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Apple has announced its new iPhone 15 models. The company announced four models in total, and we’re here to check out two of them. In this article, we’ll compare the Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro. Do note that nobody got the chance to review either of those phones yet, so this will be more of a comparison of what the two phones have to offer across a number of different categories.
That should help you out with your purchasing choice. Perhaps you don’t need the ‘Pro’ model, maybe the vanilla model is enough for you, as it did get a number of upgrades. Either way, we’ll try to help you. We’ll first list their specifications, and will then compare their designs, displays, and more.
Specs
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro, respectively
– Screen size:
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion (120Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2556 x 1179
2796 x 1290
– SoC:
Apple A16 Bionic
Apple A17 Pro
– RAM:
6GB
8GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
– Rear cameras:
48MP (f/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture)
48MP (f/1.78 aperture, second-gen sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, macro photography), 12MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 3x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
N/A
– Charging:
20W wired, 15W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25mm
– Weight:
171 grams
187 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
iOS 17
– Price:
$799
$999
– Buy:
N/A (coming September 15)
Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Design
The two phones do look quite similar, but not identical, not even close. The iPhone 15 Pro has thinner bezels, three cameras on the back, and it’s also slightly shorter, narrower, and thicker. On top of that, you’ll notice that the phone is slightly heavier too, when you grab it. The iPhone 15 Pro weighs 187 grams, compared to 171 grams of the iPhone 15. That means that the iPhone 15 Pro is actually considerably lighter than its predecessor, as the iPhone 14 Pro’s weight was 206 grams.
The iPhone 15 Pro utilizes titanium for its frame now, though aluminum is also used in some capacity. The iPhone 15’s frame is made out of aluminum. That titanium build helped Apple reduce the weight of the phone. Considering that Apple also changed up the frame design a bit, the two phones also don’t cut into your hand nearly as much. The reduced weight on the ‘Pro’ model helps a lot too. The phone is simply more pleasant to hold and use now, it’s more ergonomic.
Both smartphones include a Dynamic Island now, while the rear cameras look very similar to the previous models, design-wise. The iPhone 15 retains a mute switch from its predecessor, but the same cannot be said for the iPhone 15 Pro. That handset has an Action Button on the left side, which is customizable. You can set it to activate the camera, for example, while the long-press will mute the phone. Once you’re in the camera, that button can also double as a shutter key.
Both smartphones are still quite slippery, but thanks to some changes in the frame design, and back glass, they’re a bit less slippery than their predecessors. Do note that both smartphones also come with IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Another thing to note is that the iPhone 15 Pro supports USB 3.0 speeds, while the iPhone 15 is stuck on USB 2.0 speeds.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Display
Both smartphones do include a 6.1-inch display, but… we’re not looking at the same displays here, not at all. Both displays are plenty sharp at 2556 x 1179 pixels. However, the iPhone 15 Pro has a ‘ProMotion’ display. In other words, it supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, while the iPhone 15 is stuck at 60Hz, as was its predecessor. Both of these displays are flat, by the way, in case you were wondering. Both are also OLED panels.
What about the brightness? Well, they both go up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is great to see. Needless to say, that’s plenty bright for basically any scenario. HDR is supported by both displays. Only the iPhone 15 Pro has support for Always-On Display functionality, however. You will notice a Dynamic Island on both panels, as the notch became a thing of the past. Both displays are protected by the Ceramic Shield Glass.
Both panels are actually really good, based on initial impressions. They’re more than sharp enough, have great viewing angles, and the colors are quite vivid. The blacks are deep too. The iPhone 15 Pro has a huge advantage in the form of its higher refresh rate. Once you try using that display, it’ll be really hard to go back, even though Apple does a good job with 60Hz displays. It all depends from one person to the next, though, perhaps you won’t care.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Performance
The iPhone 15 is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic chip. That is the same processor that fuels the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. It has a 6-core GPU, and a 5-core GPU, on top of a 16-core Neural Engine. The iPhone 15 Pro comes with the all-new Apple A17 Pro chip. The company ditched the ‘Bionic’ name. That is a 6-core CPU with a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The difference is also in the manufacturing process, the A16 Bionic is a 4nm chip, while the A17 Pro is a 3nm chip.
This new chip does offer notably better performance, at least on paper, and it should go easier on the battery too. We didn’t get a chance to test it yet, though. It will be able to run some crazy games, based on what Apple presented. The Apple A16 Bionic is a beastly chip, on the other hand, and even though it’s inferior to the Apple A17 Pro, it’s still a truly excellent processor, one of the best. When it comes to RAM, the iPhone 15 comes with 6GB, while the iPhone 15 Pro includes 8GB of RAM. We believe it’s LPDDR5, but we’re not sure.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Battery
Something that Apple didn’t confirm yet is the battery capacity. We don’t know what battery size do these two phones offer, but chances are we’ll get something similar to last year. The iPhone 14 included a 3,279mAh unit, while the ‘Pro’ model came with a 3,200mAh battery. It remains to be seen how similar battery capacities will be in the new models, but chances are they are not far off from this.
The iPhone 14 Pro didn’t exactly offer great battery life, so we’re hoping for some improvements in that regard. Apple didn’t really boast about anything of the sort for the ‘Pro’ models, which is a bit worrying. We’ll have to wait and see. Apple did boast about the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus battery life, though, promising a full day’s worth of battery life.
When it comes to charging, we’re once again stuck at 20W wired, and 15W wireless charging. The iPhone 15 models will support Qi2 charging too. Unfortunately, neither model will charge particularly fast, which is a bit disappointing. Also, don’t expect a charger to be included in the retail box.
Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras
The iPhone 15 comes with two cameras on the back, while the iPhone 15 Pro has three. A 48-megapixel main camera from the iPhone 14 Pro is now included on the back of the iPhone 15. In addition to that, you’re getting a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit with an f/2.4 aperture. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, has a 48-megapixel main camera (f/1.78), which is technically better than the one on the iPhone 15 (larger sensor). A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera is also included here, as is a 12-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom).
Both phones actually have the ability to change focus after taking an image, so you don’t have to specifically switch to ‘Portrait Mode’ before taking a shot. The iPhone 15 Pro should technically be able to take better pictures overall, thanks to the better main camera, but we’ll have to wait and see. Zoomed-in shots will be better on the iPhone 15 Pro, easy, as the iPhone 15 doesn’t have a telephoto camera at all. We will have to wait a bit in order to check out actual samples, and test out the phones.
Audio
Both phones do include a set of stereo speakers. The phones also support Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio playback. The sound from those speakers will likely be similar to what the iPhone 14 Pro provided, so there’s nothing to worry about.
When it comes to an audio jack, neither phone has it, as expected. You can, however, utilize those Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones, you’ll need a dongle though. Bluetooth 5.3 is supported on both phones.