iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: My Choice and Why I Made It
Being a frugal spender, I always keep an eye out for opportunities to save money. This thriftiness extends to my smartphone choices, where I tend to lean towards discounted models. Why pay more for the latest hardware, I often think, when a discounted phone might provide just as good an experience? So, when Apple released the iPhone 14 at a reduced price, it seemed like the ideal choice, considering it was a flagship device running the latest iOS 17 without a hitch and promising software and security updates for the next four years. The iPhone 14 looked like a bargain hunter’s dream come true.
But, I’m here to share a different perspective. In the iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14 dilemma, I’d suggest you resist the urge to save that $100 and opt for Apple’s newer iPhone 15.
Why the iPhone 15 Triumphs Over the iPhone 14
After reading Lance Ulanoff’s comprehensive iPhone 15 review, I was struck by the significant changes Apple made to its entry-level iPhone this year. From the processor to the cameras and even the phone’s aesthetics, the differences between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 are too substantial to ignore.
Now, some may argue that Apple is merely catching up with its own devices, as many of the iPhone 15’s improvements were featured in the previous year’s iPhone 14 Pro. However, if you’re using an iPhone 12 or an older model and contemplating an upgrade, you probably won’t be concerned about the iPhone 15 being fashionably late to some features. What you will care about is that the iPhone 15 offers superior features that you won’t find in the cheaper iPhone 14.
Let’s start with the phone’s appearance. The iPhone 15 adopts Apple’s Dynamic Island design, which houses the front camera and Face ID sensors within a cutout on the display. In contrast, the iPhone 14 retains the notch that’s been a fixture on Apple’s flagship phones since the iPhone X.
You might not immediately spot a substantial difference between the notch and a cutout, but the Dynamic Island design does free up more screen space and creates a less obstructed viewing experience. Moreover, it enhances functionality by hosting alerts and Live Activities in a more engaging and user-friendly manner. Once you witness it in action, you’ll appreciate the disappearance of the notch.
The iPhone 15 also receives the customary processor upgrade for a new model — the A16 Bionic chip, which powered the iPhone 14 Pro lineup. Although I’m not a fan of Apple’s strategy of assigning different chipsets to phones released in the same year, there’s no denying the A16’s superiority over the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14. The benchmarks speak for themselves. While a faster chip alone wouldn’t be enough to sway my decision, it’s an undeniable advantage in favor of the iPhone 15.
However, it’s the camera enhancements that truly steal the show in this generational leap. While the iPhone 14 sports the same 12MP main camera that Apple has been using since 2015 (beginning with the iPhone 6s), the iPhone 15 gets an upgrade to the 48MP main sensor introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro models.
This change isn’t merely about higher resolution; by default, the iPhone 15 captures 24MP photos. It also supports a 2x zoom, with the 48MP lens cropping in on the zoomed area to deliver a 12MP shot. This versatility in the camera hardware is only part of the story; the iPhone 15 also benefits from improvements in features like Smart HDR and Portrait mode. In simple terms, the iPhone 14’s camera was competent, but the iPhone 15 represents a significant leap forward. The improvements are so substantial that they make the lower price of the iPhone 14 hard to justify.
Choosing the More Affordable Model: Trade-offs
There are instances where opting for the more affordable iPhone model makes sense, even if it means sacrificing some features. A year ago, as the iPhone 14 was released, I might have suggested going for the discounted iPhone 13. Sure, the iPhone 14 brought performance improvements and new software features like Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection. However, these additions hardly seemed worth an extra $100.
The situation is different this year when comparing the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 14. In addition to the usual performance enhancements, the iPhone 15 offers a significantly better main camera and a phone that’s more comfortable to hold, thanks to its contoured edges. Even the inclusion of a USB-C port opens up more versatile charging options.
While I’m all for saving a buck or two when possible, opting for the $699 iPhone 14 over the $799 iPhone 15 may not be the most practical choice given all the remarkable changes Apple has made to its latest offering.
