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The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are impossible Christmas gifts right now. You'll have a hard time getting either device in time for December 25th.
And if you do, you could compromise color, storage, or both. But the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are still available from Apple and third-party retailers (unless you're like the thieves who stole multiple iPhones).
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And you can buy whatever iPhone 14 or 14 Plus model you want and have it shipped to your door in time for Christmas.
It might sound like a downgrade if you or a loved one wants the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max. But the more affordable iPhone 14 models are still flagship devices that offer fantastic performance.
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The only reason they have a bad reputation is due to Apple's decision to differentiate non-Pro and Pro models in a way we've never seen before.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus still use the A15 processor that powered last year's iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
They also have 6GB of RAM, just like last year's Pro models. So when it comes to performance, the iPhone 14 models will be as powerful as the 2021 iPhone 13 Pros.
Is this so bad? These are devices that crush almost every major Android phone of 2021.
But the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus start at US$ 799 and US$ 899, compared to US$ 999 and US$ 1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The price and performance alone make the iPhone 14 models great Christmas gifts.
iPhone 14 models lose some “Pro” features. They don't have a third telephoto camera or a LiDAR sensor. Additionally, there is no 120Hz ProMotion panel on the iPhone 14 models.
Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the more affordable variants lack the new Dynamic Island design and features, the A16 Bionic chip, the improved 120Hz OLED display that supports always-on features, and the major iPhone 14 Pro Max upgrade. 48 megapixel camera.
Still, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus offer camera performance upgrades, as the devices feature the same new Photonic Engine as the Pro models. And the TrueDepth selfie camera now supports autofocus.
For video recording, there's a new action mode to stabilize complex shots that feature a lot of camera movement.
Add in safety features like emergency SOS and collision detection, and the iPhone 14 models become incredibly attractive devices.
As I explained recently, the iPhone has gotten so good that I can no longer justify buying a Pro. I bought the iPhone 14 Pro as soon as I had the chance. But then I realized I could have gotten an iPhone 14 and never looked back.
With all of this in mind, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will make great Christmas gifts this year. Especially if you or someone special is upgrading from an iPhone 11 or older model.
