iPhone 15 Pro Vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro
Starting at
€529.00
€1,239.00 new
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iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Starting at
€637.00
€1,489.00 new
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Ratings

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, both released in September 2023, represent Apple's premium smartphone offerings, operating on iOS. While sharing a core design and powerful internal components, they primarily differentiate themselves through screen size, battery capacity, and advanced camera zoom capabilities.

Scores

Durability

Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were launched in September 2023, ensuring they benefit from the same current software support cycle. Apple has committed to providing a minimum of five years of software updates for the iPhone 15 series from the first supply date, with historical trends often showing support extending beyond this for both major iOS updates and security patches.

  • Software Longevity: Users can expect these devices to receive regular iOS updates and security patches for at least five years, offering a prolonged functional lifespan.
  • Durability Features: Both models feature a durable titanium frame and Ceramic Shield front cover, enhancing their resistance to everyday wear and tear. They also carry an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, allowing submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
  • Practical Lifespan: Given Apple's consistent software support and the robust build quality of both devices, users can anticipate a practical lifespan extending comfortably for many years, making them suitable choices as quality-assured refurbished options.

Year of Release

2023

2023

Compatible with latest Update

Yes

Yes

OS

iOS

iOS

Foldable

No

No

Performance

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max deliver identical core performance, powered by the same advanced chip and ample memory, with the primary difference residing in their default storage options and battery endurance.

  • Processing Power: Both devices are equipped with the A17 Pro chip, featuring a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. This hardware provides industry-leading performance, handling demanding applications, graphics-intensive games, and complex multitasking smoothly and efficiently.
  • Multitasking and Responsiveness: Each model includes 8GB of RAM, ensuring fluid operation when switching between multiple applications and maintaining overall system responsiveness.
  • Battery Endurance: The iPhone 15 Pro offers up to 23 hours of video playback and 75 hours of audio playback, typically providing sufficient power for a full day of moderate to heavy use. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, with its larger battery capacity, extends this to up to 29 hours of video playback and 95 hours of audio playback, often lasting beyond a full day, even for heavy users, and potentially into a second day for lighter use.
  • Storage: The iPhone 15 Pro is available starting with 128GB of internal storage, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max begins with a 256GB storage option. Both can be configured with higher capacities up to 1TB.

Memory

8 GB

8 GB

Screen quality

Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature high-quality displays, but they differ in physical size, impacting the overall viewing experience.

  • Display Technology and Clarity: Both phones incorporate a Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion technology, offering adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz for smooth scrolling and responsive interactions. They provide excellent clarity with a pixel density of approximately 460 pixels per inch.
  • Brightness and Visuals: Both displays achieve a typical brightness of 1000 nits, peaking at 1600 nits for HDR content and up to 2000 nits in outdoor conditions, ensuring vibrant colors and deep blacks with good visibility in various lighting.
  • Screen Size and Viewing Experience: The iPhone 15 Pro features a 6.1-inch display, offering a compact viewing area suitable for one-handed use. The iPhone 15 Pro Max provides a larger 6.7-inch display, which enhances the experience for media consumption, gaming, and productivity tasks that benefit from more screen real estate.

Resolution

1179 x 2556

1290 x 2796

Screen type

LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED

LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED

Audiovisual

The camera systems on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are largely similar, sharing the main and ultra-wide lenses, but diverge significantly in their telephoto zoom capabilities.

  • Main and Ultra-Wide Cameras: Both models feature a versatile 48MP main camera with a wide aperture and second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilisation, capable of capturing detailed photos at 24MP or 48MP resolution. They also include a 12MP ultra-wide camera for expansive shots.
  • Telephoto Zoom Capabilities: The iPhone 15 Pro is equipped with a 12MP telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom, suitable for closer portraits and moderate magnification. The iPhone 15 Pro Max distinguishes itself with a 12MP telephoto lens featuring a unique tetraprism design, enabling 5x optical zoom for significantly longer-distance photography. This results in a 6x optical zoom range for the Pro and a 10x optical zoom range for the Pro Max.
  • Video Recording and Audio: Both phones offer advanced video recording capabilities, including 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, Cinematic mode, and ProRes video recording. They provide high-quality stereo sound recording and clear loudspeaker output for media consumption and calls.

Main camera

48 megapixels

48 megapixels

Front camera

12 megapixels

12 megapixels

Miscellaneous

Beyond their core functionalities, these two iPhone models offer a range of shared and distinct practical elements that influence user experience, particularly concerning physical handling and connectivity.

  • Connectivity and Ports: Both devices support 5G cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring fast and reliable wireless performance. A notable shared upgrade is the inclusion of a USB-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 speeds, allowing for faster data transfers compared to previous generations.
  • Physical Design and Handling: The iPhone 15 Pro measures 146.6 mm in height, 70.6 mm in width, and 8.25 mm in depth, weighing 187 grams. This makes it a more compact and lighter device, potentially easier for one-handed use and pocketability. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is larger at 159.9 mm in height, 76.7 mm in width, and 8.25 mm in depth, with a weight of 221 grams. Its larger size provides a more expansive screen but may require two hands for comfortable operation for some users.
  • User Interaction: Both models feature the customisable Action button, allowing quick access to various functions, and rely on Face ID for secure authentication.

Weight

187 g

221 g

Screen size (in)

6.1

6.7

Network

5G

5G

SIM card

Physical SIM + eSIM

Physical SIM + eSIM

Carrier compatibility

Unlocked

Unlocked

Connector

USB-C

USB-C

Choosing between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max largely depends on personal preferences regarding device size, battery endurance, and camera zoom capabilities. Online discussions and user feedback highlight common praise and criticisms for both models.

Users frequently commend the iPhone 15 Pro Max for its significantly longer battery life, often extending beyond a day of heavy use, and its advanced 5x optical zoom camera, which is a key differentiator for photography enthusiasts. However, its larger physical size and weight are sometimes noted as a drawback, making it less comfortable for some to handle or carry in smaller pockets.

The iPhone 15 Pro is praised for its more compact and manageable size, making it easier for one-handed operation and portability. While its battery life is respectable for daily use, it generally requires more frequent charging compared to the Pro Max. Its 3x optical zoom camera is still highly capable, and some users prefer this focal length for everyday photography.

Ultimately:

  • For professionals and multimedia enthusiasts who prioritise maximum screen real estate, extended battery life for prolonged use, and superior telephoto zoom for diverse photography needs, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is often the preferred choice.
  • For users who value portability and a more compact device that is comfortable for one-handed use without compromising on core performance or camera quality, the iPhone 15 Pro is an excellent fit. Students, travelers, or those with active lifestyles who prefer a lighter phone might find the Pro more practical.

Regardless of your choice, both devices offer robust performance and Apple's long-term software support. Opting for a quality-assured refurbished iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max can be a sustainable and informed decision, allowing access to premium features while supporting eco-friendly practices.