After a complete 12 months of leaks and expectations, Apple lastly launched the iPhone 15 lineup — and the corporate didn’t disappoint.
There have been a variety of new options and surprises that got here to the iPhone 15 that make it the go-to alternative for extra of us with older iPhones.
However what occurs to these of us with an iPhone 14? In any case, this iPhone is simply a 12 months previous, and if you happen to purchased a brand new one, it’s most likely nonetheless a efficiency beast. Plus, Apple nonetheless sells each the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus at a fair lower cost, making it a tempting different to the brand new iPhone 15.
With every part new that the iPhone 15 has, just like the Dynamic Island and USB-C, is it value paying extra for Apple’s newest and best? Preserve studying to search out out.
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: Design
In relation to the skin, each the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 14 look related at first look. Nevertheless, this time round, there are some {hardware} variations to inform them aside.
By far, the largest distinction within the iPhone 15’s design is the Dynamic Island. As an alternative of a notch, you get a helpful spherical cut-out that serves two functions. First, it packs all of the sensors your iPhone wants to make use of Face ID.
Second, the Dynamic Island itself permits you to management completely different apps and options from the highest of your iPhone. For example, you need to use it to alter songs, examine timers, reply calls, and examine notifications.
The Dynamic Island was first launched with the iPhone 14 Professional lineup, however you probably have a daily iPhone 14, you’re nonetheless rocking the previous notch.
One other large distinction is the colour of the iPhone 15. Not solely will you discover completely different colours this time round, however Apple added a color-infused frosted glass on the again of the iPhone 15.
This offers the iPhone 15 a extra matte look, which really seems nice. The colours themselves are additionally completely different. Certain, you’ll discover colours like blue and yellow, however the iPhone 15 has extra muted colours this time round. So, as an alternative of an precise blue colour, anticipate a light-weight blue, which is nearly white.
That’s to not say they’re dangerous, however they’re positively completely different. Moreover yellow and blue, the iPhone 15 additionally is available in pink, inexperienced, and black.
Moreover these modifications and the addition of a USB-C port, which we’ll discuss in a second, each iPhones are virtually the identical on the skin, though the iPhone 15 additionally has barely curvier edges that may really feel extra snug within the hand — if you happen to’re not utilizing a case, that’s. The brand new end, Dynamic Island, and extra contoured design give the iPhone 15 a slight edge over final 12 months’s mannequin.
Winner: iPhone 15
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: Show
Moreover the modifications on the skin, Apple additionally improved the show on the iPhone 15 this 12 months, though it was a comparatively small improve.
For starters, each have a 6.1-inch show with True Tone and a 60Hz refresh charge, albeit the iPhone 15 — with a peak of 5.81—is about 0.03 inches taller than the iPhone 14 — 5.78 inches tall.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 15 encompasses a barely higher show with a decision of 1,179 x 2,556 pixels versus the 1,170 x 2,532 show on the iPhone 14. Granted, the distinction is so small that you just gained’t ever discover it, and for the reason that iPhone 15 will get the identical display decision because the iPhone 14 Professional, it appears that is principally a results of adjusting issues for the Dynamic Island.
Nevertheless, what you possible will discover is the brightness. The iPhone 15 can attain a brightness of as much as 2,000 nits — the identical as final 12 months’s iPhone 14 Professional — whereas the iPhone 14 can solely stand up to 1,200 nits. Should you’re somebody who’s at all times outdoors, the improve is likely to be value it.
Winner: iPhone 15
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: Efficiency
In all probability the largest distinction between these two units is the efficiency. As you’ll anticipate from a more recent telephone, the iPhone 15 is extra highly effective than the iPhone 14.
That’s due to the A16 Bionic chip within the iPhone 15. This was the chip that Apple additionally used on the iPhone 14 Professional fashions final 12 months, however you probably have the bottom iPhone 14, you’re nonetheless rocking the A15 Bionic from the 2021 iPhone 13 Professional.
Clearly, this makes the iPhone 15 the clear winner in efficiency, albeit it’s not by that a lot. Each units nonetheless have the identical 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. Whereas Apple doesn’t actually discuss RAM, it’s been reported that each the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 15 have the identical 6GB of RAM. Once more, the iPhone 15 will get a really slight edge right here, but it surely’s a small win.
Winner: iPhone 15
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: Connectivity
In relation to connectivity, each units are virtually the identical, however there’s not less than one large distinction that may make you wish to go for the newer mannequin.
Internally, each iPhone fashions characteristic 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3. On the within, the iPhone 15 has the second-generation Extremely Wideband chip, whereas the iPhone 14 nonetheless has the first-generation chip.
Typically talking, this chip gained’t make a lot of a distinction in your life. It should allow you to use particular options like the flexibility to find your iPhone along with your Apple Watch with the assistance of precision discovering and find your pals in a crowd — so long as they’re additionally utilizing an iPhone 15 mannequin — but it surely’s not all that large of a deal simply but.
What’s a giant deal for many is USB-C. For the primary time ever, Apple encompasses a USB-C port on the iPhone 15. It’s lastly ditched its proprietary Lightning port that you just’ll discover on the iPhone 14 and older fashions.
This is likely to be the largest cause to go for the iPhone 15, however earlier than you accomplish that, it’s best to know that this new port is inferior to you would possibly assume.
The USB-C port on the iPhone 15 nonetheless solely helps USB 2.0 — the identical pace because the Lightning port. So that you’re mainly altering nothing apart from the {hardware}.
In fact, that is likely to be a giant cause to go for the iPhone 15, particularly if each different system you personal makes use of USB-C. Nevertheless, if you happen to’ve been an iPhone consumer for some time, chances are high you’ve amassed a group of Lightning chargers and equipment, which suggests the USB-C port gained’t make a lot of a distinction in your life. Should you don’t actually need it, it is likely to be value ready one other 12 months.
Winner: Tie
iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14: Cameras
Yearly, Apple tries its finest to enhance the digicam system of the newer iPhone, however this 12 months, the corporate made an enormous leap ahead with the iPhone 15, marking the primary time since 2015 that Apple has elevated the megapixel rely on a regular iPhone mannequin.
The iPhone 15 now encompasses a 48-megapixel most important digicam, which is far more than the 12-megapixel most important digicam the iPhone 14 has.
Whereas extra megapixels isn’t the identical as higher footage, the brand new digicam system does allow you to take higher footage. Extra importantly, it additionally presents a 2X zoom with out the necessity for a separate telephoto lens — a primary for a non-pro iPhone mannequin.
Nonetheless, both iPhone has an important digicam system for taking superb footage that almost all of us will love. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re an expert photographer or somebody who loves taking footage, you’d be higher off with an iPhone 14 Professional or an iPhone 15 Professional.
Moreover the brand new cameras, Apple additionally made an enormous deal of Focus and Depth Management, which helps you to change the main focus and depth of any image after you are taking it — even when it wasn’t shot in Portrait Mode. That’s a characteristic unique to the iPhone 15, together with an improved Sensible HDR 5 system that guarantees deeper and richer colours.
Winner: iPhone 15
iPhone 15 vs. the iPhone 14: Ought to You Go for the Newer Mannequin?
The iPhone 15 is among the finest updates we’ve had shortly. All its new options, from the Dynamic Island to USB-C and the 48MP digicam, make it an important improve for folks with older iPhones.
With that mentioned, you probably have the iPhone 14, you would possibly wish to skip this 12 months’s iPhone. That’s to not say that it’s not an important buy, however your iPhone 14 nonetheless has a variety of life left in it.
Plus, the brand new options just like the Dynamic Island or USB-C aren’t that large of a cause to improve. Certain, it’s nice to have a USB-C port, but it surely’s solely USB 2.0 Hopefully, Apple will improve it subsequent 12 months, however till then, your iPhone 14 needs to be greater than sufficient for you.
However, if you happen to’re deciding whether or not to go for the iPhone 15 or save a couple of bucks on final 12 months’s iPhone 14, the choice might be a tougher one. At regular costs, the iPhone 15 is value the additional $100 you’ll spend until you’re on a extremely tight finances. Nevertheless, with the Black Friday season upon us, it’s fairly doable to search out higher offers on the older iPhone 14 mannequin that might make it a extra compelling buy.