iPhone 14 Performance Review after 3 Months: Better Optimization, Gaming Performance Soars

As of now, some still believe that iPhone 14 is just a minor hardware upgrade. However, I find it to be a highly desirable smartphone in the premium segment, especially for those who prioritize performance. Now, let's evaluate the iPhone 14 performance after 3 months to see if it's worth buying at this time!

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iPhone 14 Still Packs a Punch with Apple A15 Bionic

First, let's quickly go over the iPhone 14 specifications for easy understanding!

• Display: 6.1-inch size, Super Retina XDR OLED panel, Full HD+ resolution (2,778 x 1,284 pixels).
• CPU: Apple A15 Bionic.
• RAM: 6 GB.
• Internal Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB.
• Rear Camera: 12 MP + 12 MP.
• Front Camera: 12 MP.
• Battery: Approximately 3,279 mAh (according to MacRumors), 20 W fast charging.
• Operating System: iOS 16.2 (at the time of my experience with the device).

As you can see from the specs above, the iPhone 14 is equipped with the Apple A15 Bionic, manufactured on a 5nm process with 6 cores including 2 cores at 3.23 GHz Avalanche and 4 cores at 1.82 GHz Blizzard. Additionally, the device features the Apple GPU (5-core graphics), enhancing image processing capabilities, similar to the iPhone 13 Pro series. Despite not having the latest Apple A16 chip, the A15 Bionic remains one of the most powerful processors available today.

Not stopping there, the iPhone 14 has been upgraded to 6 GB of RAM (2 GB higher than its predecessor) to enhance multitasking capabilities. I'm truly impressed by the multitasking capabilities on iPhones throughout the years, and the iPhone 14 continues to surprise me even more. I can open multiple tasks and switch between apps with minimal reloading.

Evaluating iPhone 14 Performance After 3 Months

To give you an idea of the power of the Apple A15 chip in the iPhone 14, I'll use some specialized performance benchmarking software like Geekbench 5, 3DMark, AnTuTu Benchmark, under the following specific conditions:

• The device's battery must be between 90 - 100% (battery levels below 90% can affect device performance and results).
• Avoid benchmarking while charging the device.
• Conduct 3 consecutive benchmarks and take the average result after 3 runs.

Since I've previously benchmarked the performance of the iPhone 14 when the device was running iOS 16, I'll compare it with the latest iOS version, which is 16.2. Firstly, in the single-core and multi-core tests in Geekbench 5, the iPhone 14 on iOS 16.2 shows slightly higher multi-core scores compared to iOS 16 (specifically, 4,582 points compared to 4,500 points). Meanwhile, the single-core scores in both iOS versions are only 3 points apart, which is not significantly different.

- GeekBench 5 (single-core/multi-core)

• iOS 16.0: 1,730 points/4,500 points.
• iOS 16.2: 1,727 points/4,582 points.

Continuing with the GeekBench 5 Compute test, the iPhone 14 on iOS 16.2 delivers impressive results with 12,659 points, higher than the 12,497 points of iOS 16.

- GeekBench 5 Compute

• iOS 16.0: 12,497 points.
• iOS 16.2: 12,659 points.

Moving on to the AnTuTu benchmark, the iPhone 14 after updating to iOS 16.2 yielded significantly lower results compared to the previous iOS version (specifically, 776,410 points versus 833,198 points). Has the graphics processing capability of the Apple A15 in the iPhone 14 been diminished? Based on the results of the following 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test, I think the answer is no.

- AnTuTu Benchmark

• iOS 16.0: 833,198 points.
• iOS 16.2: 776,410 points.

As you can see in the image below, the iPhone 14 running iOS 16.2 scored higher than the previous iOS version (specifically, 2,663 points compared to 2,424 points). This is also reflected in the average FPS numbers (15.9 versus 14.5). Therefore, I believe that the lower AnTuTu score of the iPhone 14 on iOS 16.2 is simply due to the software not being well optimized for the device yet.

- 3DMark Wild Life Extreme

• iOS 16.0: Total score 2,424 points, average FPS 14.5.
• iOS 16.2: Total score 2,663 points, average FPS 15.9.

Finally, we have the most demanding test called 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test. For those who are not familiar, this test will assess the device's ability to handle heavy tasks (gaming, video editing, etc.) over an extended period by automatically repeating 20 times. The most important factor in this test lies in the Stability section, so pay attention to this part!

- 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test

• iOS 16.0: Stability 85.0%.
• iOS 16.2: Stability 64.7%.

From the above results, it's evident that iPhone 14 on iOS 16.2 exhibits lower stability compared to the previous iOS version (64.7% versus 85.0%). This is further confirmed by the significant difference between the highest loop score and the lowest loop score in iOS 16.2 (2,722 - 1,772 = 950 points), whereas this gap was only 389 points in the iOS 16 update.

Moreover, concerning temperature, iPhone 14 on iOS 16.2 heats up significantly more after performing the stress test. You can observe this as the battery percentage drops by 9% (from 100% to 91%). In contrast, on iOS 16.0, this figure was only 7% (from 99% to 92%). So, does the heating issue affect our gaming experience on iPhone 14? Let's find out in the next section!

After 3 months, iPhone 14 delivers smooth gaming experience with no complaints

In terms of smoothness and seamless gaming experience on iPhone 14, there's nothing to complain about, even after more than 3 months since its release. However, as seen in the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, iPhone 14 heats up quite quickly after completing the test, indicating a tendency to overheat during prolonged heavy tasks like gaming. Next, I'll play popular games such as Liên Quân Mobile, Call Of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and Genshin Impact to verify the overheating issue. You can check out the detailed videos and graphic settings for each game below!

• Liên Quân Mobile

In basic games like Liên Quân Mobile, I can easily push the graphics settings to the highest level as shown below. Also, in early January 2023, Liên Quân Mobile activated 120 FPS settings for devices with the required hardware specifications. It's quite unfortunate that my iPhone 14 still lacks support, so we'll have to wait for a few more updates in the future.

Although unable to set to 120 FPS, personally I think gaming Liên Quân Mobile with stable 60 FPS on iPhone 14 is already great. The effects, movements, and skill executions of the heroes are smooth, with low latency, and lag rarely occurs.

• PUBG Mobile

If you wonder why I lower the graphics in PUBG Mobile, I always prioritize frame rate for shooting games. Because I lower the graphics in the game, the frame rate can reach 60 FPS (instead of 40 FPS if I set graphics to UltraHD). In terms of PUBG shooting experience, I have nothing to complain about on iPhone 14, everything is smooth, and lag seems non-existent.

However, after playing PUBG Mobile for about 30 minutes (with screen brightness at 80%), the iPhone 14 starts to experience heating issues and automatically reduces brightness. It seems like the latest iOS 16.2 is not optimized well for the iPhone 14 yet. If any of you encounter this issue, feel free to comment below to let me and others know!

• Call Of Duty Mobile

Moving on to another shooting game called Call Of Duty Mobile, the iPhone 14 continues to handle graphics settings at the highest level.

In terms of playing Call Of Duty Mobile, both iOS 16.2 and the previous iOS 16.0 on the iPhone 14 provide a satisfying experience. The game runs smoothly without lag during intense battles. Additionally, this smartphone offers quick response times when performing actions such as weapon switching, movement, running, jumping, sliding, etc. However, after playing Call Of Duty Mobile for over an hour, I didn't notice the iPhone 14 heating up quickly like when playing PUBG Mobile mentioned earlier.

• Genshin Impact

Finally, in Genshin Impact, my iPhone 14 can still perform well with graphics settings at the highest level as shown below.

Of course, due to the nature of Genshin Impact, the device experiences overheating after only 15 - 20 minutes of gameplay. However, I still notice the game maintaining a stable frame rate (ranging from 40 to 60 FPS) even when using various skills and engaging in combat with multiple monsters at once.

Summing up the gaming experience, I find that the iPhone 14 can still handle most popular games at the highest graphics settings. However, the iOS 16.2 version is not yet optimized well for this phone, leading to overheating during prolonged gaming sessions. Therefore, I recommend using a cooling pad, removing the phone case while gaming, or playing in a cooler environment to avoid performance issues.

iPhone 14 battery optimization improves gaming experience

Despite the thermal issues mentioned above, the iPhone 14 currently boasts excellent battery optimization. To illustrate, I will play four games: Arena of Valor, PUBG Mobile, Call Of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact (each for one hour) to observe the battery drain on the iPhone 14. First, let me share the conditions of this test:

• Play each game for one hour and repeat the same for the remaining three games.
• Start with 100% battery and recharge fully after playing each game for one hour.
• Set screen brightness to 100%.
• Turn on external speakers with volume at 100%.
• Enable WiFi, disable 3G and 4G networks (as they can cause overheating and fast battery drain).
• Do not activate battery saver mode, adaptive brightness, GPS, or Bluetooth.

Here are the results obtained:

• Genshin Impact: After 1 hour of gaming, the device's battery decreased by 23%.
• PUBG Mobile: After 1 hour of gaming, the device's battery decreased by 15%.
• Call Of Duty Mobile: After 1 hour of gaming, the device's battery decreased by 13%.
• Arena of Valor: After 1 hour of gaming, the device's battery decreased by 12%.

Therefore, it can be affirmed that the iPhone 14 remains one of the longest-lasting devices in terms of battery life on the market. Despite gaming under stringent conditions as mentioned above, the iPhone 14 still yields excellent results, with only Genshin Impact experiencing over a 20% battery drop after 1 hour of play due to iOS 16.2's suboptimal optimization for the device. Overall, if you have a high demand for gaming, the iPhone 14 is undoubtedly a relatively reasonable choice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the iPhone 14 remains one of the worthwhile smartphones to buy at the moment, especially if you have entertainment and gaming needs. Although the device still has limitations regarding temperature control, its long battery life is a significant advantage of the latest iPhone model. For more details, perhaps I will schedule a battery review for the iPhone 14 after 3 months!

What are your thoughts on the performance of the iPhone 14 at the moment? Leave your comments below for me and everyone else to know! Thank you for your interest and for following my article.

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