iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: the key differences

Of Apple's four latest iPhones, the iPhone 15 is the entry-level model, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the top model, with the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro filling out the middle.

We don’t expect too many people will be deciding between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as these are vastly different handsets at very different prices. But comparing them can give you an idea of just how varied Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup is.

Below, we’ve looked at all the key aspects of the iPhone 15 vs the iPhone 15 Pro Max, to see how they stack up based both on specs and our impressions in our iPhone 15 review and our iPhone 15 Pro Max review.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: specs comparison

We'll look closer at these two phones below, but first, here's a simple specs comparison so you can see some of the similarities and differences at a glance.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: price and availability

Both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max went on sale on September 22, 2023, but at very different prices.

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

The iPhone 15 Pro Max starts with double the storage, costing $1,199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,199 for 256GB, while a 512GB version will set you back $1,399.99 / £1,399 / AU$2,549, and a 1TB model costs $1,599.99 / £1,599 / AU$2,899.

So the starting price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is $400 / £400 / AU$700 more, but you also get more storage for that money. When looking at the same storage levels, you'll pay $300 / £300 / AU$500 more for an iPhone 15 Pro Max than an iPhone 15.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: design and display

From the front, the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max look quite similar, with both phones having a Dynamic Island rather than a notch. They also have slightly rounded sides, rather than the flat sides of the previous models, though the iPhone 15 has slightly larger bezels.

Flip them over though and there are some clear differences, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max having an extra camera lens.

Other differences include the presence of an Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is in place of a mute switch, the use of titanium rather than stainless steel in the Pro Max, and the colors: the iPhone 15 colors include black, pink, yellow, blue, and green, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is available in black titanium, blue titanium, natural titanium, and white titanium.

Of course, the biggest visual difference is simply their size, with the iPhone 15 having similar dimensions to the iPhone 14, at 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is much larger at 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3mm. It's also heavier, coming in at 221g to the iPhone 15's 171g.

However, both models do have an IP68 rating, meaning they're water and dust-resistant.

The difference in their sizes is thanks to their differing screen sizes, with the iPhone 15 sporting a compact 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a large 6.7-inch screen.

That’s not the only screen difference either, as the iPhone 15 is lumbered with a 60Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. If you want an iPhone 15 model with an always-on display, then you’ll also have to opt for a model in the Pro line.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a higher resolution of 1290 x 2796, compared to 1179 x 2556 on the iPhone 15. But due to the size differences, they have roughly the same pixel density, of around 460 pixels per inch. They can also both reach the same levels of brightness, topping out at 2,000 nits, and both have OLED screens.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: cameras

Both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max have a 48MP main camera, but the iPhone 15’s camera has a smaller sensor, so isn't quite as good. Both phones also have a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view.

But that’s all the cameras the iPhone 15 has on the back, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a telephoto camera too, one with a periscope design allowing for 5x optical zoom, which is longer distance than the 3x telephoto camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the iPhone 15 Pro.

That extra lens makes it a much better photographic option than the standard iPhone 15, though the two phones both have a 12MP single-lens selfie camera.

In our review, we noted that with the iPhone 15 "a nice big main camera leap is paired with some truly impressive computational photography," while of the iPhone 15 Pro Max we said: "This is the best collection of cameras I have ever used on an iPhone." So it's clear which is best, but both phones impress on the photography front.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: performance

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has an advantage when it comes to performance, as this phone uses Apple's new A17 Pro chipset, while the standard iPhone 15 has inherited the A16 Bionic previously used by the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

The A17 Pro has a 10% more powerful CPU and a 20% faster GPU, so it's a significant upgrade, and it's joined by 8GB of RAM (compared to just 6GB in the standard iPhone 15).

It's worth noting though that even the standard iPhone 15 is a powerful phone, and can handle most tasks amd games with ease.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: battery

The iPhone 15 has a 3,349mAh battery and the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 4,441mAh one, so the latter phone's battery is bigger, which is fitting since it also has a bigger screen.

That larger size does translate to better life though, with Apple claiming you'll get up to 29 hours of video playback with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and just 20 hours with the iPhone 15.

That's in line with our own results, with our reviews finding that the iPhone 15 could last for about 15 hours of mixed-use, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max made it through 28 hours.

Both iPhone 15 models charge via USB-C though, and both support wireless charging.

iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: verdict

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a bigger screen than the iPhone 15, along with a higher refresh rate, a more premium construction, an Action button, an extra camera lens, a bigger battery (offering longer life), a more powerful chipset, and more RAM.

Of course, the trade-off is that it costs a whole lot more than the standard iPhone 15, a phone that offers many of the core iPhone 15 line features (including a Dynamic Island and a USB-C port) at a much lower price. The iPhone 15’s smaller screen may also prove more appealing to some buyers.

So there are a lot of differences here, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max certainly comes out on top overall, as you’d expect, but it’s priced accordingly.