iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: What Are The Differences? Which One Should You Buy?

Apple recently announced four new iPhone models at the 'It’s Glowtime’ event in Cupertino, California. While the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and iPhone 16 Pro Max all retained the same price tag as their predecessors, the iPhone 16 Pro got a price cut over last year’s iPhone 15 Pro.

While Apple has discontinued the iPhone 15 Pro, along with several other phones on their website, it continues to be available on other third-party sites. But given the price of the new iPhone 16 Pro let’s find out which is the better option.

iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: Full Specifications Comparison

iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: Full Specs Comparison

Apple iPhone 15 Pro	Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Apple A17 Pro SoC	Apple A18 Pro SoC
6.1-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR (1179 x 2556 pixels) OLED Display, 1Hz-120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 2,000 nits Brightness, 461 PPI Density	6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR (1206 x 2622 pixels) OLED Display, 1Hz-120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 2,000 nits Brightness, 458 PPI Density
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB	128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
48 MP, f/1.8, Sensor-Shift OIS, Dual-Pixel PDAF (Main) + 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ FOV (Ultrawide) + 12 MP, f/2.8, PDAF, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom (Telephoto) + TOF 3D LiDAR (Depth)	48 MP, f/1.8, Sensor-Shift OIS, Dual-Pixel PDAF (Main) + 48 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ FOV (Ultrawide) + 12 MP, f/2.8, PDAF, Sensor-Shift OIS, 5x Optical Zoom (Telephoto) + TOF 3D LiDAR (Depth)
12 MP, f/1.9, PDAF (Front Camera) + SL 3D (Depth/Biometrics)	12 MP, f/1.9, PDAF (Front Camera) + SL 3D (Depth/Biometrics)
50% in 30 min (USB Type-C 3.0 Charging), 15% MagSafe (Wireless Charging), 7.5% Qi (Wireless Charging)	50% in 30 min (Lightning Charging), 25% MagSafe (Wireless Charging), 15% Qi2 (Wireless Charging)
IP68 Rating	IP68 Rating
iOS 17, Ultra Wideband 2, Face ID	iOS 18, Ultra Wideband , Face ID
Colours:Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium	Colour: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium
Starting Price Rs 1,24,200	Starting Price Rs 1,19,900

Design, Build, Display

The iPhone 16 Pro is slightly larger than its predecessor, although the screen now has even slimmer bezels, which makes the difference nearly negligible. Moreover, the new iPhone 16 Pro also features tougher Ceramic Shield protection over the screen.

Other design and build aspects of the iPhone 16 Pro are the same as the iPhone 15 Pro. While the iPhone 16 Pro does have a larger display than its predecessor, their specifications are nearly identical.

Performance

The iPhone 16 Pro gets a major update on the performance front, courtesy of the A18 Pro chipset. We haven’t tested the new iPhone 16 Pro models, although Apple has given us information about its performance gains. According to the tech giant, the 3nm A18 Pro offers a 15% bump in CPU performance and has a 20% faster GPU than the A17 Pro. Moreover, it also features a 17% increase in total system bandwidth.

Cameras

Perhaps the biggest upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro comes on the camera front. While both the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro share the same 48MP primary camera sensor, the other two shooters have been upgraded. First off, the ultrawide lens now uses a 48MP shooter, which is expected to deliver better low-light performance.

Moreover, the iPhone 16 Pro ditches the 3x telephoto sensor for a new 5x zoom camera, same as the iPhone 16 Pro Max and 15 Pro Max. Both iPhone Pro models also share the same selfie camera. Lastly, the iPhone 16 Pro can also capture 4K video at up to 120fps, previously limited to 1080p on the iPhone 15 Pro.

Software, Battery

Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro will run the latest version of Apple’s software, iOS 18, although the former will get an additional year of OS and software updates. Finally, Apple hasn’t mentioned specifications, although the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to feature a larger cell and better battery life than its predecessor. Moreover, it also supports faster MagSafe wireless charging support.

iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro: Which One Should You Buy?

Despite the recent price drop of the iPhone 15 Pro, Rs 1,24,200 (Amazon), it is still more expensive than the latest iPhone 16 Pro. Moreover, the iPhone 16 Pro also offers a ton of advantages over its predecessor. If you could find a retailer offering the iPhone 15 Pro for under Rs 1,00,000, then we’d suggest opting for it instead.

However, anything more than the one lakh mark and you’re better off sticking to the iPhone 16 Pro. Moreover, the iPhone 16 Pro now features the same specifications as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, albeit in a smaller form factor.