The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are official, and a lot of the rumor mill has turned out to be true! So, we can now answer the big question: how much better are they than the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max?
Because sure, there are some tasty upgrades here. But how much more are you getting with this new blower compared to the outgoing model?
Now we have concrete information, let’s take a look at the biggest differences between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Specs
| Spec | iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1 inches / 6.7 inches | 6.1 inches / 6.7 inches |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| CPU | A17 Pro | A16 Bionic |
| Cameras | 48MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (periscope lens on 15 Pro Max) | 48MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto |
| Battery capacity | 3,274 mAh (Pro), 4,422 mAh (Pro Max) | 3,200 mAh (Pro), 4,323 mAh (Pro Max) |
| Design materials | Glass and Titanium | Glass and Stainless steel |
| Connectivity | USB-C | Lightning |
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Price
While the iPhone 15 Pro starts at that same $999 price tag, the big boy Pro Max gets that $100 price increase.
- iPhone 14 Pro: $999
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,099
- iPhone 15 Pro: $999
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: $1,199
Will these new advanced models be worth the bump in price? Let’s dive into the details.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Design
- Small redesign with slightly curved edges
- iPhone 15 Pro bezels reduced
- iPhone 15 Pro picks up titanium over stainless steel for a lighter construction
- Goodbye, lightning. Hello USB-C! You can thank the EU for that one
Aesthetically, the differences are subtle but impactful: a slight curvature to the metal band that should make the phone a little more comfortable to hold in the hand, alongside a switch from the traditional mute toggle to an Action Button.
Another big change is the move to a USB-C port. Given the EU’s legislation, this was pretty much a guarantee for the company to adopt before an imposed 2024 deadline. We’ve been documenting this whole Apple vs EU saga, and it’s been a little dramatic to say the least.
Alongside this, the 15 Pro will sport the thinnest bezels ever seen on a smartphone (1.55mm). Pair that with the new titanium frame over stainless steel, and you’ll find that these phones are both thinner and lighter than their older brethren.
| Phone | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 14 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm | 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85 mm | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25 mm | 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm |
| Weight | 187 grams | 206 grams | 221 grams | 240 grams |
Finally, we have to talk about battery capacity. Previously, the tight design of all the components meant the cells were kept relatively smaller than its Android competition. This year, however, thanks to a new battery stacking technology that makes the most of its contoured space, the amount of mAh storage has vastly increased.
- iPhone 15 Pro: 3,274mAh
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422mAh
This should be a huge step up for the stamina of the 15 Pro and Pro Max, which is warmly welcomed given our less than favorable experience with the standard 14 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Display
- Dynamic Island continues
- Same display tech
Not much new is coming in terms of the LTPO OLED display tech coming to the iPhone 15 Pro. You’re still getting the same display sizes: 6.1 and 6.7 inches, and the same adaptive refresh rate from 1-120Hz.
For the next big display upgrade, you’ll be waiting for the iPhone 16, which has been rumored to make the most of a micro lens array (MLA) technology that provides better brightness and power efficiency.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Processor
- iPhone 15 Pro makes the jump to a 3nm chipset in the A17 Bionic
While Apple felt the pressure with the iPhone 14 lineup to differentiate the standard and pro phone chipsets by giving the standard model A15 and the Pro A16 Bionic, the real power boost has been saved for 2023 with the jump to A17 Pro.
| Chip | A17 Pro | A16 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clock speed | 3.70GHz | 3.46GHz | 3.2 to 3.36GHz |
| CPU cores | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| GPU cores/GPU | 6 | 6 | Qualcomm Adreno 730 |
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR5 | 6GB LPDDR5 | Up to 16GB LPDDR5 |
| Chip manufacturing process | 3nm | 4nm | 4nm |
How real is this? It is the first of Apple’s silicon produced on a 3nm process, packing more performance into the next generation chipsets, and drastically raising the roof on speed and power efficiency.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro: Cameras
- Both phones get the 48MP camera
- Pro Max is receiving a Periscope lens for better zoom photos
Across the snappers of both the iPhone 15 Pro and 14 Pro, everything seems to remain largely the same: a 48MP main, 12MP Ultrawide and 12MP telephoto. This means that you can continue to utilize a versatile pixel binning system to give you either a 12, 24 or 32MP shot with more detail.
| Phone | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Wide camera | 48MP wide (24mm f/1.78) | 48MP wide (24mm f/1.78) |
| Ultrawide camera | 12MP ultrawide (13mm f/2.2) | 12MP ultrawide (13mm f/2.2) |
| Telephoto camera | 12MP telephoto (77mm f/1.78) w/ 3x optical zoom | 12MP periscope telephoto w/ 5x optical zoom (120mm f/2.8 aperture) |
However, there is one big difference as we turn our attention to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Instead of a standard telephoto lens (which has a fixed magnification), the biggest and priciest iPhone of the bunch has made the leap to a periscope lens (or tetraprism lens if you're nasty).
This means up to 5X optical zoom, rather than a digital one, which is basically a glorified image crop with grainy, pixelated results.
Outlook
2023 is a big year for the iPhone. iOS 17 has brought some warmly welcomed changes to the software side of it, and that OS is being paired with some tasty new hardware in the iPhone 15 Pro. The obvious conclusion is that new is always better, so the 15 is the better option.
But now, are these upgrades worth the cost of entry if you already have an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max? Personally, I’d say no, but it’s entirely up to you on how you’re feeling about the current battery size, whether you’ll be missing that periscope lens, or whether the design changes matter a great deal to you.
While the 15 Pro is a seriously alluring prospect with its dense spec list, there’s a very good chance that you’re not going to need all that it offers. The A16 Bionic continues to be the fastest mobile chipset on the planet, so why go with A17 Bionic?
On top of that, most people won’t need a Periscope zoom lens in their phone camera arsenal, and you already get a 48MP main camera on the 14 Pro. The vast majority of you could save yourself some money and keep a hold of one of the best smartphones of 2022 (and potentially beyond).
