iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro: Biggest differences to expect

September will be here before you know it, which means the iPhone 15 is just around the corner. But what are the biggest differences you should expect between the standard 15 and the 15 Pro?

Whether you should go pro has been a tricky question for any iPhone enthusiast to answer. Apple has been working hard to better differentiate the two models — from offering a vastly improved camera on the Pro to keeping the display at a 60Hz refresh rate on the entry-level variant.

And this time round, that gap seems to be getting even wider. So let’s take a look at the rumor mill and see which are the reported biggest differences between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Predicted specs

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Price

Rumors are rife around the iPhone 15 getting a $100 price hike across the Pro and Pro Max, while the standard 15s look set to remain the same. RIP to the $999 pro iPhone.

• iPhone 15: $799
• iPhone 15 Plus: $899
• iPhone 15 Pro: $1,099
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: $1,199

Will these new advanced models be worth the bump up in price? Let’s dive into the details.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Design

• Small redesign with slightly curved edges
• iPhone 15 Pro could have thinnest bezels of any smartphone
• Goodbye, lightning. Hello USB-C! You can thank the EU for that one

Rumors are suggesting we’ll see some big changes coming to the iPhone 15 hardware. Aesthetically, the alterations are rumored to be a little more minor: a slight curvature to the metal band that should make the phone a little more comfortable to hold in the hand.

Another big change that is coming to all iPhones is the move to a USB-C port. This is all but confirmed given the EU’s legislation that is essentially forcing Apple to adopt this common port standard. We’ve been documenting this whole Apple vs EU saga, and it’s been a little dramatic to say the least.

The main differences between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro seem to lie in the smaller details. A design leak suggests the pro model will sport the thinnest bezels ever seen on a smartphone (1.55mm), which means the company could make the 15 Pro smaller than its older brother.

• iPhone 15 Pro: 5.76 x 2.77 x 0.32 inches
• iPhone 14 Pro: 5.80 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches

So while there is a strong sense of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” when it comes to the sandwich of metal and glass that is the standard iPhone aesthetic, there are small tweaks coming to breathe a little bit of new life into it.

There were bigger changes set for this year’s model, including a move to solid state buttons and the removal of the silence switch in favor of an action button. But according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, technical difficulties are stopping Apple from implementing these new buttons.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Display

• Dynamic Island for all iPhones
• Still 60Hz for standard iPhone 15

Display sizes look set to remain the same: 6.1 and 6.7 inches. On top of that, the standard iPhone 15 is rumored to remain at 60Hz, whereas the Pro will feature an improved LTPO panel with an adaptive refresh rate from 1-120Hz.

But that would only be half the story. You see, while it was just the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max that got the Dynamic Island, you’re going to see all iPhone 15 models ditch the notch and take the pill this time around.

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Processor

• iPhone 15 could be getting A16 Bionic
• iPhone 15 Pro makes the jump to a 3nm chipset in the A17 Bionic

Something interesting happened with the iPhone 14 lineup last year. Apple, clearly feeling the pressure of needing to better differentiate the standard and pro phones, decided to split the chipsets: the standard 14 got the A15 Bionic while the pro picked up the newer A16 Bionic.

Rumors are suggesting this strategy is here to stay. The iPhone 15 is tipped to get a bump up to the A16 while the iPhone 15 Pro will receive a serious power upgrade to A17 Bionic.

How serious? It is the first of Apple’s silicon produced on a 3nm process, packing more performance into the next generation chipsets and drastically raising the roof on speed and power efficiency. 

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras

• Both phones are getting a 48MP main camera
• Pro Max is receiving a Periscope lens for better zoom photos

The snappers are another area where we’re expecting to see some big shake-ups — two to be precise.

First of all, that 48MP main camera will not be limited to just the Pro iPhones. This year, rumors suggest the standard iPhones will be picking up the same new high resolution shooter too, which uses 4-in-1 pixel binning to produce a 12MP shot with four times the detail.

Second, we turn our attention to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Instead of a standard telephoto lens (which has a fixed magnification), the biggest and priciest iPhone of the bunch could be making the leap to a periscope lens. 

This would mean a variable optical zoom, rather than a digital one, which is basically a glorified image crop with grainy, pixelated results.

Outlook

2023 is going to be a big year for the iPhone. iOS 17 is bringing some fundamental changes to the software, and these will be paired with some big hardware upgrades in the iPhone 15 line.

On top of that, the gap between the standard iPhone and Pro model has widened — not just in specs but in price too. So let’s help make sure you make the right decision, which is a simple one in my mind.

While the 15 Pro is a seriously alluring prospect with its dense spec list, there’s a very good chance that you’re not going to need all that it offers. A16 Bionic continues to be the fastest mobile chipset on the planet, so why go with A17 Bionic? 

On top of that, most people don’t need a Periscope zoom lens in their phone camera arsenal, and the 48MP main camera reportedly comes to the regular iPhone 15 (alongside that Dynamic Island on the display). The vast majority of you should save yourself some money and snag the iPhone 15.