iPhone 14 Plus review roundup: Big iPhone screen, on a budget

Apple announced the iPhone 14 lineup on September 7 during its Far Out event. The iPhone 14 Plus ships to customers on Friday, October 7.

Early reviewers usually get Apple products about a week before the reviews go out. Apple didn't spend much time on the iPhone 14 Plus at the reveal event, but it does offer unique features like longer battery life in a lighter frame.

The Verge says that for those who want the best battery life in an iPhone, this is the one. It offers the kind of upgrades people want from a phone right now rather than the promise of better support later.

The iPhone 14 Plus lacks the always-on display Dynamic Island, and a 120 Hz refresh rate. But because of the features it lacks, the battery can go much further.

The battery life is the biggest draw besides a larger display. The Verge managed to go three days without a single charge.

CNET calls the iPhone 14 Plus either a scaled-back iPhone 14 Pro Max or a big iPhone 14 depending on your perspective. Feature wise, it really is just a big iPhone 14, but that isn't a bad thing.

Since this is a more affordable large display, more users will likely have one. This led the reviewer to hoping for more large-screen features like a side-by-side app view.

The lack of 120Hz is noticeable, but the screen still looks good. It is also much lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max by 36 grams, so it's a tradeoff.

Most people don't need 48-megapixel photos and the iPhone 14 Plus camera looks great in side-by-side comparisons. This is an easy upgrade if users are coming from older devices, but iPhone 12 Pro Max or iPhone 13 Pro Max users may not see it as an upgrade.

Engadget says the iPhone 14 Plus neatly fills the gap between the standard iPhone 14 and the pro line. This product places a larger iPhone display in a more affordable position in the lineup.

The iPhone 14 Plus is one of the few smartphones on the market that delivers multi-day battery life. After a day of busy setup and review work, the battery was left at 45%.

The iPhone fans who want a familiar device with a bigger screen and outstanding battery life have a new champion in the iPhone 14 Plus. Even the cameras are great when lighting is optimal.

YouTube personality MKBHD commented on the lighter weight and longer battery life. Performance gains are less important today, and specs are more difficult to discuss since benchmarks don't tell the full story.

The longer battery life is notable in a phone that has the same chip as the year before. Even Apple called it the best battery life in an iPhone despite the battery specs page not quite reflecting that.