❤ Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Every now and then, Apple forces you to choose between more than just size when you’re out for this year’s “best iPhone ever” – there have been instances where the Max one-ups the ‘regular’ Pro in that one line in the camera specsheet. Such is the case with the iPhone 15 Pro which only gets a moderate telephoto camera and not the longer reach of the Pro Max.
But, really – does 3x vs 5x make a world of a difference? Particularly with iPhones, where Apple goes to great lengths to standardize the experience across one generation, but also from one generation going into the next? We reckon not, at least for the sake of this reviewer who opted for a Pro, instead of a Pro Max.
The 15 Pro otherwise gets the same treatment as the 15 Pro Max in all the other key areas – like the titanium in the frame that makes it a lot lighter than last year’s model. This is, in fact, perhaps even more of an important development on the smaller model, and it now makes it a more viable option for those looking for a pocketable Pro iPhone.
Naturally, a chipset upgrade is also part of the generational changes and there the Pro is as Pro as the Pro Max, of course – the 3nm A17 Pro is standard equipment. Not quite so is the storage situation, where the regular Pro’s 128GB base trim level isn’t befitting the name – the Pro Max starts at 256GB and that’s a lot more like it.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
Circling back to the cameras (because it’s not all about the telephotos), the iPhone 15 Pro also gets the 24MP jpegs (or heifs, if that’s your thing) and the two intermediate pretend-focal lengths – there’s so much more parity in the imaging department than there are differences, after all.
Apple also invented USB-C this year, perhaps nudged in the right direction by the EU, but why not out of their own accord? (Because probably not.) Not strictly a Pro feature this one, since the vanilla iPhone 15 and the 15 Plus also use the industry-standard connector, but a most welcome development either way.
Then there’s some more of the usual stuff, the usual good stuff. The Pro iPhones have some of the best displays in the business, and the one on the 15 Pro is no different – in the same compact 6.1-inch size Apple settled on in 2020 with the 12 generation. While we’d say that underdisplay fingerprint readers should be mature enough for Apple to finally add one into the mix, Face ID remains a solid option for authentication. The autofocusing selfie camera that’s in that same vicinity has proven great in the past too.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
Battery life has been a strong suit of iPhones for a while and we’re seeing little reason why that would change now. We do sense we’ll be complaining about the 15 Pro‘s charging speeds though, as usual. Have a look at this quick rundown of the specs before we tear the paper tabs on that white box.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro specs at a glance:
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM) | |
| CDMA 800 / 1900 | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66 – A3102 | |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66, 71 – A2848 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66, 71 – A3101 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 – A3104 | ||
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3102 | |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – A2848 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3101 | ||
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – A3104 | ||
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| LAUNCH | Announced | 2023, September 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| BODY | Dimensions | 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3 mm (5.77 x 2.78 x 0.33 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 187 g (6.60 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), titanium frame (grade 5) | |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM – International Dual eSIM with multiple numbers – USA Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) – China |
|
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) |
| DISPLAY | Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.1 inches, 91.3 cm2 (~88.2% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1179 x 2556 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~461 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | |
| Always-On display |
| PLATFORM | OS | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 17.4 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) | |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2×3.78 GHz + 4×2.11 GHz) | |
| GPU | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM | |
| NVMe |
| MAIN CAMERA | Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode (4K@24/30fps), 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, Cinematic mode (4K@24/30fps) | |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) |
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Ion 3274 mAh, non-removable |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) – requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| MISC | Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
|---|---|---|
| Models | A2848, A3101, A3102, A3104, iPhone16,1 | |
| SAR | 1.14 W/kg (head) 1.16 W/kg (body) | |
| SAR EU | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | |
| Price | $ 854.99 / € 939.99 / £ 770.10 / ₹ 127,990 |
| TESTS | Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Loudspeaker | -26.4 LUFS (Good) | |
| Battery (new) | ||
| Battery (old) |
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro unboxing
As expected, the iPhone 15 Pro ships in a half-height retail box, with little inside other than the phone itself. The less important bits that are still included are a SIM ejection tool, an Apple sticker, and some documentation.
The one bundled accessory that’s of more practical significance is the new USB cable (C-C) which is now braided. That should help make it last longer than the plain Apple cables of yesteryear, though we’re not sure the white fabric will be looking pristine a few weeks down the road. The cable is also USB 2.0 spec, so if you’re after the fastest possible transfer speeds, you’d need to get a different one. On to the phone itself we go now.
Competition
An iPhone‘s competition most often comprises other iPhones – be they older ones, the other size from the same lineup, or one from the other lineup. In that sense, you need to have your priorities all figured out when picking the right iPhone for you.
iPhone 15 Pro in front of iPhone 15 Pro Max
For example, if you want the absolute best iPhone on the market, the 15 Pro isn’t that. The 15 Pro Max will get you a longer-reaching telephoto camera, better battery life and more screen estate, though conversely, it will take up more room in your pocket, and it’s also more expensive (€250/$200).
On the other hand, if you’re looking to save some money (€300/$200), you could give up on the Pro and get the vanilla iPhone 15 – not only is it the same size as the 15 Pro, but it’s tangibly lighter, which can be a priority. The 15 is nowhere as good a cameraphone as the 15 Pro – no telephoto, no AF on the UW, and less fancy main camera.
An interesting middle ground is the iPhone 14 Pro. Apple may have discontinued it, but we reckon there’s ample stock at third-party retailers, and for €150 less you can have almost the same phone as the 15 Pro – minus the USB-C port, the latest intermediate zoom modes, the newest chipset (last year’s is fine), and the titanium frame (which may actually be an advantage for the previous generation).
If you’re OS-agnostic or just like jumping ship every now and then, or you may want something that Apple doesn’t make yet, there are plenty of Android options you could entertain.
Samsung’s two foldables easily come to mind – there’s no bendy iPhone just yet. The Galaxy Z Fold5 is perhaps the best bet if you’re after the ultimate smartphone for productivity, while the Z Flip5 is more of a fashion statement with the benefit of some form of pocketability. If that last bit is a top priority, then the Zenfone 10 just might be able to entice you, while an Xperia 1 V could appeal to the right crowd with its extensive video recording chops.
Verdict
The iPhone 15 Pro is a logical if not quite exciting, evolutionary step for the lineup. Small advancement in key areas go with continued refusal to improve on others, but Apple will be Apple. Perhaps that statement alone explains the fact that the new 5x telephoto only comes on the Pro Max and not the Pro, and we’re bummed about it on principle, even if it’s objectively not a big deal.
The high price, scant retail bundle, iOS quirks, and heavy throttling sound like cons we’ve listed before and will continue to do so. On the other hand, traditional strong points of the iPhone are only getting stronger – like the upmarket build and in-hand feel, spectacular display, versatile camera system and great speakers. We’re more than happy to welcome the USB-C port this year on iPhone too.
Ultimately, the iPhone 15 Pro is what you’d expect it to be – the best one to date in size small. As usual, if you’ve already got an iPhone 14 Pro, there’s no truly compelling reason to get a 15 Pro. However, if you’re on an iPhone 13 Pro or older, or on one of the other branches of iPhone (like a vanilla 14 maybe), the 15 Pro will more easily make a convincing case for itself.
Pros
- Exquisite and now lighter design, water-resistant up to 6m deep.
- Outstanding OLED display – super bright, color-accurate, Dolby Vision capable.
- Superb speaker loudness, balance, sound quality.
- Top-notch performance.
- Every iPhone comes with at least five years of iOS updates.
- Upgraded connectivity across the board, UWB2 too.
- USB-C is here, and we love it.
- Class-leading video capturing and stabilization, impressive Pro modes.
- Superb daylight and nighttime photos from all cameras.
Cons
- A lot more expensive than corresponding Android alternatives.
- No charger in the box, and charging isn’t particularly fast.
- Apple’s iOS restrictions can be off-putting to newcomers to the ecosystem.
- The photo processing could benefit from less sharpening at times.
- Limiting the 5x telephoto to just the Max feels arbitrary (and so is the 256GB base storage).
- The rear glass is reportedly much more shatter-prone than before.
