It has been six years for the reason that iPhone X hit retailer cabinets, however at a look, 2023’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro aren’t all that completely different. Thanks to a couple steps of iteration, although, these smartphones nonetheless really feel like an enormous step up—possibly not in comparison with final 12 months’s iPhone, however actually in comparison with 2017’s, and even 2020’s.
Although I don’t have any perception into what’s coming subsequent 12 months, the iPhone 15 looks as if the final form of a product that has gone via a multi-year cycle. It sees Apple cementing a possible long-term technique of treating the cheaper mannequin as a rerun of the earlier 12 months’s professional mannequin, it addresses one of many longest-standing complaints about iPhones (even when Apple’s hand was compelled by regulation), and it refines a tried-and-true design.
The iPhone 15, its pricier siblings, and its robust rivals on the Android aspect make the case that, for higher or worse (principally higher), we’ve reached peak smartphone.
Specifications
| Specs at a look: iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 2556×1179 6.1-inch OLED (15 & 15 Pro), 2796×1290 6.7-inch OLED (15 Plus & 15 Pro Max) |
| OS | iOS 17.0.2 |
| CPU | Apple A16 Bionic (15 & 15 Plus), Apple A17 Pro (15 Pro & 15 Pro Max) |
| RAM | 6GB (15 & 15 Plus), 8GB (15 Pro & 15 Pro Max) |
| GPU | Apple A16 Bionic (15 & 15 Plus), Apple A17 Pro (15 Pro & 15 Pro Max) |
| Storage | 128, 256, or 512GB for 15 & 15 Plus; 128, 256, 512GB, or 1TB for 15 Pro; 256, 512GB, or 1TB for 15 Pro Max |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6 (15 & 15 Plus) or Wi-Fi 6E (15 Pro & 15 Pro Max), Bluetooth 5.3, 5G |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Camera | 48 MP fundamental digital camera and 12 MP ultra-wide (15 & 15 Plus); 48 MP fundamental digital camera, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP 3x telephoto (iPhone 15 Pro); 48 MP fundamental digital camera, 12 MP ultra-wide, 12 MP 5x telephoto (iPhone 15 Pro Max); 12 MP entrance digital camera; 4K HDR video |
| Size | 147.6×71.6×7.8 mm (15), 160.9×77.8×7.8 mm (15 Plus), 146.6×70.6×8.25 mm (15 Pro), 159.9×76.7×8.25 mm (15 Pro Max) |
| Weight | 171 g (15), 201 g (15 Plus), 187 g (15 Pro), 221 g (15 Pro Max) |
| Starting value | $799 (14), $899 (15 Plus), $999 (15 Pro), $1,199 (15 Pro Max) |
| Other perks | MagSafe, Face ID, Dynamic Island, always-on show (Pro fashions) |
Storage capacities are principally the identical as final 12 months, besides that Apple has eliminated the most cost effective 128GB choice for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, elevating the minimal value for that telephone by $100 to $1,199, maybe not so coincidentally matching the entry-level value for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The common iPhone 15 begins at $799 with 128GB of storage. For $100 extra, you may transfer as much as 256GB. 512GB prices $1,099. The iPhone 15 Plus has the identical storage choices however begins $100 greater at $899.
The iPhone 15 Pro begins at $999 for 128GB of storage. 256GB is $1,099, 512GB is $1,299, and there’s a 1TB choice at $1,499. The bigger iPhone 15 Pro Max is $200 extra at every storage dimension, sans the lacking 128GB configuration.
Given the high-quality video these telephones take, and the growing dimension of cellular video games, 256GB or 512GB might be the candy spot for many patrons. Folks who don’t plan to report quite a lot of movies or play many video games can be positive at 128GB, and when you’re one of many crazies who wants 1TB, you understand who you’re. (I’m considered one of you, I’m afraid. I’ve greater than 500 apps put in and report 4K movies usually. That’s removed from typical, although.)
The iPhone 15 nonetheless has 6GB of RAM, however the Pros have jumped to 8GB.
Displays
Not an excessive amount of has modified on the show entrance. The display sizes are the identical—6.1 inches for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The display resolutions for these OLED shows are 2,556×1,179 pixels and 2,796×1,290 pixels, respectively.
The Pro fashions have a variable refresh price of between 1 Hz and 120 Hz, whereas the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus land at a regular 60 Hz. As far as brightness goes, all 4 telephones have 1,000 nits of max brightness sometimes, with as much as 1,600 for HDR highlights and as much as 2,000 for outside, sunny conditions. Unfortunately, it has been overcast more often than not I’ve had these telephones, so I haven’t had first-hand expertise with that greater outside peak brightness.
All informed, these are excellent shows. I haven’t seen any distinction by hook or by crook over final 12 months’s, however it’s laborious to enhance on near-perfection. For most individuals who purchase these telephones, these can be by far the highest-quality screens they personal. Only very high-end OLED TVs and a few pricy Android telephones can compete with them.
A16 returns, A17 arrives
As for the opposite internals, the story of the system-on-a-chip within the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is straightforward: It’s the A16 Bionic, the identical one which shipped in final 12 months’s Pro iPhones. The A16 isn’t an enormous soar over the A15 in the usual iPhone 14 aside from one factor: It has a lot greater reminiscence bandwidth, which issues loads for 3D video games and some digital camera options.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Max get a brand new chip, although. Apple has dubbed it the A17 Pro—no “Bionic.” For the longest time, I rolled my eyes at Apple’s “Pro” nomenclature for telephones, arguing that the majority skilled photographers wouldn’t use a telephone. But as I’ve spent extra time on TikTok over the previous 12 months, I’ve realized that “Pro” can simply discuss with some spectacular content material creators on that platform and others prefer it, so I’m attempting to ease up on the eye-rolling only a bit.
Apple’s 3 nm A17 Pro has a 6-core CPU that guarantees a ten p.c enchancment over the A16’s and a 6-core GPU that guarantees as much as 20 p.c quicker efficiency. The GPU now helps mesh shading and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, two cutting-edge graphics applied sciences that might allow some options sometimes reserved for PC gaming or current-generation consoles.