Here is how the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max compare to their predecessors, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro lineups. This specs comparison article will help you find all the differences between iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro alongside their Max variants.
Unlike the iPhone 14 Pro with its inherited stainless steel chassis, the new iPhone 15 Pro lineup offers lightweight titanium with slightly rounded and brushed edges. Apple says the new material allows for a much lighter phone with thinner borders without compromising durability and strength. The redesigned aluminum frame also improves heat dissipation and allows replacing the back glass separately from the rest of the phone (like in the iPhone 4 era).
The all-new Action button is another big change in the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple replaced the old single-function switch dating back to the original iPhone from 2007 with a customizable button for various purposes, such as activating voice memos, launching the camera, toggling on accessibility features, using Shortcuts, and more.
Finally, the Lightning port is gone—every iPhone in the 15 series has a USB-C port for faster data transfer and broader compatibility. However, non-pro models are limited to USB-C 2.0 speeds.
Like every new iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max have a new processor inside, the A17 Pro. It is the first 3nm mobile chip with about 10% faster CPU cores and 20% faster GPU. Graphics is the biggest change, and Apple claims it unlocks "entirely new experiences," such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing. In addition, the A17 Pro includes a dedicated AV1 encoder and a new USB 3 controller for external video recording at up to 4K 60 FPS with HDR.
Last but not least, the new Pro iPhones brag a reworked camera system with more creative control. Three rear cameras provide the flexibility of having up to seven "pro lenses" with different focal lengths. You can take great pictures with the main 48MP camera at 24 mm, 28 mm, and 35 mm. The telephoto camera with a 25% larger sensor provides 3x and 5x optical zoom (only in the iPhone 15 Pro Max), and the ultra-wide lens supports macro and 13 mm modes.
Apple has also upgraded video capabilities with ProRes 4K 60 fps recording, Log support, and ACES color encoding system. Later this year, Apple will add a feature that lets you capture spatial video for the upcoming Apple Vision Pro.
Here are the key changes summed up in a list:
- Brand-new chassis made of lightweight titanium with redesigned components that allow for easier parts swap and the back side replacement akin to iPhone 4.
- The new 3nm A17 Pro SoC with major improvements on the GPU side.
- The new Action button to replace the old single-function switch for toggling on or off silent mode.
- The redesigned camera system with equivalent of seven "pro lenses" (focus distances).
- A USB-C 3.0 10Gbps port instead of the old Lightning.
- A bigger price tag but more storage: The base-level iPhone 15 Pro Max with 256GB of storage now starts at $1199.
Now here is a more detailed spec comparison with the main improvements in the iPhone 15 Pro series highlighted:
| iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1" 2556x1179 1000/1600/2000 nits brightness Dynamic Island Always-on-Display 1-120Hz | 6.7" 2796x1290 1000/1600/2000 nits brightness Dynamic Island Always-on-Display 1-120Hz | 6.1" 2532x1170 1000/1200 nits brightness Narrower Notch 10-120Hz | 6.7" 2778x1284 1000/1200 nits brightness Narrower Notch 10-120Hz | ||
| Case | Titanium 187g (6.6oz) Action Button | Titanium 221g (7.81oz) Action Button | Stainless Steel 206g (7.27oz) Switch | Stainless Steel 240g (8.47oz) Switch | Stainless Steel 204g (7.19oz) Switch | Stainless Steel 240g (8.46 oz) Switch |
| CPU | 6-core A17 Bionic 6-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine | 6-core A16 Bionic 5-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine | 6-core A15 Bionic 5-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine | |||
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB | ||||
| Storage |
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| Cameras | 48MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 12MP telephoto f/1.78 + f/2.2 + f/2.8 aperture Second-gen sensor-shift OIS | 48MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 12MP telephoto f/1.78 + f/2.2 + f/2.8 aperture Second-gen sensor-shift OIS | 12MP wide + ultra-wide + telephoto f/1.5 + f/1.8 + f/2.8 aperture Sensor-shift OIS | |||
| Video | Cinematic mode for videos with shallow depth of field 4K HDR 30 fps ProRes video up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording Macro video recording | Cinematic mode for videos with shallow depth of field 4K HDR 30 fps ProRes video up to 4K at 30 fps Macro video recording | Cinematic mode for videos with shallow depth of field 1080p 30 fps ProRes video up to 4K at 30 fps 4K video at 60 fps | |||
| Front Camera | 12MP f/1.9 aperture Photonic Engine Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR 30 fps | 12MP f/1.9 aperture Photonic Engine Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR 30 fps | 12MP f/2.2 aperture Smart HDR 4 Cinematic mode 1080p 30 fps | |||
| Data | GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+ Wi-Fi 6E | GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+ Wi-Fi 6 | GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+ Wi-Fi 6 | |||
| SIM | No physical SIM Dual eSIM support | Dual SIM (physical nano-SIM and eSIM) Dual eSIM support | ||||
| Battery | 3274 mAh 23 h video playback | 4422 mAh 29 h video playback | 3200 mAh 23 h video playback | 4323 mAh 29 h video playback | 3095 mAh 22 h video playback | 4352 mAh 28 h video playback |
| Ports | USB-C (10Gb/s), MagSafe and Qi2 Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter | Lightning, MagSafe and Qi Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter | ||||
| Colors | Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium | Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, Space Black | Alpine Green, Silver, Gold, Graphite, Sierra Blue | |||
| $$$ | $999 | $1199 | $999 and $1099. iPhone 14 Pro and 13 Pro are now discontinued | |||
The iPhone 15 Pro lineup will be available for preorder on September 15, 2023, with availability beginning September 22, 2023.
Are you buying the new iPhone 15 Pro or its larger sibling? Let us know in the comments what do you think about Apple"s latest flagships.