By Holly, Mozillion Team
What’s the difference between the iPhone 15 Pro and the 13 Pro? Let’s find out.
So the new iPhone 15 Pro has been unveiled and if you’re a 13 Pro owner you may be thinking is it time to upgrade – especially when you hear that the 15 Pro brings with it a brand new build and camera upgrade.
Build and Design: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
Size-wise, both models are very similar. The 15 Pro introduces a new titanium frame, compared to the stainless steel found on the iPhone 13 Pro. This means that the 15 Pro is lighter (about 8% lighter) and also less likely to attract fingerprints.
The 15 Pro ditches the 13 Pro’s Mute switch in favour of a new Action button that can do more because it’s customisable, but the trusty power and volume buttons are the same on both models.
Both models are IP68 water and dust resistance and both have the same display size at 6.1 inches. You’ll notice though on the 15 Pro, the borders around the edge of the screen are thinner.
The standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro display is Dynamic Island, which was also included on the 14 Pro, but not on the 13 Pro.
You’ll also find that the 15 Pro display is a bit brighter than the 13 Pro.
USB-C is now standard: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
It was widely anticipated, and now it’s official – the new iPhone 15 Pro has adopted the USB-C port, replacing the familiar Lightning port that has been a staple of iPhones for years. USB-C is the universal connection found on most Android phones, MacBooks, iPads, and more, making it a welcome standardisation across the iPhone 15 series.
The iPhone 13 features Apple’s pretty reliable lightning port, requiring a lightning cable for charging. Fortunately, these cables are typically included with the device, and long-time iPhone users likely have a collection of them stashed away.
Processing power: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro features the new Apple A17 Pro chip which is the first in the world to use the cutting-edge 3nm tech (tech-speak for ‘powerful’).
The iPhone 13 Pro is powered by the A15 which is still super powerful in terms of smartphone performance but essentially two generations behind.
The iPhone 15 Pro also jumps to 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB on the 13 Pro which helps with intensive multitasking, but if you are considering purchasing an iPhone 13 Pro, you will be pleased to hear that it will run the same iOS 17 software as the 15 Pro despite it being an older model.
Both also have 5G connectivity support, but a new feature (introduced with the 14 series) only available on the 15 Pro is satellite connectivity, which allows you to send an emergency SOS message in places where you have no cell phone coverage.
Camera and Video: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
The triple camera setup on the iPhone 13 Pro is indeed very impressive but the iPhone 15 Pro does take things up a notch when it comes to resolution
Larger camera sensors on the 15 Pro, not only make the cameras physically bigger, but improve photograph quality too. The 15 Pro has a 48MP main rear camera, accompanied by an enhanced 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 12MP 3X zoom lens. In comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro relies on a 12MP main camera sensor, which is still brilliant for photographs and video.
Additionally, the iPhone 15 Pro introduces several noteworthy enhancements, including the ability to capture 24MP photos by default, an improved range of focal lengths achieved through sensor crop, upgraded Portrait Mode that now automatically recognises animals, superior quality for both ultra-wide shots and selfies, and the inclusion of Spatial Video with depth information. The latter becoming useful when Apple launches their AR/VR headset next year.
Scrolling through your snaps on your iPhone, you’re not going to notice a massive amount of difference, but if you like to tinker with your photos and make edits, then the additional features and higher resolutions available on the 15 Pro will likely be of benefit.
Battery: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
There is minimal difference here, both phones offer decent battery life and are near identical. The battery on the 15 Pro is slightly larger at 3,274 mAh compared to the 3,095 mAh battery on the 13 Pro but in practice the battery life is pretty much the same. You may squeeze a bit more out of the 15 Pro when watching video, but we’re talking an extra hour or so.
Summary: iPhone 15 Pro vs 13 Pro
Both the 15 Pro and the 13 Pro share a lot of similarities, although there is a notable difference in cost, particularly when considering refurbished options. The primary upgrades that come with the iPhone 15 Pro include the upgraded 48MP main camera, the introduction of Dynamic Island, a titanium frame for added durability and weight reduction, a speedier chip, and the adoption of USB-C connectivity. However, it’s important to acknowledge that the iPhone 13 Pro will likely remain an excellent choice for many consumers in the coming years, as Apple continues to extend software support and relevance for its iPhones far beyond the industry standard.
At their core, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro offer a similar experience: both deliver swift and fluid performance with their support for 120Hz ProMotion screens, provide reliable battery life, and feature the convenience of MagSafe technology.
The improved camera would be the main reason to upgrade from the 13 Pro to the 15 Pro, but the 13 Pro still remains one of the best smartphones you can buy today.