The iPhone 15 line includes four devices, but for those who want larger phones, the decision is simple: iPhone 15 Plus or iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This is an unusual smartphone generation, with the Pro and non-Pro lines becoming closer in some areas while becoming further apart in others. Indeed, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has distanced itself from the rest of the lineup, including the iPhone 15 Pro.
But, with all of that in mind, which of Apple’s large phones should you purchase? To help you answer that question, we’ve included a full, specs-based comparison below, as well as our findings from the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max reviews.
We know many people lament the loss of the little phone, as many smartphones are now quite huge. However, for some, a large screen is preferable. With the iPhone, you don’t have two options depending on how high-end you want. The following are the significant differences between the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
IPHONE 15 PLUS VS IPHONE 15 PRO MAX: SPECS COMPARISON
We’ll get into more detail later, but first, let’s go over the important stats. Here’s an overview of the important iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max specifications.
CAMERA
The photography experience is perhaps the most significant change between the iPhone 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max. That’s likely to be the decisive factor for many. At the end of the day, if you don’t use the camera very much, the iPhone 15 Plus is ideal for casual social media posting and sending images of your pets to friends and family. On the other hand, if you enjoy playing with cameras or have semi-professional needs, the Pro Max is an obvious pick.
The Pro Max not only provides additional flexibility with three specialized cameras (ultrawide, primary, and 5x telephoto), but the camera hardware is also superior. The main camera has a larger sensor, the ultrawide camera outperforms the 15 Plus, and a 3D ToF sensor in the back allows for additional functionality. Oh, and the ultrawide camera includes autofocus, which allows for macro photography. When comparing the 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max during the day, the difference is not noticeable. After all, most phones now shoot amazing images during the day.
The most evident distinction is found inside the ultrawide. Even in decent lighting, the 15 Plus’ ultrawide camera is unimpressive.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
At first glance, and even second view, these two super-sized phones appear very similar, with the huge, flat-edged appearance that has been prevalent for several years continuing into this generation, albeit with slightly rounder corners.
Apple has also added Dynamic Island to the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15, making the Plus and Pro Max appear extremely close from the front, albeit not identical, as Apple has reduced the size of the bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This reduces the Pro Max’s overall dimensions to 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3mm, compared to the 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm iPhone 15 Plus. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly heavier at 221g, whereas the iPhone 15 Plus weighs 201g.
Apple’s Pro models have generally had polished stainless steel frames, distinguishing them from the muted aluminum of non-Pro versions. Not so with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which employs an even more premium material in the shape of titanium. Other notable design distinctions include the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s extra camera lens and the replacement of the iPhone 15 Plus’ standard alert switch with a configurable Action button.
The iPhone 15 Plus is available in black, blue, green, yellow, and pink, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium. Finally, one alteration on both phones is a transition from Lightning to USB on the charging port front, so the bottoms look nearly identical.
Both of these phones have 6.7-inch OLED panels with a resolution of 1290 x 2796 and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. However, while the Pro Max’s LTPO panel can refresh at speeds ranging from 1 to 120Hz, the iPhone 15 Plus is limited to 60Hz.
As a result, only the Pro Max supports Apple’s always-on display feature, which keeps essential information visible even when the phone is asleep. Overall, when we evaluated these phones, we were impressed by both screens, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a greater refresh rate and always-on feature, making it the clear winner.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
In 2022, Apple made the historic decision to split its smartphone line, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus using an older and less capable CPU than the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. We’ve observed the same problem with the iPhone 15 series.
Specifically, the iPhone 15 Pro Max features the brand new 3nm A17 Pro processor, while the iPhone 15 Plus retains the 4nm A16 Bionic seen in the iPhone 14 Pro. The Pro Max chipset is thus significantly quicker and more efficient. This huge performance advantage has also been backed by more RAM, as the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 8GB over the iPhone 15 Plus’s 6GB.
Still, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is very powerful, aside from its ability to play recent console games like Resident Evil: Village, there’s little that demands that power, and the iPhone 15 Plus should provide almost identical performance daily.
GET THE IPHONE 15 PLUS FOR:
- A lighter and slimmer body.
- The charging speed is slightly faster.
- The significantly cheaper price tag.
- The same huge screen and battery life as the most costly iPhone.
GET THE IPHONE 15 PRO FOR:
- Better display and performance.
- An improved camera experience.
- The more upscale design.
- The best speakers.
- Double base storage.
- Better connectivity features.
