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Apple iPhone 14 Audio test

September 26, 2022
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OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS FOR THIS DEVICE

We put the Apple iPhone 14 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.

Overview


Key audio specifications include:

  • Two speakers, (One top front firing, one side bottom firing)
  • 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
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
18th
1. Black Shark 5 Pro
161
2. Asus ROG Phone 6
155
2. Honor Magic6 Pro
155
4. Asus ROG Phone 5
151
5. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
149
5. Black Shark 4S Pro
149
5. Black Shark 4 Pro
149
5. Honor Magic3 Pro+
149
9. Asus ROG Phone 7
148
10. Xiaomi Mi 10 S
147
11. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
144
11. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
144
13. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
143
14. Apple iPhone 15 Pro
142
14. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
142
14. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
142
14. Google Pixel 8 Pro
142
18. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
141
18. Apple iPhone 15
141
18. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
141
18. Apple iPhone 14
141
18. Huawei P60 Pro
141
23. Apple iPhone 12
140
23. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
140
23. Google Pixel 8
140
23. Xiaomi 13 Ultra
140
23. Xiaomi 13 Pro
140
28. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
139
28. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
139
28. Apple iPhone 12 mini
139
28. Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Exynos)
139
28. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
139
28. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
139
34. Apple iPhone 13
138
34. Asus ROG Phone 3
138
34. Google Pixel 6 Pro
138
34. Honor Magic5 Pro
138
34. Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
138
34. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
138
40. Apple iPhone 13 mini
137
40. Google Pixel 7 Pro
137
40. Google Pixel 6
137
40. Honor Magic Vs
137
40. Honor Magic4 Pro
137
40. Samsung Galaxy S23+
137
46. Google Pixel 6a
135
46. OnePlus Open
135
46. Oppo Find N2
135
46. Xiaomi 14
135
50. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
134
50. Samsung Galaxy S24 (Exynos)
134
50. Vivo X100 Pro
134
50. Xiaomi 13
134
54. Google Pixel Fold
133
54. Huawei Mate 20 X
133
54. Lenovo Legion Y90
133
54. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
133
54. Samsung Galaxy S23
133
54. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
133
54. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
133
54. Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
133
54. Vivo X90 Pro
133
63. Google Pixel 7a
132
63. Vivo X Fold
132
63. Vivo X90 Pro+
132
66. Apple iPhone XS Max
131
66. Asus Zenfone 10
131
66. Oppo Find X2 Pro
131
66. Oppo Find N2 Flip
131
70. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
130
70. Xiaomi Mix Fold 3
130
72. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
129
72. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
129
72. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
129
72. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
76. OnePlus 11
128
76. Oppo Find X6 Pro
128
76. Oppo Find X5 Pro
128
76. POCO F4 GT
128
76. Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
128
76. Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming
128
76. Xiaomi 13T
128
76. Xiaomi 11T Pro
128
84. Oppo Find X6
127
84. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
127
84. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
127
84. Xiaomi 12T Pro
127
88. Apple iPhone 11
126
88. Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
126
88. OnePlus 10T 5G
126
88. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
126
88. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
126
88. Xiaomi 12T
126
88. Xiaomi 11T
126
95. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
125
95. Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
125
95. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
125
98. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
124
99. Google Pixel 7
123
99. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
123
101. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
122
101. Apple iPhone SE (2020)
122
101. Xiaomi 13T Pro
122
101. Xiaomi 12
122
105. OnePlus 9 Pro
121
105. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
121
105. Sony Xperia 1 IV
121
105. Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
121
109. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
109. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
120
109. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
112. Asus ROG Phone 2
119
112. Huawei P50 Pro
119
112. OnePlus 9
119
112. OnePlus 8
119
112. POCO F5 Pro
119
112. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Gaming
119
112. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
119
119. Realme GT Neo 3
118
119. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
118
119. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
118
119. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
118
119. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
118
119. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
118
125. Asus Zenfone 8
117
125. Google Pixel 4
117
125. OnePlus 10 Pro
117
125. OnePlus 8 Pro
117
125. Vivo iQOO 9 Pro
117
130. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
116
130. Motorola Edge+
116
130. Realme GT Neo 2 5G
116
130. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
130. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
130. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+
116
130. Xiaomi Mi 11
116
137. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
115
137. OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
115
137. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
115
137. Xiaomi Mi 11i
115
141. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
114
141. Vivo iQOO 7 Legend
114
143. Google Pixel 5
113
143. LG V60 ThinQ 5G
113
143. OnePlus 7 Pro
113
143. Samsung Galaxy S20+
113
143. Samsung Galaxy S10+
113
143. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (Exynos)
113
143. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (Exynos)
113
143. Sony Xperia 1 III
113
151. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
112
151. Nubia Red Magic 5S
112
151. Realme GT 5G
112
151. Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G
112
155. Oppo A78 5G
111
155. Sony Xperia 5 IV
111
157. Oppo Find X3 Pro
110
158. Honor 70
109
158. Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G
109
158. Oppo Find X5
109
158. POCO X3 NFC
109
158. Realme GT 2 Pro
109
158. Vivo X70 Pro+
109
158. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
109
165. Huawei Mate 30 Pro
108
165. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
108
165. Oppo Find X3 Neo
108
165. Realme X2 Pro
108
169. Sony Xperia 5 V
107
170. Honor 90
106
170. Nothing Phone(1)
106
170. Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G
106
170. Oppo A77 5G
106
174. Lenovo Legion Phone Pro
105
174. Nothing Phone (2)
105
174. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
105
174. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
105
178. Honor V30 Pro
104
178. Oppo Reno8 5G
104
178. Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G
104
181. Black Shark 3 Pro
103
181. Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
103
181. Oppo Find X5 Lite
103
181. Sony Xperia 1 II
103
185. Huawei P40 Pro
102
185. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
102
185. Oppo Reno6 5G
102
188. Motorola Razr
101
189. Honor Magic5 Lite 5G
97
189. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition
97
191. Black Shark 2 Pro
96
191. Honor 20 Pro
96
191. Oppo Find X3 Lite
96
191. Vivo X51 5G
96
195. LG G8 ThinQ
95
195. Sony Xperia 10 IV
95
197. Nubia Red Magic 3S
94
198. Fairphone 4
93
198. Sony Xperia 1
93
198. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
93
201. Fairphone 5
92
202. Vivo X60 Pro+
91
203. Nokia 7.2
87
204. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
86
AUDIO
Position in Premium Ranking
5th
1. Black Shark 5 Pro
161
2. Asus ROG Phone 5
151
3. Black Shark 4S Pro
149
3. Black Shark 4 Pro
149
5. Apple iPhone 15
141
5. Apple iPhone 14
141
7. Apple iPhone 12
140
7. Google Pixel 8
140
9. Apple iPhone 12 mini
139
10. Apple iPhone 13
138
11. Apple iPhone 13 mini
137
12. Xiaomi 14
135
13. Samsung Galaxy S24 (Exynos)
134
13. Xiaomi 13
134
15. Lenovo Legion Y90
133
15. Samsung Galaxy S23
133
17. Asus Zenfone 10
131
18. OnePlus 11
128
18. Xiaomi 13T
128
18. Xiaomi 11T Pro
128
21. Xiaomi 12T Pro
127
22. Apple iPhone 11
126
22. OnePlus 10T 5G
126
24. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
124
25. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
123
26. Xiaomi 13T Pro
122
26. Xiaomi 12
122
28. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
120
28. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
30. OnePlus 9
119
30. OnePlus 8
119
32. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
118
32. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
118
32. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
118
35. Asus Zenfone 8
117
35. Google Pixel 4
117
35. Vivo iQOO 9 Pro
117
38. Xiaomi Mi 11
116
39. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
115
39. Xiaomi Mi 11i
115
41. Google Pixel 5
113
41. LG V60 ThinQ 5G
113
41. OnePlus 7 Pro
113
44. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
112
45. Realme GT 2 Pro
109
45. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
109
47. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
108
47. Oppo Find X3 Neo
108
49. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
105
50. Honor V30 Pro
104
50. Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G
104
52. Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
103
53. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
102
54. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition
97
55. Vivo X51 5G
96
56. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
93
57. Fairphone 5
92
58. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
86

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, which contains the A15 Bionic chipset, shares many of the hardware specs as the 14 Pro Max, which operates on the latest A16 Bionic chip.

Our testers found that in Playback, the iPhone 14’s timbre has a richer midrange than the 14 Pro Max, but the 14’s high-end extension doesn’t reach that of the 14 Pro Max. Dynamics-wise, the other minor difference between the two models is that the iPhone 14’s sound is less impactful than the 14 Pro Max.

In Recording, the testers noticed very slight timbre variations between the models. The iPhone 14’s loudness was also slightly better than that of the 14 Pro Max.
Wind noise reduction on the iPhone 14 was slightly better managed than on the more advanced model.
The audio zoom isn’t a strong point on both models.

Given the similarities between the models and that the iPhone 14’s overall score came in 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 for all the details of the iPhone 14’s audio performance.

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