If you currently own an iPhone 14, you probably need to update because many phone contracts are two years lengthy. The iPhone 16 is the logical upgrading option.
However, has there been enough progress in the past two years to justify such a move? Would you rather wait a little while longer or go for a different model, such as the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max?
Below is a thorough comparison of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 16 to assist you in answering that question. See our comprehensive reviews of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 16 for even more information.
Comparison Between iPhone 16 and 14 Specs
Here is a quick comparison of these two phones’ specifications before we get into more detail about each of them below:
| Header Cell – Column 0 | iPhone 16 | iPhone 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Display: | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Resolution: | 1179 x 2556 | 1170 x 2532 |
| Refresh rate: | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Chipset: | A18 | A15 Bionic |
| Rear cameras: | 48MP f/1.6 main “Fusion” camera, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera | 12MP f/1.5 main camera, 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera |
| Front camera: | 12MP f/1.9 | 12MP f/1.9 |
| RAM: | 8GB | 6GB |
| Storage: | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery: | 3,561mAh (unofficial) | 3,279mAh (unofficial) |
Design and Display
Both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 16 feature an aluminum frame with curved corners and a glass back. Their designs do differ significantly, though.
For starters, the iPhone 16 has a Dynamic Island on the front, whereas the iPhone 14 has a notch. Additionally, the rear cameras on the iPhone 16 are stacked vertically, whilst those on the iPhone 14 are arranged diagonally. A larger camera block is another feature of the latter phone.
The iPhone 14 comes in Midnight (black), Purple, Starlight (white), Blue, Red, and Yellow, whereas the iPhone 16 comes in Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine (blue).
The iPhone 16 weighs 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm and weighs 170g, while the iPhone 14 weighs 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm and weighs 172g. They also differ in weight and size. The iPhone 16 is therefore slightly bigger but 2 grams lighter.
Lastly, their connections and buttons are different. The iPhone 16 has a USB-C port instead of a Lightning one, a Camera Control button, and an Action button instead of a mute switch.
The iPhone 16’s screen is a 6.1-inch OLED display of 1179 x 2556 pixels, with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, 460 pixels per inch, and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. The screen of the iPhone 14 is comparable; it has a 6.1-inch, 1170 x 2532 OLED screen with 460 pixels per inch, a refresh rate of 60 Hz, and a maximum brightness of 1,200 nits. The primary distinction is that the iPhone 16’s screen has a much brighter display.
Our evaluation of the iPhone 14 stated that it had “a high-quality OLED display,” while our assessment of the iPhone 16 stated that it “offers a vibrant screen that is great for myriad tasks indoors or outdoors,” with the enhanced maximum brightness helping the phone function better outside.
Cameras
While both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 16 feature a dual-lens camera, the lenses are different. The iPhone 16 features a 12MP f/1.9 front-facing camera, a 48MP f/1.6 primary sensor, and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, providing a 120-degree field of view. It can record video at 60 frames per second in up to 4K quality.
The iPhone 14 can record video in up to 4K quality at 60 frames per second and features a 12MP f/1.5 primary sensor, a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide (with a 120-degree field of view), and a 12MP f/1.9 face camera.
Based on the fundamental specifications, the key difference is that the iPhone 16’s primary camera has a significantly higher number of megapixels. However, the iPhone 16 features a macro option that the iPhone 14 does not, and its primary camera has a 2x optical quality zoom that is not available on the iPhone 14.
Naturally, the iPhone 16 also comes with the Camera Control button, which offers a more tactile method of controlling the camera.
We praised the iPhone 16’s “excellent main camera and good ultra-wide” in our review, but we also claimed that the iPhone 14’s cameras were “good with better sensors and overall low-light performance compared to their predecessors.”
Therefore, both phones are good for taking pictures, but the iPhone 16 is obviously better.
Performance
With Apple claiming that the A18 chipset has a CPU and GPU up to 50% quicker than the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14, the iPhone 16 is a significantly more powerful phone than the iPhone 14.
Additionally, the new phone has 8GB of RAM instead of 6GB. That’s sufficient for the iPhone 16 to manage AI tasks using Apple Intelligence, which is not supported by the iPhone 14.
Although our assessment of the iPhone 16 points out that the newer model has “plenty of power, likely for years to come,” our review of the iPhone 14 was equally positive, stating that the older model features “a powerful chip.”
The iPhone 16 is the phone to get if you want to use AI or play high-end games at their best, but for many people, the iPhone 14’s power will be more than enough.
Battery
Although Apple never discloses the size of its phones’ batteries, we may infer from teardowns that the iPhone 16 has a 3,561mAh battery and the iPhone 14 has a 3,279mAh. Therefore, the iPhone 16 has a slightly larger battery that lasts longer; according to Apple, you can watch videos on the device for up to two hours longer.
In particular, Apple claims that the iPhone 16 can play video for up to 22 hours or listen to music for up to 80 hours, but the iPhone 14 can only play video for up to 20 hours or listen to music for up to 80 hours.
Although studies indicate the iPhone 16 charges slightly faster, both phones are officially compatible with the same cable charging speeds. According to Apple, you may reach a 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher.
With up to 25W MagSafe charging, it charges faster than the iPhone 14 when you do away with the cords, whereas the iPhone 14 can only handle 15W.
Additionally, if you are utilizing wires, you will need a Lightning cable for the iPhone 14 and a USB-C port for the iPhone 16.
Is it worth upgrading to iPhone 16 from 14? Here is the truth
Compared to the iPhone 14, the iPhone 16 has significantly more power. In addition, it features a brighter screen, more RAM, AI support, a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, more macro and 2x zoom options, a main camera with more megapixels, and a longer battery life. Additionally, USB-C is used for charging instead of Lightning. Additionally, there are two additional buttons: the Action button and the Camera Control button.
Although it might be argued that none of these improvements are essential, the iPhone 16 is an improvement over the iPhone 14 in many ways, and it is also significantly more expensive than the previous generation.
It is probably worthwhile to upgrade to the iPhone 16 if you now own an iPhone 14, particularly if artificial intelligence is important to you. However, we would advise waiting another year or choosing a Pro model if you want your new phone to feel like a huge advancement.
If you desire a more mid-range phone and don’t already have one, you may still make the case for purchasing an iPhone 14. It still has a lot of power, and Apple usually keeps its phones supported for a long time. However, the screen, CPU, and cameras of the iPhone 14 are unquestionably inferior to those of the iPhone 16.