The age of USB-C iPhones is here, with all models in the iPhone 15 series offering a USB-C charging port as standard. This is the biggest shift in iPhone charging tech in nearly a decade, with Apple moving away from the Lightning port for good.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Design
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A major change this year is the inclusion of Dynamic Island on all models; the smaller notch was limited to the iPhone 14 Pro portfolio last year, and it's heading to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus this year alongside the Pro versions.
While the design hasn't changed too much, there are a few subtle changes. The sides are still flat, but there are contoured edges that should make the devices easier to hold and use. I'm not a fan of phones with flat sides, so I'm intrigued in using the iPhone 15 models and seeing if they're better in daily use. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are that much more interesting as they use a new titanium chassis that looks stunning.
And with the switch to titanium, the Pro models are lighter than last year's steel variants. This year's Pro models are available in black, gold, blue, and raw titanium. Another new addition that's limited to the Pro models it the Action Button; think of it a multifunction button that lets you launch a shortcut, start a timer, taking a photo, and so much more.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Hardware
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are powered by the A16 Bionic, which debuted on the Pro series last year. The A16 Bionic delivers decent gains over the A15, but what makes a bigger difference is the efficiency gains. Both models get satellite connectivity as well, and the Emergency SOS feature.
A new feature that's debuting across the iPhone 15 portfolio this year is Roadside Assistance via satellite. The feature is similar to Emergency SOS, and uses the same satellite tech to deliver assistance when your car breaks down by the side of the road. It's rolling out in the U.S. this year, with more regions to follow soon.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max feature new silicon in the form of A17 Pro, built on a brand-new 3nm node — a huge win over Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung Exynos. The 16-core neural engine is 2x faster, and you get a dedicated AV1 decoder this time.
The A17 Pro has 19 billion transistors and includes six cores, with a 10% increase in performance over the A16 Bionic. The GPU sees a fundamental shift this year, with the new 6-core part built on a new architecture and delivering 20% gains.
But what stands out the most is that the GPU now uses hardware-accelerated ray tracing — similar to the best NVIDIA cards. This new caliber of hardware allows games like Resident Evil Village to debut on iPhones, and I'm excited that Assassin's Creed Mirage — the next game in the series — is slated to hit iPhones at the end of the year.
Obviously, the biggest change is USB-C connectivity, and all models get the charging port as standard. The USB-C port works works with charging, audio, video, and data transfers, and the Pro models get a USB 3 controller with a 10 Gigabit bandwidth.
And when it comes to wireless, the 15W MagSafe standard is intact. Here's an overview of the hardware you're getting with the iPhone 15 portfolio:
| Category | iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED, Dynamic Island, 2556 x 1179, HDR10, 2,000 nits | 6.7-inch 60Hz OLED, Dynamic Island, 2796 x 1290, HDR10, 2,000 nits | 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED, Dynamic Island, 2556 x 1179, HDR10, 2,000 nits | 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED, Dynamic Island, 2796 x 1290, HDR10, 2,000 nits |
| Chipset | A16 Bionic, 4nm | A16 Bionic, 4nm | A17 Pro, 6‑core CPU, 6‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 3nm | A17 Pro, 6‑core CPU, 6‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 3nm |
| OS | iOS 17 | iOS 17 | iOS 17 | iOS 17 |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear camera 1 | 48MP f/1.6, 26mm focal length, 4K at 60fps, 2x telephoto | 48MP f/1.6, 26mm focal length, 4K at 60fps, 2x telephoto | 48MP f/1.78, 24mm, 28mm and 35mm focal length, sensor-shift OIS, Dolby Vision 4K at 60fps, ProRes video, 2x telephoto | 48MP f/1.78, 24mm, 28mm and 35mm focal length, sensor-shift OIS, Dolby Vision 4K at 60fps, ProRes video, 2x telephoto |
| Rear camera 2 | 13MP f/2.4 wide-angle, 120-degree FoV | 13MP f/2.4 wide-angle, 120-degree FoV | 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle, 120-degree FoV | 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle, 120-degree FoV |
| Rear camera 3 | ❌ | ❌ | 12MP f/2.8 OIS, 77mm focal length, 3x optical zoom, 15x digital zoom | 12MP f/2.8 sensor-shift OIS, 120mm focal length, 5x optical zoom, 15x digital zoom |
| Front camera | 12MP f/1.9, autofocus, 4K at 60fps | 12MP f/1.9, autofocus, 4K at 60fps | 12MP f/1.9, autofocus, 4K at 60fps | 12MP f/1.9, autofocus, 4K at 60fps |
| Ingress protection | IP68 dust and water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance |
| Security | Face ID | Face ID | Face ID | Face ID |
| Safety features | Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite | Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite | Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite | Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite |
| Connectivity | Global 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, second-gen UWB | Global 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, second-gen UWB | Global 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, second-gen UWB, Thread, USB3 | Global 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, second-gen UWB, Thread, USB3 |
| Charging | 20W over USB-C port, 15W MagSafe | 20W over USB-C port, 15W MagSafe | 20W over USB-C port, 15W MagSafe | 20W over USB-C port, 15W MagSafe |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm | 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25mm | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm |
| Weight | 171g | 201g | 187g | 221g |
| Colors | Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink | Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Price | $799 | $899 | $999 | $1,199 |
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Cameras
The standard iPhones models are picking up a huge camera upgrade, and now come with a 48MP main camera as standard. There's also a 12MP wide-angle lens that's largely unchanged from last year, but the switch to a 48MP lens leads to sizeable gains in photos and videos from just about any situation.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max feature a larger 48MP camera this time around, and they use a new coating to reduce lens flare. What's intriguing is that the models get the ability to switch focal length between 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. The 12MP wide-angle lens is similar to last year, and it doubles as a macro lens.
The 3x zoom lens on the Pro model has the same 77mm focal length as last year, and on the Pro Max variant, there is a new zoom lens that is able to deliver 5x optical zoom. The 120mm focal length is the largest on an iPhone, and the module uses OIS and 3D sensor shift to deliver stable photos and videos.
Portrait and Night modes are tweaked to take better advantage of the hardware, and Smart HDR should do a better job in outdoor conditions.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Plus vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Which should you buy?
If you're looking to buy a new iPhone this year, the decision largely comes down to the screen size and camera tech. If you need a smaller device and don't want the best cameras that an iPhone has to offer, the iPhone 15 is the obvious choice. Coming in at $799, it is also the most affordable in the series, and the fact that it has the Dynamic Island and USB-C charging makes it an enticing option — you're basically getting a lot of the same hardware as the iPhone 14 Pro for a lot less.
Want a larger 48MP camera and the ability to shoot in Dolby Vision? You'll need to pick up the iPhone 15 Pro. You're paying $200 more than the standard model, and while you get the same screen size, it has a gorgeous new titanium chassis, the latest A17 Pro silicon, and the OLED panel goes up to 120Hz, making it that much more smooth in daily use.
And if you're interested in a large iPhone with great battery life, the iPhone 15 Plus ticks all the right boxes. It has the ideal blend of hardware, cameras, and battery longevity, and at $899, it poses a serious challenge to the best Android phones. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have trade-in offers of up to $600 in the U.S. when you turn in an iPhone 11 or older, and if you haven't made the switch last year, now is as good a time as any to pick up a new iPhone.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is overkill for most users, but it has the best camera hardware — including that new 5x optical zoom lens — and delivers the best battery life. It is costlier this year at $1,199, but you get 256GB of storage as standard. So if you don't mind the premium and want all the latest features and terrific battery life, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the way to go. Both Pro versions have trade-in offers of up to $1,000 starting today.
With the switch to Dynamic Island, USB-C charging, and a 48MP camera at the back, the standard iPhone is better than ever before.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the ultimate choice, featuring the latest A17 Pro silicon, a stunning titanium chassis, and brand-new 5x optical zoom lens — exclusive to the device.
