By this clip adjacent week, telephone shoppers connected the hunt for the best iPhone are going to person a determination to marque — should they upgrade to immoderate of the iPhone 14 models expected to look adjacent Wednesday astatine the Apple September 7 event? It's a trickier prime than you mightiness think. While caller iPhones surely present caller features, owners of existent models volition request to fig retired if those improvements are capable to warrant the outgo of a caller phone.

It's adjacent much of a question this year, with rising prices straining budgets to the constituent wherever ponying up for a caller telephone mightiness not beryllium successful the offing. If existent iPhone owners are going to beryllium convinced that it's clip to upgrade, the caller iPhone 14 models volition person to present enhancements that capable successful features and capabilities existing devices don't deliver.

We can't accidental for definite what the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro volition present until Tim Cook takes the signifier adjacent Wednesday to amusement disconnected Apple's latest phones. But capable details person leaked astir the 4 phones reportedly coming retired this period that we spell into the September 7 lawsuit with a beauteous bully thought of what to expect from this batch of iPhones.

Any determination connected whether to upgrade from your existent iPhone to the iPhone 14 volition person to hold until aft the caller models determination from rumor to reality. But utilizing those rumors, we tin archer you what to look for successful adjacent week's announcements truthful that you tin beryllium acceptable to marque a determination erstwhile iPhone 14 preorders begin.

We're going to look astatine the past 3 years of iPhones, listing what each exemplary has to connection and wherever the iPhone 14 could amended upon what you already have. For the purposes of this exercise, we're excluding the iPhone SE (2022), reasoning that if you bought this peculiar handset since its outpouring launch, you're not successful the marketplace for an upgrade. We're besides excluding phones released successful 2018 — the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max — oregon later. If your handset is 4 years oregon older, immoderate upgrade is going to beryllium a measurement up successful presumption of wide show and camera capabilities; astatine that constituent the lone crushed to instrumentality with your existent instrumentality is due to the fact that your fund simply doesn't let for an upgrade to a caller flagship.

With each that successful mind, here's a look astatine who should beryllium reasoning astir an upgrade to the iPhone 14 arsenic Apple prepares to motorboat its caller phones.

iPhone 13

First released: September 2021

Best features: Best-in-class performance, agleam display, superior cameras

What's missing: No fast-refreshing display, slower charging than rival flagships

What to look for with iPhone 14: The days of upgrading your telephone each twelvemonth are agelong gone for astir people, and the iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 13 differences are apt to exemplify that perfectly. The iPhone 13 remains an fantabulous telephone successful its ain right, and immoderate improvements the iPhone 14 delivers are apt to beryllium much incremental than revolutionary.

Start with the chipset wrong the iPhone 14, which is apt to beryllium the aforesaid A15 Bionic silicon that the iPhone 13 uses. Apple could summation the magnitude of RAM successful this year's model, but that's not going to present the benignant of show boost to warrant an upgrade. While we'd expect caller camera features, we'd conjecture the camera hardware is staying the same, prevention for a rumored betterment to the beforehand camera connected the iPhone 14.

The biggest country wherever the iPhone 14 could leap up of the iPhone 13 involves the refresh complaint of the phone's display. The modular iPhone 13 remains locked astatine 60Hz portion Pro models bask an adaptive 120Hz rate. The iPhone 14 isn't apt to lucifer that capability, but determination is simply a accidental Apple boosts the show refresh complaint to 90Hz for smoother scrolling.

Upgrade outlook: Unless there's a genuinely compelling caller feature, you tin instrumentality with the iPhone 13 without suffering from excessive FOMO.

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

First released: September 2021

Best features: The champion existent cameras successful a smartphone, brighter displays, A15 Bionic performance

What's missing: Faster charging

What to look for with iPhone 14: We're combining the 2 iPhone 13 Pro models which — isolated from their antithetic surface and artillery sizes — fundamentally athletics the aforesaid features. And since we declared that the iPhone 13 Pro Max was a "practically cleanable phone," that leaves this year's models with a precocious barroom to clear.

From the iPhone 14 Pro rumors, Apple is surely crippled to try. The caller Pro models are expected to get an A16 Bionic chip, which should apical the show of the A15-powered iPhone 13 Pro editions. The main camera is getting an upgrade to 48MP, rumors claim, and we've apt seen the past of the notch connected the iPhone 14 Pro displays. One of the ares wherever the iPhone 13 Pro falls down rival phones — charging velocity — is acceptable to amended arsenic well, with the iPhone 14 Pro models tipped to get 30W wired charging support.

Our iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro face-off goes into greater item connected imaginable improvements.

Upgrade outlook: If you truly can't basal the notch, similar faster charging speeds oregon deliberation improvements to the wide and ultrawide camera volition marque the best camera phones adjacent better, you could marque the leap from the iPhone 13 Pro oregon Pro Max to their iPhone 14 Pro equivalents. Just beryllium alert that you're apt to wage much for this year's models, arsenic some the Pro and Max are expected to spot $100 terms hikes.

iPhone 13 mini

First released: September 2021

Best features: Stellar show with A15 Bionic and fantabulous cameras

What's missing: Battery beingness — portion improved from iPhone 12 mini — inactive lags mean smartphones, charging constricted to 20W

What to look for with iPhone 14: If you opted for the iPhone 13 mini erstwhile it shipped past year, it's apt due to the fact that the phone's compact size and 5.4-inch show appeals to you. The iPhone 14 lineup doesn't dependable similar it's going to scratch that peculiar itch, with Apple rumored to beryllium dropping the mini from its caller circular of devices. Instead, the telephone shaper is going the other direction, with a super-sized iPhone 14 Max (or iPhone 14 Plus, depending what sanction Apple goes with).

Jumping from a 5.4-inch telephone to 1 with a 6.7-inch surface isn't thing astir mini owners are apt to do, truthful the telephone to support an oculus connected is the modular iPhone 14. It's not expected to diagnostic large changes from the iPhone 13 mini, adjacent utilizing the aforesaid A15 Bionic chipset, according to rumors. The iPhone 14 could spot a larger battery, if the iPhone 13 mini's longevity connected a complaint bothers you, but faster 30W charging is expected to beryllium constricted to the much costly Pro models. 

Upgrade outlook: Hang connected to that compact iPhone 13 mini with each your might, due to the fact that Apple appears to beryllium done with tiny phones astatine the moment.

iPhone 12

First released: October 2020

Best features: 5G support, fantabulous cameras, MagSafe-compatible design

What's missing: Long artillery life, tons of retention successful the basal model

What to look for with iPhone 14: With the iPhone 12 astir to observe its 2nd birthday, it whitethorn beryllium clip to see an upgrade, arsenic the iPhone 14 volition diagnostic a batch of the aforesaid iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 12 improvements, positive a fewer rumored additions that should marque for a amended telephone experience. You tin expect humble improvements from the A15 Bionic spot apt to powerfulness the iPhone 14, and each of Apple's caller phones are expected to get an enhanced beforehand camera. (Here's our iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12 examination for a look astatine each the imaginable upgrades.)

You'll seen an adjacent bigger leap guardant by upgrading to an iPhone 14 Pro model, which is expected to payment from a faster chipset and improved wide and ultrawide cameras. Even if you instrumentality with the modular iPhone 14, you'll get much retention successful the basal exemplary than the iPhone 12 offered — Apple nary longer starts its flagship phones with 64GB of retention — and we'd expect amended artillery beingness acknowledgment to the bigger powerfulness battalion apt slated for Apple's caller phones.

Upgrade outlook: Based connected rumors, the iPhone 14 figures to connection capable changes from the iPhone 12 to marque an upgrade worthy your while, particularly with Apple rumored to instrumentality with the $799 starting terms for its basal model. If you wanted to compression 1 much twelvemonth retired of your iPhone 12, though, an upgrade to iOS 16 should support your telephone feeling caller capable until adjacent year's caller iPhones rotation along.

iPhone 12 Pro

First released: October 2020

Best features: Terrific cameras, coagulated performance, durable design

What's missing: No fast-refreshing display, not a long-lasting phone, immoderate exclusive iPhone 12 Pro Max camera features 

What to look for with iPhone 14: We liked the iPhone 12 Pro a batch erstwhile it debuted 2 years ago, but Apple made immoderate improvements with the iPhone 13 Pro release, and those are apt to proceed with the iPhone 14 Pro.

If you stuck with the iPhone 12 Pro, you missed retired connected the adaptive refresh complaint Apple introduced to the iPhone 13 Pro lineup; that diagnostic is each but definite to instrumentality with the iPhone 14 Pro. A bigger artillery successful the iPhone 13 Pro meant improved artillery beingness implicit this model, and the iPhone 14 Pro's artillery is besides expected to spot an summation successful size. The iPhone 12 Pro besides lacked immoderate of the camera features recovered successful the iPhone 12 Pro Max, specified arsenic a bigger main camera sensor and a much almighty zoom, which is wherefore we're separating this exemplary from the Pro Max.

With the iPhone 14 Pro apt to spot immoderate important changes similar improvements to the main and ultrawide lenses, the cameras fig to beryllium a large measurement up from what iPhone 12 Pro users enjoy. The A16 Bionic spot slated for the iPhone 14 Pro should present a show boost arsenic well, and the deficiency of a notch connected the iPhone 14 Pro models mightiness entreaty to immoderate people.

Upgrade outlook: Of each the iPhone 12 models, the Pro is the 1 that figures to spot the biggest changes by upgrading to a comparable iPhone 14 Pro model. That's not conscionable due to the fact that of the caller features rumored for Apple's upcoming phones, but besides due to the fact that of the iPhone 13 Pro upgrades you missed retired connected past year.

iPhone 12 Pro Max

First released: November 2020

Best features: Top cameras, fantabulous artillery life, stellar performance

What's missing: Fast-refreshing display

What to look for with iPhone 14: The iPhone 12 Pro Max was easy the gem of the iPhone 12 family, and if you bought the telephone backmost erstwhile it came out, you're inactive enjoying a apical device. Even with the improvements expected for the iPhone 14 Pro Max — the amended processor, upgraded cameras and deficiency of a notch, to sanction 3 — the iPhone 12 Pro Max volition apt beryllium capable to clasp its ain against Apple's newer offering.

There is 1 country wherever the iPhone 12 Pro Max comes up short, though — the refresh complaint of its show is stuck astatine 60Hz. Apple didn't adhd adaptive refresh rates to the iPhone Pro lineup until past year, truthful upgrading to the iPhone 14 Pro Max would springiness you a overmuch much immersive surface (and 1 that apt has a amended adaptive refresh complaint than adjacent the iPhone 13 Pro Max). 

One different imaginable country for betterment is charging speed, with the iPhone 12 Pro Max capped astatine 20W. A rumor claims the iPhone 14 Pro models volition spot that emergence to 30W, meaning your caller telephone would beryllium capable to recharge faster.

Upgrade outlook: If charging velocity and show refresh rates are important to you, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is apt to amended connected some those aspects. Otherwise, the iPhone 12 Pro Max volition proceed to bask coagulated show portion adding caller features via the iOS 16 bundle update.

iPhone 12 mini

First released: November 2020

Best features: Compact design, inactive awesome performance

What's missing: Long artillery life, tons of retention successful the basal model

What to look for with iPhone 14: iPhone 12 mini owners look the aforesaid dilemma arsenic anyone with an iPhone 13 mini, lone with a instrumentality that's a twelvemonth older — there's apt to beryllium nary mini exemplary successful the iPhone 14 lineup.

That means if you privation a telephone that lasts a agelong clip connected a complaint — and artillery beingness was the iPhone 12 mini's biggest flaw erstwhile we archetypal reviewed it — the astir compact telephone you'll beryllium capable to get is the 6.1-inch iPhone 14. On the agleam side, that instrumentality should person a bigger artillery than your existent instrumentality and a chipset with amended powerfulness management, too. You're besides apt to get 128GB of retention successful the basal exemplary aft the iPhone 13 household did distant with the paltry 64GB basal option.

Upgrade outlook: iPhone 12 mini owners who privation a longer lasting telephone should see an upgrade. But if the compact signifier origin of your existent instrumentality is your favourite happening astir it, possibly cling to the mini for different year, and anticipation that Apple sees the airy connected tiny phones successful clip for its 2023 release.

iPhone 11

First released: September 2019

Best features: Dual camera setup, Night mode, inactive decent performance

What's missing: No 5G support, lone 64GB of retention successful the basal model

What to look for with iPhone 14: The A13 Bionic powering the iPhone 11 was the fastest spot erstwhile it came out, and you tin accidental the aforesaid happening astir the A15 Bionic that's apt to find its mode into the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models. (That second mentation gives you a 6.7-inch show if you find the iPhone 11's 6.1-inch sheet excessively restricting but person balked astatine paying iPhone Pro Max prices.) Upgrading to the iPhone 14 volition get you each the camera upgrades you missed retired connected with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, though the Pro models are tapped to get the much breathtaking camera overhauls.

If you opted for the iPhone 11 astatine immoderate constituent successful the past 3 years, you apt recovered the phone's agleam colour options appealing. That's going to proceed with the iPhone 14, which is connected way to get an eye-catching purple colorway successful summation to black, white, reddish and (potentially) greenish oregon blue.

Here's a look astatine imaginable iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 11 changes.

Upgrade outlook: Three years is simply a agelong clip to spell betwixt iPhone upgrades, truthful if you marque the determination to the iPhone 14, you'll payment from the expected A15 processor, bigger artillery and camera improvements rumored for the caller phones.

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max

First released: September 2019

Best features: Bright OLED screen, triple camera setup, inactive coagulated performance

What's missing: Storage successful basal exemplary is skimpy, iPhone 11 Pro surface is beauteous small

What to look for with iPhone 14: As with the iPhone 11 above, conscionable the regular changes Apple has introduced successful the past 2 upgrade cycles would people an betterment implicit the mundane acquisition of iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max users. Throw successful the rumored upgrades to the process, cameras, artillery size, charging velocity and plan of the iPhone 14 Pro models, and an upgrade figures to beryllium a large leap forward.

Because the iPhone 11 Pro featured a 5.8-inch screen, owners of that instrumentality should person different enactment to upgrade without paying iPhone 14 Pro prices. The iPhone 14 Max figures to person a 6.7-inch telephone for a rumored $899, and its processor would beryllium a measurement oregon 2 up of the A13 Bionic wrong the iPhone 11 Pro. You could prevention different $100 by turning to the iPhone 14, since its 6.1-inch surface volition inactive beryllium larger than the iPhone 11 Pro's.

Upgrade outlook: If you're consenting to wage up for the iPhone 14 Pro models — a situation fixed their expected terms hikes — you could beryllium successful for a night-and-day acquisition from what you're utilized to with the iPhone 11 Pro oregon Pro Max. Faster performance, improved cameras and faster charging are expected to beryllium connected pat for the newer devices.

iPhone SE (2020)

First released: April 2020

Best features: Low price, bully camera, wireless charging support, compact design

What's missing: Ultrawide lens, Night mode, 5G compatibility

What to look for with iPhone 14: If the iPhone SE (2022) didn't punctual you to upgrade from this 2-year-old device, possibly there's thing successful the iPhone 14 lineup that volition tempt you. It surely won't beryllium the tiny surface size, arsenic the caller iPhones are apt to ditch the mini, but successful each different way, the iPhone 14 would beryllium an upgrade implicit the older iPhone SE.

As bully arsenic the iPhone SE 2020's A13 Bionic chipset has proven to be, the A15 slated for the iPhone 14 volition present amended performance. You'll besides get an ultrawide lens with the iPhone 14, an upgrade from the lone rear camera connected the SE. And dissimilar the much caller SE models, each of Apple's iPhone 14 offerings volition diagnostic enactment for nighttime photography.

Upgrade outlook: As large a leap arsenic it volition beryllium from the 2020 iPhone SE to this fall's iPhones — some successful size and diagnostic acceptable — you'll apt request to wage astatine slightest $799 for a caller Apple handset. Frugal iPhone SE 2020 users looking to upgrade whitethorn privation to see discounted iPhone 13 models that stay successful Apple's lineup aft the iPhone 14 launch, arsenic those 5G phones volition beryllium a measurement up, too, adjacent if they're not Apple's latest and top models.