iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: the key differences

The iPhone 15 is in some ways an odd phone, in that it's a lot like the iPhone 14 Pro, complete with a Dynamic Island, the same screen size, and the same chipset, among other similarities.

So just how different are these phones actually? And which phone is better overall? We've carried out a full iPhone 15 review and an iPhone 14 Pro review, so we're in a position to answer both of those questions.

Below then, you’ll find all the key similarities and differences between the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15, so you can get a better idea of whether you should buy Apple's new phone, or grab an older Pro.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: specs comparison

Before we look at the various aspects of these phones in detail, here’s a simple specs comparison.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: price and availability

The iPhone 15 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,499 for 128GB of storage. You can also get a 256GB model for $899 / £899 / AU$1,699, and a 512GB version for $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$2,049.

As for the iPhone 14 Pro, that starts at $999 / £1,099 / AU$1,749 for a 128GB model, rising to $1099 / £1,209 / AU$1,899 for 256GB, $1,299 / £1,429 / AU$2,249 for 512GB, and $1,499 / £1,649 / AU$2,599 for 1TB.

So the iPhone 14 Pro's starting price is $200 / £300 / AU$250 higher. Or at least, it was at launch. Now though Apple has discontinued the iPhone 14 Pro, so it's not as widely available as the iPhone 15. Many stores still stock it though at the time of writing, and they often do so at a discount. Still though, it will likely cost you more than an iPhone 15.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: design and display

The iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15 are visually very similar phones. The former has a 6.1-inch screen, a glass back, a stainless steel frame, and a Dynamic Island rather than a notch, and the latter has all of that too, except aluminum rather than stainless steel for its frame.

As a result, these two phones have very similar dimensions too, with the iPhone 14 Pro being 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9mm and the iPhone 15 being 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm. Though their weights differ, at 171g for the iPhone 15 and a heavier 206g for the iPhone 14 Pro.

The available colors also differ, as while the iPhone 14 Pro is available in Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black, the iPhone 15 colors include Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black.

As for the iPhone 15 screen, we’ve established that it matches the iPhone 14 Pro for size, and it also has an identical resolution of 1179 x 2556. But the iPhone 15 is stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 14 Pro has a 120Hz display, so that’s one area where the older phone has an advantage.

The iPhone 15 also doesn't have an always-on display, which the iPhone 14 Pro does, but surprisingly the iPhone 15 can match the iPhone 14 Pro for brightness, peaking at a high 2,000 nits.

Both phones have good screens overall, and we praised them in our reviews, but with its higher refresh rate and always-on capabilities, the iPhone 14 Pro's display is clearly the best of the two.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: cameras

The cameras on these two phones are a mix of similar and different, but let’s start with the iPhone 14 Pro. This has a 48MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP telephoto (with 3x optical zoom), along with a 12MP front-facing camera.

As for the iPhone 15? This also has a 48MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP selfie camera. So it's lacking the iPhone 14 Pro's telephoto snapper, and it also uses a different sensor for the main camera, with an f/1.6 aperture rather than an f/1.78 one.

This 48MP main snapper is also capable of lossless 2x zoom, so it does have some telephoto skills, and in our iPhone 15 review we described these as "unquestionably the best set of cameras we have ever seen on an iPhone base model."

Of course, we're also big fans of the iPhone 14 Pro's cameras, and with its dedicated telephoto lens it's the superior camera phone overall.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: performance

One area where these two phones are exceptionally similar is in their power, as they both have the same chipset. Specifically, they both have an A16 Bionic chipset, with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max having been upgraded to a new A17 Pro chipset.

The iPhone 15 probably also has the same amount of RAM as the iPhone 14 Pro (namely 6GB), since the iPhone 14 already has that much, and there’s no news of a RAM increase for the iPhone 15. But Apple never reveals RAM, so we're not yet certain. But assuming that is the case, if power is your priority, these two phones should be equally capable.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: battery

Apple never reveals the battery capacities of its phones, but thanks to teardowns we know that the iPhone 14 Pro has a 3,200mAh battery, and the iPhone 15 is believed to have a slightly larger 3,349mAh one.

You might think that would lead to better battery life for the iPhone 15, but in fact according to Apple the iPhone 14 Pro lasts longer in most cases, being able to last through up to 23 hours of video playback on a single charge, compared to 20 hours with the iPhone 15. Although interestingly the iPhone 15 can apparently manage five more hours than the 14 Pro when listening to audio.

So there shouldn't be too much in it, and in our reviews we found that both phones were typically good for a full day of life.

The iPhone 15 does arguably have an advantage when it comes time to charge though, as it has a USB-C port, rather than using a Lightning port like the iPhone 14 Pro does. This will be more convenient for anyone who already has a cupboard full of USB-C cables.

Actual charging speeds are the same though, with both phones capable of a 50% charge in around 30 minutes with a 20W or higher charger. Both phones also support wireless charging at up to 15W.

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15: verdict

As you can see, there are plenty of similarities between these phones and just as many differences. They have the same screen size and resolution, as well as both having a Dynamic Island, the same chipset, and a similar overall design.

They also both have a 48MP main camera, as well as 12MP ultra-wide and selfie snappers.

However, the iPhone 14 Pro benefits from an extra lens for telephoto shots. The iPhone 14 Pro has the higher refresh rate too, and a more premium build (with stainless steel used, rather than aluminum).

The iPhone 15 has advantages too though, including USB-C charging and a lower price.

With all that in mind then, for most people the iPhone 14 Pro will likely be the better phone overall, but only by a small margin, and if price is an issue then you won't miss much by choosing the iPhone 15.

More iPhone 15 articles

• iPhone 15: everything you need to know
• iPhone 15 Plus: everything you need to know
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: everything you need to know
• iPhone 15 price: should you go for iPhone 14 instead?
• iPhone 15 deals: the best offers to look out for
• iPhone 15 USB-C: everything you need to know
• iPhone 15 Pro Max camera: 7 big upgrades
• 15 things we learned at Apple's September 2023 event