What can the iPhone 15 Pro (Max) do? The most important features at a glance
feature | details |
display | iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 120 Hz iPhone 15 Pro Max: 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 120 Hz |
Performance | A17 Pro Bionic, 8 GB RAM |
camera | 48 MP main camera, 12 MP ultra-wide angle, 12 MP telephoto (3x optical zoom on Pro, 5x optical zoom on Pro Max), 12 MP front camera |
water and dust protection | IP68 (up to 6 meters for 30 minutes) |
connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C 3.0, NFC, dual SIM (nano + eSIM) |
Other Features | Titanium case, Dynamic Island, Face ID, Always-On-Display, ProMotion, MagSafe, 20W fast charging, reverse wireless charging |
What inspires us and what is missing
👍 Lightweight titanium case: More robust and noticeably lighter than its predecessors with stainless steel frames.
👍 Powerful A17 Pro chip: Extremely fast performance, ideal for gaming and demanding applications.
👍 Better telephoto camera (Pro-Max): 5x optical zoom for better detail shots and more flexibility.
👎 High price: The Pro Max in particular is more expensive than many competing models.
👎 Battery could be better: While solid, it's not the best in the pro category, especially under heavy loads.
How long will the iPhone 15 Pro (Max) receive software updates?
Apple offers long software support for its iPhones, and the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to receive iOS updates until at least 2029. Typically, Apple provides its devices with new iOS versions for 5-6 years. Even after that, there are often security patches to keep the device secure.
➡ The iPhone 15 Pro will remain relevant for a long time to come – if you are looking for a future-proof smartphone, you are on the safe side here.
Powercheck: What can the iPhone 15 Pro (Max) do?
The A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro (Max) brings even more power and efficiency. Apps start lightning fast, games run smoothly and even demanding tasks such as 4K video editing or AI applications are no problem. Thanks to modern architecture and an improved GPU, the device delivers top performance while maintaining good battery life. This means that it will remain a strong choice for anyone who wants maximum speed and stability in the coming years.
➡ A smartphone that perfectly combines performance and future-proofing.
Model | Geekbench Single-Core | Geekbench Multi-Core |
---|---|---|
iPhone 15 Pro | 2891 | 7177 |
iPhone 14 Pro | 2602 | 6687 |
iPhone 16 Pro | 3443 | 8542 |
These values come from Geekbench 6, a popular benchmark tool for measuring processor performance. The scores provide an initial orientation to the raw performance of a chip, but do not always reflect everyday performance - factors such as software optimization, battery status and background processes influence the result.
📌 You can learn more about the significance of Geekbench scores in our blog article.
How good is the camera on the iPhone 15 Pro (Max)?
Tech YouTuber Mango Street tested the iPhone 15 Pro's camera and shows what has improved and where Apple sticks with the tried and tested. Here are the key findings:
📸 main camera: 48 MP with variable focal length (24mm, 28mm, 35mm) – flexible and detailed, especially in RAW recordings.
🔍 ultra-wide angle: 12 MP with 120° field of view – solid quality, no major innovations.
🔭 telephoto: 3x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro (77mm), 5x zoom on the Pro Max (120mm) – good addition for portraits and distant subjects.
🎥 video recordings: 4K ProRes in 10-bit and for the first time with log – significantly more scope for color corrections.
🏃♂️ Action Mode: Improved stabilization, works up to 2.8K – ensures buttery smooth recordings.
🔌 USB-C advantages: External SSDs can be connected for ProRes recordings without storage limits.
🛠 RAW photos: DNG files with great editing flexibility – particularly useful for photographers.
➡ The iPhone 15 Pro offers professional features for photography and videography. If you often shoot with your smartphone and value flexible focal lengths and ProRes video, you'll get a major upgrade.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6XiI6-hMuo
Battery life of the iPhone 15 Pro (Max) – how does it perform?
In a test by tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss, the iPhone 15 Pro achieved a battery life of around 9 hours and 20 minutes under intensive use. This puts the Pro model behind the standard iPhone 15 (almost 10 hours) and far behind the iPhone 15 Plus (around 13h 20min).The iPhone 15 Pro Max achieved a battery life of about 11 hours and 40 minutes, performing only slightly better than older Max models such as the iPhone 14 Pro Max (almost 11h) or the iPhone 13 Pro Max (just over 11h).
➡ The iPhone 15 Pro is easily enough for a day of normal and intensive use, but if you want maximum battery life, you're better off with the Pro Max or 15 Plus.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq-XWcq5esE&t=458s
📱GSMArena: “Compact, powerful and finally with USB-C”
Tech YouTuber GSMArena has tested the iPhone 15 Pro extensively and shows what has been improved compared to its predecessor – and where Apple is relying on tried and tested features.
What convinces:
✔ Titanium case – Lighter and more robust than stainless steel, more comfortable in the hand
✔ A17 Pro Chip – 10% faster CPU, hardware-accelerated ray tracing for better graphics
✔ New action button – freely assignable for quick access such as camera or focus mode
✔ USB-C with USB 3.0 – Faster data transfer and connection of external storage
✔ Camera improvements – 24 MP standard photos, more flexible focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, 35mm)
✔ Strong video quality – 4K ProRes recordings in 10-bit log, stabilized action videos
Where it is weak:
❌ iPhone 15 Pro battery life shorter than Max and Plus models – Only 9h 20min with intensive use
❌ Telephoto camera remains at 3x zoom – The 5x periscope zoom is reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro Max
❌ No charging adapter included – Despite USB-C only slow cables included
➡ The iPhone 15 Pro is a high-end option with big improvements in design, performance and camera. If you want maximum battery life and better zoom, go for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LogFbMb58w&t=19s
Our conclusion: Is the iPhone 15 Pro the right choice?
The iPhone 15 Pro brings useful improvements: a lighter titanium case, the powerful A17 Pro chip and finally USB-C. The camera is more flexible, ProRes video recordings are better than ever and the new action button provides more individuality.
However, the battery life is not as good as the Max and Plus models, and the 5x zoom is reserved for the Pro Max. If you are looking for a compact, powerful iPhone with top performance, you can't go wrong here. If, on the other hand, you want maximum battery life or better zoom, you should get the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro take a closer look.