The displays of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are impressive, but do they possess 120Hz refresh rates? The iPhone 14 lineup comprises not only these models but also the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. In this iteration of iPhone, Apple has prioritized most upgrades for its Pro models, while the standard iPhone 14 and Plus models share more similarities with the iPhone 13 series.
While the two Pro models boast 120Hz ProMotion screens with adaptive refresh rates that can drop as low as 1Hz to conserve battery, the display panels of the regular iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have the standard 60Hz refresh rate, similar to that of the vanilla iPhone 13. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max offer several notable upgrades over the non-Pro models, including a more robust A16 Bionic chipset, a new 48MP primary camera, Dynamic Island, and an always-on display.
Features of the iPhone 14 & 14 Plus Display
Although the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus do not have a 120Hz refresh rate, their displays offer impressive features. These include HDR support, True Tone colors, and a wide P3 color gamut. The displays also have a 20,00,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,200 nits of peak brightness (HDR), and an oleophobic coating to minimize fingerprints and smudges.
While many entry-level smartphones still have 60Hz panels, 120Hz refresh rates are becoming increasingly common in mid-range Android smartphones. Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, and other brands already offer multiple mid-range smartphones with 120Hz panels, while many premium Android devices have AMOLED panels with 144Hz refresh rates.
Asus ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro are the first smartphones to offer 165Hz displays. Although Apple has never competed with Android vendors based on specifications, adding a 120Hz panel to the iPhone 14 would have certainly increased its appeal compared to similarly-priced Android devices.
How Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion Displays Work
Apple’s ProMotion technology is essentially a marketing term used for a high refresh rate display. It was first introduced on the iPad Pro in 2017 and was only integrated into smartphones with the iPhone 13 Pro models. Users who switch from a phone with a standard 60Hz refresh rate to the iPhone 14 Pro’s 120Hz display will immediately notice the difference. Vertically scrolling in apps such as Twitter and Instagram will be noticeably faster and smoother, while animations will appear more seamless.
Faster refresh rates are particularly advantageous for gaming, where higher frame rates result in more fluid graphics, especially in fast-paced action scenes. With the iPhone 14 Pro series, the ProMotion display can also drop the frame rate down to 1Hz. This occurs when the screen is static, such as when reading. Because the refresh rate can dynamically change between 120Hz and 1Hz depending on the application, it conserves power and consequently improves battery life on the iPhone 14 Pro models as well.