Stiftung Warentest: Apple outperforms the competition with the iPhone 14

No smartphone has so far received the highest rating of “very good” in the test of the German Stiftung Warentest. Spoiler: The iPhone 14 doesn’t make it either – albeit barely.

The top model iPhone 14 Pro Max has already reached the mark with the rating “good (1.6)” (from 1.5 there is the rating “very good”). However, the new iPhone surpasses Samsung and takes the first place in the smartphone ranking. Here are the results.

The standard models are also impressive

In Stiftung Warentest’s quick test, all iPhone 14 models scored “good”. The two Pro iPhones achieve the final grade “good (1.6)”, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus the score “good (1.7)”.

The examiners praise: “Its strengths include their particularly good cameras and perfectly functioning facial recognition.” The displays and controls are also “very good” in the test.

Compared to the standard models, the 14 Pro Max and 14 Plus come with bigger screens and more battery. The main camera of the iPhone 14 Pro has a resolution of 48 megapixels. It is the first time in years that Apple has increased the resolution of its cameras. The other models remain at 12 megapixels just like their predecessors.

iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max: the currently best mobile phones in the test

In the test, the two Pro models achieved an overall rating of “good (1,6)”. The testers especially praised the beautiful display, the very good operation and the robust housing. The devices passed the drop test slightly better than standard iPhones and were also rated “very good” for stability.

The most striking innovation compared to its predecessors is the “Dynamic Island” in the display. Where previously there was a notch in the display for the selfie camera and the face scanner, there is now a much smaller pill-shaped cutout that can also display notifications.

Other new features: The display is now always on and shows a darker screen when inactive. Inside, the current A16 Bionic chip provides power. If you’re looking for the latest and most powerful iPhone, the 14 Pro is the way to go. The 14 Pro Max is no longer quite pocket-sized, but has a larger screen and more battery.

Good, but not cheap: iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

The standard models are the iPhone 14 and brand new this year is the 14 Plus. Both devices cut the Stiftung Warentest with the verdict “good (1.7)”. This puts them on par with Samsung’s top models in a major smartphone comparison.

Unlike the iPhone 14 Pro, the 14 models have a camera system with only two lenses. The processor is from last year and the display does not support 120 Hertz refresh. However, according to Stiftung Warentest, the performance differences in everyday life are marginal.

OLED technology is used for the display. The sizes are 6.1 inches for the iPhone 14 and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 14 Plus. There is no always-on display and the “Dynamic Island” in the standard models.

Stiftung Warentest’s ratings are very similar to the much more expensive Pro models in all major categories: the iPhone 14 is also “very good” in terms of display and handling. The screen remained free of damage in the drop test.

The conclusion

Apple just missed the highest mark “very good” for a smartphone and took the top spot with the new iPhones. Only Samsung can keep up at the moment.

However, Apple also asks a hefty price for that: the iPhone 14 starts at about 930 francs (or 1000 euros) and the 14 Pro Max at 1300 francs (or 1499 euros) – for the smallest memory size.

The wireless connections and the brightness of the display leave room for improvement. Apple advertises the brightest screen in a smartphone, but the testers measured a higher value for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The better camera, the “Dynamic Island” and, in the larger versions, the more powerful battery speak for the Pro models. The conclusion from the test:

sources

(dsc/t online)