The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are set to launch in September 2023. With two great options to choose from, here is an in-depth comparison of the differences between these two flagship iPhone models to help you decide which one is the best for you.
Design and Build
One of the first differences you’ll notice between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro is the overall design and materials used.
Frame Materials
- The iPhone 15 has an aluminum frame which is lightweight and durable. Aluminum frames have been used on iPhones for many generations.
- The iPhone 15 Pro steps it up with a titanium frame which is more scratch and corrosion resistant than aluminum while still being lightweight. This is the first time titanium has been used on an iPhone.
Edges
- The iPhone 15 has flat edges and sides like we’ve seen on recent iPhone models. This gives the phone a boxier look and feel.
- The iPhone 15 Pro has curved edges for a more rounded design that feels more comfortable and natural to hold in your hand. The curved edges are a refinement of the previous flat-edge industrial design.
Size and Weight
- Both models come in identical 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizing options.
- Despite having a larger overall size, the iPhone 15 Pro is lighter than the regular iPhone 15 due to its titanium build.
- The regular iPhone 15 weighs 172 grams (6.1-inch) and 203 grams (6.7-inch).
- The iPhone 15 Pro weighs 161 grams (6.1-inch) and 192 grams (6.7-inch).
So in summary, the Pro brings a more premium build with lightweight titanium, refined curved edges, and a lower overall weight compared to the regular aluminum-framed iPhone 15.
Display Technology
The displays on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro share some key specs, while also having some important differences.
Screen Size
- As mentioned above, both models come in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes. No changes here from previous generations.
Display Type
- Both phones use OLED display technology for inky blacks and vivid color.
Brightness
- The iPhone 15 Pro has higher peak brightness up to 2000 nits vs just 1200 nits on the iPhone 15.
- This gives the Pro better visibility in outdoor conditions and improved HDR performance.
Refresh Rate
- The iPhone 15 remains at a 60Hz refresh rate.
- The iPhone 15 Pro display has a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate that can dynamically adjust down to 1Hz to save power.
- This makes scrolling, animations and motion much smoother on the Pro. It’s a big upgrade for usability.
So the Pro model clearly wins when it comes to display tech with ProMotion, adaptive refresh rates, and substantially higher peak brightness.
Cameras
The iPhone camera system sees an upgrade on both models this year, but there are important differences:
Rear Cameras
- The iPhone 15 has two rear cameras:
- Main: 48MP wide camera
- Ultrawide: 12MP ultrawide camera
- The iPhone 15 Pro has three rear cameras + LiDAR scanner:
- Main: 48MP wide camera
- Telephoto: 12MP 3x optical zoom
- Ultrawide: 12MP ultrawide camera
- LiDAR Scanner: For depth mapping
So the Pro gains an extra telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom range as well as the depth-sensing LiDAR scanner.
Photographic Styles
- Both models support Photographic Styles for applying your own look and feel to photos.
Sensor-shift Optical Image Stabilization
- Both models have sensor-shift OIS on the primary camera for better stabilization and low light performance.
Night Mode
- Night mode is supported on all cameras including the front-facing TrueDepth camera.
Portrait Mode
- Portrait mode with background blur is available on both models.
ProRAW
- Apple ProRAW for more editing flexibility is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro camera system.
Video Recording
- Both models can record video up to 4K resolution at 60 fps across all cameras.
- The Pro model includes Apple ProRes video recording for higher quality professional video work.
So in summary, the iPhone 15 certainly isn’t lacking in the camera department, but the 15 Pro goes above and beyond with telephoto zoom, LiDAR scanning, ProRAW and ProRes video support that pros, creatives and photography enthusiasts will appreciate.
Performance
Under the hood is where we see the biggest differences between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models this year.
Chipset
- The iPhone 15 is powered by the A16 Bionic chip. This is the same chip introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro last year.
- The iPhone 15 Pro boasts the brand new A17 Bionic chip built on an enhanced 3nm process for increased performance and power efficiency.
So the Pro model has Apple’s latest generation mobile chip with expected performance gains over the already extremely fast A16.
CPU & GPU
Details on the A17 chip specifics remain unconfirmed, but early rumors point to:
- An 8-core CPU with 2 high-performance cores and 4 efficiency cores.
- A 5 or 7-core GPU for enhanced graphics.
The A16 chip has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, so the A17 should bring incremental improvements.
Neural Engine
- The Neural Engine powers Apple’s machine learning capabilities across iOS, Camera, Photos, Face ID, etc.
- Both chipsets will have an updated 16-core Neural Engine compared to A15’s 16 cores.
RAM
- The iPhone 15 Pro will bump up the memory to 8GB of RAM compared to the 6GB in the iPhone 15 according to rumors.
- More RAM allows keeping more apps and browser tabs active in the background without reloading.
The combination of the A17 chip, more RAM and storage contributes to a noticeable performance lift on the Pro model for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D gaming, ML applications and more. Casual users may not notice much difference in day-to-day use though.
Battery Life
Battery life is always a priority for iPhone users. Here’s how the specs compare:
- The iPhone 15 has a battery capacity around 3,200 mAh for the 6.1-inch model and 3,900 mAh for the 6.7-inch Max model based on regulatory filings.
- The iPhone 15 Pro battery capacities aren’t confirmed yet, but should land around 3,500 mAh for the 6.1-inch size and 4,300 mAh for the larger Pro Max model based on the increased footprint.
- Both phones support fast charging with up to 35W power adapters. However, the Pro model may allow peak charging wattage of up to 30W while the iPhone 15 tops out at 27W.
- The ProMotion display can dial down to 1Hz refresh rate to save power on the Pro model.
- The A17 Bionic chip is built on an enhanced 3nm process for improved energy efficiency.
While we’ll have to test real-world usage to know for sure, both models should deliver all day battery life – with the Pro Max potentially eking out a bit more runtime thanks to its larger battery and power efficiencies.
Connectivity
There are some connectivity upgrades coming to the iPhone 15 lineup:
- Both models will finally switch from Lightning to USB-C charging. This will enable much faster transfer speeds.
- However, the iPhone 15 will likely still use USB 2.0 speeds up to 480 Mbps while the iPhone 15 Pro will support Thunderbolt 3 for transfer rates up to 40 Gbps.
- That’s over 80x faster wired data speeds on the Pro! Thunderbolt support is a huge upgrade for photographers, video editors and others transferring lots of data.
- Both phones will include the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard for faster wireless connections.
- 5G wireless will be onboard all iPhone 15 models of course. mmWave 5G may be exclusive to the Pro models again.
So the Pro pulls ahead significantly again with its Thunderbolt support even though both phones move to USB-C.
Other Differences
Here are some other notable ways the iPhone 15 Pro stands out from the regular model:
- Action Button: New customizable shortcut button to quickly perform chosen actions like activating certain apps, toggling features on/off, shortcuts etc.
- Always On Display: ProMotion enables the screen to stay on at a low refresh rate to display widgets, notifications, time/date etc without lighting up the whole display.
- Crash Detection: Safety feature exclusive to Pro line that can detect severe car crashes and automatically contact emergency services if you are unresponsive.
- Satellite Connectivity: Pro models are rumored to have the ability to connect to satellites for sending emergency texts and SOS messages when outside of cellular range. Huge potential lifesaver.
Pricing
With more premium features and specs, the iPhone 15 Pro carries a higher starting price:
- iPhone 15 pricing:
- 6.1-inch: $799
- 6.7-inch Max: $899
- iPhone 15 Pro pricing:
- 6.1-inch: $1099
- 6.7-inch Max: $1199
However, many buyers can reduce the upfront cost by trading in an older iPhone or with carrier promotions.
The regular iPhone 15 still sees nice year-over-year upgrades over the iPhone 14 for those who don’t need every Pro feature. But the more advanced iPhone 15 Pro is easily worth the extra investment for power users, creatives, professionals and tech enthusiasts who want Apple’s absolute cutting-edge smartphone.
Conclusion
While both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro represent excellent options this year, the Pro clearly jumps ahead with its LTPO ProMotion display, triple camera system, Thunderbolt connectivity, Always On display and exclusive features like Crash Detection. For many buyers, those meaningful upgrades will be worth stretch into the Pro price range if your budget allows. But the regular iPhone 15 still impresses as a more affordable option for the key features most consumers need. Hopefully this detailed comparison gives you the information needed to choose the best iPhone 15 model for your needs and budget!