I daily drove my Space Black iPhone 14 Pro for three years, and to this day, it’s still one of my favorite smartphones of all time.

Normally, when I sit down to talk about a phone, I can rattle off a balanced list of pros and cons with ease. But this one was a total MF’er. I honestly had a harder time coming up with negatives than I expected.

What you’ll find below are my real-world experiences with the 14 Pro, both good and not-so-good. Mostly good.

Pros of the iPhone 14 Pro

1. Durability

The number one standout for me is durability. I used this phone every day for three years, completely case-free. I dropped it on tile multiple times, even on rough surfaces, and the only damage is a single scratch on the corner. That’s it. No cracked screen, no spiderweb fractures across the back.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a stainless steel frame, glass back, and glass front. That may seem delicate, but it ended up being the toughest phone I’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned plenty of them).

2. Excellent Battery Life

Batteries usually take a hit after a few years, but this one never let me down. Mine got down to about 84% health, which doesn’t sound great on paper, but I could still go a full day without carrying a charger. I never felt battery anxiety, even on busier days.

The battery didn’t last quite as long as the one in my Pixel 6, but compared to my old iPhone 12 Pro, the difference was night and day.

3. A Camera System That Delivered

When I first upgraded from the iPhone 12 Pro, I was blown away by the cameras on the 14 Pro. The low-light performance alone was a huge leap, both in photos and video.

The triple-lens setup (wide, standard, and 3x zoom) is versatile. I make airline review videos, and being able to zoom in and far away objects cleanly was a big deal for me.

4. Performance That Never Slowed Down

This is one of the most surprising aspects for me. After three years and several major iOS updates, the phone still felt as snappy as the day I bought it. Scrolling, launching apps, and switching between tasks was always smooth.

The A16 processor aged incredibly well, and I didn’t see any lag or sluggishness.

5. Minimal Fingerprint Issues on the Back

This is an issue that might seem small, but it’s worth mentioning. Fingerprints on glass-backed phones usually drive me crazy. For whatever reason, the iPhone 14 Pro barely shows them on the back. The front display is still a fingerprint magnet, but that’s the case with pretty much any phone. The fact that the back stayed clean was a nice touch.

Cons of the iPhone 14 Pro

1. A Display That Felt Dull

The screen on my 14 Pro just didn’t seem as bright as it should have been. Outdoors, even on a cloudy day, it sometimes felt a little hard to see.

It never looked as vibrant as my older iPhones did. My iPhone 12 Pro, for example, seemed easier to see in the same conditions. I expected more from a Pro-level iPhone screen!

2. Battery Degradation

Yes, I praised the battery already, but I have to mention the other side of it too. At 84% health, it never lasted quite as long as it did when it was new. That’s normal, of course, and not a dealbreaker.

3. Front Glass Collects Fingerprints Like Crazy

The back stays nice and clean, but the front display? Not so much. The second I turn the screen off, I can see every smudge and streak. This isn’t unique to the 14 Pro (pretty much every phone has this issue) but it’s still annoying.

4. The Camera Bump is Huge

Lying the 14 Pro down on the table (face up) was always awkward due to how far the camera lenses protrude from the body. They stick out a really long way, which results in the phone wobbling like it’s sitting on a broken tripod when touched. Annoying.