There’s a lot to unpack from the iPhone 15 launch. With Apple’s latest models set to hit stores soon, we’re here to help decipher the key differences and help you make the right buying decision.
Not sure whether you should get your hands on the standard iPhone 15 or upgrade to the 15 Pro? We’ll be going over all of the crucial information relating to price, design, display, hardware, camera, features and battery life, to help you make up your mind.
For the moment, our comparisons are made solely from the specs available and our experience testing previous models. We will be updating this page with our full hands-on opinions once we've had the various iPhone 15 phones in for review.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: price
The standard iPhone 15 is available at three different price points depending on how much storage space you need: £800 / $800 for the 128GB version, £900 / $900 for the 256GB model, and £1100 / $1100 if you’re after 512GB of storage.
The iPhone 15 Pro pricing starts at £1000 / $1000 / AU$1850 for the 128GB model, £1110 / $1110 / AU$2050 for the 265GB version, £1300 / $1300 / AU$2400 for the 512GB model, and £1500 / $1500 / AU$2750 if you want 1TB of storage.
iPhone 15 pre-orders begin Friday 15th September, with a general release date scheduled for a week later, 22nd September.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: sound
While we don’t expect a world of difference between the sound of the standard iPhone 15 and the Pro model.
Both support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos playback however, the standard iPhone 15 features Apple's A16 Bionic chip, while the iPhone 15 Pro (and Pro Max) make use of the newer and more powerful A17 Pro chip. This is likely to be of more use when it comes to video, however.
The iPhone 15's USB-C port won't improve the sound quality on its own but it will make it easier to plug in a DAC or wired headphones – you can chuck out that Lightning adapter.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max was a nice step-up in sound quality over previous generations, and took home our What Hi-Fi? Award in 2022, so it will be interesting to see where the 15 stands; will it up the ante again? We shall see.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: design and colours
The iPhone 15 and 15 Pro differ entirely when it comes to the choices of colour available.
The standard iPhone 15 comes in five different pastel tones: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Green, or Black.
While the iPhone 15 Pro is available in four different shades of ‘titanium’: Natural, Blue, White, and Black.
One thing we noticed was that it seems like an interesting move to make the standard iPhone unavailable in the usual Apple Silver this time around.
There are also slight differences in dimensions and weight, despite sharing the same 6.1-inch display. The standard iPhone 15 measures (H x W X D)147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm while the 15 Pro measures 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm.
In terms of weight difference, the iPhone 15 weighs in at 171 grams, while the 15 Pro weighs 187 grams. Very minor differences in size and weight, but worth noting nonetheless.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: display
Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. We’ve been impressed with this screen previously, so we have high hopes for image quality on all models of the iPhone 15.
Both phones also come with an all-screen OLED display with HDR support and are reported to have an impressive 2000 nits peak brightness. They also both support a number of HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG.
There are a few display-related upgrades exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro (and Pro Max) models, such as higher adaptive refresh rates (up to 120Hz) for smoother scrolling.
The Pro model also features ProMotion technology, an Always-on display, and Apple’s Dynamic Island feature which displays notifications, updates, and more.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: hardware
The standard iPhone 15 is made from aluminium with a colour-infused glass back, whereas the Pro is made from titanium with a textured matte glass back.
There are a range of different sensors built into the iPhone 15, including a high dynamic range gyro, high-g accelerometer, proximity sensor, dual ambient light sensors, and a barometer. The iPhone 15 Pro additionally features a LiDAR scanner.
iPhone 15 now features a USB-C connection port, in keeping with Apple’s recent decision to move away from its proprietary Lightning connector found on previous models of iPhone.
The iPhone 15 Pro makes use of the more sophisticated USB 3.0 specification which allows for noticeably faster data transfer speeds compared to the USB 2.0 on the iPhone 15.
Apple’s decision to include the more universal USB-C connector on its latest products means it’ll be a lot more convenient for anyone planning to use an external DAC with their iPhone, as the need for a separate Lightning-to-USB-C connector is now a thing of the past.
Both phones also include features such as MagSafe charging support, FaceID, IP68 resistance, 5G connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6.
While there are some notable hardware differences between versions, we'll reserve judgment until we’ve got our hands on them and tested them out fully.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: camera
There are several key differences between the camera designs featured on the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro models.
The standard iPhone 15 has an ‘advanced dual-camera system’ which comprises a 48MP main lens with an F1.6 aperture, and a secondary ultra-wide 12MP lens with an F2.4 aperture.
The iPhone 15 Pro has a slightly different camera setup and features Apple’s ‘pro camera system’, which is a combination of three lenses: a 48MP main lens with an F1.78 aperture, an ultra-wide 12MP lens with an F2.2 aperture, and a 12mp telephoto lens with an F2.8 aperture.
Regarding the front-facing camera, both the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro feature the same TrueDepth 12MP camera with an F1.9 aperture.
The iPhone 15 also offers an additional zoom option. The standard 15 offers 0.5x, 1x, and 2x zoom options, while the Pro offers 0.5x, 1x, 2x and 3x optical zoom.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: battery
Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro include a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery and support MagSafe and Qi wireless charging capabilities.
In terms of battery life, Apple claims that the standard iPhone 15 offers up to 16 hours of streamed video playback and 80 hours of audio playback, while the 15 Pro is stated to provide up to 20 hours of streamed video playback and 75 hours of audio playback.
It’s slightly unexpected that Apple claims the standard iPhone 15 offers longer audio playback time than the Pro, however, this could be due to the always-on screen featured in the Pro. We’ve reached out to Apple for confirmation of these specs.
Apple iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: initial thoughts
The key feature and spec-related differences to consider when comparing the Pro model to the standard iPhone 15 are the additional camera lens, USB 3.0 connectivity, Apple's A17 Pro chip for faster computing, overall improved battery life, and a different choice of metal used for the phone's housing.
In terms of visual differences, the iPhone 15 Pro comes in a totally different range of colours to the standard iPhone 15 and also features a thinner bezel.
With a similar-sized screen and almost identical form factor, both models will likely suit very similar applications, from watching movies to general everyday usage.
We're looking forward to putting both models to the test as part of our full reviews and we'll update this page accordingly once we do.
MORE:
All the details on the iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: what are the differences?
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Plus: the key differences for music and movies
