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iPhone 15
New kid on the block
The Apple iPhone 15 comes with A16 Bionic chipset, a 6.1-inch OLED display, and a 48MP primary camera. Among the new features here are a USB Type-C port and Dynamic Island. There’s also a special portrait shooting mode that lets you adjust the focus after shooting.
Pros
- Finally has Dynamic Island
- Special portrait shooting mode
- Aluminum frame with contoured edges
Cons
- Slow 60Hz display
- USB Type-C port only supports USB 2.0 speeds
- Storage only up to 512GB
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Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Still going strong
Apple iPhone 14 Pro is one of the advanced iPhones from the last generation, giving you a 120Hz refresh rate display and a triple camera setup. The phone comes witha variety of photography and videography options thanks to support for Apple ProRAW and ProRes. It still stands tall as compared to the iPhone 15.
Pros
- 120Hz ProMotion display
- Impressive camera and video modes
- Storage options up to 1TB
Cons
- Heavier
- Being discontinued
Apple released its iPhone 15 lineup last year, and despite the familiar look, the new devices pack some nice improvements under the hood. While the Pro models come with a new chipset, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus come with a mix of new features (including the same A16 Bionic chip inside the iPhone 14 Pro) and some compromises.
The Dynamic Island and the USB Type-C port are the most significant changes in the regular iPhone 15 models, which could help them make it to our best phones list this year. However, compared to the older iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 15 lacks a few things, such as a dedicated telephoto camera and a higher display refresh rate. That raises the question: Should you consider the new iPhone 15 or stick with the older iPhone 14 Pro?
Price, availability, and specs
The iPhone 15 was announced on September 12 and hit the market on September 22. It comes in three storage variants in Blue, Pink, Yellow, Green, and Black colorways. The prices are $799 for the 128GB model, $899 for 256GB, and $1,099 for the 512GB model. There are also a ton of great iPhone 15 cases available.
The iPhone 14 Pro is no longer available on the official Apple website (only the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are), but it’s still available new at popular retailers such as Best Buy. Current retail pricing for the iPhone 14 Pro starts at $899 for the base 128GB model or $999 for 256GB of storage (larger storage options are no longer available). Original color options include Space Black, Deep Purple, Silver, and Gold, although most are no longer available in new condition. However, refurbished units are available in other colors at Amazon.
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iPhone 15 Apple iPhone 14 Pro SoC Apple A16 Bionic Apple A16 Bionic Display 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR 6.1-inch OLED, 120Hz, HDR 10 Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Ports USB-C Lightning Operating System iOS 17 iOS 16 Front camera 12MP TrueDepth camera 12MP, TrueDepth, AF Dimensions 5.81×2.82×0.31 inches (147.6×71.6×7.8mm) 5.81×2.81×0.31 inches (147.5×71.5×7.85mm) Colors Blue, pink, yellow, green, black Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple Weight 6.02 ounces (171 g) 7.27 ounces (206g) IP Rating IP68 IP68 Rear camera 48MP Main, 12MP Ultra wide 48MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Telephoto
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Design and display
Siblings you could almost mistake for twins
Both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 Pro have nearly identical dimensions. The iPhone 15 is 0.1mm thinner, but when seen from the front, the phones are indistinguishable. However, when you hold them, you will notice that the iPhone 14 Pro is slightly heavier (7.27 ounces vs 6.02 ounces) due to the build materials and the 14 Pro’s extra camera. The iPhone 15 has an aluminum frame with a contoured edge design compared to the iPhone 14 Pro’s stainless steel frame. Turn it around, and that’s when the triple camera setup of the iPhone 14 Pro stands out compared to the dual camera module on the iPhone 15. Both phones also come with IP68 dust and water resistance.
Regarding the displays, both the phones sport a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with a 2556×1179 resolution, both have Dynamic Island, and both screens have an outdoor peak brightness of 2,000 nits. However, two major differences give the iPhone 14 Pro display an immediate advantage: a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and an always-on display. A higher refresh rate means transitions on the iPhone 14 Pro will be noticeably smoother than the 60Hz refresh rate-sporting iPhone 15. Having an adaptive refresh rate also ensures optimal use of the battery.
Performance and battery
The A16 Bionic is no slouch
Both phones come with the A16 Bionic chip, which houses a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engines. Given the similar hardware, you can safely expect nearly identical performance from either phone during everyday use. While the iPhone 15 sports a USB Type-C port, data transfer speeds are limited to USB 2.0 speeds, similar to the iPhone 14 Pro’s Lightning Port’s speeds.
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While both phones come with 6GB RAM, the iPhone 14 Pro can have up to 1TB of storage. According to the Apple website, the battery life for video playback and streaming is higher on the iPhone 14 Pro than on the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 outperformed its predecessor in our hands-on tests, lasting a full day under most conditions.
Cameras
The Pro series cameras continue to impress
The camera department is where the Pro variants of the iPhone differ from the regular ones. This is also true when you compare iPhones generationally. The iPhone 14 Pro sports a triple camera setup with a 48MP primary camera, 12MP ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto camera, whereas the iPhone 15 only has a 48MP main and 12MP ultrawide camera. The iPhone 15’s photos will be brighter by default thanks to a wider f/1.6 aperture on the primary camera in contrast to the f/1.7 on the iPhone 14 Pro’s main camera. The front cameras on both phones are identical with 12MP TrueDepth cameras.
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For those who like taking portrait photos but forget to activate the Portrait mode on the iPhone 14 series and older, the iPhone 15 offers a solution. It can now capture all the depth information in a photo, letting you turn a regular photo into one with a shallow depth of field after the fact. You can even change the focus from one subject to another. Yes, this feature has been around on Android phones for a while now, but it’s now on iPhone.
The significant advantage that the iPhone 14 Pro has is the ProRAW and macro mode for still photographs and ProRes for video shooting (on the front and rear cameras). These two options, paired with more advanced image stabilization, give the iPhone 14 Pro an edge, especially if you’re obsessed with posting photos and videos on social media. Also, thanks to an extra lens, you get much more versatility regarding the focal length range than with the iPhone 15.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 14 Pro: Which phone is better?
It’s a tough call as both phones are remarkably similar. But between the two, I’d still say the iPhone 14 Pro has an edge, as it offers more value for your money (assuming you can find a new one still available for sale). You get a triple-camera setup with some excellent video modes, and the ProMotion 120Hz display is far ahead of the 60Hz display on the iPhone 15. Even if you consider upgrading from the iPhone X/11 Pro to these phones, I’d recommend the iPhone 14 Pro over the iPhone 15.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Editor’s choice
$688 $859 Save $171
Even though the iPhone 14 Pro is a generation older now, it still offers enough punch and better value for money than the newly announced iPhone 15. The triple cameras, 120 Hz ProMotion display, and better battery life are good enough reasons to opt for the iPhone 14 Pro over the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 15, with its Dynamic Island, special portrait mode, and USB Type-C port, has defined the path ahead for future non-Pro iPhones. Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 15 falls short in the areas mentioned above. It’s not a bad phone, but at the same time, nothing is compelling enough to recommend it over the iPhone 14 Pro. If you already use the iPhone 14 Pro, there is no reason to upgrade to the iPhone 15. Instead, upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro if your budget allows it or if iPhone 14 Pro stock is unavailable.
iPhone 15
Runner-up
The only major upgrades with the iPhone 15 are the presence of a Dynamic Island and a USB Type C port. But these aren’t compelling reasons to upgrade when the other choice is iPhone 14 Pro.