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The iPhone 14 Pro Is Pricey but Will Impress the Apple Fan in Your Life

The "Dynamic Island" is the gift that keeps on giving all year round.

Patrick Holland Managing Editor

Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.

Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.

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Patrick Holland

Oct. 14, 2022 6:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

There's something wonderful going on with the iPhone 14 Pro. The infamous display notch has been replaced with a pill-shaped screen cutout that can now show system alerts and background activities. The 14 Pro also gets upgraded cameras, a faster processor, an always-on display, iOS 16 and new safety features. The iPhone 14 Pro has quickly become one of my favorite phones this year.

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This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2023, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.

Why it's a great gift: In recent years, it's become more common to give loved ones a phone for the holidays. And if you have an Apple fan in your life, the iPhone 14 Pro is likely the best gift you could get them.

From the back, it kind of looks like an iPhone 13 Pro, but on the front, the notch has morphed into a screen cutout that Apple calls the "Dynamic Island." It enlarges and shrinks when you receive a call and to display the music you're playing, timers and other notifications. I know it's not the best name, but it's truly one of the best features.

The 14 Pro's camera upgrades include better image quality when taking photos and videos in medium and low light, like indoors. The new phone comes packed with emergency features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite and has Apple's first always-on display.
If the person you want to buy an iPhone 14 Pro for has last year's 13 Pro, don't buy it. Check out CNET's 84 Days of Holidays section for another gift idea. While the 14 Pro's improvements and new features have a lot of sizzle, you aren't getting a drastically different experience to the 13 Pro.

But if that person has an iPhone 12 Pro or older, the 14 Pro is a sizable step up in terms of performance, battery life, camera quality and additional features like the Dynamic Island.

What you'll pay: Apple charges $999 for the iPhone 14 Pro, but with trade-in offers that price can drop as low as $179.

iPhone 14 Pro $999 at Apple