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iPhone 14 and 14 Pro 3 Months Later: Highs and Lows of Apple’s Newest Phones

We ran in-depth tests on the iPhone 14 line’s batteries, cameras and Emergency SOS via Satellite.

In a year packed with numerous phone releases, Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup is curious. There is the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, which represent the pinnacle of the company’s design, software and hardware. The iPhone 14 Pro is notably defined by an oval-shaped screen cut-out for the True Depth camera, which replaces the notch, called the Dynamic Island. But then, there’s the iPhone 14 which seems like a repackaged iPhone 13 Pro without the stainless steel body or the third rear camera for telephoto pictures.

Apple discontinued the iPhone 13 Mini and replaced it with a bigger version of the 14 called the iPhone 14 Plus. Starting at $929, it’s meant to be a slightly «more affordable» way to get a large screen iPhone without crossing that $1,000 line. Taken in total, you have two high-end Pro iPhone models, a big-screen regular iPhone and the standard iPhone 14, which on the surface doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade from the iPhone 13. Apple’s lineup offers exciting new features while also seeming like a curious repeat of what came out last year.

Over the past three months, I used the iPhone 14 as my daily driver and the 14 Pro as my work phone. During that time, I ran in-depth battery tests, took numerous photos, used them to film CNET videos and tried out the new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature. Several of my CNET colleagues have also tested the cameras and compared them to the likes of the Google Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra. Here are my thoughts on the iPhone 14 family since my initial reviews back in September.

The iPhone 14’s battery doesn’t last as long as the iPhone 13

I’ve never met a single person who said, «Wow, I get too much battery life on my phone.» But I have definitely met many who have wanted more. A phone’s battery life lands at an interesting crossroads. You have the physical and chemical limits of modern lithium batteries as well as the clever software and processing optimizations that aim to make those batteries more efficient.

Apple doesn’t disclose the size of the batteries in its phones, but I wish it did because they’re relatively small compared to the batteries in Android phones. This isn’t about shaming Apple, but highlighting how much longevity the company ekes out of that battery through software optimizations and the efficiency of its A-series chips. In fact, last year’s iPhone 13 Pro Max lasted longer on a single charge than any other phone we tested.

The same can’t be said for this year. The iPhone 14 series gets good battery life but is definitely a step down from the iPhone 13 family, which gets longer battery life. The difference wasn’t drastic, and I imagine most people aren’t upgrading their phone every year and would never be the wiser.

At CNET, we run a few battery life tests and note how long the phones last in real life. The first test I ran with each phone was an endurance test. For 45 minutes, I played video games (some were online) as well as watched videos, scrolled through social media apps like TikTok and Instagram and made a video call over FaceTime. During that time, the iPhone 14’s battery decreased 10%, the 14 Plus dropped 5%, the 14 Pro lost 8% and the 14 Pro Max went down 7%.

I also fully charged each phone, then played a downloaded video looped in Airplane mode with the screen at 50% brightness. We’ve been running this test at CNET for years, and are in the process of phasing it out since software and chips now optimize for video playback. And most people watch streaming videos.

So why run this test? It allows us to compare Apple’s claims for video playback as well as with the outcome we got with the iPhone 13 series. The results are below.

These times also come up short when compared to the iPhone 13 series. The regular 13 lasted 21 hours and 51 minutes, the 13 Pro went 22 hours and 4 minutes and the 13 Pro Max scored an outstanding 31 hours and 19 minutes. I should also note that the 13 Mini lasted 18 hours and 19 minutes which is almost as long as the regular iPhone 14.

There has been a lot of chatter around the always-on display on the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max and how it’s draining the battery. In our tests, the always-on display didn’t decrease the battery life in any significant way compared to having it off.

I charged both phones to 100% and left them on my desk with the always-on screen enabled. After 6 hours, the 14 Pro dropped 4% and the 14 Pro Max lost 2%. I ran the same scenario again, but this time turned off the always-on display. The results were essentially the same: the 14 Pro dropped 4% and the 14 Pro Max dropped 3%.

A lot of this will depend on your lock screen wallpaper, since the always-on display isn’t a black screen and instead shows a darkened version of your wallpaper photo. Luckily, iOS 16.2 has new always-on display settings that let you turn off the wallpaper and have just a black screen.

Emergency SOS via Satellite helped three people get rescued

Emergency SOS via Satellite and Car Crash Detection (or maybe it should be called «I’m on a roller coaster with an iPhone 14 detection») might be two of the best features on the regular iPhone 14 and 14 Plus. But they are largely invisible tools that most people will hopefully never have to use.

Last month, I got to test out Emergency SOS via Satellite in a demonstration at Apple Park. I was impressed how easy it was to use and connect to a satellite, even in the rain. In fact, since then, the feature helped save a stranded snowmobiler in Alaska and two people whose car went off the side of a mountain.

Features like these are important, and I do think they help the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus stand out. But I don’t know if most people would prioritize them as something they must have on a phone. After a few months, it’s crystal clear that the standard iPhone 14 is aimed at people upgrading from an iPhone 11 or older and not from last year’s iPhone 13.

More Dynamic Island, please

The Dynamic Island works well. but it’s not without quirks. For example, the Dynamic Island sticks out further into the screen than the notch did, which is noticeable when watching some videos. I also wish that more non-Apple apps took advantage of the Dynamic Island.

Also, we haven’t had the full experience with the Dynamic Island that Apple intended. It’s part of a trinity of features that also includes the always-on display and Live Activities, which tracks the progress of certain activities like showing you the live score of a basketball team on your lock screen. The Dynamic Island will truly shine once apps fully adopt Live Activities which should be sooner than later now that iOS 16.2 is out.

There are scratches on my Ceramic Shield

All four models in the iPhone 14 series have Apple’s Ceramic Shield that covers the display. And all four of the phones I tested have scuffs or minor scratches on the front glass. I haven’t coddled the phones, but I haven’t been reckless with them either. After nearly three months, I’m shocked that all of these phones have scratches.

The iPhone 14 Pro’s cameras are excellent

The cameras on the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are good. But the cameras on the iPhone 14 Pro’s and 14 Pro Max’s are great. Does that mean you can’t get quality photos on the 14 and 14 Plus? Absolutely not. But the ones I captured on the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max and their 48-megapixel main camera are consistently great. Unfortunately, you have to shoot ProRaw photos to take full advantage of the iPhone 14 Pro’s full camera resolution, and these images have dramatically larger file sizes. I wish there was a built-in way to save and quickly convert the ProRaw photos into JPEGs.

One surprise for me has been Cinematic mode. It can record in 4K video at 24 frames per second or 30fps, and I’ve actually used it to film several CNET videos. The quality is good, and the overall experience with Cinematic mode is much better than it is on the iPhone 13. (Apple’s previous phone was limited to 1080p resolution at 30fps in that mode.) One trick I use to get more natural looking videos is to drop Cinematic mode’s aperture setting to f/8. I find this gives the background a more realistic out-of-focus look while keeping the subject in focus.

The iPhone 14 is more expensive even if the price didn’t go up

The baseline iPhone 14 is $829, which is the same as the iPhone 12 and 13 when they launched. But there is a difference. In 2020 and 2021, Apple also sold the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini at $729. That essentially means the barrier to entry for a new iPhone is now more expensive, since the Mini isn’t part of the iPhone 14 lineup. To alleviate the price, Apple and US carriers have a ton of trade-in deals. Apple also still sells the iPhone 13 for $729, which can save you some money.

Read: Apple’s Next iPhone Might Not Get a Price Increase. Here’s Why

Then there’s the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, which are Apple’s most expensive models. They have the same starting prices as the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max and as the 2018 iPhone XS and XS Max when they came out. Basically, the prices for Apple’s top-of-the-line models haven’t increased but they are hard to find. Apple scaled back production on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max because of COVID-19 lockdowns in China. Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro is showing shipping times of three-and-a-half weeks.

If you’re trying to get an iPhone 14 Pro as a gift for someone, your best bet is to try carriers and third-party retailers. However, Apple’s retail stores typically get more restock. And I wouldn’t dissuade you from ordering an iPhone 14 Pro. It’s an excellent phone and will still be one in three-and-a-half weeks.

Three months later, I am still impressed with the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. The cameras are great, Emergency SOS provides more peace of mind, but the ceramic shield isn’t as durable as I expected. And the battery life isn’t as long as last year’s iPhone 13 lineup. But whether you’re upgrading from an older iPhone to an iPhone 14 or just want Apple’s absolute best, the iPhone 14 Pro, you should find something that fits your needs, budget and tastes.

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Technologies

Marvel Rivals Season 2 Adds New Vanguard Emma Frost, Krakoa Map

Emma Frost and Ultron are joining the Rivals roster in season 2, and developers are upping the pace to one new hero per month starting with season 3.

After surviving the endless night in New York City with the Fantastic Four, Marvel Rivals players are getting invited to the shores of Krakoa for the start of season 2 on April 11. The game dropped the first trailer for the new season, giving us our first official look at the new heroes, and a developer vision video dropped major news about the future of hero releases. 

The trailer features the former foe and sometimes-leader of the X-Men, Emma Frost, inviting people from across Rivals’ various timelines to the mutant nation of Krakoa, where everyone gets dressed up for a fancy gala — even Wolverine puts on a white tux. The event, however, is unceremoniously interrupted when Ultron shows up preaching extermination. 

We also got a look at some of the cosmetics in season 2, though it’s unclear which are from the shop and which might be in the battle pass. In addition to the dressed-up Wolverine, we also got looks at Magik and Psylocke in the traditional X-Men blue and yellow. Nonmutant guests are also getting in on the fun, with fancy attire for heroes like Cap, Widow and Luna Snow. 

New Heroes and balance changes in Marvel Rivals Season 2

Emma Frost joins the roster as a Vanguard who can project a shield forward, give herself damage reduction by going into her diamond form, and also choke-slam people while insulting them. We got a glimpse at her abilities in her hero trailer, but we don’t have detailed information about her abilities yet — expect that information to drop ahead of next week’s season launch. Ultron is coming in the season 2.5 update, which should be in late May. 

Some team-ups are changing in season 2, including three new team-up abilities that were previewed in the newest developer vision video. 

  • Emma Frost allows Magneto and Psylocke to create illusions of themselves.
  • Doctor Strange teams up with Scarlet Witch allowing her to use small portals to seemingly increase her damage output via a rapid-shooting alternate fire.  
  • Cap finally teams up with Bucky, allowing the Winter Soldier to leap to allies.

A few existing team-ups are getting adjustments, with Psylocke, Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange being removed from older team-ups in favor of new ones, and Namor moving from working with Luna’s anchor to Hulk’s to empower his ultimate with gamma energy. Two team-ups are being removed entirely: Magneto can no longer team up with Scarlet Witch, and Thor is no longer anchoring Cap and Storm.

Rivals announced the full list of season 2 balance changes, including buffs to Peni, Mister Fantastic and Moon Knight, with Strange losing some damage for more survivability (via his new anchor buff) and Rocket getting several adjustments, while Loki and Adam Warlock receive nerfs to their Regeneration Domain and Soul Bond abilities.

Future seasons will be shorter, which means more new heroes

One of the most surprising moments in the developer video was the announcement that, beginning with season 3, seasons will be two months long instead of roughly three. There has been a lot of discussion online about whether Rivals’ pace of new heroes (about eight per year based on three-month seasons) was sustainable. Well, apparently the Rivals devs took that personally and are cranking up that pace to a new hero every month, meaning 12 new heroes per year. 

This feels borderline ludicrous compared with other hero shooters that average about three new heroes per year, or even MOBAs like League of Legends, which has averaged about four new champions per year over the past five years. Rivals benefits from having an overflowing stable of Marvel characters to pull from rather than inventing their own hero concepts, and compared with Overwatch, the developers seem less worried about mechanical overlap in their heroes, as seen with many support ultimates. Still, a new hero every month feels unheard of for a hero shooter.

New Krakoa map and competitive changes

Season 2 is adding two new maps, including a Krakoa-themed domination map at the season’s start. Yggsgard: Royal Palace (domination) and Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya (convergence) will rotate out of the map pool for ranked modes, though they’ll still be available in quick play and custom games.

The threshold for competitive picks and bans, which currently only happen in diamond-ranked lobbies, will be lowered to gold 3. Players in Eternity or One Above All ranks will only be able to duo queue, instead of queuing with larger groups — a measure that’s likely intended to keep high-level teams from stomping lobbies. 

Speaking of ranks, season 2 will drop everyone by 9 divisions, which is equal to 3 ranks. That means players in Eternity will drop to diamond, and any players at platinum 3 or below will start their climb from bronze 3 again. (AGAIN… AGAIN.)

Rivals developers also announced that individual player performance will be weighted higher when determining competitive progress after a match, meaning if your stats outperform your team’s, you’ll earn more for winning and drop less for losing. This change can help elevate smurfs and other high-skill players in lower-ranked lobbies by getting them into their appropriate ranks faster. However, it can also lead to players stat-farming, instead of playing in a way that is most effective for winning games. Overall, given that Rivals doesn’t use any sort of competitive placement matches, this should be a net positive for the game.

Other announcements

Rivals is adding new skin recolors to certain hero skins and (finally) giving players the option to gift costumes to their friends so they can surprise someone for their birthday, which you definitely did not forget about.  

Missions are changing a bit, with the addition of weekly missions and a redistribution of where battle-pass-progressing chrono tokens are earned. The devs framed this as creating a «smoother expectation» of how to earn chrono tokens, but the surface-level description sounds like they’re just making it harder to earn battle pass progress over the season by tucking away more progress under missions with shorter time limits.

The developer vision update also gave us our first look at the competitive distribution, showing how many Rivals players are in each tier as of season 1.5. 

The Hellfire Gala trailer says season 2 will start on April 11 UTC. While it doesn’t give a specific start time, expect the between-seasons maintenance to finish sometime in the middle of the night in the US.

For more on Marvel Rivals, check out which heroes and roles you should play and how to get free skins.

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Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders: New Tariffs Mean US Customers Will Have to Wait

We’ve got all the need-to-know details about the new console, but Nintendo’s recent announcement has caused some uncertainty.

It’s finally here. Well, almost. The Nintendo Direct event on April 3 gave us our first concrete information about its highly anticipated Switch 2 console. In addition to the official release date (June 5), we also got details about the specs, price and some hot new titles. Preorders were originally supposed to open on April 9, but the new tariffs mean that US customers will have to wait a little longer. Below, we’ve rounded up everything you want to know, including when and how you’ll be able to preorder one of these nifty new handhelds.

Where to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2

When can I preorder the Nintendo Switch 2

Preorders we’re originally set to open on April 9, and for most countries, that is still the case. However, in light of the new US tariffs, Nintendo has delayed preorders in the United States while it assesses «the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.» As of now, there are no details about when US preorders will start, but we’re closely monitoring the situation and will update this page as soon as new information is available.

Read More: How Nintendo is Combating Switch 2 Scalpers

How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?

The standalone console will start at $450, which is a $150 increase compared to the original console. You can also bundle it with Mario Kart World for $500, which saves you $30 compared to purchasing the game and system separately.

When will the Nintendo Switch 2 be released?

The Switch 2 will officially begin shipping on June 5. As of now, Nintendo has stated that the preorder delay in the US will not affect the release date.

When can I preorder Nintendo Switch 2 accessories?

Nintendo and several other retailers already have preorder pages for controllers, cases and other accessories, as well as games. It’s likely that preorders will begin at the same time as consoles, but there’s no official confirmation as of yet.

When can I preorder Nintendo Switch 2 games?

As with accessories, we expect that Switch 2 game preorders will be available when console preorders go live.

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders: What are people saying?

Feeling about the Switch 2 are mixed — to say the least. While the new console certainly offers some nice upgrades over it’s predecessor, including a larger screen, improved Joy-Cons and boosted storage, many are wondering if it’s enough to justify a fairly significant price hike. Especially when you consider with the new $80 price tag of its two biggest launch-window games — Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. CNET gaming expert Scott Stein sums it up as a console that «feels a lot like an updated version of a system many people already own.» Additionally, the confusion about preorder availability has many gamers wondering if they’d be better off waiting a year or two and grabbing a refurbished console at a lower price.

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Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 5, #1386

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle No. 1,386 for April 5.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Still recovering from yesterday’s tricky Wordle? Today’s Wordle puzzle is a little easier, although the first letter isn’t one I often guess. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels and one sometimes vowel in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: Start letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter F.

Wordle hint No. 4: Under the sea

Today’s Wordle answer is sometimes associated with ocean waves, and also with soap.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is frothy or creamy.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is FOAMY.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, April 4,  No. 1385 was KRILL.

Recent Wordle answers

March 31, No, 1381: BOOTY

April 1, No. 1382: JEWEL

April 2, No. 1383: CURSE.

April 3, No. 1384: SHEAR

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