Apple’s iPhone 15 elicited the same reaction that many people have when new iPhones are released: “It’s the same as the iPhone 14!” However, although this was generally true for the iPhone 14 against the 13, it is not entirely true with the iPhone 15.
Surprisingly, the iPhone 15 is a significant leap over the iPhone 14. There’s a lot to speak about, from the updated design and Dynamic Island to the new processor and USB-C connector on the bottom.
Of course, they aren’t radically different iPhones, and they provide the same basic experience. You might be wondering if you should get a brand new iPhone 15 or save a few bucks and go with the iPhone 14. Let’s look at their differences and decide which one is best for you.
Similar designs, and different colors: The iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 appear to be very similar. They’re both 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes with metal rails and glass backs, and they’re easy to confuse if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
However, there are several crucial tweaks that help the iPhone 15 avoid feeling like yet another recycled version of the iPhone 12’s design, which is essentially what the 14 was. The back glass is now a single piece for a cleaner design, and the corners are gently curved for a more comfortable grip. The bezels are also slimmer, giving the iPhone 15 a more modern appearance.
Apple is also introducing a new color palette with the iPhone 15, which will likely take some getting used to due to its pallor. The iPhone 13 comes in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black colors, whereas the iPhone 14 comes in blue, purple, yellow, midnight, starlight, and PRODUCT(RED). The latter’s colors are far more brilliant and saturated, so choose the iPhone 14 if you want a yellow or blue iPhone that really jumps.
Aside from a few cosmetic changes to help update it (and some minor new colors), the iPhone 15 appears pretty similar to the iPhone 14, which means you’ll get a good-looking phone regardless of which model you choose.
The Dynamic Island vs. the notch: If you liked the Dynamic Island on last year’s iPhone 14 Pro and thought, “I want this on a normal iPhone,” you’ll enjoy the iPhone 15.
Apple dropped the feature from the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, replacing the notch. It’s a pill-shaped cutout that stores all of the sensors required for Face ID to function, and it’s surrounded by a custom software layer that brings the cutout to life. The Dynamic Island may be used to manage music playback, track timers, watch sports scores with Live Activities, and much more. It’s also an excellent interface for phone calls, which appear at the top of the screen when you receive one.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 retains the more typical notch to house all of the Face ID sensors. It doesn’t come alive in any way, and it makes the 14 feel a little out of date. However, you may prefer the more mundane nature of the notch, in which case the older iPhone is a no-brainer.
TL;DR: The Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15 is a wonderful enhancement, but if you’re still on the notch bandwagon, grab the iPhone 14.
The cameras in the iPhone 15 are vastly improved over those on the 14: If you want the best photography, the iPhone 15 is unquestionably the victor.
Apple improved its main lens to a new 48-megapixel sensor, which is four times the megapixels of the primary lens on the iPhone 14. Because you can capture full-blown 48MP shots (if you wish), you can get more accurate colors, better nighttime performance, and sharper images. Furthermore, you can use the center 12MP of the sensor to zoom in without sacrificing clarity, which is a very useful function.
In addition, you get a superior 12MP ultra-wide camera with reduced lens flare, better portrait mode images, and 4K video compatibility in Cinematic mode.
Meanwhile, the camera system of the iPhone 14 is far more basic. It has a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, both of which were carried over from the iPhone 13, so they’re a touch outdated. The photo and video quality is consistently outstanding, and you’ll be pleased with the results, but they’re not the most proficient cameras Apple sells. You won’t be able to take advantage of the increased resolution of the iPhone 15’s cameras, as well as any of the new portrait mode features.
Both phones have 12MP selfie cameras that should operate similarly, so you’ll get consistent selfie quality across the board.
The cameras in the iPhone 14 are solid and dependable, but if you want the ultimate photography experience, grab the iPhone 15.
The performance of the iPhone 15 should be significantly better than that of the iPhone 14. Apple’s latest phone contains its A16 Bionic CPU, which provides faster everyday performance, greater graphics performance while gaming, and enhanced efficiency.
The A15 Bionic chip inside the iPhone 14 is no slouch. After making its debut with the iPhone 13 in 2021, it’s still an amazing beast, routinely outperforming most premium Android phones on the market. Those looking for the best performance from their phones, on the other hand, should go with the iPhone 15.
The newer chip also means that the iPhone 15 will receive software updates for a longer period of time. It’s already widely established that Apple supports newer iPhones for a longer period of time than older models, and the same is true for its current generation. Whereas the iPhone 14 will most certainly get iOS 21 in a few years, the iPhone 15 could get iOS 22 or 23, based on Apple’s software upgrade history. That is obviously thinking far into the future, but it is something to consider if you intend to use your phone for many years.
Furthermore, the iPhone 15 will very certainly feature a greater battery life than the iPhone 14. How much longer do we have? We don’t know because we haven’t gotten a chance to review the new one yet. However, Apple confirmed that the batteries in the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are larger than those in the 14 and 14 Plus, and when combined with the extra efficiency of the A16 Bionic chip — the same processor that powered last year’s long-lasting 14 Pro and Pro Max — you should be able to get through a full day and then some with the iPhone 15 series.
