Apple has recently unveiled its latest iPhone models, including the iPhone 15 family. Many people around the world are now wondering if it’s worth upgrading to or buying the iPhone 15 Pro. While the newer model offers some cosmetic and internal changes compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s important to consider whether these changes are significant enough to justify purchasing the newer model. Let’s take a closer look and try to determine if it’s worth the investment.
Cosmetic changes to consider
The highlighting element of the new iPhone 15 Pro is the titanium frame that makes the iPhone lighter than last year’s 14 Pro. Moreover, the glossy sides have been switched in favour of brushed metallic ones, so they look muted in comparison to the iPhone 14 Pro. Moreover, two new colours complement the titanium look, including Natural Titanium and Blue Titanium.
These two colours replace the Deep Purple and Gold variants of the iPhone 14 Pro. So there’s your first difference. If you like gold iPhones or absolutely adore the Deep Purple, then the iPhone 14 Pro is the one to consider, but don’t make a decision just yet. Also, take into consideration the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro is lighter than its predecessor. If you don’t like heavier phones, then iPhone 14 Pro might not be your cup of tea.
The phones’ size remains similar but isn’t exactly the same. The newer model is not only smaller marginally but is also slightly thinner than the 14 Pro.
Apart from that, the beloved mute switch has been replaced by the Action Button. This new button is re-mappable to almost any App or in-built feature you want to trigger or open in the iPhone 15 Pro. It also serves as a Mute button, so the functionality of the Mute switch is carried on.
Then, one of the biggest changes Apple made to the iPhone lineup is the inclusion of USB-C as the company bids farewell to its Lightning port. This opens up a wide range of possibilities for the iPhone in terms of supported accessories. Not only that, but it also makes it easier for the users to charge their device as they don’t have to carry separate cables for the iPhone, considering most of the products now have USB-C connectivity.
Not only that, but this USB-C port supports USB 3 transfer speeds, meaning the iPhone 15 Pro supports speeds up to 10Gbps. This is a 20x increase in speed compared to the lightning port on the iPhone 14 Pro that supported 480mbps.
This makes the iPhone 15 Pro a better choice if you transfer a lot of data between their PC and iPhone and need a single solution in terms of connectivity as USB-C now also drives the iPhone. The Mute Switch versus Action button debate boils down to your personal preference. If you prefer the classic Mute Switch and do not need an Action Button instead, then the iPhone 14 Pro still holds up as a decent option.
Specification upgrades to consider
The iPhone 15 Pro may not sport an entirely new design, but it does introduce some considerable upgrades in terms of hardware. While it sports the same display panel as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro has slimmer bezels on the front that are actually noticeable. They account for an immersive experience and contribute to a more modern overall look and feel.
Next, the iPhone 15 Pro incorporates a faster and more powerful A17 Pro chip that serves as the successor to the A16 Bionic present inside the 14 Pro. It is Apple’s first chip to be made on a 3nm node, which should positively impact the performance as well as the efficiency.
Furthermore, it gets a GPU with an extra core compared to the A16 Bionic, which should result in even better gaming performance. It’s so much better that Apple announced a bunch of Apple Arcade exclusive titles that will be coming to iPhone 15 Pro later this year and in early 2024. These include Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Resident Evil 4 remake, Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding and more. Some of these titles will also support hardware-based ray tracing for a more lifelike experience while playing the game.
Aside from this, both of them run on iOS 17, considering the iPhone 14 Pro is slated to receive it on September 18. However, as the 15 Pro was launched a year later, it will get one extra software update in comparison to its predecessor.
Last but not least, the iPhone 15 Pro also got a camera sensor upgrade where the main 48MP sensor is now larger than the one on the 14 Pro. However, the rest of the two Sensors remain identical. But the main sensor does enable some new software tricks on the iPhone 15 Pro, such as the 1.2X and 1.5X sensor crop, where you can also set these focal lengths as your default in the camera app.
These focal lengths enable you to shoot photos at 28mm or 35mm shots. Then there’s a new anti-reflective coating on the main and ultra-wide sensor to help reduce lens flare, better night mode, and also Smart HDR 5 (vs Smart HDR 4 in 14 Pro). In terms of videography, Apple introduced Spatial Video, where the iPhone uses its main and ultra-wide sensor to capture videos with depth. These files can then be played in the Apple Vision Pro for an immersive video viewing experience.
Price comparison
If you are from India, you would know that the prices of the iPhone 15 Pro have gone up by Rs 5,000 than the launch price of the iPhone 14 Pro. With that, Apple also discontinued the iPhone 14 Pro models and removed them from their website to make way for the new iPhones.
However, that doesn’t mean that other retailers, such as Amazon or Flipkart, also stop selling the older models. In fact, the iPhone 14 Pro’s base 128GB variant has received a price cut by Rs 10,000 (over its launch price) on Amazon and Flipkart, making it available for Rs 1,19,900. That’s actually Rs 15,000 less than the iPhone 15 Pro’s base price, which is Rs 1,34,900.
Verdict
The iPhone 15 Pro surely comes as a decent upgrade with some major but mostly minor changes over last year’s model. If you already have a 14 Pro, we don’t think you need to upgrade just yet unless you desperately want the USB-C connectivity.
If you are a new buyer and are confused between the two Pro models, buy the iPhone 14 Pro if you are okay with the lightning port, need a gold or purple iPhone, and cannot shell out Rs 15,000 more. However, if the price isn’t an issue for you, then the 15 Pro definitely makes more sense, thanks to USB-C, a better-looking front design, lighter in terms of weight, and a more powerful chip.
The cameras and the action button are also meaningful changes, but we don’t feel they should be a deal breaker in your decision. Lastly, if you aren’t buying the iPhone 15 Pro from India or want to buy it from international markets, here are the top 5 countries that are selling the iPhone 15 Pro at the cheapest prices.
Buying it from these regions makes more sense than buying the device from India and makes the latest iPhone even more worth its price tag. If you are limited to the Indian market and have a strict budget, then the iPhone 14 Pro isn’t too bad to consider despite the tradeoffs we mentioned.
