What are the best improvements from an iPhone X to an iPhone 14?

March 21, 2023 10:46 AM

What are the new features on an iPhone that I can make use of? I recently upgraded from an iPhone X to an iPhone 14. I'm currently using my new phone the way I used my iPhone X, but I'm sure there are a bunch of new features and capabilities. What's new/cool/interesting I could know about?
posted by andoatnp to Technology (7 answers total)

The iPhone 14 has crash detection and emergency SOS via satellite, but I hope you never need to use either of them. The 14 supports MagSafe charging that the X doesn't have (MagSafe can charge faster than Qi charging can). Other than that I think the big improvements will be just in performance, in pretty much every way. The processor is faster and more efficient so the battery will last longer, the cellular radio supports 5G (if your provider and plan do), the cameras are bigger and brighter, image stabilization is better, and the computational photography smarts have also improved a lot in both the OS and hardware. I believe there were also significant improvements in video capabilities in each of the most recent models so the cumulative improvement in video should be pretty high, but I almost never use video so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Also [checks Apple's comparison tool] the water resistance is improved, which I didn't even know I should think about. And there's spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, if those are things you care about. (I have a capable pair of earphones and have never once thought I should try either).

Overall it's pretty much the phone you've had, just newer and improved. None of it's going to be mind blowing, but a lot of it will just be better in daily use. I think the one thing that might be truly leaps and bounds ahead is video, but if you don't use your phone for that it won't matter to you.
posted by fedward at 11:23 AM on March 21, 2023

If you weren't running iOS 16 on your old phone, there's a bunch of stuff that was added with that update.
posted by box at 11:27 AM on March 21, 2023

Face ID will work while wearing a mask with your newer phone. Turn on under Settings, Face ID & Passcode.

I believe live captions for video, audio, and FaceTime are new for you. They’re under Settings, Accessibility.
posted by Ookseer at 12:35 PM on March 21, 2023

The built-in LIDAR scanner will let you do more interesting things with the Measure app.
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:47 PM on March 21, 2023

Lots of camera improvements. If it's of interest, the low-light / night sky / long exposure capabilities of the 14 vs the X are day and night. (Heh.) I've taken some amazing night sky pictures with my 13 that I would never have been able to do with the X, I imagine the 14 is better still.
posted by SquidLips at 5:26 PM on March 21, 2023 [1 favorite]

Apple has a comprehensive comparison function on their site which—while it's infused with marketing such that nominal improvements (or just changes) are touted as if they are groundbreaking—you should be able to use to compare the features of any iPhone with any other iPhone, back to the iPhone 6. It's available here.

It's up to you how much you care or rate any of these differences of course, but they are spelled out pretty clearly.
posted by lousywiththespirit at 8:27 AM on March 22, 2023

iPhones have had some waterproofing for quite a few product generations now, but the IP rating has been increased starting from iPhone 12.

I recently was with some people who were doing some light underwater photography using their recent-model iPhones in a river pool they were swimming in. I don't think the X could have necessarily survived that.
posted by kickingtheground at 2:27 PM on March 22, 2023