Ayush Pande is a PC hardware and gaming writer. When he's not working on a new article, you can find him with his head stuck inside a PC or tinkering with a server operating system. Besides computing, his interests include spending hours in long RPGs, yelling at his friends in co-op games, and practicing guitar.
The iPhone 15 Pro delivers upgraded performance with the Apple A17 Pro chip, plus a new camera system with enhanced stabilization and other improvements. It's also one of the first iPhones with a USB-C port.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces an all-new, customizable Action button, a titanium chassis with round edges, and a USB Type-C port. It exclusively offers up to 5x optical zoom, too, so it's slightly better than the regular iPhone 15 Pro model.
Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are finally upon us, and they bring tons of improvements over their last-gen counterparts. From better processors, more battery, and a new Type-C connector with a USB 3 interface, there's a lot to love about these fantastic smartphones.
But how do Apple’s current-gen Pro iPhones fare against each other? This article will provide an in-depth comparison between the two to help you pick your next high-end iPhone!
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Price, specs & availability
Apple unveiled the Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max a few days ago at the Wonderlust event. The iPhone 15 Pro is the cheaper of the two, with the base model shipping with 128GB of storage for a $1,000 price tag. Apple provides multiple storage configurations for the iPhone 15 Pro, and you can go for $1,500 variant that provides 1TB of storage capacity.
Meanwhile, the cheapest iPhone 15 Pro Max has with 256GB of storage and is priced at $1,200. The iPhone 15 Pro Max variants with better storage are far more expensive, with the 1TB model costing $1,600. Both phones, alongside the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, will be available for pre-order on Apple’s website starting September 15. We expect most third-party sellers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and T-Mobile to stock up on the Apple iPhone 5 series after the smartphones go for sale on September 22.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
SoC
Apple A17 Pro
Apple A17 Pro
Display
6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR
6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Battery
23 hours
4,422mAh
Ports
USB-C
USB-C
Operating System
iOS 17
iOS 17
Front camera
12MP TrueDepth camera
12MP TrueDepth camera
Connectivity
USB 3.0, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Thread
USB 3.0, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Thread
Dimensions
5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 inches (146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm)
6.29 x 3.01 x 0.32 inches (159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm)
Colors
Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium
Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium
Camera
Main, ultrawide, telephoto
48MP f/1.78 main, 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, & 12MP f/2.8 telephoto with 5x optical zoom; 12MP TrueDepth camera
Weight
6.6 ounces (187g)
7.8 ounces (221g)
IP Rating
IP68
IP68
Price
$900
$1,200
Release date
2023-09-22
2023-09-22
Main Camera
48MP f/1.78
Wide-Angle Camera
12MP f/2.2
Telephoto
12MP f/2.8
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Design and build
The two iPhones vary when it comes to dimensions, with the smaller iPhone 15 Pro measuring 5.77 inches in height, 2.78 inches in width, and 0.32 inches in depth. Weighing around 6.60 ounces, it’s lighter and has better portability. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a height of 6.29 inches and a width of 3.02 inches, though it has the same depth as its smaller sibling. The better specs of the 15 Pro Max increase its weight to 7.81 ounces, but it’s portable enough for everyday use.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are built from extremely durable and lightweight aerospace‑grade titanium alloy. Color-wise, you’re looking at the standard blue, black, and white models alongside the new “natural Titanium” color. Both high-end iPhones feature a customizable Action button, which serves as a replacement for last-gen’s mute button. While Apple has finally embraced a USB-C connector for the iPhone 15 series, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are the only current-gen devices compatible with USB 3 interface. This allows them to hit fast data transfer rates of up to 10Gb/s.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Display
Both the premium smartphones feature a stunning OLED screen that leverages the Super Retina XDR technology to offer high contrast and a wide color gamut. However, the two have slightly different display specifications. The iPhone 15 Pro has a noticeably smaller screen that measures 6.1 inches diagonally, alongside a slightly lower resolution of 2556 x 1179. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a better 2796 x 1290 display resolution and a larger screen that has a diagonal length of 6.7 inches.
The rest of the display specifications are largely the same, with both iPhones featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have the brightest display panels in the smartphone market thanks to a peak brightness of 2000 nits. The two premium iPhones also retain the Dynamic Island feature from the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, making for a well-rounded visual experience.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Performance and battery life
If there’s one thing we love about Apple iPhones, it’s their uncompromising performance, and fortunately, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have surpassed all our expectations. Right off the bat, both phones ship with the A17 Pro chip that provides better processing power than A16 Bionic as it's built on the 3nm manufacturing process. The new chip possesses two performance and four efficiency cores for a total of 6 processor cores alongside a 16-core Neural Engine. The A17 Pro also includes a 6-core GPU, making it a powerful chip for gaming and other hardware-taxing tasks. The two iPhones feature 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB models, though the iPhone 15 Pro is the only one with a 128GB variant as Apple decided to get rid of the 128GB model for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
While both iPhones may offer similar performance, things are vastly different when it comes to battery life. The iPhone 15 Pro is powered by a 3650mAh battery, with Apple promising the battery can last for 23 hours on video playback. On the other hand, its larger sibling packs a 4852mAH battery capable of providing 29 hours of battery life, making the iPhone 15 Pro Max the clear winner as far as battery backup is concerned.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Camera
Apple’s latest iPhones have received significant upgrades to their cameras, though the 15 Pro Max surpasses its brethren in this category as well. Starting with the similarities between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, both devices have a 48-megapixel main camera with an f/1.78 aperture. There's also a 12MP ultra-wide sensor that has an f/2.2 aperture and another telephoto lens with an f/2.8 aperture. The front-facing cameras can capture 12MP photos and an f/1.9 aperture.
The 6x optical zoom range offered by the iPhone 15 Pro is a bit limited, and the same holds true for its 3x optical zoom-in and 15x digital zoom-up capabilities. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has s better 10x optical zoom range alongside a 5x optical zoom-in and a whooping 25x digital zoom-up facility. Moreover, you also get a 5x telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is better than the 3x variant that comes with the iPhone 15 Pro.
Both iPhones will allow users to use spatial recording to create 3D photos and videos viewable on Apple’s Vision Pro AR/VR headsets. The spatial recording feature uses multiple cameras to simultaneously capture images and videos with depth. Though this facility won't be available at the time of launch, Apple plans to release it later this year.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Which is right for you?
The Pro versions of the iPhone 15 series are fantastic devices, but the 15 Pro Max is better. In addition to its superior cameras and higher-resolution display, it has a significantly better battery life, making it the best iPhone among Apple's current generation devices.
Editor's choice
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
SoC
Apple A17 Pro
Display
6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR
RAM
8GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Battery
4,422mAh
Ports
USB-C
The iPhone 15 Pro Max claims the top spot as Apple's best smartphone in the iPhone 15 series. With up to 5x optical zoom, higher battery capacity and a large 6.7-inch display, it one of the best phones you can buy right now.
That's not to say, the iPhone 15 Pro is a bad option. Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, this year's Pro model is quite powerful, with the phone packing the same A17 Pro chip and the stunning OLED screen as its expensive sibling. If you’re willing to spend $1000 on a smartphone, you might as well spend $200 more and opt for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
While the Apple iPhone 15 Pro loses out to iPhone 15 Pro Max, it's still a great device. From its A17 Pro chip, new camera system with enhanced stabilization and fast USB 3 interface, the iPhone 15 Pro is perfect for users who prefer smaller-sized smartphones.
