Cart 0
Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.1-inch Apple iPhone 15 Pro (with Apple A17 Pro) that was released on September 12, 2023, against the Apple iPhone 15, which is powered by Apple A16 Bionic. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro Comparison
This in-depth iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro comparison will help you understand the precise differences between the two models.
An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 15 Pro
- The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
- Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- 11% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1538K versus 1386K)
- Delivers 8% higher peak brightness (1796 against 1656 nits)
- Has 33% more RAM: 8GB versus 6GB
- 13% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2935 and 2602 points
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 15
- Weighs 16 grams less
Apple iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: What’s the Difference?
The four iPhone 15 models have a lot to offer, but which is the best for you? We cover everything you need to know about Apple’s latest flagships in this ultimate comparison.
Apple renewed its iPhone lineup with the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Generally, the iPhone 15 and the 15 Plus share most features with the biggest difference between them being screen and battery sizes. The story is mostly the same for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but the latter’s advanced camera system separates it from all the other iPhone 15s. So, which one is right for you?
Here we offer an in-depth comparison of the four phones based on the specs as well as those features Apple mentioned during its launch presentation to help you wrap your head around the new devices.
Similar, But Slightly Different
Although the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch variants in the normal iPhone 15 and 15 Pro lines are available, their proportions are different. The Pro models have more compact dimensions in terms of height and width, although the ordinary 15 and 15 Plus models are slightly lighter and thinner than the Pros.
The dimensions and weight of the standard iPhone 15 are 5.81 by 2.82 by 0.31 inches (HWD) and 6.02 ounces. The iPhone 15 Pro weighs 6.60 ounces and has smaller dimensions of 5.77 by 2.78 by 0.32 inches. At 6.33 by 3.06 by 0.31 inches and 7.09 ounces, the iPhone 15 Plus is the biggest of the lot. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is somewhat smaller at 6.29 by 3.02 by 0.32 inches but weighs more at 7.81 ounces.
Due to its IP68 rating, all four models are dustproof and capable of being submerged for 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 6 meters. All iPhone 15 variants include Apple’s own Ceramic Shield glass on the front and back, which the firm claims is more durable than any other smartphone glass. While Apple uses titanium alloy for its iPhone Pro models, which it claims is tougher, more durable, and lighter than stainless steel (found on both 14 Pros), the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are made of aluminum.
Notch Be Gone!
The Apple notch has been dropped! The OLED display of every iPhone 15 has the Dynamic Island at the top. The iPhone 15 series’ screens have a 1,000 nit normal brightness, 1,600 nits for HDR content, and a 2,000 nit peak brightness. Excellent color, contrast, and visibility should result from this, independent of the light conditions.
As for screen resolutions, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro both have 6.1-inch displays with resolutions of 2,556 by 1,179 pixels for a pixel density of 460ppi. The 15 Plus and the 15 Pro Max have 6.7-inch displays, each with a resolution of 2,796 by 1,290 pixels for a pixel density of 460ppi.
If you want an always-on display or a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, you’ll have to get an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max as those features are exclusive to the Pro displays.
More Power
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are now powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic. The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, which were among the quickest phones on the market when they were released, both included this identical system-on-a-chip (SoC). With its real-time data notifications and more capacity for on-device activities than the A15 Bionic, which was used to power the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, the A16 Bionic assists in running the Dynamic Island. Both benchmarks and real-world testing revealed the A16 Bionic’s exceptional performance.
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are powered by the latest Apple A17 Pro SoC. According to the manufacturer, this is the first 3-nanometer chip in the market, and these devices will be able to run top-tier games thanks to the new GPU. Because the A17 Pro’s neural engine is said to be twice as fast as the A16 Bionic’s, on-device functions like accessing Siri and voice transcription should operate more quickly. Data transfer to and from the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max via cable should be extremely fast because to Apple’s inclusion of an AV1 decoder and USB 3 controller in the A17 Pro.
All iPhone 15 models will support sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have Wi-Fi 6 compatibility onboard, with the Pro models supporting Wi-Fi 6E. Apple increased the iPhone 15’s satellite abilities by adding roadside assistance via satellite. This joins emergency SOS as a satellite feature; both will be included for free for two years with the activation of any iPhone 15.
Every iPhone 15 handset has an Ultra Wideband processor from the second generation. As a result, an iPhone 15 will have three times the range to locate another smartphone with a second-generation Ultra Wideband. Since both smartphones could precisely track each other’s location, Apple illustrated how valuable this capability might be for finding a friend in a congested environment.
Storage Still Starts at 128GB
While Apple does provide the available storage capacity, it does not publicize the amount of RAM in its iPhones. There are three storage capacities for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Starting at 128GB, the iPhone 15 Pro can hold up to 1TB of data. In the meanwhile, there are 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB models of the iPhone 15 Pro Max available. Eventually, the iPhone will come with a 256GB storage capacity as standard, but that day is still not here.
(For reference, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max have 6GB of RAM.)
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 battery Life comparison
During their September 2023 event, Apple unveiled the array of iPhone 15 models for this year. Together with notable camera upgrades across the board and a potent new A17 Pro chip reserved for the most expensive models, the phones have some lovely design enhancements.
But every year, we’re faced with the same problem because there are only two iPhone tiers to select from. Does Apple’s iPhone Pro model offer enough features to warrant the increased price tag, and is all of its functionality truly necessary? Or would it be wiser to forgo these purchases and continue using the basic iPhone?
iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro Battery Life
It’s becoming clear that Apple’s unexpected choice to withhold the A15 chip from the iPhone 13 Pro from its regular iPhone 14 models last year wasn’t an isolated incident. The A16 Bionic chip from Apple, which has been in the iPhone 14 Pro for the past year, is used in the iPhone 15.
To be clear, that’s not a bad thing. With its new image signal processor and neural engine, the A16 Bionic is an incredibly powerful chip that will surely let the iPhone 15 run more demanding games, take better photos, and manage more complicated AI jobs.
However, it is insignificant compared to the features that Apple has included in the iPhone 15 Pro. The next-generation A17 chip this year is so advanced that Apple has renamed it the “A17 Pro” instead of using the name “Bionic,” which it has been using since the release of the A11 in 2018.
The A17 Pro has a 6-core GPU, which Apple claims is the largest redesign it has ever done for an Apple GPU, despite the fact that the architecture is essentially the same: two high-performance CPU cores and four high-efficiency CPU cores connected by a 16-core Neural Engine. This includes hardware-accelerated ray tracing, 20% peak performance gains, an Apple-designed shader architecture, and Metal effect upscaling, which combines the power of the GPU and Neural Engine to generate stunning visuals.
With developers already on board and ready to deliver true console games on the iPhone 15 Pro, such as Resident Evil Village, The Division Resurgence, and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Apple hopes to make the iPhone 15 Pro a gaming powerhouse.
There hasn’t been much of an improvement in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro’s battery life. The iPhone 15’s 3,349mAh battery capacity is just somewhat more than that of its predecessor’s 3,279mAh. Regretfully, this implies that daily charging of the phone is still required. The 3,274mAh battery in the iPhone 15 Pro is marginally bigger than the 3,200mAh battery in the previous iteration. But in terms of battery life, it doesn’t seem to provide any appreciable increase.
Digital Trends
The same charging speeds apply, probably between 20 and 27 watts, but at least you can now use a USB-C cable to charge. Moreover, a typical Qi charger can only provide 7.5 watts of wireless charging; an Apple-certified MagSafe charger can provide up to 15 watts of power. But the new Qi2 chargers for this year that support the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) can also charge an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro at 15W.
Although the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 15 will undoubtedly provide great performance for the majority of users, the A17 Pro kicks things up a notch, particularly if you want to be among the first to play the Assassin’s Creed console version on a smartphone.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: cameras
Digital Trends
The superior camera systems on Apple’s iPhone Pro versions have always been their most distinctive feature. Although that hasn’t altered for the new model year, the regular iPhone 15 has seen several good upgrades that contribute to the historically large gap being closed.
With the exception of the typical yearly enhancements to the sensors, the iPhone 15 Pro cameras have not altered significantly from their predecessors. In contrast, the iPhone 15 has made the most advancement since the iPhone 11.
The 48-megapixel (MP) sensor on the iPhone 15’s main (wide) camera allows for the first time to add a 2x optical zoom to the conventional iPhone in addition to higher-resolution photo capture. The iPhone 15 will use the 48MP sensor’s center pixels to create a 12MP 2x shot, just like the 48MP sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro from the previous year. As a result, the iPhone 15 now has three optical zoom factors (0.5x, 1x, and 2x) plus a third telephoto lens.
