The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are impossible Christmas gifts at this point. You’ll have a hard time getting one of the two devices in time for December 25th. And if you do, then you might compromise on the color, storage, or both. But the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are still available from Apple and third-party retailers (unless you’re like the thieves who stole a bunch of iPhones). And you can purchase the iPhone 14 or 14 Plus model you desire and have it shipped to your door in time for Christmas.
It might sound like a downgrade if you or a loved one wanted the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max. But the more affordable iPhone 14 models are still flagship devices that will offer fantastic performance. The only reason they have a bad reputation is due to Apple’s decision to differentiate the non-Pro and Pro models in a way we’ve never seen before.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus still use the A15 processor that powered last year’s iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. They also have 6GB of RAM, just like last year’s Pro models. Therefore, when it comes to performance, the iPhone 14 models will be as powerful as the 2021 iPhone 13 Pros.
Is that so bad? These are devices that crush almost every 2022 Android flagship phone.
But the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus start at $799 and $899, compared to $999 and $1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The price and performance alone make the iPhone 14 models great Christmas gifts.
The iPhone 14 models miss out on a few “Pro” features. They don’t have a third telephoto camera or a LiDAR sensor. Also, there’s no 120Hz ProMotion panel on the iPhone 14 models.
Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the more affordable variants lack the new Dynamic Island design and features, the A16 Bionic chip, the improved 120Hz OLED screen that supports always-on features, and the big 48-megapixel camera upgrade.
Still, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus deliver camera performance upgrades, as the handsets feature the same new Photonic Engine as the Pro models. And the TrueDepth selfie camera now supports autofocus. For video recording, there’s a new Action Mode to stabilize complex shots that feature a lot of camera motion.
Add safety features like Emergency SOS and Crash Detection, and the iPhone 14 models become incredibly appealing devices. As I explained recently, the iPhone has gotten so good that I can no longer justify getting a Pro. I did purchase the iPhone 14 Pro as soon as I got the chance. But then I realized I could have gotten an iPhone 14 and never looked back.
With all that in mind, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be great Christmas gifts this year. Especially if you or a special someone are upgrading from an iPhone 11 model or older.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
