Check out the iPhone 15 Pro Review. See if it's really worth buying Apple's new phone.
Apple's iPhone 15 lineup unveiling went as many expected, with some welcome surprises for gaming and photography fans. For example, the event focused on mobile games, bringing Resident Evil: Village, Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding, and Assassin's Creed Mirage to high-end smartphones with enough power to add ray tracing.
At the same time, it’s hard to get excited about the latest iPhone when it doesn’t look all that different, and the benefits of an annual upgrade pale in comparison to the big leap you’ll get from waiting a few years. But something really changed this year with the addition of one major feature: USB-C. It’s an example of how Apple finally took the iPhone out of its own world and allowed it to play nicely with all the other devices and chargers you want to use it with, making it one of the most liberating decisions the company has ever made. If you’re wondering whether the iPhone 15 Pro is worth it or a disappointment for users, read on.
iPhone 15 Pro – Design and features
The design of the iPhone 14 Pro hasn't changed much compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, and it doesn't look much different from the iPhone 12 Pro. Likewise, the iPhone 15 Pro could be mistaken for its most recent predecessor if you don't look too closely. This lack of inventiveness in the brand's designs has been a point of contention for a while now. And yes, really, every year the devices look the same. It takes away a bit of the magic of buying a new phone. It's a bit disappointing to have to use a case to differentiate yourself.
However, the new titanium chassis of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max They're gorgeous. The back is made of what you might describe as a sort of translucent glass, which shows fingerprints well but hides visible scratches and feels very nice in the hand. Apple has also managed to reduce the size and weight of the Pro and Pro Max without compromising on their 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch OLED displays, respectively.
Speaking of the screen, both displays dynamically adjust up to 120Hz with Apple ProMotion and feature P3 wide color support. In addition, they deliver haptic feedback, HDR, and Apple True Tone. Of course, everything is pretty much the same as the iPhone 14 Pro, but the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are almost twice as bright, with a maximum brightness of up to 2,000 nits. In other words, if it was already okay to see the previous screen in the sun, now that will really never happen.
New action buttons
Action buttons are a great addition that improves your usability. Dynamic Island, introduced in iPhone 14 Pro, is back (and Apple says it supports more features in apps than ever before). It also comes with an Always On display, a feature you can turn off if you want.
If there's one thing that could be considered radical about the exterior design of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, it's the decision to remove the side button that toggled between call mode and silent/vibrate only mode. It had been there since the first iPhone, and replacing it with another was quite shocking for a company like Apple. The new buttons are called action buttons. This button can perform the same actions as the previous option, but can be assigned to several alternative actions, including opening the camera (directly in video mode if you prefer), recording a voice message, turning on the flashlight, activating the magnifier, and more. It may not seem like a big deal, but it's an addition that improves the user's life.
Apple is also offering twice as much storage on its phones (up to 1TB) as it did last year. That’s double what Google offers with the Pixel 7 Pro and the same as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. In addition, the company is offering a significantly expanded iCloud service that can support up to 12TB or more for $60 per month.
Finally, USB-C
Now it’s time to talk about the iPhone’s newest feature. Finally, we have USB-C. Goodbye to the Lightning connector. It’s hard to believe we’ve been using this limited and slow cable since the iPhone 5 came out 11 years ago. Whether Apple wants to offer USB-C or new EU laws force that change, the end result is the same. USB-C makes this iPhone more useful than ever.
I can’t stress enough how powerful this feature is for improving your quality of life. Instead of having two cables on your desk to charge your PlayStation 5 controller and your iPhone, you now only need one, for example. You can also drastically reduce the number of cables you carry when traveling. That’s definitely the biggest plus point of this new device.
Same cameras, but with higher quality
One downside to the iPhone 15 Pro is that the sensor behind its lens is the same as last year's, with the exact same resolutions as the iPhone 14. However, Apple has installed a new 120mm "tetraprism" lens that offers nearly double the optical zoom you get on the iPhone 14 Pro.
As expected, the image quality from the 12-megapixel camera is good enough to see from a distance. This lens is designed to not let in as much light as the main camera, so it's only recommended to use it in bright environments. The iPhone 15 Pro's telephoto lens remains unchanged from last year, except for a new coating on all three lenses that significantly reduces flare, but most casual users probably won't notice the difference.
Final considerations
The iPhone 15 Pro is certainly an incredible device, with drastic changes in charging and gaming performance. So, if you have an iPhone 13 or older, you could invest in the new device without fear. This is because it would bring a big difference in quality.
Also, if you're an Android user and thinking about switching to iOS, the iPhone 15 is a great idea, especially now that it's USB-C compatible. However, if you already have an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max and are wondering whether it's worth upgrading your phone, you should think about it a little more. It's worth considering whether the change in charging style is that important to you, as this will be one of the few noticeable changes you'll see.
