iPhone 14 Plus vs iPhone 14 Pro: Which One Should You Buy

It’s the iPhone season once again, which means you’re probably torn between a few different models and can’t decide which to buy. To make things more confusing, the Apple iPhone Plus costs just a bit less than the iPhone 14 Pro.

So you might be wondering which iPhone is best for you. Should you get the large-screen iPhone 14 Plus and save a hundred bucks? Or, should you splurge on the iPhone 14 Pro for those additional ‘Pro’ features? Here’s a detailed comparison between the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro to help you make the right buying decision.

Key Differences Between iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro

While numbers only tell a part of the story, it’s important to go over them to highlight some immediate differences. Here are all the technical specifications of the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro.

	iPhone 14 Plus	iPhone 14 Pro
Size	160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8mm	147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9mm
Weight	203g	206g
Display	6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 1284 x 2778 pixels	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 1179 x 2556 pixels
Refresh Rate	60Hz	Up to 120Hz ProMotion (LTPO)
Peak Brightness	1200nits	2000nits
Processor	A15 Bionic 5nm 6GB RAM	A16 Bionic 4nm 6GB RAM
Rear Camera	12MP Primary, f/1.5 12MP Ultra-wide, f/2.4	48MP Primary, f/1.8 12MP Ultra-wide, f/2.2 12MP Telephoto, 3X, f/2.8
Front Camera	12MP Front-facing, f/1.9	12MP Front-facing, f/1.9
Battery	4,325mAh	3,200mAh
Software	iOS 16	iOS 16
Colors	Midnight Starlight Blue Purple (Product) Red	Space Black Silver Gold Deep Purple
Additional Features	IP68 Stereo speakers Aluminum frame	IP68 Stereo speakers Stainless steel frame Dynamic Island ProRes video Precision dual-frequency GPS
Price	Starts at $899	Starts at $999

Some differences like the additional camera on the Pro and a bigger display on the Plus are straightaway evident. But, let’s delve deeper and discuss aspects that affect usability.

Design and Build

The most obvious difference between the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro is in terms of size. The iPhone 14 Plus has a huge 6.7-inch display, while the iPhone 14 Pro has a more manageable real estate that spans 6.1-inches.

Despite the larger size, though, the iPhone 14 Plus is 3 grams lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro. This is due to the different materials used in the construction of both phones. While the Plus model has an aluminum frame, the Pro variant gets stainless steel. As a result, the iPhone 14 Pro feels more premium when held.

The premium in-hand experience further extends onto the back of the phone where you find frosted glass on the iPhone 14 Pro. The iPhone 14 Plus uses glossy glass which is still premium but gathers a lot of fingerprints and smudges.

Build materials aside, it all comes down to the preferred size. Some users prefer large phones, while others like compact phones that are easily usable with one hand. If you belong to the former category, the iPhone 14 Plus is the ideal pick.

Display

The preference in size extends to the display department, too. The larger display on the iPhone 14 Plus may attract gamers or users who consume a lot of content on their smartphones. However, there’s a big difference in the display tech between the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro that might make you lean towards the latter.

Both phones have an OLED panel but the one on the iPhone 14 Pro is a ProMotion LTPO display which means it can refresh at up to 120Hz for smoother animations and scrolling. You will notice the high refresh rate kicking in when you’re scrolling through social media or even playing games.

Thanks to the LTPO panel, the refresh rate can drop to as low as 1Hz, which enables the new Always On Display to show off the iPhone 14 Pro wallpapers. The iPhone 14 Pro can also hit an insane 2000nits of peak brightness when viewing HDR content, compared to the 1200nits on the Plus.

Not to forget, the iPhone 14 Pro gets the new Dynamic Island which replaces the age-old notch. It makes the display look more modern while also being functional as a notification hub. The iPhone 14 Plus, on the other hand, has the same notch as the last-gen iPhone 13 making it look dated.

It’s pretty evident at this point — if you want the sheer size of the iPhone 14 Plus display, that’s the phone to pick. But, if you can deal with a slightly smaller display, the iPhone 14 Pro’s display is leagues ahead.

Battery Life

There’s no competition here at all. The iPhone 14 Plus has a considerably larger battery compared to the iPhone 14 Pro — 4,325mAh vs 3,200mAh — thanks to numbers obtained by MacRumors. If we go by Apple’s claims, the iPhone 14 Plus will last you 3 hours longer during video playback. This should ideally translate to longer real-world usage times as well.

If battery life is your priority, you should pick up the iPhone 14 Plus. This is not to say that the iPhone 14 Pro has bad battery life. You can get through a day’s use with the iPhone 14 Pro, but the Plus can push through to the next day too.

When it’s time to plug the phones in, you might want to consider getting a reliable charger for the iPhone 14 series since Apple doesn’t ship one in the box.

Processor and Performance

While the iPhone 14 Plus was the outright winner in the battery department, the iPhone 14 Pro hits right back with better performance. It’s got the new A16 Bionic chip based on the 4nm manufacturing node. In simple terms, it’s more powerful and consumers lower battery power.

The iPhone 14 Plus retains last year’s A15 Bionic which also powers the older iPhone 13 Pro. It’s still a fantastic chip with reliable performance and excellent battery life. However, the A16 Bionic is just better in terms of efficiency, so you’ll have to worry less about your iPhone overheating.

In day-to-day use, both phones will perform similarly meaning you will not have any issues playing even the best of games or while rendering videos. Both phones run iOS 16 out of the box and should ideally receive the same number of software updates. Of course, the newer chipset on the iPhone 14 Pro makes it slightly more future-proof.

Cameras

If you’re a camera enthusiast, just get the iPhone 14 Pro already. It has the new 48MP primary shooter for better details, accompanied by a dedicated 3X telephoto lens for zoom shots. Not to forget, you get LiDAR for portrait mode shots in the dark. ProRes video is also limited to the iPhone 14 Pro.

The iPhone 14 Plus only has a dual-camera setup and skimps out on the telephoto lens. The primary camera sensor is also limited to 12MP, so you’re going to get less-detailed shots. The front-facing cameras on both phones are the same, though, so if you click a lot of selfies, both phones will serve you well.

If you’re not big on photography, the iPhone 14 Plus is a good pick since the cameras onboard are still solid albeit not as good as the ones on the 14 Pro. For camera enthusiasts, the iPhone 14 Pro is a no-brainer.

Other Features

Both phones have the all-new emergency SOS via satellite feature for safety, along with car crash detection. However, the new precision dual-frequency GPS is exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro. So, if you want precise location tracking, the Pro has the upper hand. Thankfully, the Action Mode in the camera app is available on both phones.

At the same time, Apple has done away with a physical SIM slot on all iPhone 14 models in the US this year. So, you will have to resort to activating and using an eSIM regardless of which variant you get.

Storage, Price, and Colors

The iPhone 14 Plus is available in five color options — Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Product (Red). Apple has added two new color options with the iPhone 14 Pro this time — Space Black and Deep Purple. They are accompanied by the usual Gold and Silver.

As for the storage variants and pricing, here’s a table that will give you the complete idea.

	128GB	256GB	512GB	1TB
iPhone 14 Plus	$899	$999	$1199	–
iPhone 14 Pro	$999	$1099	$1299	$1499

iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone 14 Pro: Which Is Better for You

Considering the fact that the price difference between both phones is just $100, the iPhone 14 Pro is clearly the better choice if the size doesn’t matter to you. It’s more powerful, has a better display, better optics, and offers better value overall.

However, if you specifically want a big screen to watch your favorite shows or play games, the iPhone 14 Plus is the way to go. It also has better battery life and if you travel often and want to stay away from the charger, it’s a good pick.

Which new iPhone would you get? The iPhone 14 Plus or the iPhone 14 Pro? Let us know in the comments below!