Choosing a new handset can be a complicated process, especially if you’re considering a device from the same brand.
That’s why we’re here to run through everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro. We have thoroughly tested and reviewed both of these handsets, giving us the ability to offer you inside knowledge on their performance, battery life, design and how they function overall.
So, if you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place and don’t know which handset is right for you, make sure you keep reading to find out all the best – and worst – aspects of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro.
Pricing
Since the iPhone 14 Pro is now a year old, it can no longer be brought directly from the Apple website in the UK. It can be found on multiple third-party sites, but we’re going to be running through the official Apple pricing for our comparison.
The iPhone 14 Pro launched with a £1099/$999 price tag for the base model, although it can be found for varying prices from different mobile carriers – usually bundled with a SIM deal.
The iPhone 15 Pro can be purchased from Apple itself or from various third-party sites. Apple lists the base model for £999/$999, making it £100 cheaper for those in the UK compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. Apple products don’t generally see a lot of discounts, however, so it’s unlikely that you will find it for much cheaper over the coming months.
Design and Screen
Both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro come with a lot of the same core design features. Dynamic Island is one of the most notable, offering a small hub that highlights key information – like what song is playing on Spotify or how much time is left on your timer – and a welcome change from the unsightly notch we’ve all come to know.
The iPhone 15 Pro sticks with the same angular, industrial design as its predecessor but with rounder edges that allow it to fit more comfortably into the palm of your hand. Our Mobile Editor claims that the latest model is a lot nicer to hold and a lot lighter thanks to the addition of titanium.
One final design difference is the iPhone 15 Pro comes with a USB-C charging port, opting out of the traditional Apple Lightning port that features on the iPhone 14 Pro. This should make the iPhone 15 Pro easier to charge on a whim and means that you can cut down on your collection of charging cables.
Both of these handsets also come with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2556×1179. Apple ProMotion features on both models, which offers an adaptive refresh rate that can jump from 1Hz to 120Hz. This allows the display to ramp up during intensive tasks to keep everything looking smooth while dropping low to conserve battery life when needed.
Looking at the iPhone 14 Pro specifically, we found that the panel was sharp and seriously bright, with our reviewer noting that no other phone is as usable in direct sunlight. Colours popped off the screen thanks to support for Dolby Vision HDR and the OLED panel allowed for perfect deep, inky blacks.
The iPhone 15 Pro was a similar story; support for Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ meant that streaming video content was highly immersive, with the high brightness allowing for great colour reproduction and a crisp experience.
Camera
The camera setup on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro is identical; both feature a 48-megapixel main sensor accompanied by a 12MP ultrawide lens alongside a 12MP telephoto lens capable of x2 and x3 optical zoom.
We found that the iPhone 15 Pro was more than capable of taking great shots in well-lit environments. Pictures were packed with detail and vibrant colours even a natural bokeh effect appearing in close-up images that adds another dimension to your photos. Performance was consistent over each lens and pictures taken in low-light conditions brought both colour accuracy and a vast amount of detail.
The iPhone 14 Pro also performed very well in this area. Switching to ProRaw mode captures full uncompressed 48MP images that are ideal for editing in apps like Lightroom or Photoshop and offer a massive amount of detail and depth. The iPhone 14 Pro can kick into Night Mode very fast and offers a lot more detail in the dark than its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro, with each lens offering similar levels of performance and high levels of detail.
Performance
The iPhone 15 Pro comes with the latest Apple Silicon A17 chipset. Our tests show that this handset practically leaves every other smartphone in the dust, other than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, of course. We found that the experience of navigating iOS was rapid and felt faster and more responsive than the iPhone 14 Pro. High-end gaming with top-end graphics and photo and video editing was more than doable, making this a great pick for anyone who needs a lot of raw power.
As our review of the iPhone 15 Pro revealed, the iPhone 14 Pro is the slower handset out of the two. However, it is still more than capable of high-end gaming and creative workloads, with speedy response times and no issues during our review period. The A16 Bionic that comes with the iPhone 14 Pro is the less powerful option, but it’s still more than serviceable for the everyday consumer.
Battery Life
We were surprised to learn that the iPhone 15 Pro offers a solid all-day battery life, with a notable boost compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. It can’t offer the same endurance as some high-end Android handsets, but it got our reviewer through the day with around 25% left in the tank by the end of the day. They never felt the need to charge it up before heading to bed, a big change from the iPhone 14 Pro, which needed a top-up by the late evenings after a busy day at work.
When we first reviewed the iPhone 14 Pro after it launched, we noted that the battery life wasn’t one of the phone’s biggest weaknesses, even if it didn’t take any strides forward. This handset usually had between 15-20% of battery left at the end of the day, with that number jumping up to 25% when the always-on display was disabled.
Interestingly, the inclusion of a USB-C charging port didn’t have any massive effects on the charging time of the iPhone 15 Pro, so you will experience very similar charging times regardless of your choice.
Final Verdict
With all that said, if you prioritise power and endurance in a handset, then the iPhone 15 Pro is definitely the right choice for you. The price tag is shockingly similar to its predecessor and it comes with the benefit of the latest A17 Pro chipset, alongside the convenient USB-C charging port.
However, the iPhone 14 Pro is not to be sniffed at. It might not be the latest iPhone any more, but it’s still a very worthy handset that comes with more than enough power for day-to-day workloads and a beautiful display – and it’s even more tempting when found at a discount.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
