Apple iPhone 15 Pro vs the competition: Clash of the cameras
What's new on Apple's latest pro-level phones?
Apple announced both the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro during the company's annual fall event. Some of the numerous rumors about the new handsets have been confirmed, while others, like the possibility of an iPhone Ultra, didn't materialize. Like in years past, Apple reserved its newest mobile chip for the Pro model (giving last year's Pro-level chip to the new standard iPhone). The A17 Pro is the first "Pro" chip for an iPhone and sports 19 billion transistors. Apple claims its two performance cores are 10 percent faster than last years's A16.
The long-hoped-for conversion to USB-C charging has been confirmed for all models of the iPhone 15, but the Pro got a few perks that the standard model isn't getting such as the Action Button. Formerly the mute toggle, the button can be programed to quickly activate the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, or your own Shortcuts. The new titanium case, fused to an internal aluminum frame makes this the lightest iPhone Pro yet.
It starts at $999 which is actually the same price as the iPhone 14 Pro, and you can pre-order it on Friday. Before you dive in, you may want to take a moment to compare it to other high-end handsets on the market. Here's a side-by-side comparison highlighting how the specs of the new iPhone 15 Pro compare to Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google's Pixel 7 Pro. Also be sure to read some early impressions of the high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max from Engadget's Deputy Reviews Editor, Cherlynn Low, who was on the ground in Cupertino covering Tuesday's event.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | Google Pixel 7 Pro | |
Pricing | Starts at $999 | Starts at $1,200 | Starts at $899 |
Release date | September 22, 2023 | February 17, 2023 | October 13, 2022 |
Dimensions | 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 in (146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm) | 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm) | 6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm) |
Weight | 6.60 oz (187 g) | 8.25 oz (234 g) | 7.48 oz (212 g) |
Operating system | iOS | Android | Android |
Screen size | 6.1 in | 6.8 in | 6.7 in |
Screen resolution | 2556 x 1179 at 460ppi | 3088 x 1440 at 501ppi | 3120 x 1440 at 512ppi |
Screen type (refresh rate) | Super Retina XDR (120Hz) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz) | LTPO OLED (120Hz) |
Processor | A17 Pro chip | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Tensor G2 |
Water and dust resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
Battery | unlisted | 5000mAh | 5000mAh |
RAM | unlisted | 8GB /12GB | 12GB |
Internal storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
Rear camera(s) | Three cameras: Main: 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture Ultrawide, 2x optical zoom: 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture Telephoto, 3x optical zoom: 12MP, ƒ/2.8 | Four cameras: Wide: 200MP, ƒ/1.7 aperture Ultrawide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture Telephoto, 3x optical zoom: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture Telephoto, 10x optical zoom: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture | Three cameras: Main: 50MP, ƒ/1.85 aperture Ultrawide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture Telephoto, 5x optical zoom: 48MP, ƒ/3.5 aperture |
Video capture | 4K at 60 fps | 8K at 30 fps | 4K at 60 fps |
Front camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 10.8MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture |
Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
Charging | 20W fast charging, 15W wireless | 45W fast charging, 15W wireless | 23W fast charging, 23W wireless |
Connector | USB-C 3 | UCB-C | USB-C |
Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.
