The iPhone 15 Pro, released in 2023, was Apple’s newest flagship phone. Each year, the latest iPhone is marketed as a must-have device with new features and fancy specs. That said, is the iPhone 15 Pro really a massive improvement over the previous year’s iPhone 14 Pro?
The iPhone 15 Pro offers slightly better metrics in many categories. It has some advanced camera features, the newest Apple processor, and a new Action Button feature. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro is the cheaper phone since it is no longer the newest device. Both of these models offer the same display features, battery life, and iOS versions.
If you need a newer and top-rated phone, you’ll want an iPhone 15 Pro (or even an iPhone 15 Pro Max if you really want the best camera features). That said, the iPhone 14 Pro has a ton of value at a lower price point with many similar features to the newest model.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro summary
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iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Specs
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are fairly similar in terms of specs, but there are some key differences. Check out how they compare in the table below.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Specs
| iPhone 14 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $899 | From $999 |
| Display | 6.1” Super Retina XDR display |
6.1” Super Retina XDR display |
| Processor | Apple A16 Bionic |
Apple A17 Pro |
| OS | iOS 17 |
iOS 17 |
| Rear camera | 48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto 3x optical zoom |
48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto 3x optical zoom |
| Selfie camera | 12MP |
12MP |
| Internal memory | 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
| Battery | 23 hours video playback | 23 hours video playback |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) eSIM Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance via Satellite |
4G LTE 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) eSIM Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance via Satellite |
| Colors | Deep Purple Gold Silver Space Black |
Natural Titanium Blue Titanium White Titanium Black Titanium |
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Price
The iPhone 14 Pro starts at $899 while the iPhone 15 Pro sits at $999. The entire iPhone 14 series received a discount when the iPhone 15 series premiered. That said, you can’t buy the 14 Pro directly from Apple now. It’s only available directly from carriers (see current pricing and deals here) or retailers.
iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro storage and pricing
| Device: | Storage: | Starting price: |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 Pro | 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
$899 $999 $1,199 $1,399 |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
$999 $1,099 $1,299 $1,499 |
The cheaper price of the iPhone 14 Pro makes it the easy winner of this category. Despite the device’s cheaper price it still offers a ton of value because it has many of the same features as the newer iPhone 15 Pro.
Best iPhone deals right now
Whether you want an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro, you don’t want to pay full price for it. We constantly monitor the top carriers to find the best iPhone deals on the market. You’ll generally find solid trade-in offers that might snag you a new device for free.
If you don’t qualify for a trade-in deal, you may want to consider buying a renewed device from a used electronics dealer like Trademore. They specialize in used devices that have been repaired and tested to ensure they work like new. You can often find these renewed iPhones at a much cheaper price.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Display
The display features between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are virtually the same.
Both devices include:
- 6.1-inch screen
- Super Retina XDR display
- 2556-by-1179-pixel resolution at 460 ppi
- Dynamic Island
- Always-On display
Simply put, neither phone has an advantage in this category. They have the same sized screens, the same resolution, and the same display features like the Dynamic Island and Always-On display.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Processors
The iPhone 15 Pro uses the A17 Pro processor. Metrics have shown that it’s 10% faster than the A16 Bionic processor from the previous year. The A17 Pro is currently limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
The iPhone 14 Pro uses the A16 Bionic processor. While it’s not the newest processor, it’s still a great option. The A16 Bionic is still one of the best processors on the market and is also the processor used in the base-model iPhone 15. Its metrics are also currently beating those of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor found in the Samsung Galaxy S23. While it does fall behind the A17 Pro of the iPhone 15, you probably won’t notice a major difference unless you do a ton of processor-heavy tasks like mobile gaming and photo editing.
We’re awarding the iPhone 15 Pro the win for this category since it has the newest processor. That said, the iPhone 14 Pro is no slouch and is still a powerful device.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras
The camera hardware between the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro is basically the same.
Both the iPhone 14 Pro and 15 Pro offer a triple-camera array including:
- 48MP main camera
- 12MP ultra-wide camera
- 12MP telephoto camera
- 3x optical zoom
The difference between these phones is their camera’s software features. The iPhone 15 Pro includes an updated next-generation Portrait Mode. This mode does a better job of recognizing image subjects and adjusting for low-light photography. Other improvements are a new sensor crop feature that essentially lets you turn the phone into a 35mm camera lens, which is great for photographers.
iPhone 15 Pro Max camera features
The iPhone 15 Pro’s camera is a bit better than the iPhone 14 Pro, but the best camera overall is found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It includes a special 5x-optical zoom feature. This essentially gives the phone a 120mm lens, which is a massive improvement for iPhone photography. The bad news is Apple limited this special camera to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and raised its price to $1,199.
We’re giving the iPhone 15 Pro the win for this category because of its new camera software. Just remember that this is a narrow win because the iPhone 14 Pro has the same hardware features.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Battery
According to Apple’s specs, both devices offer up to 23 hours of video playback for their respective batteries. That’s a pretty good indicator that the batteries are close to the same size.
That said, the iPhone 15 Pro does offer USB-C connectivity as opposed to the iPhone 14 Pro’s Lightning charging port. USB-C ports charge faster and transmit data faster through wired connections. It also means that the iPhone 15 Pro can actually charge other devices, like your AirPods.
While USB-C connectivity is a nice feature, we don’t necessarily think it’s worth spending a ton of extra money on it. This is especially true since every iPhone that comes out from this point forward will use the USB-C port, too, so there’s no rush to upgrade (quick shoutout to the European Union for finally forcing Apple to make this change). Since both batteries are the same size and the USB-C will be a feature for years to come, we’re declaring this a tie.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Design and colors
The iPhone 14 Pro comes in four colors:
- Deep Purple
- Gold
- Silver
- Space Black
The iPhone 15 Pro also comes in four colors:
- Natural Titanium (silver)
- Blue Titanium
- White Titanium
- Black Titanium
This phone also has the same ceramic shield as the iPhone 14 Pro. However, the chassis is different from older Pro models. You probably already noticed this from the color names, but the iPhone 15 Pro uses aero-space grade titanium for its outer case instead of stainless steel. Apple was very excited about this change during the premiere of the iPhone 15 Pro, noting that it made the phone stronger and lighter than the previous series.
The big change for the iPhone 15 Pro comes in the design of the phone. Apple has eliminated the Ring/Silent Switch and replaced it with a programable Action Button. It defaults to the same ring/silent option as the previous iPhone generations, but you can make the button do almost anything. For example, you can use it to open your camera, pull up a specific app, or even attach it to a shortcut. This is a feature that most Androids have had for years–I know, pointing that out is Apple blasphemy–so it’s nice to see an iPhone finally get this customization, too.
The iPhone 15 Pro wins this category because of its new titanium design and Action Button.
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Verdict
It is clear the iPhone 15 Pro is the better device overall. It has the new A17 Pro processor, new camera software features, and a USB-C port. Plus, it’s also lighter and stronger than the iPhone 14 Pro and includes a customizable Action Button.
Still, it’s worth questioning if those minor improvements are really worth paying extra for. Remember that the iPhone 14 Pro sports a lower price point. The new processor is only slightly faster than the 14 Pro’s A16 Bionic. Plus, Apple still likes that older processor enough to use it in the base-model iPhone 15. The camera hardware for both devices is exactly the same with only the iPhone 15 Pro Max receiving an improved lens. While the iPhone 15 Pro has a USB-C port, its battery life isn’t any better than the iPhone 14 Pro. The one feature that the iPhone 14 Pro doesn’t have an answer for is the 15 Pro’s Action Button. That said, is an Action Button really going to be a deal breaker for most people?
If price is no object and you need the best phone money can buy, you should spring for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s the only phone with the 15 Pro features and the newest camera lens. For everyone else, the iPhone 15 Pro is fine, but they should consider the iPhone 14 Pro if they’d like to save a little money. It’s very similar to the iPhone 15 Pro and still has years of updates left.
For those of us with the iPhone 14 Pro wondering if we should upgrade, it’s probably best to wait and see what the iPhone 16 series has to offer. I have a Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro and I’m not rushing to the Apple Store. There’s just not enough features to make me want to upgrade to the newest series.
Best iPhone data plans
No matter what device you choose, you’ll need a data plan to go along with it. A data plan with access to a 5G network will provide the best overall experience to go with your new iPhone. After all, you can have the fastest phone on the market, but your apps and web pages will only load as fast as your data will let them. Check out our data usage guide to figure out how much high-speed data you normally use.
While you may think of massive carriers with expensive plans as your only options for high-speed data, there are some better–and cheaper–choices. Smaller carriers called MVNOs offer service at discounted rates on the big carrier’s networks. While they may not have as many perks, you can typically find excellent plan options with plenty of priority data at much friendlier prices than the major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Best MVNO plans
Mint Mobile offers service on T-Mobile’s network, which has the largest 5G network in the country. You can snag an Unlimited Data plan with 50GB of premium data and a 20GB mobile hotspot for just $30/month ($15/month for new customers). You will need to prepay for at least three months in advance for Mint, but the overall cost is much cheaper than many other carriers.
Mint Mobile Unlimited Data Plan
| Carrier | Mint Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required |
| Total Price |
$25 per month
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
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| View Plan |
You can get access to Verizon’s network Visible. Verizon offers incredibly fast 5G speeds and the largest 4G LTE network in the nation. Visible has competitive unlimited plans. The $35/month Visible+ plan and $45/month Visible+ Pro plan include unlimited premium 5G ultra-wideband data. Plus, it offers an unlimited mobile hotspot with speeds limited to 5-15Mbps. That’s plenty of speed for basic browsing tasks like social media and streaming.
Visible $35 Visible+ Plan
| Carrier | Visible |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$35 per month
Taxes & Fees included
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| View Plan |
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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