At an event on Tuesday, Apple finally showed off the iPhone 15 line. The biggest change this year is that the phones now have a USB Type-C port, which is what all top phones have these days. The Dynamic Island, which was only on Pro iPhones from the last generation, is now on all iPhones. The iPhone 15 series has four types, just like the iPhone 14 series did last year. In this piece, we look at the differences between the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 14 Plus.
The iPhone 15 Plus is the second version of the “Plus” model that Apple brought back. It was finally shown off at the Wonderlust 2023 event this year. It’s Apple’s version of the iPhone with a big screen that doesn’t cost as much. What’s different since the Plus was brought back with the iPhone 14 Plus? How do these two versions of the iPhone Plus compare? Find out by reading on. This is a thorough look at how the new iPhone 15 Plus compares to its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Plus.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus Specifications
The iPhone 15 Plus doesn’t have Apple’s newest and best chip, the A17 Pro, which is saved for the iPhone 15 Pro, but it does have the A16 Bionic. The A16 Bionic chip was used in the iPhone 14 Pro models. It is a big improvement over the A14 chip that is in the iPhone 14 Plus.
| Feature | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 14 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Processor | A16 Bionic chip | A15 Bionic chip |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear camera | 48 MP (wide), 12MP ultrawide | 12MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide) |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP |
| Operating system | iOS 17 | iOS 16 |
| Charging | 15W MagSafe wireless | 15W MagSafe wireless |
| Water and dust protection | IP68 | IP68 |
| Connectivity | 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi‑Fi 6 | 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi‑Fi 6 |
| Build | Aluminum with color-infused glass back | Aluminum with glass back |
| Check Price | Check Price |
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Design
The iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 14 Plus look almost the same, with a few small changes. The USB Type-C port, which replaces the old Lighting port, is the biggest change to this year’s iPhones. The front Dynamic Island is another change to the look. Last year, Apple added the Dynamic Island style to the iPhone 14 Pro. This is now available on devices that aren’t Pro.
Dynamic Island is an interactive cutout in the shape of a pill that changes its share based on an alert or message. Apple says that the back glass panel of the phone is colored all the way through for the first time. It is then strengthened with an optimized dual-ion exchange process, polished with nanocrystalline particles, and carved to make a textured matte finish.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Display
The new model is similar to the iPhone 14 Plus in terms of screen size and quality. The iPhone 15 Plus has the same 6.7-inch OLED screen that we know and love from the previous model. It also has the same 60 Hz response rate. Both phones have a resolution of 2796×1290 pixels, which means that there are 460 PPI (pixels per inch) of pixels on the screen. Both phones’ screens look almost the same, but the notch is a big difference. Or rather, the iPhone 15 Plus’s lack of it.
The phone has a hole in the shape of a pill, like the Pro models from last year, and it also has the Dynamic Island feature. There’s also a slight increase in brightness. The iPhone 15 Plus can reach up to 1,600 nits of HDR peak brightness and up to 2,000 nits of outdoor peak brightness. The iPhone 15 Plus doesn’t have ProMotion. Instead, it has the regular 60 Hz frame rate. This also means that the iPhone 15 Plus won’t have a “Always-on” mode, since Apple uses ProMotion to control how long the battery lasts when the display is always on.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Camera
The iPhone 15 Plus has a powerful 48MP wide-angle main camera with f/1.78 aperture, second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 2x Telephoto, and impressive HDR video recording with Dolby Vision support. A secondary 12MP lens with a 120-degree Field of View (FoV) lets you take wide shots. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Plus has a good camera system with a 12MP wide-angle camera with a 7P lens and sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video.
It comes with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens so you can take different kinds of photos. Both models have a 12MP front camera for selfies and video chats, which makes for high-quality self-portraits and smooth conversation. In terms of camera technology, the iPhone 15 Plus is a big step forward from the iPhone 14 Plus. It has more options and more advanced features.
Isn’t it always better to have more megapixels? Okay, that’s not true, but we expect the 48-megapixel main camera on the iPhone 15 Plus to be better than the 12-megapixel main camera on the iPhone 14 Plus. The new 48-megapixel camera will use a method called “pixel-binning” to give you 12-megapixel photos with all the extra information that comes with a higher-megapixel image. But if you want to, you can also take pictures with a higher quality of 24 or 48 megapixels, and the 2x optical zoom is better.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Performance
The A16 engine from last year’s Pro and Pro Max models is in the iPhone 15 Plus. This means that it has more processing power than the iPhone 14 Plus. The usual “tic-tock” cycle keeps going, and this year’s model brings the performance up to the same level as last year’s Pro and Pro Max models. The move to the A16 makes the iPhone 15 Plus more efficient than its predecessor. This is because the A16 is made with a 4nm manufacturing process, while the iPhone 14 Plus and the A15 were made with a 5nm process.
We still need to try this, but thanks to the X65 5G modem, the new iPhone 15 Plus should have faster 5G speeds and better connectivity. It should also perform about the same as the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus both have the same 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and both have the same storage choices. In terms of software, both phones use iOS 17, which can be downloaded starting September 18. You can already download the iOS 17 developer version, so you can try it if you want to. Apple showed off some of the new features at the annual WWDC conference, and you can learn more about them in our piece about iOS 17.
There is a lot of new stuff, like updates to Phone, iMessage, and FaceTime, as well as a new tool called NameDrop, which is a cool name. We now have a separate iOS 17 preview, so if you want a deeper look, you can also check that out. Emergency SOS via satellite is coming to the iPhone 15 Plus, along with a new tool that uses satellite communication: roadside assistance by satellite. As the name suggests, it uses satellite to send a message to AAA Roadside Assistance and get you out of trouble if there’s no network connection.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Connectivity
Both the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 14 Plus have a lot of ways to join. They support 5G for high-speed mobile data, Gigabit-class LTE for fast cellular connection, Wi-Fi 6 for fast wireless internet, and Bluetooth 5.3 for efficient wireless communication. They have an NFC chip for payments and data transfers that don’t require touching, as well as GPS with GLONASS for accurate location services.
Both types have an Ultra Wideband chip that helps them understand their surroundings. This makes them better for location-based apps. The iPhone 14 Plus uses a Lightning port, while the iPhone 15 Plus has a USB Type-C port for flexible connections. Both models also have a water and dust resistance rating of IP68, run on iOS 17, have FaceID for security, and offer high-quality sound through Stereo speakers.
iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Plus: Battery Life
Most likely, the iPhone 15 Plus will keep the same big 4,325mAh battery. Apple doesn’t list sizes on its website, but based on the usage hours, it looks like the same cell. Tests of the iPhone 14 Plus’s battery showed that it worked well. Since the iPhone 15 Plus has the A16 chip, which is made with a more efficient 4nm production process, but keeps the same 60Hz refresh rate on the screen, we expect the new model to have even better battery life (stay tuned for our detailed battery tests).
Even though the iPhone 15 Plus now has a USB-C port, the charge situation is still pretty much the same. The Lightning port on the iPhone 14 Plus can handle up to 20W, which is enough to charge 50% of the battery in 30 minutes. Apple says that the iPhone 15 Plus charges at the same speed with a 20W charger, so there is no change in charging speed (or transfer speed, since USB 3.0 speeds are only available on the Pro models).
Which one is better?
The iPhone 15 Plus is a big improvement over the iPhones that came before it. We’re sad that the base models don’t have a 120Hz ProMotion display, but the upgrades it brings are amazing. First, having a USB Type-C port is a huge plus for people who carry around more than one phone. Next, the iPhone 15 Plus has the same 48MP camera as the iPhone 14 Pro from last year. This is a big step up from the iPhone 14 Plus’s old 12MP sensor.
Then, on the front, we have the Dynamic Island style change. From the very old notch on the front, this is a big change. Aside from that, we’re looking at two phones that are very close in size, battery life, screen, hardware, and software. The price of the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899, which is the same price as when the iPhone 14 Plus came out. If you already have the iPhone 14 Plus, should you get the 15 Plus? Most likely not. But if you’re upgrading from an older iPhone and like big screens, good battery life, and the convenience of a long support cycle, the iPhone 15 Plus is a good choice.
