Apple iPhone 14 Plus review

Design, build quality, handling

The iPhones remain one of the sturdiest non-rugged smartphones, and the new iPhone 14 Plus is no different. We have to give it to Apple - it was one of the last popular makers to jump on the water-proofing bandwagon, and years later, it still holds the bar for both shatter and ingress protection.

Thanks to the flat design, the two Corning-made glass panels, the aluminum frame, and the proper insulation and sealing, the iPhone design still excels in mainstream phone protection. Furthermore, Apple also applies oleophobic coating on the glass for less smudges, and finally, the balanced weight throughout the whole body does help, too.

iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14

While the exterior looks the same, there is a massive internal redesign. This year Apple has done some major rearrangements, essentially flipping over the internals 180 degrees. In a nutshell, Apple engineers have put a lot of effort into making the iPhone 14 Plus, just like they did with the iPhone 14, more easily repairable than its predecessor by a big margin. The rear glass panel has been one of the most difficult parts to replace for a few iPhone generations now. On the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, it is no longer tightly glued to the internals and instead comes off as a separate piece just like the display does (with a little heat and a bit of "encouragement"). This makes it super easy to replace. You can check the teardown over at the iFixit's website.

So, the iPhone 14 Plus looks like any pre-Dynamic Island iPhone - flat panels, a flat frame, and one large screen notch. It's just bigger, as large as the iPhone Pro Max models, thanks to the new 6.7-inch OLED screen. But unlike the Maxes, the iPhone Plus is quite lightweight for its size at 203 grams. This makes it lighter than the 14 Pro, let alone the 240g 14 Pro Max. It's also lighter than the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Xiaomi 12S Ultra.

The front is covered with a piece of Apple's Ceramic Shield - a glass that has already proven to live up to the promises of shatter proofing. The rear panel is made by Corning and is marketed as the toughest smartphone glass, but we have to take Apple's worth for that. And, in between those glass sheets is the aluminum frame with a matt finish, the only part that's visible from the phone's chassis.

iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple hasn't backed from making the iPhone as water-resistant as possible. The iPhone 14 Plus is IP68-rated for dust and water protection, but it actually exceeds the specifications and can last in up to 6m deep water instead of the usual 1.5m.

And just like many other flat iPhones, the iPhone 14 Plus can stand on its own, in case you were wondering.

Let's explore the iPhone 14 Plus in detail now, not that you haven't seen the same details for the last couple of years.

The front is occupied by the new 6.7-inch Retina XDR OLED screen. It has equally thin bezels and a wide notch, which accommodates the new 12MP selfie camera with OIS and AF, the proximity and ambient light sensors, and the 3D Face ID scanner and IR emitter.

There is a small outlet for the earpiece, which is actually a full-blown speaker, and when playing multimedia - it is quite loud, with rich and deep sound.

The Notch vs. the Dynamic Island

While Apple has moved the proximity sensor behind the glass, something other makers were doing for years, and thus the Dynamic Island on the Pro models came to be, the regular iPhones are stuck with the notoriously large notch for yet another cycle.

The back is quite familiar - made of a glossy piece of Corning-made glass, with the Apple's logo being a small mirror amid the purple sea (in our case).

iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14

The square camera island slowly raises from the rear panel and the whole thing is actually one piece, even if the island itself has a different matt finish. There are two cameras on it with jutting-out metal rings - the 12MP primary and the 12MP ultrawide shooters, both protected by sapphire crystal lens covers. A dual-tone LED flash and a microphone for video capturing are also around, placed in a rather symmetrical fashion.

We know we've written this before, but we still want to issue this warning - the sapphire covers on the cameras have these small corners that go beyond the metal rings and will scratch any glass upon contact. So, be careful and do not leave the iPhone 14 Plus on glass tables or worse, on top of another phone.

iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max

The frame of the iPhone 14 Plus has a matching color to the rear panel, but it has a matt finish. It is flat, has been since the iPhone 12 series, and provides a good enough grip.

The top of the iPhone 14 Plus is completely bare.

The bottom accommodates the Lightning port, the mouthpiece, and the second stereo speaker.

The silencer, the volume keys, and the SIM slot are all on the left part of the frame.

The Side key used for locking and powering on the iPhone 14 Plus is sitting alone on the right.

The iPhone 14 Plus is indeed one of the lightest 6.7-inch phones we've handled. It feels premium, and it has been built to meet all flagship standards. Even better, it provides a secure enough grip to be used without a case. We had no issues playing games, taking photos, browsing, or watching videos.

The oleophobic coating does help with the fingerprints and smudges - these take longer to stick, and then you can clean them with a single wipe.

Overall, as far as design, build and handling is concerned, the iPhone 14 Plus gets excellent marks across the board.