iPhone 14 Plus: Big Screen, Epic Battery Life for US Users

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Square reader kept crashing on my Android—needed reliable payment processing

📌 Purchase Motivation

Tax write-off for business expense + heard iPhones handle heat better during summer festivals

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared durability tests—14 Plus survived more drops than Galaxy S22 in YouTube torture tests

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple website—custom engraved it with my truck’s logo (“La Taquería Voladora”) for free

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Unboxed it during a slow lunch rush—regulars cheered when they saw the engraving. Migrated data in 15 minutes via Move to iOS app.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Starlight color hides flour stains. Slippery without a case but the ceramic shield glass gave me confidence.

⭐ First Week Usage

Processed 200+ transactions during Coachella weekend—zero crashes even in 100°F heat. Battery lasted from 5am prep to midnight cleanup.

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Mount it on my truck’s dashboard as a second display for orders. The ultra wideband helps locate my delivery driver in crowded parking lots.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Shortcuts automates my daily inventory checklist, Live Text translates supplier emails from Spanish, and Crash Detection alerted my wife during a minor fender bender.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Wallet app sometimes glitches with multiple Square cards. Had to disable Raise to Wake when handling dough—kept activating accidentally.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My Pixel 6 overheated constantly—this stays cool while running Square, Uber Eats, and Spotify simultaneously under the heat lamp.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Social media food pics got 3x more engagement thanks to Photonic Engine. Wife tracks my location during late-night events for safety.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Competitor trucks asked to clone my setup. Regulars love the Apple Pay option—speeds up our breakfast taco line.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Mous Limitless 4.0 case for drops, Anker magnetic vent mount, and a waterproof pouch for rainy events.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

11/10—this phone pays for itself. Tell every small biz owner to stop cheaping out on Android burners.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Needed cinematic 4K for brand deals after my DSLR got stolen in Barcelona

📌 Purchase Motivation

Content creation tax deduction + carrier offered unlimited hotspot data for creators

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Debated 14 Pro Max but the lighter weight won me over—shooting handheld for hours is less tiring

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

B&H Photo—no sales tax for NYC residents and free DJI Osmo Mobile 6 bundle

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Filmed the unboxing for my 500k followers—they spammed ‘UPGRADE’ in the comments. Airdropped 200GB of backups from my MacBook in under an hour.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Gold back matches my aesthetic. The flat edges make gimbal balancing easier than curved Android phones.

⭐ First Week Usage

Shot a Times Square ad campaign in Action Mode—clients thought I used a Steadicam. Overheating warning appeared once during 90°F rooftop filming.

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Color-grading in Lightroom Mobile is smoother now. Selfie camera finally does my makeup justice in golden hour lighting.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

ProRes for editing flexibility, Photonic Engine for low-light hotel room shots, and Find My for tracking stolen gear (learned my lesson!).

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

No periscope zoom hurts for architecture shots. Cloud backups eat through data—had to upgrade to 1TB iCloud.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My Galaxy S21 Ultra had better zoom but overheated after 20 minutes of 8K. This stays cool while live-streaming Pride parades.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Landing more luxury hotel collabs thanks to Dolby Vision footage. Personal win: Skin smoothing filter makes jetlagged selfies postable.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Followers notice the quality jump—engagement rates up 18%. Other creators DM me asking about my ‘secret camera’ setup.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

SmallRig cage with cold shoe mounts, Sandmarc anamorphic lens, and a waterproof case for poolside content.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9/10—would kill for a telephoto lens. Still, the best mobile filmmaking tool under $1k. #TeamiPhone forever.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Cracked my iPhone 12 during a frat party—needed something more durable with better specs

📌 Purchase Motivation

T-Mobile’s “iPhone Forever” program let me upgrade with no down payment

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost went for Pro Max until I realized I didn’t need ProRes for coding—saved $200

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

T-Mobile store near campus—got free Apple TV+ and 30% off my plan as a student

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Roommates hyped me up while unboxing. Restored from iCloud in 20 minutes—even my TikTok drafts transferred!

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Product Red pops with my sneaker collection. The aluminum edges don’t show fingerprints like my old glossy 12.

⭐ First Week Usage

Aced a hackathon—Xcode ran smoothly while split-screening with Slack. Battery handled all-nighters better than my coffee.

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Hotspotting to my laptop during lectures drains only 10% per hour. The haptic keyboard helps me type faster in the library.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Focus modes for study sessions, Visual Look Up to identify plants for my bio elective, and 5G for Starlink tethering.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Dynamic Island blocked timers during workouts until I learned to swipe it away. No USB-C is annoying for Arduino projects.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

12 felt laggy after iOS 16—this handles Unity emulators like a champ. Speakers are louder for dorm parties too.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Built an iOS app for campus parking that uses the improved GPS. GroupMe notifications sync better during football games.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Frat brothers borrow it for concert videos—the action stabilization is insane. Dating app matches increased with sharper selfies.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Pitaka MagEZ Case for one-handed use, Moft snap-on stand for movie nights, and a knockoff MagSafe charger from Amazon.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8.5/10—lacks always-on display which would’ve been clutch. Still, best value for broke college kids who need performance.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Needed a larger screen for design work and better battery life for on-the-go projects

📌 Purchase Motivation

Upgrading from an older iPhone XR that couldn’t handle Adobe apps smoothly

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared iPhone 14 Plus with Samsung Galaxy S23+ for screen size and performance, but preferred iOS ecosystem

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple Store downtown—wanted hands-on experience and instant trade-in for my XR

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

The size felt massive at first, but the weight distribution was perfect. Setup was seamless with iCloud backup.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

The midnight color looked sleek, and the flat edges gave it a premium feel. Way lighter than I expected for the size!

⭐ First Week Usage

Battery lasted through 12-hour workdays with Photoshop running. Noticed apps opened faster, but the Dynamic Island felt gimmicky initially.

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Now I sketch directly on Procreate during commutes. The 6.7 screen is a game-changer—no more zooming in constantly."

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

True Tone display for color accuracy, 5G speeds for cloud backups, and the Action Mode for filming client project reels.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Reaching the top corner in one-handed mode was impossible until I enabled Reachability in settings.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

XR now feels like a toy—this renders complex Illustrator files 3x faster and doesn’t overheat.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Clients compliment my presentation videos shot on this. Saved $300 on a drawing tablet thanks to the screen size.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Friends tease me about the 'iPad Mini' phone, but three of them upgraded after trying mine for a week.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Got a MagSafe wallet for site visits and a Paperlike screen protector for stylus work.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9.5/10—only wish it had ProMotion. Would tell any creative pro to splurge on the Plus over the regular 14.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Birthday gift from parents after making state finals—strictly for emergencies and team communication

📌 Purchase Motivation

Family plan upgrade was cheaper than buying a separate Android

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

None—just wanted whatever the team group chat wasn’t breaking (green bubbles)

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

AT&T store—dad’s union discount got us $300 off with a 36-month commitment

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Team cracked up when I FaceTimed them mid-unboxing. Had to ask my sister how to turn off those annoying iMessage effects.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Midnight black matches our uniforms. Surprisingly survived being tossed in my gym bag with sweaty gear.

⭐ First Week Usage

Filmed my dunk highlights in slo-mo—coach used them for recruitment. Drained battery fast during away-game Spotify streaming.

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Team group chat loads instantly now. Use Screen Time to block social media during study hall. Find My Friends keeps mom off my back.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Siri reads texts aloud during practice, Live Text copies whiteboard plays, and Emergency SOS works even in dead zones under the bleachers.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Butterfingers—shattered the back glass during a victory celebration. $149 AppleCare+ fee hurt my allowance.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My hand-me-down iPhone 7 couldn’t even load Snapchat—this edits highlight reels in iMovie without lagging.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Scouts noticed my well-edited tapes. Got in trouble for AirDropping memes during chemistry—worth it.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Cool kid status unlocked—no more Android shaming. Teammates borrow it to film TikTok challenges in the locker room.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

OtterBox Lumen for glow-in-the-dark flex, Nike Sport Loop for runs, and a cheap car mount for GPS to tournaments.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8/10—should’ve waited for USB-C. Still, best phone for ballers who need durability and clout.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Grandkids kept complaining they couldn’t FaceTime me clearly on my ancient iPhone 6

📌 Purchase Motivation

AARP discount + trade-in made it cheaper than expected

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost got confused by SE’s smaller size—salesperson convinced me the big screen would help my cataracts

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Verizon store—they offered free in-store setup and a senior tech tutorial class

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Had my granddaughter help me unbox it. She laughed at how long I stared at the 'swipe to set up' animation.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Purple reminds me of my favorite lilacs. Heavier than my old phone but easier to grip—less worried about dropping it.

⭐ First Week Usage

Took 3 days to stop pressing the nonexistent home button. Discovered I could make text HUGE without zooming the whole screen!

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Now I watch HGTV while cooking—the speakers are loud enough over the blender. Emergency SOS button gives my kids peace of mind.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

VoiceOver reads my recipes aloud, Medical ID accessible from lock screen, and Siri finally understands my Southern accent.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Wallet app confused me—didn’t realize I had to double-click the side button. Still can’t figure out Memoji.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Night and day difference! Photos of my garden club actually look colorful now. No more waiting 10 seconds for Messages to open.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Track my blood pressure in Health app. Book club uses Shared Albums for our reads—no more blurry printed photos.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Bridge group thinks I’m tech-savvy now. Grandchildren actually answer when I send iMessage reactions.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

PopSocket for arthritis grip, Mophie charging station for overnight, and a floral Crossbody case from QVC.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9/10—would tell other seniors to swallow their fear of big phones. The accessibility features alone are life-changing.

⭐ Reason for Purchase

District switched to digital textbooks—needed reliable device for classroom tech

📌 Purchase Motivation

School reimbursement program covered 50% if I chose a model with 5+ year iOS support

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost bought the cheaper iPhone 13 until I saw 14 Plus had 26% better battery in tests

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Best Buy—price-matched Amazon and got free AirPods with educator discount

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

My students gathered around when I unboxed it during lunch—they were obsessed with the camera bump design.

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Blue back made it easy to spot in my cluttered desk. Thinner bezels meant more content fit onscreen for lessons.

⭐ First Week Usage

Lasted through back-to-school nights without charging. Used the new Emergency SOS via satellite during a hiking trip—peace of mind!

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Projecting dissection videos via USB-C to classroom smartboard is flawless. The mic picks up my voice clearly over noisy labs.

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Screen Sharing for tutoring struggling students, Live Text for extracting diagrams from old textbooks, and Guided Access during exams.

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Face ID fails when I wear COVID masks—had to revert to passcode until iOS 16.1 fixed it.

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

My battered iPhone 8 Plus would die by 2pm—this still has 40% after grading papers till midnight.

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Created AR frog dissection demos with RealityKit. Wife steals it for TikTok recipes thanks to cinematic mode.

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Science department now uses my phone as the 'field trip camera.' Students beg to use it for microscope photography.

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

OtterBox Defender for lab accidents, Apple Pencil for annotating slides, and a Belkin stand for desk use.

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

10/10 for educators. The battery alone is worth it—tell your school to budget for the Plus model.

Benchmark Scores

The iPhone 14 Plus delivers impressive benchmark scores, with Geekbench 5 hitting around 1,700 single-core and 4,500 multi-core. The A15 Bionic chip, while not the latest, still outperforms many current Android flagships. In real-world use, apps launch instantly, and multitasking is seamless—no lag

Build Quality & Materials

Apple nails it with the iPhone 14 Plus's build—premium aerospace-grade aluminum and Ceramic Shield front. The flat edges give it a sleek, modern look, and the glass back feels sturdy. It’s IP68-rated, so accidental spills or rain won’t faze it. The only gripe? The glossy back is a fingerprint magnet

Display Quality

The 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED is stunning—bright (up to 1,200 nits peak), vibrant, and buttery smooth with 60Hz. Yes, 60Hz feels dated next to Android’s 120Hz, but Apple’s optimization makes scrolling still feel fluid. Outdoor visibility is excellent, and True Tone keeps colors natural. Movie n

Camera System & Performance

The dual 12MP cameras (wide + ultrawide) shine in daylight, with crisp details and balanced colors. Night mode is solid, though not class-leading. Cinematic Mode (4K@30fps) is fun for bokeh-rich videos. The front camera’s autofocus is a game-changer for selfies and video calls. Low-light could be be

Software & User Experience

iOS 16 (upgradable to 17) is buttery smooth, with thoughtful features like Focus Modes and Lock Screen widgets. App ecosystem is unmatched, and updates come for years. The lack of bloatware is refreshing. If you’re deep into Apple’s ecosystem, the seamless integration with Macs and iPads is a huge p

Battery Life & Charging

Battery life is a standout—easily a full day (even 1.5 days) with moderate use. Streaming, browsing, and calls won’t drain it fast. The 20W charging feels slow compared to Android’s 65W+, and no charger in-box is annoying. MagSafe is handy for wireless, though.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

The A15 Bionic + 5-core GPU handles demanding games like Genshin Impact at high settings without throttling. The large screen enhances immersion, but the 60Hz refresh rate is a letdown for competitive gamers. Thermal management is excellent—no overheating during long sessions.

Connectivity & Ports

5G support is future-proof, and call quality is crystal clear. The lack of a USB-C port (still Lightning) is frustrating, especially for file transfers. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 are reliable, though. eSIM-only in the US might irk some travelers.

Durability & Protection

Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating make it tough against drops and water. My unit survived a 4-foot tumble onto concrete with just minor scuffs. Still, a case is wise for long-term protection—the glass back is pricey to replace.

Price & Value Proposition

At $899, it’s pricey, but the longevity (5+ years of updates), battery life, and ecosystem perks justify it for Apple loyalists. If you crave 120Hz or USB-C, wait for the 15 series. Otherwise, it’s a reliable powerhouse.

Benchmark Scores

The A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Plus still holds its own, scoring ~1,600 single-core and ~4,300 multi-core in Geekbench 5. Real-world performance is flawless—switching between 10+ apps feels effortless. It’s not the newest chip, but it’s more than enough for 99% of users.

Build Quality & Materials

The aluminum frame and glass back scream premium, and the flat edges make it easier to grip than rounded designs. The Ceramic Shield is legit—my keys in the same pocket left zero scratches. IP68 is a lifesaver for clumsy folks. Just wish it were lighter for its size.

Display Quality

The 6.7-inch OLED is vibrant and sharp, with perfect blacks and great viewing angles. HDR content pops, but the 60Hz refresh rate feels outdated next to cheaper Android phones. Brightness is stellar—no squinting in direct sunlight.

Camera System & Performance

Daylight photos are rich and detailed, with accurate colors. Night mode is decent but lags behind Pixel/Samsung. The ultrawide is fun for landscapes. Cinematic Mode videos look pro, but the 1080p limit is odd. Selfies? Best-in-class thanks to autofocus.

Software & User Experience

iOS 16 is polished and intuitive, with great privacy controls and smooth animations. iMessage and FaceTime are unbeatable in the US. The lack of customization might bug Android switchers, but the trade-off is rock-solid stability.

Battery Life & Charging

Battery life is phenomenal—I got 10 hours of screen time regularly. 20W charging is sluggish (0–50% in 30 mins), and MagSafe is cool but inefficient (heats up the phone). No charger included remains a pain.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

Genshin Impact runs at max settings with minimal frame drops, but the 60Hz cap limits fluidity. The phone stays cool, though. Casual gamers won’t care, but hardcore players should look at Pro models for 120Hz.

Connectivity & Ports

5G speeds are blazing where available, and call quality is excellent. Lightning feels archaic in 2023—transferring large files is slow. Wi-Fi 6 is reliable, and dual eSIM is convenient for frequent travelers.

Durability & Protection

IP68 and Ceramic Shield make it one of the most durable phones I’ve tested. Survived multiple drops on tile unscathed. Still, AppleCare+ is worth considering—repairs are costly.

Price & Value Proposition

At $899, it’s a tough sell next to the $799 iPhone 14 (same specs, smaller screen). Worth it if you crave battery life and a big display, but the regular 14 offers better value.