iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro: An In-Depth Feature Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro matches impressive upgrades in performance, cameras, and displays against the already excellent iPhone 13 Pro. But with a steep price hike over its predecessor, should you upgrade?

This comprehensive comparison dives into every hardware specification, real-world test, and feature difference that matters across both Pro iPhones. Read on to learn if the latest Pro model warrants the higher cost based on your needs.

At a Glance: How the iPhone 14 Pro Improves On Its Predecessor

Before jumping into the nitty-gritty details, here’s a high-level overview of the upgrades living up to the iPhone 14 Pro name:

• Faster A16 Bionic chip boosting processing and graphics
• Sharper main 48MP quad-pixel camera and larger sensors
• Always-On Display enables glanceable info without picking up
• Double peak brightness for better outdoor visibility
• Interactive Dynamic Island replaces front camera notch
• Crash and satellite connectivity safety features
• Slightly better battery life thanks to efficiency gains

Across the board, the iPhone 14 Pro houses recent advancements in Apple’s proprietary silicon, smarter software, and imaging capabilities. All wrapped within an equally durable and sleek physical case.

Now let’s scrutinize exactly how impactful those improvements feel during real-world usage across areas that matter most.

Matching Premium Design and Build Quality

As Apple’s top flagships, both Pro models share a granite-solid construction that oozes quality craftsmanship:

Both phones share extremely durable glass shields protecting against scratches and drops. I especially appreciate the matte treatment resisting fingerprints.

Matching stainless steel bands add rigidity while enabling wireless and MagSafe charging. No need to forego cases or durability just to recharge.

The nearly identical sizing also lets you reuse 13 Pro cases and screen protectors without issue. So no surprises or wasted accessories upgrading to the 14 Pro.

In terms of subtle changes, the newer generation weighs 2 grams more on my scale; a negligible difference during use. The 13 Pro also came in a lighter Sierra Blue I wish carried over.

Otherwise, both deliver exceptional, familiar builds checking the same durability boxes generation over generation. No dealbreakers either way.

For protection, check out worthy iPhone 14 Pro cases or these iPhone 13 Pro cases and covers to match personal style.

Display Technology Advances

While flat stats like resolution, size, pixel density (460ppi) and peak 1200 nits full-screen brightness match between the displays, Apple sneaks in two game-changing additions with the iPhone 14 Pro:

Always-On Display Enables At-a-Glance Info

By leveraging the variable refresh rate (VRR) screen, the iPhone 14 Pro activates what Apple calls an Always-On Display. This keeps portions of the screen dimly lit to showcase widgets, notifications, wallpapers and other info without waking or unlocking the phone.

So rather than dealing with blank screens unable to relay notifications waiting for input, the Always-On Display offers convenient, glanceable updates using minimal power thanks to ProMotion’s 1Hz refresh capabilities (more on power impact shortly).

Brighter in Sunlight and More Vivid Colors

Lab test measurements also show the iPhone 14 Pro hitting nearly double (2000 nits) peak brightness compared to its predecessor (1200 nits).

What does this mean in reality? You’ll struggle far less reading notifications or framing shots on that family vacation to sun-drenched beaches. Outdoor visibility dramatically improves.

Apple also enhanced the 14 Pro display pipes to render more accurate and vivid colors. So photos and videos pop more through added contrast and dynamic range.

While you may not notice day-to-day, differences manifest editing HDR footage or reviewing those beach family portraits. Consume enough visually rich content and the gains shine through.

Both advances make the already impressive iPhone 14 Pro screen now the one to beat industry-wide.

Cameras Compared in Detail

The cameras see some of the most substantial upgrades in Apple‘s latest Pro offering that photographers and creators will love. Let‘s explore the hardware and specs powering the phone‘s imaging prowess:

Beyond matching ultra wide and telephoto lenses, the marquee upgrades focus on massive improvements to the primary wide angle camera responsible for the majority of your shots:

Larger 48MP Sensor and Pixel Binning

The 48MP wide lens on paper allows for 8000 x 6000 resolution images packing in a ridiculous amount of detail. But Apple smartly defaults to pixel binning down to 12MP for a 2×2 pixel merge that boosts low light sensitivity and reduces noise.

So rather than processing absurdly large photos, the iPhone 14 Pro combines four adjacent pixel into one "superpixel" for improved lighting and reduced artifacts. You still retain the option to shoot full 48MP JPEGs or ProRAW files if preferring to crop extensively later. But most users will appreciate the advanced pixel binning benefits.

Faster Lens and OIS Let In More Light

The upgraded ƒ/1.7 aperture (from ƒ/1.5) also pulls in over 15% more light for given exposures. Brighter images reduce the need for sensor amplification and aggressive noise reduction during processing for cleaner, sharper results especially in dim scenes.

Apple further re-engineered sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) down to the micron level while enhancing motion detection to counter 2x more shake – useful for all those action shots. Combined, handheld low light performance sees noticeable refinements.

Custom Styles Apply Personalized Camera Profiles

Newly introduced Photographic Styles also help simplify editing by creating and saving custom profiles with preferred tone, warmth settings that apply across shooting scenarios.

Rather than manually editing each batch of photos or videos to taste every time, you can now set and default to custom styles right within the native camera app. Much easier than toggling filters attempting to match previous edits while recording fast moving kids and pets.

So whether you prefer cooler muted tones or extra warm and saturated looks, Photographic Styles save that preference right from the viewfinder. Of course you can still tweak after the fact too.

All this gives the iPhone 14 Pro powerful advances that smartphone cameras have lacked until now relative to traditional cameras. Specifically the ability to set an exact DSLR-like customized profile directly in the native camera app rather than applying filters after the fact.

It brings that tailored professional look enthusiasts and influencers love while still retaining flexibility to edit later. That 48MP quad-pixel wide angle camera pulls impressive detail beyond nearly any smartphone too.

Let‘s examine exactly how all these upgrades actually perform relative to last year‘s model.

Photo Comparisons In Challenging Light

First let‘s examine a dimmer indoor scene with variable mixed lighting – a classic environment that phones generally struggle with:

Note finer detail visible in textures, improved contrast, less noise

The iPhone 14 Pro pulls ahead with improved dynamic range highlighting blacks while retaining details in bright patches. Textures reveal higher precision from the extra resolution yet avoid emphasized graininess from poor ISO handling.

Overall an excellent showing for Apple continuing to make computational photography breakthroughs on smartphone hardware.

Expanding to a nighttime city shot reveals similar advantages:

Significantly reduced noise yet retains details otherwise obscured in darkness

While both struggle with crushed blacks in portions, the 14 Pro lifts shadows further while smoothing unwanted grain and noise. Look towards bright lights and details still sharpen rather than fade away. I gain confidence capturing in dim bars and restaurants across lighting conditions.

Action Shots Stay Steady With New Modes

I also appreciate the boosts stabilizing action sequences courtesy of sensor-shift OIS improvements. Quick handheld clips of kids skipping rocks now playback incredibly smooth without jitter:

For even more stabilization safeguarding against blur, Action Mode further corrects lens, sensor and processing with advanced algorithms Apple claims equals gimbals.

Foorage stays remarkably steady even tracking erratic subjects like my pup zig-zagging catching frisbees at the park. All in all, excellent versatile tools ensuring crisper videos.

While photographers may lust more after the 48MP sensor itself, videographers benefit tremendously from these capture advancements too.

Ultra Wide Selfie Upgrades Disappoint

While rear cameras dominate mindshare, the forward facing 12MP TrueDepth selfie shooters see only minor aperture tweaks between generations.

A distraction given rival brands now tout 32MP+ dedicated selfie cams. I hoped Apple would catch up with its own software video tricks like Cinematic Mode now possible on both models‘ front cameras.

Alas we‘re stuck with no real change in this arena.

Performance and Battery

Powering these tightened hardware refinements, Apple‘s latest homegrown A16 Bionic chipset sets new benchmarks.

Made on cutting-edge 4nm transistor process for heightened energy efficiency, the 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU drive better speed and battery life through Architecture improvements. Let‘s break down key results from common industry tests:

Geekbench 5 CPU Performance

• Single-Core: iPhone 14 Pro – 1879 vs iPhone 13 Pro – 1735
• Multi-Core: iPhone 14 Pro – 5449 vs iPhone 13 Pro – 4688

We see over 8% faster single core and 16% speedier multicore computations – an excellent generational jump already outpacing newest Android flagships.

Daily tasks like launching apps, tapping filters, or applying Live Text translations feel snappier. But more intensive workloads around encoding 4K video and rendering complex AR scenes gain the most from heightened efficiency.

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Graphics

This strenuous test stresses GPU poking around the limits of sustained graphics performance:

• iPhone 14 Pro: 2967
• iPhone 13 Pro: 1853

We again see the A16 outmuscle even last year‘s leading chipset by over 37% better framerates. Smooth immersive gaming, CAD modeling and effects rendering that pushes limits all benefit.

Combining both synthetic benchmarks and hands-on testing, the iPhone 14 Pro‘s cutting-edge innards drive substantive speed boosts when using apps and features that flex its power.

Battery life itself though stays on par despite the performance leaps:

You can attribute extended runtimes primarily through heightened efficiency rather than greater capacity. Expect about 1-2 extra hours streaming video or music based on my testing.

Both fast charge to around 50% in 30 minutes wired. So despite massive computational improvements, plan on very comparable battery life zwischen generations. No setbacks but no revolutions either.

I‘ll gladly accept the sustained runtime despite the performance leaps compared to rivals whose batteries drain faster chasing similar benchmarks. Well balanced and optimized by Apple given the slim frames.

Which Pro iPhone Reigns Supreme?

While the preceding sections provide granular detail itemizing exact spec bumps, which model pulls ahead holistically providing the best prosumer experience?

iPhone 13 Pro Still Powerful and Dependable

My friend, if you currently own an iPhone 13 Pro, relax confidently knowing you possess an extremely capable device.

Its excellent triple camera arrays, butter smooth display and still unmatched A15 Bionic speed all hold up incredibly even against the latest competition. You lose no functionality nor take compromised photos next to iPhone 14 Pro owners.

Unless making an income from photography/videography needing the ultimate iPhone camera quality, I‘d suggest another year of enjoyment before considering any upgrades. The 13 Pro remains such a remarkable and reliable daily flagship.

iPhone 14 Pro Worthy Splurge for Top-Tier Excellence

On the other hand, my discerning friend seeking the absolute best photographic powerhouse fitting in your pocket – spring for Apple‘s newest hotness.

The 14 Pro checks every box:

✅ Jaw-dropping 48MP main camera and reliable ultrawides/telephotos covering all scenarios
✅ Lightning quick app speed and fluid UX thanks to the insane new A16 chip
✅ Gorgeous always-on display keeping your attention while saving battery
✅ Toughest scratch protection and water resistance in the biz
✅ Peace of mind from satellite connectivity, crash detection safety

Yes, you pay a premium over the still-awesome 13 Pro generation units. But rest assured, this iPhone 14 Pro stands poised to satisfy like no other for long years to come thanks to best in market capabilities.

If chasing groundbreaking photography, videography, performance and sheer utility from one compact device, this Pro model clinches top recommendation with impressively balanced tradeoffs.