iPhone 14 vs iPhone 13: Which one is best for you? | CNN underlined

The arrival of the new iPhone 14 line does not mean that the iPhone 13 is gone. As Apple did with previous versions of the iPhone, the company kept some of the year-old iPhone models in its lineup as a more affordable option.

This year, Apple kept the iPhone 13 at $699 and the iPhone 13 Mini at $599, giving iPhone users the option to buy either or get the new iPhone 14 at $799 or the iPhone 14 Plus at $899.

There have never been two iPhone models that look so closely alike in features and capabilities as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, and they’re both among the best phones you can buy. For that reason, deciding which iPhone is best for you just got harder this year. Below, we’ll explain the key differences to help you choose the iPhone that’s right for you.

Apple has replaced the smaller iPhone with the iPhone 14 Plus. The 6.7-inch screen eclipses the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini and gives iPhone owners the ability to think big without having to pay a premium for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is the same size than the iPhone 14 Plus.

The bigger screen is nice, but the battery life that a bigger phone allows. In fact, that’s why I’ve preferred the Pro Max models over every new iPhone release. Battery life on the larger phones is several hours better and is good enough for long days of travel where I constantly stream music and use Maps, Uber, and TripIt for travel-related activities.

With previous iPhone launches, if you wanted a 6.7-inch iPhone model, you had to opt for the iPhone Pro Max, a device that starts at $1,099. The iPhone 14 Plus starts at $899 for 128GB of storage. The only downside? You’ll have to wait — the iPhone 14 Plus is currently available for preorder but won’t start shipping until October 7.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus come with two new security features. With Crash Detection, all iPhone 14 models can now detect when you’re in a car accident and call for help. And in November, Apple will launch its Emergency SOS via Satellite feature that will allow iPhone 14 owners to send emergency messages using satellites to request help. This is a fantastic feature for someone who often hikes or travels to areas without cellular coverage.

Satellite Emergency SOS will be free for the first two years. Apple didn’t say what it expects the cost to be after that.

Finally, the camera setup of the iPhone 14 is better than the iPhone 13. For the average user, the differences won’t matter much, but for someone who wants to take best photos and videos, the iPhone 14’s camera system is where it’s at.

There’s a 12-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and now the front camera has autofocus to up your selfie game. Where the real improvements are in the way the iPhone 14 processes images, capturing more detail and more accurate colors.

And, finally, the iPhone 14 camera has a new video trick called Action mode. When recording video in Action mode, the camera stabilizes the video and removes almost all shakes. It’s designed to be used in scenarios where camera stabilization isn’t really possible, like when running.

You don’t need the latest and greatest from Apple

When you look at the spec sheet and compare the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14, it’s virtually the same device. Granted, the sizes don’t match exactly, with Apple getting rid of the iPhone Mini model, replacing it with the iPhone 14 Plus.

Other than that, however, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 use virtually the same A15 Bionic processor. The only difference between the chip that powers either model is that the iPhone 14’s processor has one more GPU core than the iPhone 13. This translates to improved graphics performance (and slightly lower scores). higher on our benchmark tests), but in everyday use the difference is negligible.

Both models use the same display technology and feature dual rear-facing cameras, 5G connectivity, Face ID, and the same storage capabilities.

Apple estimates the battery life of the iPhone 14 to be 20 hours, while the iPhone 13 is 19 hours of constant video streaming. It’s not that big of a difference, and we’ve found both phones to last the same in our own testing.

The iPhone 13 lineup is now limited to the standard 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and the smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini. For some, the reduced overall footprint of the iPhone 13 Mini is more manageable and easier to use, especially with one hand, compared to the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 or even the iPhone 14 Over 6.7 inches.

With the iPhone 13 Mini, you still get the same features, performance, and reliable camera that you would get with the iPhone 13.

The only potential weak point of the iPhone 13 Mini is battery life, as a smaller phone means a smaller battery. However, the 13 Mini only clocked around 30 minutes ahead of the standard 13 in our tests, so you won’t be sacrificing too much on Apple’s smallest phone.

With so many similarities between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, the decision may very well come down to which color you prefer. iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini are available in Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, Green, and Product Red.

The iPhone 14 is available in a different shade of Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red. In addition to slightly different colors, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have a more subdued color palette – aside from the dynamic Product Red offering. The iPhone 13, however, is brighter and, in my professional opinion, much more fun, especially for teens and tweens.