introduction
Every now and then, Apple forces you to choose between more than just size when you’re looking for this year’s “best iPhone ever” — there have been cases where the Max outperforms the “regular” Pro in that row of the camera’s data sheet. This is the case with the iPhone 15 Pro which only has a moderate telephoto lens and not the longer reach of the Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
But really: does 3x versus 5x make a difference? Particularly with iPhones, where Apple goes out of its way to standardize the experience across a generation, but also from one generation to the next? We think not, at least for the sake of this reviewer who opted for a Pro, instead of a Pro Max.
Otherwise the 15 Pro receives the same treatment as the 15 Pro Max in all other key areas, such as the titanium in the frame which makes it much lighter than last year’s model. This is, in fact, perhaps an even more important development on the smaller model, and now makes it a more viable option for those looking for a pocket-sized iPhone Pro.
Of course, a chipset update is also part of the generational change and there the Pro is as Pro as the Pro Max, of course – the 3nm A17 Pro is standard. Not so is the storage situation, where the regular Pro’s base 128GB trim level doesn’t live up to the name: the Pro Max starts at 256GB and is much more.
Returning to the cameras (because it’s not just a matter of telephoto lenses), the iPhone 15 Pro also gets 24 MP jpegs (or heifs, if you like that kind of thing) and the two intermediate fake focal lengths: there’s much more parity in the image department that there are differences, after all.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple also invented USB-C this year, perhaps nudged in the right direction by the EU, but why not of its own accord? (Because probably not.) This isn’t a strictly pro feature, since the standard iPhone 15 and 15 Plus also use the industry-standard connector, but it’s a very welcome development either way.
Then there’s still a bit of the usual stuff, the usual good stuff. iPhone Pros have some of the best displays in the business, and the 15 Pro’s is no different: in the same compact 6.1-inch size that Apple chose in 2020 with the 12th generation. While we’d say that under-display fingerprint readers should be mature enough for Apple to finally add one to the mix, Face ID remains a solid option for authentication. The autofocus selfie camera found in the same vicinity has also proven itself great in the past.
Battery life has been a strong point of iPhones for a while, and we see no reason why that should change now. However, we have a feeling we’ll be complaining about the 15 Pro’s charging speed, as usual. Check out this quick rundown of the specs before you tear off the paper tabs on that white box.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro specifications in brief:
- Body: 146.6×70.6×8.3mm, 187g; Glass front (glass made by Corning), glass back (glass made by Corning), titanium frame (grade 5); IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 minutes), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
- Screen: 6.1″ Super Retina
- Chipsets: Apple A17 Pro (3nm): Hexa-core (2×3.78 GHz + 4×2.11 GHz); Apple GPU (6-core graphics).
- Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM; NVMe.
- Operating system/software: iOS17.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.28″, 1.22μm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 77 mm, 1.0 µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″, 1.4μm, dual-pixel PDAF; Depth: 3D TOF LiDAR scanner.
- Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.9, 23 mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS; Depth:SL 3D.
- Video Capture: Rear camera: 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120/240 fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60 fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode (4K at 24/30 fps), 3D video (spatial), stereo audio recording; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, Gyro-EIS.
- Drums: 3274 mAh; Wired, 50% in 30 minutes (advertised), 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi), reverse wired.
- Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.3; NFC.
- Various: Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; Support Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB), emergency SOS via satellite (send/receive SMS).
Unboxing of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro
As expected, the iPhone 15 Pro ships in a half-height retail box, with little inside other than the phone itself. The least important parts still included are a SIM ejector tool, an Apple sticker, and some documentation.
The bundled accessory that has the most practical significance is the new USB (DC) cable which is now braided. That should help make it last longer than plain Apple cables of the past, though we’re not sure the white fabric will look pristine in a few weeks. The cable also comes with USB 2.0 specifications, so if you want the fastest transfer speed possible, you should buy a different one. Now let’s move on to the phone itself.
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