iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 15 Buyer's Guide: 20+ Upgrades Compared

The iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus are Apple's latest standard iPhone models, sporting some bigger upgrades than seen in recent years, but how different really are the two successive ‌iPhone‌ generations?

iPhone 14 vs 15 Buyers Guide
In 2022, Apple unveiled the ‌iPhone‌ 14 as the successor to the popular ‌iPhone‌ 13, offering 2GB more memory, longer battery life, the Photonic Engine, Action mode, Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, and more. As devices that are more affordable than the "Pro" models, but more full-featured than the low-cost ‌iPhone‌ SE, the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus will likely be the most popular option for many customers, starting at a price of $799 for the 128GB model. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus continue to be available from Apple for $699 and $799, respectively.

As the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone 15‌ share the overwhelming majority of their features, should you consider buying or sticking with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 to save money? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two ‌iPhone‌ models is best for you, and serves as a way to clearly see the differences that the ‌iPhone 15‌ brings to the table. This article focuses on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone 15‌, Apple's standard ‌iPhone‌ models, but to understand the differences between the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, see our other buyer's guide:

The ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone 15‌ both feature the same display sizes, battery life, 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, and more. Nevertheless, the ‌iPhone 15‌ still offers a number of substantial upgrades, such as the Dynamic Island, USB-C port, and 48-megapixel camera.

‌iPhone‌ 14 ‌iPhone 15‌
Aluminum chassis with squared-off edges Aluminum chassis with contoured edges
Glossy glass back Color-infused frosted glass back
"Notch" TrueDepth camera array ‌Dynamic Island‌
800 nits max brightness (typical) 1,000 nits max brightness (typical)
1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR) 1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
A15 Bionic chip A16 Bionic chip
5-core GPU 5-core GPU with 50% more memory bandwidth
12-megapixel main camera with ƒ/1.5 aperture 48-megapixel main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture
0.5x and 1x optical zoom options 0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options
24- and 48-megapixel super-high-resolution photos
Smart HDR 4 Smart HDR 5
Portrait mode with Focus and Depth Control Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
Night mode and Night mode portraits Improved Night mode and Night mode portraits
Improved audio quality on phone calls
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (connects from 3x further away)
Precision Finding for Find My friends
Lightning port USB-C port
Support for Qi wireless charging Support for Qi2 wireless charging
Setting to prevent charging above 80%
Battery manufacture date, first use, and cycle count information in Settings
Yellow, Blue, Purple, (PRODUCT)RED, Starlight, and Midnight color options Yellow, Blue, Pink, Green, and Black color options

The ‌iPhone 15‌'s upgrades over the ‌iPhone‌ 14 are fairly substantial, offering a more refined and appealing design with contoured edges, frosted back glass, and the ‌Dynamic Island‌. Features like the brighter display and USB-C port are meaningful quality-of-life enhancements that all users will be able to take advantage of. The 48-megapixel main camera, 2x optical zoom option, next-generation portraits, Smart HDR 5, and improved Night mode also make for a significant overall camera improvement for average users. Iterative changes like the A16 Bionic and support for Qi2 are also welcome refinements.

Depending on what sort of user you are, it may not be worth upgrading from an ‌iPhone‌ 13 or ‌iPhone‌ 14 model to the ‌iPhone 15‌ unless you actively want several of the new features, but the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus seem to be an unusually large upgrade for Apple's non-Pro iPhones. As a result, a large number of users with one of these older devices may be able to justify upgrading to an ‌iPhone 15‌ model. Those with an ‌iPhone‌ 11 or older will definitely receive a major upgrade by purchasing an ‌iPhone 15‌.

For everyday users, it is worth noting that the switch to USB-C on the ‌iPhone 15‌ will make any Lightning cables and accessories you have redundant, meaning you'll need to purchase a $29 adapter or use a new cable. If you're coming from a much older device, you will also likely need to buy a new power adapter. If you are unhappy about this change, then it may be worth sticking with what you have for another year, but it is worth highlighting that the switch to USB-C is beneficial in the long term since it is a standard port used across a wide range of devices.

Since the ‌iPhone 15‌ is a mostly noteworthy upgrade, it is generally not worth buying an ‌iPhone‌ 14 model instead, unless it can be found for a significantly lower price. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus are only a year old and still very good devices, but the ‌iPhone 15‌ has a range of improvements that are likely to make it age better and be slightly more useful over time, which warrants its higher price.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

abatabia Avatar
24 months ago
I feel like the regular 15 quietly stole the show this year.

This is the model to get.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mitsjke Avatar
24 months ago
The '2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)' is a joke. I have the 13 Pro and the '2000 nits brightness' is only working for 5 seconds => then it gets overheated and dims to 1 nit. Same with my partner's iPhone 14 Pro max. Living in San Francisco, so you might think Apple tests devices outside of their offices.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iFishishh Avatar
24 months ago

The '2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)' is a joke. I have the 13 Pro and the '2000 nits brightness' is only working for 5 seconds => then it gets overheated and dims to 1 nit. Same with my partner's iPhone 14 Pro max. Living in San Francisco, so you might think Apple tests devices outside of their offices.
From Apple for iPhone 13 and 13 Pro:

* 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
* 1000 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits max brightness (HDR)

Your 13 is nowhere near 2,000 nits
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cibonak Avatar
24 months ago
"It may not be worth upgrading from an iPhone 12 ('https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-12/'), ‌iPhone 13‌, or ‌iPhone 14‌ model to the ‌iPhone 15‌ unless you actively want several of the new features"


nor worth from iphone 12???
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
siddavis Avatar
24 months ago
I need to go back to elementary school to learn the definition of substantial.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hybrid_x Avatar
24 months ago
This is the first Apple phone launch in how long that did not include a (PRODUCT)RED option. Kind of disappointed. The anodized red looks just amazing.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)