Compare iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro: Should you upgrade?

Apple unveiled the long-awaited iPhone 15 series at its "Wonderlust" event in September 2023. While all models received major improvements, the iPhone 15 Pro models got some new additions interesting. So if you own an iPhone 14 Pro, upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro could be very appealing.

However, you should consider the differences between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro before deciding. So let's compare the two models to see if the iPhone 15 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade or not.

Design and display

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From a distance, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro are surprisingly similar and you won't be able to tell them apart unless you look closely. However, their sizes are slightly different due to thinner bezels on the new model. The exact parameters are as follows:

1. iPhone 15 Pro : 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm; 206 grams
2. iPhone 14 Pro : 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85 mm; 187 grams

iPhone 15 Pro has a titanium frame with rounded edges instead of a stainless steel frame with sharp edges like the old model. Thanks to that, the iPhone 15 Pro is not only more durable but also 19 grams lighter. Apple has finally replaced the Lightning port with USB-C, which improves transfer speeds by up to 20 times.

However, the screen on both models remains the same. Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro have a 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display with HDR support and identical resolution. In outdoor settings, maximum brightness remains unchanged at 2,000 nits. Furthermore, they have the same Dynamic Island model, which has not received any updates.

Efficiency

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The iPhone 15 Pro uses the all-new A17 Pro chip, which is based on a 3nm process, and so there will be a noticeable performance difference between the two models.

Apple claims the A17 Pro's CPU is up to 10% faster than the iPhone 14 Pro's 4nm A16 Bionic chip. And thanks to the new 6-core GPU, graphics performance has been improved by about 20%.

That's not all, as the A17 Pro supports hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing, making it capable of running console-quality games like Assassin's Creed Mirage, Death Stranding, Resident Evil Village, etc.

Numbers aside, you'll probably never notice a performance difference between these two models in everyday real-world use.

Install cameras

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While the sleeker and more expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max has a brand new 5x periscope telephoto lens, the iPhone 15 Pro shares the same triple camera setup as the iPhone 14 Pro, including a 48MP standard lens, 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens. Both models also have the same 12MP selfie camera with f/1.9 aperture.

However, Apple has introduced improvements to photography with Smart HDR 5 and next-generation portrait photos, meaning it can still take slightly better photos than the iPhone 14 Pro. Apple also allows you to take 48MP photos on iPhone 15 Pro using HEIF format, while you are forced to use ProRAW to take 48MP photos on iPhone 14 Pro.

Battery life

Apple claims the iPhone 15 Pro can play up to 23 hours of video on a single charge, which is theoretically the same as the iPhone 14 Pro. So it's surprising that the more efficient 3nm A17 Pro chip doesn't improve battery life.

And despite the switch to a USB-C port, charging speeds remain the same on both models. You can charge both iPhones to 50% in 30 minutes using a 20W charger.

Memory and price

iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, the same as the iPhone 14 Pro at launch. Although Apple has now discontinued the iPhone 14 Pro, you can still buy it from third-party vendors at a discount.

In terms of storage options, both models come in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants. Unfortunately, Apple did not increase the base storage capacity of the iPhone 15 Pro to 256GB as it did with its larger versions.

Should I upgrade to iPhone 15 Pro?

You will only notice a few differences when comparing the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, the main differences are construction and performance. However, upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro is worth considering if you own an iPhone 13 Pro or an older model.

If you don't care about the small details, why waste your hard-earned money when you can continue to use your iPhone without problems for another year?

David Pac

Update 11 October 2023