Here, we wont discuss Plus and Max but focus on the standard model and Pro version.
I wont make a run at provide a definitive answer on which smartphone to choose.
Instead, Ill discuss their differences and what you get for a similar price.
Vlada Komar
Maybe you also have heard about a new Action Button.
But those arent the only differences.
TL;DR.Both of them share the same design but with different color palettes.
iPhone 15 has Dynamic Island, which was previously the feature of the iPhone 14 Pro only.
Also, the iPhone 15 Pro offers some unique camera modes, like ProRes and ProRaw.
What about tech specs?
Heres how the prices differ depending on the storage space.
iPhone 15 Pro is 25% more expensive than iPhone 15 with the same storage space.
This led to the notch.
Before the release of the iPhone 14, speculations hinted that Apple might adopt a similar approach.
Dynamic Island incorporated additional software functionalities that could vary across different apps.
For instance, it could display music playback controls or provide real-time delivery updates.
Both variants now feature Dynamic Island, operating uniformly across both models.
Both iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro get a Dynamic Island.
you might choose between pink, yellow, green, blue and black.
The colors are made in light and playful shades.
Blue is, in fact, a light blue, closer to the white shade.
The same thing happens to yellow and green; both colors are pretty faded.
The back panel is matted, while in iPhone 14, the back glass was more glossy.
iPhone 15 is made of glass with aluminum chassis.
The back panel is made of structured matted glass, so it feels closer to a metal.
TL;DR. iPhone 15 Pro has a new titanium chassis and a structured matted glass back panel.
However, the iPhone 15 Pro has foregone the silent switch, replacing it with the new Action Button.
But with the iPhone 15 Pro, you get additional options for configuring this button.
For instance, I have set it to fire up the cameraan addition I have long desired.
In essence, it all depends on your preferences and needs.
The Action Button is undoubtedly a very cool feature.
However, you must ask yourself: Will I genuinely use it?
They have adopted USB-C, replacing Lightning, and support 5G.
However, two crucial aspects make the iPhone 15 Pro the better choice.
Lets begin with USB-C.
The difference may not be highly significant, but USB 3.0 enables data transfer almost 20 times faster.
While I cannot confirm the accuracy of this explanation, it appears dubious to me.
To give you a rough number, USB 2.0 supports up to 480 Mbp/s.
USB 3.0 supports transfer spped up to 10 Gb/s.
A similar distinction exists with Wi-Fi.
The iPhone 15 supports Wi-Fi 6.0, while the iPhone 15 Pro boasts the faster Wi-Fi 6E.
I have seldom used a cable for data transfer.
The same applies to Wi-Fi; the speed difference might not be noticeable.
The display is the most significant difference
60 Hz in 2023?
The iPhone 15 still offers an OLED display with a 60 Hz refresh rate.
And thats a field where the iPhone 15 Pro beats the iPhone 15 without any chance.
What do you get with the iPhone 15?
Just a 60 Hz display.
What do you get with the iPhone 15 Pro?
A ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate.
That means the iPhone 15 Pro can change the refresh rate depending on what youre doing now.
This means your iPhones screen refreshes only one time in a second.
For example, you might take it out of your pocket and quickly check the time or notifications.
In other specs, the displays are the same.
Both iPhones have a 6.1-inch OLED display with 2556-by-1179-pixel resolution, which gives you 460 pixels per inch.
Everything on your phones screen will look much, much better.
But with the iPhone 15 Pro, you will enhance your experience.
The iPhone 15 features the A16 Bionic chip, previously employed in the iPhone 14 Pro.
In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro has the A17 Pro chip, demonstrating significantly superior performance in benchmarks.
Apple says the A17 Pro boasts a 10% performance increase over the A16 Bionic.
This alone ensures enhanced performance.
Additionally, it features hardware ray tracing, achieving performance and image detail comparable to gaming consoles.
However, in real life, the difference is also insignificant.
But I will tell more about this below.
TL;DR.It all comes down to whether you play AAA games on your iPhone.
If not, you may not notice the difference.
If you want to play these games, the iPhone 15 Pro offers a more powerful GPU.
Is the Pro camera worth your money?
Lets take a look at the cameras.
The iPhone 15 features a dual-camera system, which includes a 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.
However, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 use different primary sensors with different focal lengths and apertures.
Zoom options include 0.5x ultrawide zoom, 1x standard, and 2x zoom.
Apple claims that the iPhone 15 48MP primary sensor allows 2x optical zoom.
But thats not true.
It just crops the sensors center to let you shoot a zoomed picture.
By the way, the digital zoom options in iPhone 15 vary from 0.5x up to 10x.
One feature that I like about a new 2x zoom is what Apple calls continuous zoom.
But you’re free to always change the resolution to 48MP to take more detailed images.
you’re free to switch between these zoom options and the standard 1x.
It also supports ProRES video and ProRAW photo.
The last feature I especially like is how to make a portrait from a picture already taken.
The focus and depth control feature will transform the photo into a portrait.
It also can capture ProRAW and HEIC photos, shoot ProRES videos, and offer improved macro photography capabilities.
However, these features hold significance primarily for those who prioritize photography.
The difference becomes much less noticeable if your camera is limited to capturing a few family moments or landmarks.
The iPhone 15 also features a commendable camera system, though not as advanced.
Thats what Apple says; usually, such information says nothing about how long your phones battery will last.
But one thing I can say for sure is my experience.
Usually, around 15-25% of the battery remains before I sleep.
But my own experience says thats much less.
Maybe we have different usage styles, I dont know.
The same thing applies to the iPhone 15 Pro.
It shows even worse performance than the iPhone 15 and 12.
I cant explain why this happens because on paper, the iPhone 15 Pro should be more energy efficient.
Some people describe the battery life as horrible, but Valeriy says it isnt so bad.
But he expected that 15 Pro would last longer when he bought it.
Theres no significant difference.
It simply makes everything smoother and more enjoyable.
Expressing this experience through text is challenging, but the difference is palpable.
Of course, one can adapt to a 60Hz screen and not perceive differences.
However, the point is that you’re free to significantly enhance your user experience with the gear.
For me, its worth the $200 additional cost.
As for the other differences, they are not as substantial.
I would even say that for most people, they play no significant role.
If yes, then the choice becomes evident.
