The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus Are Worth the $799 Upgrade
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September brings many welcomed changes — crisp weather, a slowed-down pace of life after the chaos of summer, and, of course, a slew of new products from Apple. Apple’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus deliver new exciting design, hardware, and performance breakthroughs over the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 that precede them. Dynamic Island-adorned screens, a high-resolution primary camera, and a back panel with a matte finish are just some of the many new upgrades that make this latest iteration worth splurging on, especially given the fact that these premium features were previously only exclusively on the $1,000+ iPhone Pro models.
Another major iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus upgrade was over a decade in the making. After 11 years of rocking an Apple-exclusive Lightning port, the latest iPhones shed it for a universally compatible USB-C connector. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus debuted alongside the all-new, titanium-clad iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, and refreshed AirPods Pro earphones with a USB-C storage case. Their pricing has remained unchanged — the iPhone 15 starts at $799 and the 15 Plus at $899.
iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus
apple.com
After a week of putting the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus through their paces, I found the newcomers to be the best phones for the money and great buys for consumers who want to keep their new phone budget in the three-digit territory. The products’ design and hardware changes make them stellar upgrades, second only to the new Pro models in the iPhone range. Here’s everything you need to know about their design, everyday performance, and unique features that set them apart from all similarly priced competitors.
DESIGN
iPhone Pro Vibes All Around
The Dynamic Island is the biggest design change the iPhone 15 brings over its predecessor. In addition to making the gadget look like its high-priced Pro relatives, the new home for the Face ID camera brings a whole new world of interactions and convenience that older iPhones with a notch lacked.
From seamlessly controlling audio playback to keeping tabs on timers and Apple Maps direction, all the way to taking third-party apps to a whole new level via Live Activities, to name just a few improvements, the Dynamic Island will change how you use your new iPhone for the better.
Even though it has the same physical measures and rear camera layout with diagonally placed sensors as the iPhone 14, the iPhone 15 (and its Plus sibling) looks dramatically different, more upmarket in the metal. Ditching the smudge-prone glass of the older non-Pro iPhones for one with a textured finish makes quite a difference. The material swap helps black, blue, green, pink, and yellow colors available on the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 look more toned-down and sophisticated on the latest release.
Thanks to the matte glass in their back panels, I found the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus easier to handle without a case than older versions. Their slightly contoured recycled aluminum edges made handling the new phones feel better, too.
Uncompromisingly Durable, As Expected
The aluminum frame and Ceramic Shield that covers the screen of the iPhone 15 make it one the most durable phones money can buy. The color-infused glass on the device’s back panel is just as dependable, though I still recommend putting a case on it to avoid pesky scratches and dings that accidental drops can bring (despite your best efforts to prevent them). An official rating ensures the phone can handle exposure to water and dust like many of its predecessors going back to 2016.
DISPLAY
iPhone Pro-Levels of Brightness
The HDR-compatible 6.1- and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panels of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have the same pixel density as the screen of their iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 counterparts — but the essential hardware components on the new iteration can produce a higher maximum brightness.
I was particularly impressed by the displays’ 2,000-nit peak brightness because it made them perfectly legible even under direct sunlight. During midday walks in Central Park, I had no trouble reading and responding to emails on the iPhone 15 without even needing to remove my sunglasses. Previously, I could only enjoy this luxury on iPhone 14 Pro, so it’s great to see it available in a lower price tier.
You Get Standby Mode but no Always-On Display
The above feature that made the iPhone 14 Pro a favorite of mine over the past year is unfortunately not available on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Having no always-on display impacts StandBy Mode — a cool iOS 17 feature that transforms the iPhone into a handy information center or photo frame while charging in landscape position. You can tap on the screen to view time, weather info, and incoming notifications, but it will periodically go completely dark.
ProMotion tech with a high maximum refresh rate is unavailable on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. As its name suggests, the feature is reserved for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook versions with a Pro moniker.
CAMERA
Bring On the Megapixels
Simply put, the photos you can take using the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will blow you away. After the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max got a significant bump in image resolution last year, Apple followed suit by packing the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus with primary image sensors of the same resolution, making the smartphones more capable of mobile photography platforms than any previous non-Pro iteration.
Remarkably, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus wide camera snaps 24-megapixel still photos out of the box — meaning that its image resolution is higher than the default image resolution of any previous iPhone and big-name Androids like the Google Pixel 7 and Samsung Galaxy S23. You can capture full-resolution photos at will by enabling the functionality in the camera settings.
Just like on the iPhone 14 Pro, the high-resolution camera of the iPhone 15 can take high-quality 12-megapixel photos with 2X magnification. By cropping into the sensor’s tens of millions of pixels, the nifty bit brings legit optical zoom to a dual-camera iPhone for the first time since the iPhone XS and XS Max from half a decade ago.
The picture quality of the iPhone 15 and 15 Max is exceptional across the board. The phones captured detail-rich still photos and 4K video with lifelike colors and spot-on dynamic range, courtesy of the top-shelf hardware and the immense image processing capabilities of the Neural Engine.
Next-Level Portraits
Portrait photography has been an iPhone calling card since arriving on the iPhone 7 Plus via an iOS update back in the day. In addition to mandatory image quality improvements, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus can transform standard photos into dramatic portraits post-capture. Upon detecting a person or a pet, the phones will capture more data and allow you to edit them later.
PERFORMANCE
A16 Bionic Chip
Apple equipped the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus with the A16 Bionic chip — a 4-nanometer component with a proven power and energy efficiency track record in the iPhone 14 Pro duo. Even though it’s a year old, the A16 Bionic chip is still ahead of the silicon that powers the latest Androids in terms of transparent processing power. The groundbreaking chip makes the iPhone 15 the most powerful phone under $1,000 and second only to the iPhone 15 Pro in hardware oomph.
During a week under constant scrutiny, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus excelled at every task I threw at them. Starting up and switching between multiple apps was instant, editing high-resolution photos and videos easy, and powering through graphic-intensive Apple Arcade titles effortless.
Dependable Battery Life
Sometimes, better features result in weaker battery life, but I had no trouble getting a full day of use from the iPhone 15 throughout my testing. The Plus model also had plenty of battery left after days of lots of screen-on time. Depending on your lifestyle and habits, you can impressively get a couple of days' worth of use between power-ups.
MORE NOTEWORTHY BITS
USB-C
Apple doing away with its classic Lightning connector for a USB-C is a big deal. The drastic move ensures that you only need to look for one type of connector to charge your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple TV 4K remote, and countless other gadgets, including wireless headphones and earbuds. Switching to a USB-C iPhone helped me declutter my tech pouch by having to pack one cable less than before — and it's guaranteed to make your life easier on the go, too.
Reverse charging is another incredibly convenient feature brought to the latest iPhones via USB-C. It makes charging your Apple Watch, the latest AirPods Pro, and other compatible wireless earbuds by plugging them into the iPhone’s USB-C. The hardware link is infinitely more reliable than the reverse wireless charging option offered by some high-end Android phones.
Unsurprisingly, the new connector also makes connecting the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus to a compatible external monitor to stream content or share videos you captured with your new gadget easier.
Of course, MagSafe is also on board the latest iPhones, so you can skip cable charging if you prefer. There are plenty of excellent charging docks and battery packs to choose from.
More Lifesaving Tech
Last year, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro changed the game by bringing cutting-edge safety tech, headlined by Crash Detection. Shortly after, an iOS update enabled Emergency SOS satellite service, taking the products’ lifesaving powers up a notch by allowing them to help users get help in remote areas with no cellular coverage. The latest upgrade to the unique iPhone feature adds the option to contact roadside assistance via satellite.
I’ve never experienced Crash Detection or Emergency SOS on the iPhone 15, and I hope I never will. Still, knowing this functionality exists is one of the many reasons I’d recommend the product in a heartbeat.
WRAP-UP
Unlike the completely invisible refreshes the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus brought to the iPhone 13 and 13 Plus they replaced, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus look, feel, and perform on a higher level. The monumental design, camera, and performance improvements, like the addition of Dynamic Island, high-resolution image sensor, and USB-C connector, make the latest iPhone easy to recommend even to owners of the previous generation. Unless you are an Apple enthusiast who can spend more on the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro — the best Apple smartphones to date — and the unique design and hardware features they bring, these are the iPhones to get.
Who Should Get the iPhone 15?
The iPhone 15 is more pocket- and purse-friendly and easier to use with one hand on the go than the Plus model. It’s the best option for upgraders switching from a 6.1-inch iPhone dating all the back to the iPhone 11 or older releases with smaller screens. First-time iPhone users (e.g., students, older techies, Android converts, etc.) who are not into tablet-replacing big screens will enjoy everything the iPhone 15 offers.
Who Should Get the iPhone 15 Plus?
The big-screen iPhone 15 Plus is great for those who frequently use their phone for work, streaming video, scrolling through social media feeds, reading, and gaming, among other usage scenarios. The device’s superior battery life also makes it better for on-the-go multitaskers.
Spending $799 or $899 on an entry-level iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus will get you a device with 128 GB of storage — enough for many consumers. Doubling the memory costs another $100 while maxing it out to 512 GB will add $200 to the final bill.
Speaking of costs, keep in mind that there’s no need to immediately pay full price plus applicable sales taxes to get your hands on a new iPhone. You can snag the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus by paying easily palatable monthly installments or, better yet, fully cover the upgrade cost by trading in your eligible old iPhone.
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