Smartphones > Apple iPhone 14 Plus > Audio Test Results
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Apple iPhone 14 Plus Audio test

November 2, 2022
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OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS FOR THIS DEVICE

We put the Apple iPhone 14 Plus through our rigorous DXOMARK Audio test suite to measure its performance both at recording sound using its built-in microphones, and at playing audio back through its speakers.
In this review, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.

Overview


Key audio specifications include:

  • Top front, front facing, bottom right, side facing
  • No jack audio output
  • Dolby Atmos technology
  • Spatial Audio playback

Scoring

Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.


Apple iPhone 14 Plus
141
audio
144
playback
Timbre
141

158

Dynamics
138

149

Spatial
148

162

Volume
144

162

Artifacts
91

157

135
recording
Timbre
130

147

Dynamics
124

146

Spatial
107

159

Volume
126

170

Artifacts
137

145

Background
146

166

AUDIO
Position in Global Ranking
13th
1. Black Shark 5 Pro
161
2. Asus ROG Phone 6
155
3. Asus ROG Phone 5
151
4. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
149
4. Black Shark 4S Pro
149
4. Black Shark 4 Pro
149
4. Honor Magic3 Pro+
149
8. Xiaomi Mi 10 S
147
9. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
144
9. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
144
11. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
142
11. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
142
13. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
141
13. Apple iPhone 14
141
15. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
140
15. Apple iPhone 12
140
15. Xiaomi 13 Pro
140
18. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
139
18. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
139
18. Apple iPhone 12 mini
139
18. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon)
139
22. Apple iPhone 13
138
22. Asus ROG Phone 3
138
22. Google Pixel 6 Pro
138
25. Apple iPhone 13 mini
137
25. Google Pixel 7 Pro
137
25. Google Pixel 6
137
25. Honor Magic4 Pro
137
25. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (Snapdragon)
137
30. Google Pixel 6a
135
30. Oppo Find N2
135
32. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
134
32. Xiaomi 13
134
34. Huawei Mate 20 X
133
34. Lenovo Legion Y90
133
34. Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
133
34. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
133
34. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
133
34. Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
133
34. Vivo X90 Pro
133
41. Vivo X Fold
132
41. Vivo X90 Pro+
132
43. Apple iPhone XS Max
131
43. Oppo Find X2 Pro
131
43. Oppo Find N2 Flip
131
46. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
130
47. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
129
47. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
129
47. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
50. OnePlus 11
128
50. Oppo Find X5 Pro
128
50. POCO F4 GT
128
50. Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming
128
50. Xiaomi 11T Pro
128
55. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
127
55. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
127
55. Xiaomi 12T Pro
127
58. Apple iPhone 11
126
58. OnePlus 10T 5G
126
58. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
126
58. Xiaomi 12T
126
58. Xiaomi 11T
126
63. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
125
63. Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
125
63. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
125
66. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
124
67. Google Pixel 7
123
67. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
123
69. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
122
69. Apple iPhone SE (2020)
122
69. Xiaomi 12
122
72. OnePlus 9 Pro
121
72. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
121
72. Sony Xperia 1 IV
121
72. Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
121
76. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
76. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
120
76. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
79. Asus ROG Phone 2
119
79. Huawei P50 Pro
119
79. OnePlus 9
119
79. OnePlus 8
119
79. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Gaming
119
79. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
119
85. Realme GT Neo 3
118
85. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
118
85. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
118
85. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
118
85. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
118
85. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
118
91. Asus Zenfone 8
117
91. Google Pixel 4
117
91. OnePlus 10 Pro
117
91. OnePlus 8 Pro
117
91. Vivo iQOO 9 Pro
117
96. Motorola Edge+
116
96. Realme GT Neo 2 5G
116
96. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
96. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
96. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+
116
96. Xiaomi Mi 11
116
102. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
115
102. OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
115
102. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
115
102. Xiaomi Mi 11i
115
106. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
114
106. Vivo iQOO 7 Legend
114
108. Google Pixel 5
113
108. LG V60 ThinQ 5G
113
108. OnePlus 7 Pro
113
108. Samsung Galaxy S20+
113
108. Samsung Galaxy S10+
113
108. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (Exynos)
113
108. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (Exynos)
113
108. Sony Xperia 1 III
113
116. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
112
116. Nubia Red Magic 5S
112
116. Realme GT 5G
112
116. Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G
112
120. Sony Xperia 5 IV
111
121. Oppo Find X3 Pro
110
122. Honor 70
109
122. Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G
109
122. Oppo Find X5
109
122. POCO X3 NFC
109
122. Realme GT 2 Pro
109
122. Vivo X70 Pro+
109
122. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
109
129. Huawei Mate 30 Pro
108
129. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
108
129. Oppo Find X3 Neo
108
129. Realme X2 Pro
108
133. Nothing Phone(1)
106
133. Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G
106
133. Oppo A77 5G
106
136. Lenovo Legion Phone Pro
105
136. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
105
136. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
105
139. Honor V30 Pro
104
139. Oppo Reno8 5G
104
139. Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G
104
142. Black Shark 3 Pro
103
142. Oppo Find X5 Lite
103
142. Sony Xperia 1 II
103
145. Huawei P40 Pro
102
145. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
102
145. Oppo Reno6 5G
102
148. Motorola Razr
101
149. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition
97
150. Black Shark 2 Pro
96
150. Honor 20 Pro
96
150. Oppo Find X3 Lite
96
150. Vivo X51 5G
96
154. LG G8 ThinQ
95
154. Sony Xperia 10 IV
95
156. Nubia Red Magic 3S
94
157. Fairphone 4
93
157. Sony Xperia 1
93
157. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
93
160. Vivo X60 Pro+
91
161. Nokia 7.2
87
162. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
86
AUDIO
Position in Ultra-Premium Ranking
8th
1. Asus ROG Phone 6
155
2. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
149
2. Honor Magic3 Pro+
149
4. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
144
4. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
144
6. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
142
6. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
142
8. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
141
9. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
140
9. Xiaomi 13 Pro
140
11. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
139
11. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
139
11. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon)
139
14. Asus ROG Phone 3
138
14. Google Pixel 6 Pro
138
16. Google Pixel 7 Pro
137
16. Honor Magic4 Pro
137
16. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (Snapdragon)
137
19. Oppo Find N2
135
20. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
134
21. Huawei Mate 20 X
133
21. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
133
21. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
133
21. Vivo X90 Pro
133
25. Vivo X Fold
132
25. Vivo X90 Pro+
132
27. Apple iPhone XS Max
131
27. Oppo Find X2 Pro
131
27. Oppo Find N2 Flip
131
30. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
130
31. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
129
31. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
129
31. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
34. Oppo Find X5 Pro
128
35. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
125
35. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
125
37. OnePlus 9 Pro
121
37. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
121
37. Sony Xperia 1 IV
121
37. Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
121
41. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
42. Asus ROG Phone 2
119
42. Huawei P50 Pro
119
42. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
119
45. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
118
45. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
118
47. OnePlus 10 Pro
117
47. OnePlus 8 Pro
117
49. Motorola Edge+
116
49. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
49. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
52. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
115
53. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
114
54. Samsung Galaxy S20+
113
54. Samsung Galaxy S10+
113
54. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (Exynos)
113
54. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (Exynos)
113
54. Sony Xperia 1 III
113
59. Sony Xperia 5 IV
111
60. Oppo Find X3 Pro
110
61. Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G
109
61. Oppo Find X5
109
61. Vivo X70 Pro+
109
64. Huawei Mate 30 Pro
108
65. Lenovo Legion Phone Pro
105
66. Black Shark 3 Pro
103
66. Sony Xperia 1 II
103
68. Huawei P40 Pro
102
69. Motorola Razr
101
70. LG G8 ThinQ
95
71. Sony Xperia 1
93
72. Vivo X60 Pro+
91

Playback

Pros

  • Good performance in all attributes, with great consistency across them
  • Great timbre performance overall, enriched by a deep low-end extension
  • Great dynamics performance overall
  • Very good spatial performance

Cons

  • Distortion and compression at maximum volume and when watching movies
  • Stereo is still inverted in music app, as in all iPhones

Recording

Pros

  • Good timbre performance overall
  • Good performance when recording loud content such as  concerts
  • Good dynamics performance
  • Good handling of artifacts overall. Wind noise reduction needs some fine-tuning but it works decently

Cons

  • Midrange rendition is too dependent on the use case, and can sound either canny or nasal depending on the app and use case
  • SNR could be greater, as main vocal content is often a bit masked by the ambient noise
  • Poor audio zoom performance

The differences between the iPhone models when it comes to audio playback and recording have usually been minimal. The same holds true now with the release of the iPhone 14 series.

The iPhone 14 Plus, which contains the  A15 Bionic chipset, shares many of the hardware specs as the iPhone 14-series models, except that the 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max both operate on the latest A16 Bionic chip.

In Playback and Recording, the iPhone 14 Plus’s audio performance was identical in all categories to the iPhone 14.

Given all the similarities among the iPhone 14-series models and that the iPhone 14 Plus’s overall Audio score was just a point below the 14 Pro Max’s score, well within our margin of error, we direct you to the full test results of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

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