The new iPhone 14 has been released, and all iPhone users want nothing more than to get their hands on the latest iPhone. Suppose you are an iPhone 12 user and have waited 2 years to get the new iPhone. But now you are wondering if you should go for it or wait for a bit more that's why it is necessary to check an iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12 comparison.
To solve this problem, we have discussed all the close details of the iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14 in this article. So please stick with us to determine whether you should move to iPhone 14 or wait for the next model.
Part 1: iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12: Basic Specifications
The iPhone 14 is the latest release, while iPhone 12 was released two years ago. iPhone 14 follows the same design with minor improvements as iPhone 12. It means both devices share many similarities when compared, and aside from a few major ones, other differences are minute. You can see the basic specifications of iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14 in the table below:
| Specs | iPhone 12 | iPhone 14 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB |
| Display Size | 6.1" (15.49 cm) 1170x2532 pixels, 457 PPI |
6.1" (15.49 cm) 1170x2532 pixels, 457 PPI |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Cameras | Rear: 12 MP + 12 MP (Dual) Front: 12MP (Single Camera) |
Rear: 12 MP + 12 MP (Dual) Front: 12MP (Single Camera) |
| Color | White, Black, Blue, Purple, Red, Green | Product Red, Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple |
| Battery | 2815 mAh | 3279 mAh |
Part 2: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14: Quite-alike Design and Display
Since iPhone 14 follows the iPhone 12 in design, they both look similar at first glance. Both devices have almost the same dimensions, with iPhone 12 being 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4(mm) and iPhone 14 being a little thicker at 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8(mm). iPhone 14 is also a bit heavier at 172g compared to iPhone 12's 164g.
One distinctive iPhone 14 feature is that its notch is 20% smaller than iPhone 12. The camera position is also slightly different from iPhone 12, offering two new colors, Midnight and Starlight.
Regarding the display, both iPhone 14 and iPhone 12 have 6.1 inches OLED display. Both devices also have an 1170 x 2532 pixels resolution. The screen refresh rate on both devices is also 60Hz. However, iPhone 14 is brighter due to its 800 nits high brightness compared to iPhone 12's 625 nits. It means the iPhone 14 will be brighter under sunlight than iPhone 12.
Verdict: Comparing design and display, we have to say that iPhone 14 edges out of iPhone 12 primarily due to being the latest device.
Part 3: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14: Upgraded Camera
Cameras are among the major differences between iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12. iPhone 14's cameras are far superior to iPhone 12.
The primary camera of iPhone 14 is 12MP with a wider aperture (f/1.5) and a larger pixel size of 1.9μm. In comparison, iPhone 12's primary camera is a 12MP with an f/1.6 wide aperture and 1.4μm pixel size. In addition, iPhone 14's camera also has an advanced sensor-shift OIS.
When comparing ultra-wide shooters, both devices have the same f/2.4 wide aperture 12MP cameras with 13mm focal length. When taking photos, iPhone 14's latest Photonic Engine allows it to take great shots in low-light situations. While iPhone 12 lacks Photographic Styles. The front camera of the iPhone 14 also features a wider aperture f/1.9, and it also has autofocus.
You can shoot up to 4K quality video at up to 60fps using both iPhone 12 and iPhone 14. However, iPhone 14 comes with two new modes, the Cinematic Mode and Action Mode. The Cinematic Mode adds cinematic feelings to your video by applying a background blur. The Action Mode can be used to stabilize videos with excessive motions.
You can read the camera details for iPhone 12 and iPhone 14 in the table below.
| Camera | iPhone 12 | iPhone 14 |
| Rear Camera Module | Dual | Dual |
| Rear Camera | 12 MP f/1.6, 26mm Wide Angle, Primary Camera dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP f/2.4, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera (13 mm focal length, 3.6" sensor size) |
12 MP f/1.5, 26mm Wide Angle, Primary Camera dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP f/2.4, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera (13 mm focal length) |
| Front Camera | 12 MP f/2.2, Wide Angle, Primary Camera (23 mm focal length, 3.6" sensor size) SL 3D (depth/biometrics sensor) |
12 MP f/1.9, Wide Angle, Primary Camera (23 mm focal length, 3.6" sensor size) SL 3D (depth/biometrics sensor) |
Verdict: The features and specs of the camera of iPhone 14 outperform the iPhone 12 camera, so the winner is the iPhone 14.
Part 4: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14: Powerful Processor
The chipset used in iPhone 12 is Apple A14 Bionic, while iPhone 14 uses the same chip as iPhone 13, the Apple A15 Bionic.
Even though the chipset in iPhone 14 is a year old, it is still among the most powerful chipsets in the market. Both A14 Bionic and A15 Bionic use 5-nanometer technology. However, A15 Bionic was about 15% faster in benchmark tests performed by Geekbench and AnTuTu. The new 5-core GPU also makes the iPhone 14 much faster than iPhone 12.
iPhone 14's RAM capacity has updated to 6GB compared to iPhone 12's 4GB. It boosts the performance of the iPhone 14 greatly, making using heavy apps easier and smoother. iPhone 14 also comes with the latest iOS 16, while iPhone 12 can also be upgraded to the newest iOS 16.
| Processor | iPhone 12 | iPhone 14 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) |
| CPU | Hexa Core (Dual-core 3.1 GHz Firestorm + Quad-core 1.8 GHz Icestorm) | Hexa Core (Dual-core 3.23 GHz Avalanche + Quad-core 1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 16.1 | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 16.1 |
Verdict: Due to a better chipset and 5-core GPU, iPhone 14 wins this round by outperforming iPhone 12. Although it has to be said that iPhone 12 isn't that bad given that iPhone 14 is merely 10%-15% faster than it.
Part 5: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14: Extended Battery Life
The battery capacity of the iPhone 14 is higher than iPhone 12 as it has a 3279 mAh battery compared to iPhone 12's 2815 mAh. The batteries in both devices are Li-ion non-removable type.
Both devices also support fast charging and wireless charging. Using a fast 20W charger will take half an hour to charge the iPhone 50% on both devices. You can use a 15W MagSafe charger or a 7.5W Qi charger for wireless charging.
The video playback time for iPhone 12 is approx. 15 hours while iPhone 14 has approx. 20 hours of video playback time. You can read the further battery details in the table below:
| Battery | iPhone 12 | iPhone 14 |
| Battery Capacity | Li-ion 2815 mAh, | Li-ion 3279 mAh, |
| Type | Non-removable (10.78 Wh) | Non-removable (12.68 Wh) |
| Fast Charging | Yes 20W wired, PD2.0 |
Yes 20W wired, PD2.0 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes 15W wireless (MagSafe) 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
Yes 15W wireless (MagSafe) 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| Video Playback Hours | 15 | 20 |
Verdict: The battery life of the iPhone 14 is 15 to 20 percent higher than iPhone 12, and thus iPhone 14 is the winner.
Part 6: iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14: Should You Upgrade?
So, the answer to the question about whether you should move on to iPhone 14 depends upon your situation.
If you need to buy a new device for some reason, then iPhone 14 is obviously the best choice as long as it is affordable. The only smartphones it lags in performance are its expensive variant iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
However, if you are already using a good-conditioned iPhone 12, we recommend not moving to iPhone 14. It isn't behind that large of a margin for you to worry about its performance. Plus, iPhone 14 doesn't have any major updates, so wait a year more and go for the next version of the iPhone.
Bonus: Transfer Data to iPhone Easily
If you have decided to switch to the new iPhone 14, then there is one dreaded process you must go through, which is phone data transfer. While you can use methods like iCloud backup etc., we have a much better and easier solution for you, Wondershare MobileTrans.
MobileTrans: The Best Phone Transfer Tool
Wondershare MobileTrans is an ideal solution to all problems regarding phone data transfer. It can transfer over 18 types of data from one smartphone to another. Furthermore, the process of phone transfer using MobileTrans requires a few clicks, and its speed is much faster than compared to any wireless transfer.
safe & secureKey Features of MobileTrans
- WhatsApp Transfer: MobileTrans supports the transfer of WhatsApp chats, media, locations, contacts, stickers, emojis, etc. You can even transfer Google Drive backup to iPhone 14.
- Phone-to-Phone Transfer: MobileTrans supports over 18 phone data types between 6000+ mobile devices regardless of their platforms.
Final Thoughts
This article has provided an in-depth iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 14 comparison and concluded that iPhone 14, the latest Apple device, is the better smartphone. So, as an iPhone 12 user, you want to move on to iPhone 14 is understandable.
You can make this switching process easier by using Wondershare MobileTrans, the best phone data transfer tool. It can transfer all your data from iPhone 12 to iPhone 14, relaxing the switching process.