The iPhone 14 Pro was acquired at its 2022 launch, initiating a yearly tradition of exploring Apple’s top offerings. Transitioning from an iPhone 12, the Pro iPhone presented several appealing features, but it lacked refinement in various aspects.

Fast forward a year, and the iPhone 15 Pro has hit the market, becoming my daily driver for the past six weeks. In this extended review, we’ll delve into the aspects I find noteworthy about the device and my overall sentiments about its hardware. Before we delve into the details, a preliminary comment: “The iPhone 15 Pro embodies everything I had hoped the iPhone 14 Pro would be!”

iPhone 15 Pro

Editor’s Choice

9.5 / 10

The iPhone 15 Pro is Apple’s latest flagship in the Pro series. It boasts the new Apple A17 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM, introduces new colors, and features an even more powerful camera setup and refined design.

SoC

Apple A17 Pro

Display

6.1-inch, LTPO Super Retina XDR, OLED, 120Hz

Front camera

12MP, f/1.9

Rear camera

Primary: 48MP, f/1.8, 24mm sensor-shift OIS | Ultrawide: 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120-degree FOV | Telephoto: 12MP, f/2.8, 77mm, 3x optical zoom, OIS, PDAF

Connectivity

5G, LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC

Dimensions

5.77 x 2.78 x 0.33 in (146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3 mm)

Colors

Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium

Charge speed

30W wired, 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi)

Pros

  • Lightweight and easy to hold!
  • Powerful processing hardware
  • Bright and beautiful display

Cons

  • Lacks new 5x telephoto camera

iPhone 15 Pro Design: Tuned for comfort

Upon unboxing the iPhone 15 Pro, two notable features caught my attention. Firstly, the device felt remarkably light, and secondly, the slightly curved edges on the frame enhanced its grip.

The iPhone 15 Pro is noticeably narrower, contributing to a more positive in-hand experience.

The lightweight feel is attributed to a shift in materials, with Apple replacing the Stainless Steel midframe with a Titanium one. This change has reduced the weight by approximately ten percent (9.2% to be precise), as the iPhone 15 Pro weighs 187 grams compared to the 206 grams of the iPhone 14 Pro.

The matte finish adds to the device’s comfort, making it less sticky in the hand for those who prefer using it without a case. While the frame attracts fingerprints and develops an odd white coating in pockets, a swift wipe with a dry microfiber cloth restores the device to its normal state.

The design of the iPhone 15 Pro is more user-friendly than the iPhone 14 Pro, reflecting a noticeable improvement. Thus, Apple deserves credit for refining the device for enhanced comfort.

iPhone 15 Pro I/O: Action Button & USB-C

Alongside the revamped design, Apple introduced two I/O changes to the iPhone 15 Pro, replacing the Mute switch with the Action Button and switching the Lightning Port for USB-C.

While these changes garnered attention, their impact on daily use tends to blend into routine, surfacing only occasionally when their versatility becomes apparent.

The Action Button’s customization through the Shortcuts app can yield moments of satisfaction when its versatility shines through. Similarly, the USB-C port’s compatibility with accessories may bring about that gratifying experience when things work seamlessly.

iPhone 15 Pro Display: Familiar & Impressive

The display of the iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t bring much new to the table. It continues its incremental improvements, with thinner display bezels being the most noticeable change, enhancing immersion significantly.

Other display features, such as the typical brightness of 1,000 nits, outdoor peak of 2,000 nits, P3 color gamut support, and Ceramic Shield clad glass, remain unchanged. For HDR content consumers, the 1,600 nits peak brightness is retained.

Dynamic Island, with its information-first approach, continues for another year, trickling down to the more affordable iPhone 15. This iteration has been hailed as the best non-Pro iPhone released by Apple in recent years.

The Super Retina XDR with Promotion, essentially an LTPO OLED panel supporting a high refresh rate (1Hz to 120Hz), remains among the best smartphone displays. Its color accuracy and brightness levels rank near the top, ensuring a satisfying experience for all users.

iPhone 15 Pro Performance: A few more steps forward

Powered by the all-new A17 Pro, a 3nm processor, the iPhone 15 Pro promises performance and efficiency improvements. It is the first chip built on TSMC’s new manufacturing node.

The device delivers a seamless, hiccup-free experience with solid all-day use, running iOS 17 smoothly. The mobile operating system has been adept at avoiding bugs that could compromise the user experience.

Initial concerns about heating, addressed by Apple with iOS 17.0.3, were not evident in my unit. The device remained cool even during resource-intensive tasks, such as playing Pokémon Go with GPS and AR features enabled in direct sunlight. Genshin Impact, a popular stress test game, caused some warming and battery drainage, but not to a concerning extent.

While the A17 Pro makes it the best iPhone processor, Apple’s competitors are catching up, adding anticipation for Apple’s next move.

iPhone 15 Pro Battery: All-day use without any struggle

The iPhone 15 Pro boasts a notable improvement in battery performance compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. Heavy usage, including mobile data, navigation, gaming, messaging, and social media, resulted in an average of 6.5 hours. On days working from home, achieving an average of 8 hours was not a challenge.

Charging the device remains consistent, with Apple’s claimed 50% charge in 30 minutes. My device typically took around an hour and 20 minutes to go from 0 to 100%. Wireless charging options include 15W via MagSafe and 7.5W via Qi, exclusively for charging the device rather than accessories like AirPods and other wireless devices.

iPhone 15 Pro Camera: Versatility for professionals

Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, there isn’t much hardware difference in the iPhone 15 Pro’s camera system. The larger iPhone 15 Pro Max offers an improved telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom for those seeking a new experience.

Software advancements bring changes to image processing, addressing issues like overblown highlights and oversharpening. The introduction of Smart HDR 5 and improvements to processing algorithms enhance image quality. The camera system now captures 24MP images in the HEIF format, optimizing storage.

Additional zoom options for the primary camera, at 1.2x (28mm focal length) and 1.5x (35mm focal length), offer more flexibility. The 28mm focal length, in particular, provides less distortion at the image edges.

The iPhone 15 Pro’s video capabilities expand, catering to professionals by introducing LOG shooting for color grading and direct compatibility with external storage via the new USB-C port.

In conclusion, the camera system presents a versatile tool for mobile photography and videography professionals.

iPhone 15 Pro Review: A polished piece of hardware

When considering each aspect of the iPhone 15 Pro, its high degree of polish becomes evident.

The design prioritizes user comfort, with noticeable improvements over the sharp edges of the iPhone 14 Pro. The internal hardware ensures a robust user experience, a crucial aspect given the device’s premium price.

For users transitioning from an iPhone 12 series device or older, the iPhone 15 Pro offers numerous appealing features, making it an easy recommendation.

iPhone 15 Pro

Editor’s Choice

9.5 / 10

The iPhone 15 Pro is the new Pro series flagship from Apple. It’s equipped with the new Apple A17 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM. It comes in new colors, and it has an even more powerful camera setup and a refined design.