The iPhone 15 Pro is Apple’s latest flagship smartphone, and it comes with several exciting new features, including a 48MP camera, a USB-C port, and a more powerful A17 Pro chip. However, some users have raised concerns about the device’s durability, overheating, and battery life. In this iPhone 15 Pro review, we’ll explore the reasons behind these issues, and, most importantly, we’ll share our experience with the device, so you can make your buying decision if you haven’t made it already.
iPhone 15 Pro Review Snapshot
Editor’s rating: 4.0/5
Design
Display
Software
Performance
Camera
Battery
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Pros
- Powerful Performance
- Stunning Display
- Versatile Camera System
- USB-C Port
- Premium Build
Cons
- Durability Concerns
- Occasional Overheating
- Slow charging
- No charger in the box
iPhone 15 Pro Price in India
- iPhone 15 Pro 1TB – ₹1,84,900
- iPhone 15 Pro 128GB – ₹1,34,900
- iPhone 15 Pro 256GB– ₹1,44,900
iPhone 15 Pro review: Design
Apple has taken a bold leap forward in design with the iPhone 15 Pro, introducing a range of striking metallic-inspired colors, including Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, and Natural Titanium. These hues lend a subtle yet captivating elegance to the device. As the name of the color suggests, Apple has changed things around and has introduced a Titanium frame in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The result? A significant weight reduction—206 grams for the iPhone 14 Pro versus a svelte 187 grams for its 15 Pro successor. It’s a 19-gram weight loss that you can feel when you hold both phones side by side.
Beyond color, the iPhone 15 Pro’s design story includes slimmed-down bezels, refined display borders, and gently rounded front glass edges for improved ergonomics. The iconic pill-shaped cutout housing the selfie camera and FaceID components remains, while the USB-C port takes center stage as a significant hardware change, simplifying charging needs.
The iPhone 15 Pro boasts a substantial camera bump on its rear. When placed on a table without a case, a hint of wobbling may ensue. Another change that Apple has made this year is the introduction of a new Action key, which replaces the old Mute switch. It offers various predefined actions, including silencing, flashlights, and camera shortcuts. Users can also assign custom configurations.
Build quality-wise, from the moment you hold the iPhone 15 Pro in your hand, you will feel the subtle shift. It doesn’t exude the same rock-solid aura as its Pro predecessors. By using Titanium Apple has managed to trim down the weight. While it does not feel as fortress-like, it certainly isn’t as fragile as a porcelain teacup. Another thing I noticed with the titanium build is that it is more prone to smudging and catching finger grease.
On the whole, the iPhone 15 Pro’s design isn’t a radical departure from its predecessor’s. At a distance, it might just resemble the iPhone 14 Pro, with a few subtle differences. The titanium frame, while debatable in its aesthetic appeal compared to stainless steel, undeniably contributes to a lighter device. Those edges aren’t as sharp, and the slim profile grants a smidgen more maneuverability.
iPhone 15 Pro review: Display
When it comes to displays, Apple’s iPhone Pro lineup has always set the bar high, and the iPhone 15 Pro is no exception. Featuring the Super Retina XDR AMOLED panel with ProMotion, it marks one of the most significant upgrades in iPhone displays since the previous year. It packs a 6.1-inch LTPO OLED screen offering 1179x2556px resolution with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 460 ppi pixel density.
Outdoors, this display shines with a brightness that should reach a remarkable 2000 nits, making it easily visible even in direct sunlight. What’s more, the adaptive refresh rate ranges from a battery-saving 1Hz to a silky-smooth 120Hz, delivering on Apple’s promises with labels like Super Retina, XDR, and ProMotion. Navigating menus and apps is a silky-smooth experience, with animations that practically dance across the screen. With this 120Hz display, the iPhone takes a giant leap forward in becoming and feeling like the complete smartphone package.
Picture quality, a critical aspect of any display, is where the iPhone 15 Pro excels. Supporting HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision, this display offers a feast for your eyes, accommodating all HDR formats with ease. The color accuracy and vibrancy maintain the high standards set by the iPhone 14 Pro, ensuring a visual experience that’s nothing short of spectacular.
iPhone 15 Pro review: Software and Performance
iPhone 15 Pro comes out of the box running on iOS17 featuring a host of innovative additions to enhance user interaction. One such feature is the Personalized Contact Poster, allowing users to create distinctive display images that grace the caller’s screen upon receiving a call. iOS 17 also brings NameDrop to the forefront, offering a seamless and captivating contact information transfer experience between two iPhones. This intuitive process is facilitated by a charming animation when the devices are brought into close proximity.
Furthermore, iOS 17 introduces Standby Mode, a unique feature that transforms the iPhone into an ambient night display whenever it is placed horizontally during the charging process. This mode showcases large widgets and clock faces, enhancing the visual appeal of the charging experience, although it’s important to note that Standby Mode is not available on the iPhone 15 Plus, as this device lacks an always-on display feature.
When we talk about performance, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro takes center stage with the world’s first 3nm chip on a smartphone—the Apple A17 Pro chipset. The CPU architecture of the iPhone 15 Pro remains rooted in a 6-core setup. However, this time, there are 2 high-performance cores clocked at 3.78GHz and 4 efficiency cores ticking at 2.02GHz. Apple boldly claims that these performance cores are 10% faster than their A16 Bionic predecessors—an assertion that aligns with their 10% higher clock speed.
Apple has also upgraded GPU and now the A17 Pro comes with a 6-core GPU which as per Apple is 20% faster than its forerunner in peak performance. What’s more, it introduces hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing, a feature that’s touted to be 4 times faster than the software-based Ray Tracing of yesteryears. Apple’s confidence in this GPU is so unwavering that it has secured console game titles like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage for the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple, during the launch event, showcased the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max running AAA games with ray tracing. The A17 Pro SoC also gets a Display Engine upgrade with hardware AV1 decoding and the coveted ProRes codec support.
The iPhone 15 Pro comes with 8GB of lightning-fast LPDDR5 RAM. However, it’s worth noting that the base storage option for the smaller iPhone 15 Pro starts at 128GB—a choice that may raise a few eyebrows given the Pro moniker. Nevertheless, options abound, with 256GB, 512GB, and a whopping 1TB of NVMe storage available to users.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room—the performance-related issues that have surfaced with the iPhone 15 series, particularly the heating concerns. Initially attributed to a slim and lightweight design that possibly compromised thermal system efficiency, Apple has now clarified that it’s a software issue.
Apple has acknowledged the overheating issue and is working on a fix. According to the Cupertino-based giant, the iPhone 15 series may feel “warmer during the first few days after setting up because of increased background activity.” Additionally, recent updates to third-party apps have been pinpointed as culprits for overloading the system.
In my hands-on experience with the iPhone 15 Pro, I did notice occasional heating during intensive tasks like photography sessions or intense gaming sessions. However, under normal usage conditions, it’s a bit like a surprise party—you never quite know when the heat will show up. Browsing social media or performing everyday tasks often keeps the iPhone 15 Pro cool, but it might decide to warm up while idly sitting in my pocket as I groove to some tunes through my earphones. Even during charging, the iPhone 15 Pro’s temperature can be a bit unpredictable.
iPhone 15 Pro Camera review
The 15 Pro delivers exceptional detail, dynamic range, and true-to-life colors. Low-light performance is commendable, with occasional light flare around light sources. Portrait photography shines, while the optical zoom unlocks creative possibilities. The main camera boasts a 48MP sensor with advanced sensor-shift stabilization. While the numbers seem familiar, Apple has made it more versatile. It can capture 48MP HEIF/JPG images or 48MP ProRAW shots. Additionally, Apple introduced 28mm and 35mm equivalent digital zoom modes, allowing users to customize their default focal length.
The 15 Pro Max boasts the all-new tetraprism 5x module, while the 15 Pro keeps the 3x unit found on the 14 Pro. Beyond this, the camera setup includes enhancements like the 3D ToF camera on the front and the LiDAR system on the rear.
The ultrawide camera carried over from the previous generation, features a 1/2.55″ sensor with 1.4µm pixel pitch, 100% focus pixels, and a 13mm f/2.2 lens. It’s equipped with macro capabilities, enhanced HDR, and improved Night Mode.
The selfie camera gets a 12MP sensor, f/1.9 aperture, and autofocus which is a rarity in selfie cameras. It also benefits from OIS, further enhancing photo and video stability.
In everyday shooting scenarios, the iPhone 15 Pro excels. Its photos are rich in detail, boast excellent dynamic range, and offer accurate color representation. Apple’s camera system continues to capture images closer to reality. The wide-angle and telephoto lenses deliver consistent performance, rivaling that of the primary shooter.
Low-light photography stands out as another strength, with both photos and videos exhibiting impressive results. Occasionally, you might notice some light flare around light sources. Portrait mode, a longstanding iPhone favorite, doesn’t disappoint. The optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro opens up new creative possibilities, giving users a reason to explore their photography skills further.
Beyond traditional photography, the 15 Pro introduces features like cinematic mode and action mode for stable, cinematic footage. This year’s video capabilities have leaped the “Pro” domain, with the ability to shoot in log mode, providing raw footage for creators to manipulate. With USB-C, Apple now allows you to directly record ProRes or RAW videos in an external drive which would certainly make many creators happy.
iPhone 15 Pro review: Battery & charging
In a monumental shift, Apple has embraced USB-C, bidding farewell to the Lightning port with the iPhone 15 series. This transition simplifies charging solutions, as one cable can now power various Apple devices. The inclusion of USB-C 3.0 support on the Pro models allows for lightning-fast data transfers at up to 10Gbps, streamlining file sharing.
Battery life on the iPhone 15 Pro is a bit of a mystery, with real-world usage varying widely. While the device features a slightly larger 3274mAh battery and a cutting-edge 3nm chip, battery tests have produced mixed results. On some occasions, it provides over 7 hours of on-screen time, while in other scenarios, it may lose 5% of its battery life in a 15-minute gaming session.
As with its predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro does not include a charger in the retail box. Apple encourages eco-friendly charging solutions and offers fast recharging using a 20W Apple adapter, taking just over 1 hour and 30 minutes for a full charge.
iPhone 15 Pro review: Should you buy Apple's new pro phone?
The iPhone 15 Pro may not represent a revolutionary leap, but it embodies Apple’s characteristic evolution. The phone builds on strengths like premium build quality, a stellar display, versatile cameras, and top-notch speakers. The inclusion of USB-C adds a refreshing touch.
If you’re already using an iPhone 14 Pro, there’s no urgent need to upgrade to the 15 Pro. However, if you’re coming from an iPhone 13 Pro or an older model, or considering a switch from a different iPhone branch, the iPhone 15 Pro presents a compelling case. It combines the best of what works with Apple’s unique refinement, making it a worthy candidate for your upgrade consideration. Having said that, I would suggest you hold your buying decision until Apple rolls out a fix for heating concerns.
Reasons to buy
- Powerful Performance
- Stunning Display
- Versatile Camera System
- USB-C Port
- Premium Build
Reasons to not buy
- Durability Concerns
- Occasional Overheating
- Slow charging
- No charger in the box
