iPhone 14 Plus vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Is it worth getting the higher-tier model?

Choosing between the iPhone 14 Plus or the iPhone 14 Pro Max has been a constant conundrum for Apple fans since 2022. The Cupertino-based tech giant discontinued its iPhone Mini series after just two generations. In its place, the brand launched the new 14 Plus has been released, which shares its display size with the 14 Pro Max.

So there are two big-screen iPhones now vying for Apple fans' money. And you would be forgiven for being confused about which large-display model to pick.

Without any further ado, let's compare the iPhone 14 Plus vs. the iPhone 14 Pro Max to find out which is the better pick.

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Should you buy iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone 14 Pro Max?

The iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are two of the best phones that money can buy today. However, several distinguishing factors make it clearer for buyers if they want to pick one.

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Design and display

Design-wise the iPhone 14 Plus and the Pro Max are almost the same, with flat edges and an aluminum build. However, while the former is made of aerospace-grade aluminum, the latter is made of surgical-grade aluminum, which is tougher and more premium.

Apple's Plus model is available in a vibrant palette including yellow, blue, purple, midnight, red, and starlight. Conversely, the Pro Max variant is offered in sophisticated shades of deep purple, space black, silver, and gold. Among the standout features, the iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts the unique Dynamic Island, while the Plus retains the classic display notch.

The premium-tier Pro Max showcases a ProMotion display with a swift 120Hz refresh rate, an Always-on feature, and a dazzling peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits, in contrast to the 1,200 nits on the 14 Plus. Notably, the iPhone 14 Plus lacks both the ProMotion and Always-on functionalities in comparison.

Apart from these differences, the actual panel is the same on both devices. They both come with a 6.7-inch OLED display and have Super Retina XDR panels with a Ceramic Shield protective layer.

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Performance and software

Apple drew a line between its Pro and non-Pro lineup with the iPhone 14 range. The regular iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are powered by A15 Bionic from 2021, while the 14 Pro and the Pro Max have the latest A16 Bionic chipset.

Now coming to the nitty-gritties, the 4nm A16 Bionic is more efficient and faster than the 5nm A15 Bionic, but the difference is not stark. Both processors are Hexa-core chipsets with a 16-core Neural Engine. And thanks to the same iOS 16 (iOS 17 coming in September) running on both devices, the overall experience is similar.

However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will receive a few more years of software support, thanks to the latest processor.

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Camera

If you pit the 14 Plus vs. the 14 Pro Max in the camera department, the two options truly diverge. The Plus model has a dual-camera setup, whereas the Pro Max has triple cameras. The primary lens on the former is a 12MP unit, whereas the latter gets a 48MP primary lens.

The iPhone 14 Plus features an f/1.5 12MP primary camera and an f/2.4 12MP ultra-wide secondary lens. On the other hand, the 14 Pro Max has an f/1.78 48MP main, an f/2.2 12MP ultra-wide, and an f/2.8 12MP telephoto camera.

Not only does the iPhone 14 Pro Max have better cameras, but it comes with more advanced features as well.

Apple has equipped the higher-tier model with 6x optical zoom, 15x digital zoom, 2nd-gen OIS, ProRes video recording, macro video recording, ProRaw, night mode portraits, macro photography, and more. The iPhone 14 Plus is a great camera phone, as all Apple models usually are. However, due to these missing features, it plays second fiddle to the iPhone 14 Pro Max (speaking of large-screen iPhones) in the lineup.

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Price

The US iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1,099 for the base 128GB variant. It costs $1,199, $1,399, and $1,599 for the 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants, respectively.

On the other hand, the 14 Plus retails at $899, $999, and $1,199 for 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, respectively. Clearly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max commands a premium as Apple's top-of-the-line model.

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There you go! If you want the best of the best Apple smartphone available in the market, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the one you should pick. However, it also commands a $200 premium over the iPhone 14 Plus.

If you want a larger device and want to avoid paying a hefty price, the Plus is a good choice. If budget is no constraint and you want bleeding-edge features, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the way to go.

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Also, check out the upcoming Apple iPhone 15 details and features.