Here in the fall of 2023, Apple once again has four new iPhones to choose from. There's the baseline iPhone 15 ($799+) and the iPhone 15 Plus ($899+), which are essentially the same except for their size. And then there's the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro ($999+) and iPhone 15 Pro Max ($1,199+), which are mostly the same except for their size, too ... the caveat being that this year Apple gave its biggest and most expensive iPhone, the Pro Max, the best camera system of all.
Like in previous years, there are some obvious differences between Apple's "Pro" and "non-Pro" iPhones — the Pros have superior cameras, displays and processing power — but with this year's iPhone 15 lineup, the two classes of smartphones have more in common than previous years, too. Here, we'll break down the similarities and variations between them, and help you decide which is right for you.
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iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: What are the biggest similarities?
Photos: The iPhone 15 (left in both photos) and iPhone 15 Pro (right in both photos) can look almost identical at times. Both are the same size and have the same Dynamic Island notch.
All four iPhone 15 models have plenty in common. Most notably, Apple has democratized the Dynamic Island — the interactive and floating pill-shaped notch that can show alerts and other valuable information — that was previously only on last year's Pros and brought it to all iPhone 15 models. So when you're looking head-on at both sets of new iPhones, they honestly look identical.
All iPhone 15 models also have a 48-megapixel main camera, which is different from last year, when the non-Pro iPhone 14 models only had a 12-megapixel one. This isn't to say that the main cameras are the exact same as the Pros more advanced features (more on this below). That said, the shooting abilities across all iPhone 15 models' main cameras is closer than in past years.
Probably the most impactful change to the entire iPhone 15 lineup is that Apple has swapped out the traditional Lightning port in favor of USB-C. This new USB-C port is almost the same across the all four iPhone 15 models, as they all have the same fast-charging ability at up to 20 watts; however, the Pros' USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds. (Like previous years' phones, all iPhone 15 models support MagSafe wireless charging, too.)
There are a lot of other similarities. The displays of the two Pro and non-Pro models are the same size; the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro both have 6.1-inch displays and the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max both have 6.7-inch displays. All iPhone 15 models also have new contoured edges, so they feel less sharp and more comfortable to hold compared with the rigid squared-off edges of the iPhone 14s.)
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: What are the biggest differences?
A lot of the big differences between the Pro and non-Pro iPhone 15s are the same as with Pro and non-Pro iPhones of the past. This starts with the cameras.
As in previous years, the two Pros have a triple-rear-camera system (wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses) while the two non-Pros have a dual system (wide and ultra-wide); since they lack a dedicated telephoto lens, the non-Pros don't have the same zoom capabilities. (Note: while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus's cameras are the same, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a superior zoom lens than the iPhone 15 Pro — more on this below.)
Photos: Like previous years, the Pros have a triple-rear-camera system and the non-Pros just have the two rear cameras.
The Pros have quite a few other camera tricks that the non-Pros lack, too. They're able to shoot macro photos and night mode portraits, as well as capture timelapse and slow-motion videos. And they're able to takes ProRAW photos and ProRes videos, which are larger, more detailed files that are more conducive to editing.
Photos: When unlocked, both iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro's displays look the same. But when idle, you can tell which is the Pro because of its always-on display.
Then comes the displays. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the only new iPhones to have an always-on display, so you can see more information (such as the time or notifications) at a glance without unlocking your phone. And the Pros are the only ones to support ProMotion, which is a display with a 120-Hz refresh rate. That's twice as fast as the non-Pro's 60-Hz display; as a result, scrolling and opening apps just seems a bit smoother. If you're gaming or watching fast-paced action films, you'll notice a difference too.
One genuinely new feature of this year's iPhone Pros is the Action Button. In place of the traditional mute switch that has been on basically every iPhone in recent memory, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have a new customizable Button. You can keep it as a mute button if you like, but you can also designate it instead to opening your camera, flashlight, magnifying glass or a custom shortcut (among a few others). It just gives a way to make your iPhone feel more unique to you — and it's only on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Photos: The Action Button is exclusive to the Pros. You can customize what you want it to function as in the Settings app.
Then there's the processor. The new Pros both use Apple's brand-new A17 Pro chip, which is the most powerful chip Apple has ever put into a smartphone; if you're a mobile gamer, for example, or if you plan on holding onto your phone for a long time, then you want a Pro. That said, both of the non-Pros use Apple's A16 Bionic chip — the same processor that was in last year's iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max — so it's not like you're settling for a bad setup there, either.
Lastly, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max come in a new titanium body that promises to be lighter and more durable than previous iPhone Pros, which used stainless steel. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are still made with aluminum, which is lighter than titanium, but the weight difference isn't as steep as in previous years.
Why is the iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera better than all the rest?
Photos: The Pro Max has a 5x optical zoom, while the smaller Pro has a 3x optical zoom.
It's not unheard of for Apple to put the best camera system in its biggest and most expensive smartphone; Apple did this a few years back with iPhone 12 Pro Max, and that's the case again with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It packs the same 48-megapixel main (wide) lens and 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens as the smaller iPhone 15 Pro, but it also has a notably more powerful telephoto system.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is capable of 5x optical zoom — a 120mm lens equivalent — and a 25x digital zoom. Comparatively, the iPhone 15 Pro's camera is capable of just 3x optical zoom and 15x optical zoom; this is the same zoom capabilities as on both of last year's Pros.
Is the Action Button worth splurging for the iPhone 15 Pro?
The Action Button is one of the most significant hardware changes to an iPhone in years — it's a whole new button! And it's probably the easiest way to quickly distinguish whether you're looking at an iPhone 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max or another iPhone.
As far as whether it's worth upgrading to the new Pros solely for the Action Button, the answer is: probably not. There are way more important things to consider, such as cost, cameras and how badly you want that new titanium model. That isn't to say that the Action Button isn't pretty cool, however; it just depends if you're really going to make use of it.
As far as myself, I honestly have been using it in much the same way as I'd use the mute switch on iPhones of the past — but I'm constantly switching between mute and volume on through my day. You can set the Action Button to open a couple other things, like the flashlight, camera or switch into Focus mode. But if you're really creative or a power user, you can really customize it with various Shortcuts. Again, it just depends how you want to use it.
