Why the iPhone 15 Is a Game-Changer, Even for Seasoned Professionals – Exclusive Review

Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus 4 / 5 Very good

pros and cons

Pros

• Sleek, matte-frosted design for a superb hand feel
• Dynamic Island replaces the aging notch
• Pro-grade A16 Bionic chip
• USB-C, finally!
• Reliable camera system

Cons

• Slower charging and data transfer speeds than Pro models
• New colors are uninspiring
• 60Hz display is a dealbreaker for some
• Battery life on the standard iPhone 15 is subpar

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more buying choices

This review was originally published on May 22, 2023, and was updated on September 4, 2024.

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ZDNET’s buying advice

Months of testing have proved that Apple’s standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus bear more “Pro” features than ever before, including a Dynamic Island for more seamless multitasking, a 48MP camera system that – when paired with the A16 Bionic chip – consistently produces eye-catching imagery, and a new satin-finished design that left me with no envy for more expensive iPhone models.

If you don’t see yourself shooting videos in ProRAW, requiring the extra Action button, or drooling over the 5X zoom camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max , you’ll be plenty comfortable with the $799 iPhone 15 and $899 iPhone 15 Plus. Between the two, buy the former if you want one of the most compact (yet capable) handsets on the market, and buy the latter if you want a more affordable big-screen iPhone and the best battery life of all the models in the latest lineup.

Specifications

How I tested the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

Whenever I review the latest iPhones , I spend a few weeks testing them, but this time, I went longer. I spent about half of the year using both units. I had my Mint Mobile eSIM installed on the smaller iPhone 15 for the first three months and then transferred to the iPhone 15 Plus for the other half. A good part of my long-term evaluation process includes testing cellular connectivity (read: using the devices in crowded areas, on top of buildings, in subways, and more), day-to-day performance, and taking more photos than a standard free subscription to iCloud can contain.

The difference between the two latest iPhone handsets mainly boils down to display size and battery life; unlike the Pro models, there’s no camera hardware discrepancy, which means the general user experience of the two is pleasantly similar. That made my life as a phone reviewer a little easier – and makes the list below all the more applicable to both iPhone models.

What are the iPhone 15’s best features?

Thinner, lighter form factor: Without question, the most important aspect of a phone is how it feels in hand – we carry these things around everywhere, all the time – and with the latest iPhone, it’s baffling how much more premium it feels compared to previous generations. Whether you’re coming from an iPhone XR or an iPhone 14, the glossy, sharp-cornered form factor of old pales compared to Apple’s new design language, which flaunts contoured edges and a color-infused, satin backing. Apple has always kept the matte finish exclusive to its Pro line, so I’m all for the iPhone 15 being a little more disruptive.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Less is more here, and Apple’s slimming down of the base-level iPhone has made it so comfortable in my hand that I didn’t – and still don’t – envy the Pro model’s titanium material one bit. The iPhone 15 also comes in more charming colors than the Pro line, with pastel – and emphasis on “pastel” – hues of green, yellow, pink, blue, and black. For me, matte black is king, easily matching my favorite (though flawed) iPhone finish of all time.

Dynamic Island: The most notable display upgrade with the iPhone 15 is the Dynamic Island, carried over from the previous year’s iPhone 14 Pro. (The brighter 2,000-nit display comes in a close second.) It’s a feature that everyone can appreciate – whether you end up using it or not – because, unlike the notch that it replaced, the Dynamic Island turns that chunk of previously unused real estate into a glanceable status indicator system.

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You don’t have to interact with the Spotify music player or Uber Eats tracker that magically morphs into the pill-shaped cutout to appreciate its functionality. If you do, though, you’ll be glad you no longer have to open an app just to skip a track or know how much further away your game-day pizzas are. I’ve enjoyed using the Lumy app, which displays a timer for when golden hour ends, so I know exactly how long I have left to take those warm and dreamy photos before sunset.

USB-C port: This one should be more straightforward than it seems, but Apple’s crisscrossing of charging standards and data transfer speeds means that it’s not. While the iPhone 15 now supports the universal USB-C port, meaning I no longer have to wrestle through my car’s center console for a Lightning cable or USB cable depending on what phone I’m using, it’s not as powerful and fast as the one on the iPhone 15 Pro.

The iPhone 15 can also charge other phones and accessories, including this SmallRig video light that I use when filming.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

The result is a slower charging rate (up to 18W) and data transfer speed (up to 480Mbps), which I haven’t found to be deal-breakers. Part of the reason is that the iPhone 15 Plus, in particular, has been an absolute endurance beast, lasting me well into a second workday before needing to be charged. It even beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s battery life, as reported by numerous testers.

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Naturally, I’ve been topping it up when I’m deep at work or cooking, when how quickly the phone charges is the least of my worries. (Second note: The smaller iPhone 15’s battery life has been less spectacular, netting me well under a day of usage.) I’ve also gotten so used to using AirDrop and cloud services for file transfers, especially for time-sensitive photos and videos captured at press events, that the slower data transfer speed is insignificant to my workflow.

48-megapixel camera: Speaking of which, both the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature a new 48MP main camera that defaults to 24MP capturing (by combining the low-light capabilities of a 12MP binned photo and the detail of the 48MP), and I was satisfied with its output. The iPhone’s color science leans more natural, prioritizing the finer details like subjects underneath shadows and how evenly lit everything in the frame is.

Here’s the Wythe Hotel captured with the iPhone 15 Plus’ 12-megapixel ultrawide lens.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

The image above, when captured on a Samsung Galaxy S23 or a OnePlus 11, made the sky more blue, the trees unnaturally vibrant, and the traffic lights a more polarizing neon yellow. Of course, which camera output is better comes down to personal preference, and in some cases, I actually prefer the more processed but ready-to-share stills that I get from a competing Android device .

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The iPhone 15’s 48MP camera can also function as a telephoto lens with a 2x zoom. Apple calls it a 2x “optical” zoom, but from what I’ve seen when comparing the optically zoomed photo to one I manually cropped in, the difference is negligible. As for low-light photography, I’m glad to see Apple embracing the darkness and not making an otherwise moody, sunsetting environment look like the middle of the day, as depicted below.

Tip: iOS 17 gives you a leveler in the camera app to help you frame and straighten photos just right.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

With the iPhone 15’s camera system, its video capabilities stand out to me the most. Of all the phones I’ve tested, nothing comes close to the raw output that I get from an iPhone camera, from the image stabilization that doesn’t make a buzzing effect every step that I take to how consistent colors are when switching between the main wide lens to the ultrawide.

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Should I upgrade from my older iPhone?

It’s true that consumers are now upgrading their smartphones at a slower rate , spending three years or more with their devices before switching to the next best thing. If you’re coming from an older iPhone model, here’s how it stacks up with the iPhone 15 and the biggest differences you can expect.

What I’d like to see in the next model

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

90Hz refresh rate, if not 120Hz: My biggest critique of the iPhone 15 is its display refresh rate. Not everyone will notice the difference between a 60Hz panel and a 120Hz panel, but as someone who carries a secondary Android phone at all times, it’s hard not to acknowledge the less fluid iPhone display. This may also be a dealbreaker if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro and have gotten used to the Pro Motion panels.

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Is this Apple’s way of splitting up the non-Pro and Pro models? Probably. I don’t take for granted that fewer animations mean the iPhone 15 is more battery efficient than the Pro, but in a world where even sub-$200 phones have 120Hz displays, I really wish that Apple gave its $800 iPhone something smoother on the eyes.

An Action button: Given how many iPhone 14 Pro features Apple carried over to the iPhone 15, I have my fingers crossed that Apple will replace the alert slider with the Action button this year. Over the course of testing the latest iPhones, I’ve used the alert slider less than a dozen times. An Action button would give the iPhone much more functionality.

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Final thought

It’s easy to call the standard iPhone model the “Best iPhone for most people.” That’s been the case since Apple introduced a Pro variant with the iPhone 11 series, and still holds true with the iPhone 15 . Only now, I’m finding myself recommending the non-Pro iPhone to more users than ever before, including folks I’ve known to be more demanding of their tech. Apple’s made just enough feature upgrades (and a few compromises that may be imperceivable to some) to help the latest iPhone model stand out, even when stacked against the generation before it.

Alternatives to consider

BEST IPHONE 15 ALTERNATIVE Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and with a $100 discount, so if you don’t need the latest features – and want to save yourself a Benjamin – they’re both viable alternatives. View at Apple BEST SAMSUNG ALTERNATIVE Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Samsung offers standard and Plus-sized options of its flagship phone, the Galaxy S24, squarely competing against Apple’s iPhone 15. The big draw with the Galaxy is the additional 10MP telephoto lens, 120Hz display, and AI features. View at Samsung BEST GOOGLE ALTERNATIVE Google Pixel 9 Google’s Pixel 9 stands tall as the best Android alternative. This flagship model is powered by the tech giant’s new Tensor G4 chipset and brings an updated design plus a slew of AI-powered features. View at Google

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