When it comes to this year’s iPhone 15 update, Apple clearly prioritized the iPhone 15 Pro. It boasts impressive features, like the powerful 3nm chipset, a lighter and more durable material, and a customizable Action button. All of these premium features are available on the iPhone 15 Pro at a $200 discount compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
However, not everyone needs to opt for the Pro model. While the iPhone 15 Pro may be impressive on paper, not all its features are essential for every user. Moreover, a price tag of $999 is still quite a hefty amount for a smartphone.
As we’ve had a chance to get hands-on with the iPhone 15 Pro, we can discuss its strengths as a smartphone. Although a full review will have to wait until we can extensively test Apple’s latest flagship, we can still provide insights into why you may want to consider other options besides the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro: Reasons to Buy
A17 Pro Power
Like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Pro runs on the A17 Pro chipset. However, this is not your typical upgraded silicon. The chip is built on a 3nm process, a first for mobile phones. This advancement is expected to result in significant performance gains.
While we can’t quantify these promised performance improvements without running benchmarks, it sounds like A17 Pro-powered phones will easily outperform the competition. The CPU boasts a 10% improvement over the A16 Bionic in last year’s Pro models, and the Neural Engine is twice as fast. The GPU is not only 20% faster, but it can also support hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic games.
A Lighter Titanium Design
Apple has switched from stainless steel to titanium for its Pro phones, resulting in a noticeable difference when holding the iPhone 15 Pro. Weighing in at 6.6 ounces, it’s lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro, which weighs 7.3 ounces.
The lighter weight isn’t the only advantage of this design change. The iPhone 15 Pro incorporates aluminum into its frame, aiding in heat dissipation. The durability of aluminum complements the Ceramic Display and back glass, making this handset robust.
USB-C and Fast Data Transfer Speeds
In Apple’s newly unveiled lineup, every phone now features a USB-C port instead of Lightning connectivity. The Pro models take full advantage of this change by supporting faster transfer speeds through USB 3.
The iPhone 15 Pro, specifically, is capable of 10 Gbps, which is 20 times faster than before. If you frequently transfer large amounts of photos and videos from your phone, this boost in speed will undoubtedly be appreciated.
Computational Photography Improvements
Although the iPhone 15 Pro does not have the tetraprism telephoto lens exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it still ranks among the best camera phones. The addition of a 48MP main camera sensor and computational photography improvements ensures impressive photos, even in low light conditions.
Expect enhanced colors and details in Portrait shots, thanks to improvements in computational photography and a larger main sensor. The phone intelligently switches to portrait mode when it detects you’re about to photograph a person. Additionally, Night mode leverages Apple’s Photonic Engine and the included LiDAR scanner for better nighttime shots. Smart HDR advancements improve shadow detail and highlight brightness.
A Customizable Action Button
The iPhone 15 Pro has replaced the mute switch with an Action button, which offers more functionality than its predecessor. Besides silencing your phone, this button can be customized to carry out various commands, such as activating the flashlight, camera, voice recorder, and magnification app. With the Shortcuts app, you can further customize the button’s actions. Apple has effectively taken a single-task button and expanded its capabilities.
iPhone 15 Pro: Reasons to Skip
Limited Action Button
While the Action button is a welcome addition, it would be more useful if it allowed multiple actions to be programmed. Unfortunately, you’re limited to a single action, which doesn’t align with our expectations for a “Pro” device.
Apple may be keeping things simple for now, considering the Action button’s novelty. However, this limitation prevents users from fully experiencing the button’s potential.
No Change in Charging Speeds
Despite the commendable addition of USB-C connectivity, the iPhone 15 Pro does not offer faster charging speeds like certain Android phones. It continues to charge at the same 20W speeds that Apple has been using for a while.
While it’s understandable that Apple might not want to enable fast charging on the iPhone 15 Pro, given its Pro status, it would be ideal if they aimed to match the 45W charging speeds enjoyed by the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Uncertain Battery Improvements
During the iPhone 15 launch event, Apple emphasized various enhancements for its phones, but there was no mention of battery life improvements. Upon examining the spec sheet, we discovered that the promised battery times for the iPhone 15 Pro are the same as those for the iPhone 14 Pro. This raises concerns, as we hoped for some improvements in this area.
Although the A17 Pro chip’s improved power efficiency might contribute to longer battery life, it’s unclear whether Apple included a larger battery in the iPhone 15 Pro. We will have to wait for device teardowns to confirm this. Until we obtain battery test results, it’s too early to feel completely reassured.
iPhone 15 Pro Outlook
When our major complaints are about features we actually like, it suggests that Apple is on the right track but needs to push the boundaries a bit further. However, given the $999 price tag for a Pro device, one may question why Apple didn’t go the extra mile in the first place.
For more information about the iPhone 15 Pro, visit OnSpec Electronic, Inc.
