If you're searching for everything there is to know about the Apple iPhone, you're in the right place. Apple currently offers multiple devices to pick between, and, with recent generations comprising several models, choosing the right one for your needs has become increasingly difficult. If you're not looking to invest in the latest range, iPhone 14 - which includes the standard model, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max - there's also the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 models to consider, as well as the entry-level iPhone SE (2022).
I've used all models extensively, and all have a place depending on what you are looking for from your iPhone, as well as, crucially, how much you want to spend. Below, I'm explaining and ranking each iPhone model in detail in order to help you figure out where you should spend your cash and which is the best iPhone for you.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The best Apple has to offer
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro gets everything right. From the luxurious and durable finish, to cameras and display, it was - up until the iPhone 15 Pro - Apple's best phone to date.
- SoC
- A16 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch, OLED, 2556 x 1179, HDR, 2000nits, 120Hz
- Storage
- 128/256/512/1TB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/1.9, autofocus
- Dimensions
- 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm, 206g
- Colors
- Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
- Material
- Stainless Steel
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is the shining star of the 2022 iPhone range. It offers a refreshed design, ditching the notch at the top of the display for something called Dynamic Island, which is functional as well as being a different look for the iPhone and there's an Always On Display too. There's a stainless steel frame with flat edges for a premium build quality and the frosted glass back sees a triple rear camera in the top left corner, with an upgraded 48-megapixel main sensor that offers some great results. The ultra-wide camera has also seen some upgrades, and like the iPhone 14, the front camera has, too.
Along with a refreshed design, the iPhone 14 Pro also runs on upgraded hardware compared to the standard iPhone 14, with an A16 Bionic chipset under its hood, and while its battery life isn't as good as the iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone 14 Pro Max, most users will get through a day and evening. The iPhone 14 Pro is the model to buy if you want the best iPhone Apple currently offers, with a new design and all the latest features, in a compact form. It's a fabulous device.
Apple iPhone 14 Plus
The iPhone to buy for battery
The Apple iPhone 14 Plus has all the same hardware and features as the iPhone 14 but with a larger display and battery - the latter of which is excellent on this model. It comes in the same five colour options as the iPhone 14 and retains the notch, setting it apart from the Pro models.
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 6.7-inch, OLED, 2778 x 1284, HDR, 1200nits
- Storage
- 128/256/512GB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/1.9, autofocus
- Dimensions
- 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8mm, 203g
- Colors
- Blue, Purple, Yellow, Midnight, Starlight, Product(RED)
The Apple iPhone 14 Plus has the same design and hardware as the iPhone 14, but on a larger scale. It's the first time Apple has announced a larger model of the standard iPhone since the Pro models were introduced and it replaces the iPhone mini. It has an aluminium frame, which means this model is much lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, whilst still delivering a lovely big 6.7-inch OLED display and a fantastic battery life - the latter of which is better than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The phone is equipped with easy-to-hold flat-edges, a notch at the top of the screen and a dual camera on the rear that delivers some great shots and some upgrades compared to the iPhone 13. As with the iPhone 14 a little further down our list, the iPhone 14 Plus runs on the A15 Bionic chipset, but it offers a much bigger battery than its smaller sibling as we mentioned, which makes it much easier to recommend. The iPhone 14 Plus is the iPhone to buy if you want the latest iPhone on a larger scale with a bigger battery but the iPhone 14 Pro Max is just too much to justify.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
The iPhone to buy for a fabulous display
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has the same hardware and design as the iPhone 14 Pro, but in a larger package with a 6.7-inch OLED display, which again has Always-On technology and Dynamic Island, and there's a bigger battery.
- SoC
- A16 Bionic
- Display
- 6.7-inch, OLED, 2796 x 1290, HDR, 2000nits, 120Hz
- Storage
- 128/256/512/1TB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/1.9, autofocus
- Dimensions
- 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85mm, 240g
- Colors
- Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
- Material
- Stainless Steel
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max offers everything the iPhone 14 Pro does, but on a bigger scale, like the iPhone 14 Plus does for the iPhone 14. It therefore also ditches the notch for the Dynamic Island pill-shaped cut out, and it also features an Always On Display that makes great use of the Lock Screen customisation on iOS 16. The stainless steel frame means the iPhone 14 Pro Max is very heavy but there's a very premium build quality here, like the iPhone 14 Pro, and the larger 6.7-inch display delivers a fabulous viewing experience.
Like the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a triple rear camera with a 48-megapixel main sensor and upgraded front camera with autofocus, both of which deliver a brilliant experience, and it runs on the A16 Bionic chip, which has plenty of power. This device has the biggest battery promise of all the iPhones, though in our experience, the iPhone 14 Plus performs slightly better. This is our iPhone of choice and the model we use every day, though it is heavy and expensive so it won't be for everyone. With that in mind, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the iPhone to buy if budget isn't an issue and you're after the best Apple offers in the largest possible format.
Apple iPhone 13 Mini
A pocketable powerhouse
The iPhone 13 mini is an excellent device that not only delivers plenty of power and a brilliant user experience, but it does so at a good price and in a lovely and compact format.
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 5.4-inch, OLED, 2340 x 1080, HDR, 1200nits
- Storage
- 128/256/512GB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65mm, 141g
- Colors
- Blue, Pink, Green, Midnight, Starlight, Product(RED)
- Material
- Aluminium
The Apple iPhone 13 mini is the smallest iPhones available in the company's portfolio, after no iPhone 14 mini was revealed in 2022. It has flat edges, and it features an aluminium build that offers IP68 water and dust resistance and it is an absolute delight. There's a dual camera on the rear - redesigned slightly from the iPhone 12 models - that offers decent results and there's a smaller notch on the front at the top of the 5.4-inch display. It offers Face ID over Touch ID and there's Night mode on the front and rear cameras, as well as a couple of extra camera features, like Photographic Styles and sensor-shift image stabilisation.
Running the show is an A15 Bionic chip, but aside from the power boost, the iPhone 13 mini also offers a better battery life compared to its predecessor. Storage options are also better and although it misses off a few features compared to the iPhone 14 models, the iPhone 13 mini is a little pocket powerhouse. The iPhone 13 mini is the iPhone to buy if you want some of the latest and greatest features Apple has to offer, but in a lovely small and light package. I am a big fan of this device, as are the rest of the team at Pocket-lint and we were sad there wasn't an iPhone 14 mini successor.
Apple iPhone 13
A great buy if your budget is tighter
The Apple iPhone 13 offers exactly the same hardware and features as the iPhone 13 mini but on a larger scale, with a 6.1-inch display like the iPhone 14, and battery improvements over the iPhone 12.
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch, OLED, 2532 x 1170, HDR, 1200nits
- Storage
- 128/256/512GB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm, 174g
- Colors
- Blue, Pink, Green, Midnight, Starlight, Product(RED)
The Apple iPhone 13 has the same design, features and specifications as the iPhone 13 mini but on a slightly bigger scale. With this device, you have the same flat edge design as the mini, in the same colours and again, it is an aluminium build with IP68 water resistance, making for a light and durable build. The iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch display though, so it's a little larger than the iPhone 13 mini and the same size as the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. The notch has been reduced at the top compared to the iPhone 12, but you'll still find Face ID and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with Night mode.
You might find it odd that the iPhone 13 sits above the iPhone 14 in our list, but they run on pretty much the same hardware so you don't lose much by opting for the iPhone 13 over the iPhone 14, except the camera improvements. The iPhone 13 is the one I would recommend if you want a powerful device in a larger package than the iPhone 13 mini - and without paying the extra for the camera improvements offered by the iPhone 14.TheApple iPhone 14 is the entry-level model to the latest iPhones. It offers an identical design to the
Apple iPhone 14
A great buy if your budget doesn't allow for the Pro model
The Apple iPhone 14 is the base model of the 2022 models, featuring the same hardware as the iPhone 13 but with a faster GPU, upgraded main camera and front camera improvements. It comes in five colour options and retains the notch.
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch, OLED, 2532 x 1170, HDR, 1200nits
- Storage
- 128/256/512GB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/1.9, autofocus
- Dimensions
- 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm, 172g
- Colors
- Blue, Purple, Yellow. Midnight, Starlight, Product(RED)
iPhone 13 models, with a notch at the top of its lovely OLED display, an aluminium frame with flat edges that's nice and light and a dual camera on the rear that delivers some great results and some upgrades from the iPhone 13. There's IP68 water and dust resistance, like the iPhone 14 Pro models, but you miss out on the Always On Display and the Dynamic Island design, though you wouldn't know what you were missing unless you had a Pro model. You also miss out on some camera features from the Pro models, however.
The iPhone 14 runs on the A15 Bionic chip with five-core GPU, which is the same as the iPhone 13 Pro from 2021. It's powerful hardware and while it doesn't match the iPhone 14 Pro models as it has done in the past, there's still a great experience here. The iPhone 14 is the iPhone to buy if you want the latest iPhone but your budget doesn't allow for the iPhone 14 Pro with its new design and extra features.
Apple iPhone 12
A fantastic cheaper option
The Apple iPhone 12 is the entry-level model into the Face ID iPhones with an all-screen front design and Face ID over Touch ID. It has the oldest core hardware of all the current phones offered by Apple, but it is still powerful with a dual camera on the rear.
- SoC
- A14 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch, OLED, 2532 x 1170, HDR, 1200nits
- Storage
- 64/128/256GB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm, 164g
- Colors
- Blue, Purple, Green, White, Black, Product(RED)
The Apple iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display, which is the same as the iPhone 13, iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. It offers Face ID within a notch at the top of the display and it features an aluminium frame with flat edges and ceramic shield front. It is available in five colours and there's a dual rear camera with Night Mode on the front camera, as well as improvements to the older iPhone 11's Night Mode on the rear.
Under the hood, the iPhone 12 has the A14 chip. It also has an OLED display with HDR, True Tone and Haptic Touch and it offers MagSafe, though it misses out on a couple of camera features compared to the iPhone 13 models and iPhone 14 models, even if the results are still very good. The iPhone 12 is the iPhone to buy if you want the newer flat-edge iPhone design with some great features, but your budget is limited.
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
A good entry level model
The iPhone SE (2022) carries over the design from the second-gen iPhone SE from 2020, and, consequently, the iPhone 8. The display isn't quite as impressive as the other models in the company's portfolio, but it has the same core hardware as the iPhone 13 models, 5G capabilities and a single camera on the rear.
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 4.7-inch, LCD, 1334 x 750, 625nits
- Storage
- 64/128/256GB
- Front camera
- 7MP f/2.2
- Dimensions
- 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm, 144g
- Colors
- Black, White, Product(RED)
The iPhone SE (2022) replaces the iPhone SE (2020) as the entry point into the iPhone ecosystem. It sticks with the iPhone 8 design, retaining the exact same measurements, while also offering IP67 protection. That design means that the iPhone SE features Touch ID, making it the only model that doesn't have Face ID on this list, and the display also sticks to the old 16:9 aspect, rather than the 19:9 aspect of the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models.
Outside of the design, the iPhone SE is powered by the A15 Bionic, the same chap that's in the standard iPhone 13 models. That makes it more powerful than the iPhone 12 models, despite looking older in terms of design. It is also 5G capable. There's a single 12-megapixel camera on the back, as well, and it offers the same Portrait Lighting effects as the iPhone 13, as well as Smart HDR 4 for photos and Photographic Styles. That means that it's a better offering on the rear camera than the older iPhone XR, though there is no night mode like the iPhone 12 and later.
Best iPhone model: The bottom line
The best iPhone, in my opinion, currently is the iPhone 14 Pro, though it is worth keeping in mind that this model is likely to be succeeded by the iPhone 15 Pro in a matter of months. It is worth considering waiting until the iPhone 15 series is announced in order to get a better price on the current models, or make sure you aren't buying the latest model, for it to be old by the end of September. If you can't wait though, I'd recommend the iPhone 14 Pro as the best iPhone overall, or consider the iPhone 14 Plus for a great display and battery life. If you're after value, the iPhone 13 is a good option as it is cheaper than the iPhone 14, and it doesn't miss out on loads of features, whilst also running the same hardware.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The best Apple has to offer
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro gets everything right. From the luxurious and durable finish, to cameras and display, it was - up until the iPhone 15 Pro - Apple's best phone to date.
- SoC
- A16 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch, OLED, 2556 x 1179, HDR, 2000nits, 120Hz
- Storage
- 128/256/512/1TB
- Front camera
- 12MP f/1.9, autofocus
- Dimensions
- 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm, 206g
- Colors
- Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
- Material
- Stainless Steel
How did I choose these iPhone models?
I have reviewed Apple's iPhones for a number of years, and have extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with all the models on this list. Which iPhone you select will depend on a number of factors, not only your budget but what features are most important to you. If you want an iPhone that will deliver the best camera experience that Apple has to offer, you will want to opt for one of the Pro models. If you want an iPhone that will last all day, you'll want to opt for one of the larger models, like the iPhone 14 Plus or the iPhone 14 Pro Max, for example. All the models selected on this list have a place. They are all great for certain features or requirements and there is an iPhone model to suit most needs, whatever they may be. I've tried to determine which models are best suited for particular needs to make it easy to scan the list and decide what the best iPhone is for you and what you might be looking for.
Is the iPhone 14 worth buying?
In a nutshell, yes, the iPhone 14 is worth buying. It is a brilliant phone that delivers excellent performance overall. I would recommend the iPhone 14 Pro over the iPhone 14 though, and I'd also suggest considering the iPhone 13 instead too, if you are trying to save money. You won't be disappointed with the performance of the iPhone 14, but the iPhone 14 Pro is a better buy, and you don't lose much by opting for the iPhone 13 over the iPhone 14 in terms of features. If you want to buy the standard iPhone 14 models specifically, it's the iPhone 14 Plus I'd recommend.
Which iPhone has the best camera?
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max currently offer the best cameras of the iPhone models. They also have the highest resolution main camera after they moved up to a 48-megapixel sensor compared to the 12-megapixel sensor in the standard iPhone 14 models and the iPhone models that came before them. It is worth mentioning that most iPhone models have the same features though and the same user experience, and while you will get some additional features from the Pro models, you'll get great results across the board.