this latest call maker is compatible with Apple’s MagSafe connecter and can be fast charged to 50 percent in around 30 minutes. Just be aware that there’s no power adapter in the box so to get this fast refilling you’ll need to add a £39 plug to your shopping basket.

Just like the standard iPhone 14, the Plus model doesn’t get the latest and greatest A16 chip found in the Pro devices. Instead, you’ll get the slightly beefed-up A15 processor with a 5-core GPU.

That’s actually the very same brain that powers the iPhone 13 Pro Max and we’ve had no complaints with that device over the past year.

As a reminder, the entry-level iPhone 13 also relied upon the A15 Bionic chipset, but one of the GPU cores was disabled making it ever-so-slightly less powerful than the new iPhone 14 Plus.

It’s a terrible shame that this new flagship isn’t getting the latest and greatest A16 Bionic chip. That said, the iPhone 14 Plus is still hugely powerful and we doubt you’ll find anything this handset can’t cope with.

This phone can certainly take some very good photos without any fuss. Apple has fitted its new handsets with a dual-camera system made up of an ultra-wide lens and a new 12-megapixel main camera with f/1.5 aperture and sensor-based stabilisation. That tech enables something called Action Mode, which smoothes out your video footage as you jog or sprint …like using an accessory like a gimbal or an action-focused camera, like GoPro.

Pictures we’ve shot on the device look pin-sharp and packed with detail and things are also improved when taking photos in low light with the new lens offering much better night photography.

Along with the main camera getting a boost, the Ultra-wide option is also now more capable and anyone who loves a selfie will also be pleased to hear that Apple has fitted a new 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera, which boasts autofocus (a first for the front-facing camera in any iPhone) and the Deep Fusion image processing system for the first time. Photos of your face will never look so good!

We’re still fully testing the camera and will continue to update this review but here are some sample shots snapped on this latest device.

Along with its bigger screen and extended battery, there are some new hidden features inside the 14 Plus.

Tucked under the glass shell is new satellite technology which lets you send texts even when there’s no mobile signal. This could really help those in far-flung places keep in touch. It’s only available in the United States and Canada at launch but with any luck, more countries worldwide will be added to the list.

The iPhone 14 Plus also gets Crash Detection. This feature alerts the emergency services after an accident and even sends an exact GPS location so you can be found quickly.

Apple has explained that this function works via sensors in the phone that can feel forces felt during a smash with the device instantly kicking in and sending directions to your location.

Thankfully we’ve not tried Crash Detection and hope we never need to but it could genuinely save your life.

As we mentioned earlier the iPhone 14 Plus gets fast wired charging and support for MagSafe, which lets you magnetically snap wireless chargers, car mounts, and cases to the back of the handset. This was introduced with the iPhone 12 and remains in the iPhone 14, so any existing accessories should work just fine.

There are also loud stereo speakers, Face ID facial recognition for speedy unlocking and authenticating contactless payments via Apple Pay, and fast 5G data downloads which will whizz movies to the screen at speeds in excess of 300Mbps.

It also comes with iOS 16 preinstalled with this latest operating system bringing new features such as a refreshed Lock Screen, editable messages and improved health functionality.

Considering the iPhone 14 Pro Max now starts from £1,199, the 14 Plus looks very good value.

For £949 you get that giant display, vastly improved battery life and other new features such as Crash Detection and satellite text messaging which could literally save your life.

Apple is also softening the blow thanks to trade-in discounts when you hand over your old smartphone plus you can pay for this latest iPhone via interest-free monthly instalments.

It’s all pretty enticing but there is one thing to be aware of. Some UK stores are still selling the older iPhone 13 Pro Max for just £100 more than the 14 Plus.

If you want a triple-lens camera with better zoom plus that improved 120Hz screen it’s definitely one to consider whilst stocks last.

As you can read in our full iPhone 14 review we were left a little underwhelmed by that device as it just felt far to similar last year’s iPhone 13.

That’s simply not the case with the Plus as we really like this device. Now, we must make it clear that we are fans of bigger phones and maybe that’s why we’ve enjoyed using the Plus so much. It’s also good to see Apple finally offering a larger form factor without facing Pro Max prices.

The fact the battery lasts so long is also a big reason to consider this new iPhone as it will breeze through a day and night without needing to go near a plug. The camera is also improved, there’s that life-saving Crash Detection and aluminium design that makes it so much lighter than the Pro Max.

There’s clearly plenty to like but it’s not all good news.

Although we adore that massive 6.7-inch screen it really should have 120Hz technology as the slight lag is noticeable and mildly annoying. Then there’s that older A15 Bionic chip as despite being fast it can’t match the new A16 processor which is reserved only for the Pro models.

You also don’t get the interactive Dynamic Island notch or a triple-lens camera.

If you want a big iPhone and don’t want to pay a penny more than £1,000 then the Plus is a seriously good option.

However, if you want the best big iPhone Apple has ever made the Pro Max is still top of the class.