In Summary
- Apple’s iPhone 15 series is official with four new iPhones: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
- Although all iPhone models this year come with some significant upgrades over their counterparts from last year, the Pro models stole the show with several new firsts and a host of other prominent upgrades and became one of the best Pro iPhone upgrades in the last few years.
- If either of the two iPhone 15 Pro models has piqued your interest, here’s a quick iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison to help you decide better.
The iPhone 15 series is official. And just like last year, Apple has released four new iPhones in its latest series: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Although all iPhone models this year come with some significant upgrades over their counterparts from last year, the Pro models stole the show with several new firsts and a host of other prominent upgrades and became one of the best Pro iPhone upgrades in the last few years.
If you, too, are intrigued about these upgrades and planning to get one of the iPhone 15 Pro models, this iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison should help you decide better.
Table of Contents
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Specifications
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the specifications of both the iPhone 15 Pro models, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|
|---|---|---|
Dimensions | 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 inches | 6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches |
Weight | 187 grams | 221 grams |
Display | 6.1-inch, Super Retina XDR with ProMotion technology | 6.7-inch, Super Retina XDR with ProMotion technology |
Processor | A17 Pro with 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine | A17 Pro with 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine |
Capacity | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB |
Software | iOS 17 | iOS 17 |
Camera | 48MP (f/1.78) main camera, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto with 0.5x, 2x, and 3x zoom 12MP (f/1.9) front-facing camera | 48MP (f/1.78) main camera, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto with 0.5x, 2x, 3x, and 5x zoom 12MP (f/1.9) front-facing camera |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 2nd-gen UWB chip | 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 2nd-gen UWB chip |
Durability | IP68 | IP68 |
Color | Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium | Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium |
Miscellaneous | Action Button, USB-C port, Face ID, Emergency SOS, Crash Detection, and Roadside Assistance via satellite | Action Button, USB-C port, Face ID, Emergency SOS, Crash Detection, and Roadside Assistance via satellite |
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Size and Weight
One of the striking differences between the Pro and the Pro Max iPhones has always been the size. Hence, their names.
A quick look at the specifications of both the iPhone 15 Pro models shows that the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a dimension of 6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches, is significantly bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which measures 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 inches.
This size difference also translates to a difference in weight between the two models. As a result, you have the smaller iPhone 15 Pro, coming in at just 187 grams, while its elder sibling weighs 221 grams.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Screen Size
Screen size, owing to a change in chassis size, is another major difference between the Pro and Pro Max iPhones.
However, unlike a change in chassis dimensions from previous years, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max still use 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, just like years models. What is different this time around, though, is that the bezels are slightly thinner than before, which is a pleasant change.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battery
As always, Apple doesn’t share the official battery capacities of its iPhones. But since it has been the case that the Pro Max iPhone models get a bigger mAh battery than their smaller sibling, we can assume the same with this year’s iPhone 15 Pro models, too, and expect the bigger of the two to deliver better battery life.
For comparison’s sake, the iPhone 14 Pro came with a 3,200mAh battery, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max came with a 4,323mAh battery. The difference in battery between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max should be similar.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Cameras
Among other things that differentiate the Pro and Pro Max iPhones this year, the camera system—the telephoto lens in particular—is a notable one.
Unlike last year, where Apple offered the same zooming capabilities on both iPhone 14 Pro models, it has decided to give the bigger Pro Max model users a slight advantage this year. As a result, you now get a 5x telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, allowing you to get closer to subjects than before when taking portrait shots. Meanwhile, with the iPhone 15 Pro, you still get a 3x telephoto camera, just like last year’s iPhone 14 Pro models.
This change means you can now shoot with the 15 Pro Max not just in 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal lengths but also 120mm, which is a welcome move from Apple. Apple says the new telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max has an “innovative tetraprism design,” which combines with OIS and the autofocus 3D sensor-shift module on the device to help you capture stable shots.
Related Read: iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: What’s Changed?
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Price
Here are the available storage options for the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max and how much they cost in the US and India:
iPhone 15 Pro
- 128GB: $999 / Rs. 1,34,900
- 256GB: $1099 / Rs. 1,44,900
- 512GB: $1299 / Rs. 1,64,900
- 1TB: $1499 / Rs. 1,84,900
iPhone 15 Pro Max
- 256GB: $1199 / Rs. 1,59,900
- 512GB: $1399 / Rs. 1,79,900
- 1TB: $1599 / Rs. 1,99,900
As you can see from the listing above, Apple has priced the iPhone 15 Pro models the same as its previous year’s offerings, at least in the US. But if you consider the pricing in India, there’s a significant increase for both models compared to their iPhone 14 Pro models.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: What’s the Same?
Apple’s 2023 Pro iPhone models opt for a new metal. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are made out of titanium, which, compared to the stainless steel used on previous Pro model iPhones, is a much lighter, stronger, and durable material. Likewise, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max also share the same color options. These include Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium, all inspired by the titanium finish.
Display technology is also the same on both iPhone 15 Pro models, and you get the same Super Retina XDR display on each. Features like an always-on display and ProMotion (120Hz high refresh rate) are available, too.
At its core, both iPhone 15 Pro models share the same chipset. It’s the all-new Apple A17 Pro, built on the 3nm manufacturing process, which makes way for several firsts for Apple and promises a significant jump in performance over its predecessor, the A16 Bionic. Read more on the Apple A17 Pro here.
Although the two Pro iPhones have different capacity batteries, the charging speeds are the same. One thing that’s changed, though, is that Apple has opted to use USB-C on its latest models. But while this makes charging convenient and significantly bumps up the data transfer speeds, it doesn’t improve the charging speeds—at least, not that we know of as of writing this.
Aside from a change in the telephoto camera, the rest of the camera system on the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max remains the same. Both models feature a 48MP (f/1.78) main camera, a 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, and a 12MP telephoto with different zooming capabilities. On the front, you get a 12MP (f/1.9) camera for selfies and FaceTime with both models. Similarly, video shooting capabilities also remain the same on each of them.
However, there are some improvements coming to both iPhone 15 Pro models. Some of these include improved low-light performance, a new 24MP (default) photo mode that captures more detailed images, and the ability to capture spatial videos.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Which One Should You Pick?
Since we are still a few days away from getting our hands on these latest devices, we can’t give an outright verdict as to which iPhone 15 Pro model is the best of the two. But as has always been the case with the Pro and the Pro Max iPhone models, both generally offer the same performance on pretty much all fronts, so we’ll base our opinion on that.
Going by the differences in performance metrics of the two Pro iPhones, we feel the A17 Pro chip should deliver the same experience, irrespective of which iPhone 15 model you pick. And therefore, choosing between the two ultimately comes down to factors like the dimensions, screen size, battery, and cameras.
As such, if you prefer big displays, like to consume content on your iPhone, need those extra hours of battery life, and want to get up-close portrait shots with 5x zoom, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the way to go. That said, if you want the top-of-the-line performance on your iPhone, and not having 5x zooming capabilities and a slightly smaller capacity battery don’t bother you, the iPhone 15 Pro should serve you pretty well.