Apple releases several iPhones every year, giving people options in terms of size and features. In 2024, the line iPhone 15 includes four different models.
The regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are ideal for those who don’t need a telephoto lens and don’t care about the action button or 1TB of storage. But anyone who wants a more “professional” experience has the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
You might be thinking, “Well, if I want the best iPhone 15 model, get the iPhone 15 Pro Max,” right? Although it is considered the “top-tier” iPhone 15 model, it is not for everyone. Here’s why you should consider the smaller iPhone 15 Pro.
Not everyone likes giant phones
The biggest difference, at least on the surface, between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is the size. The iPhone 15 Pro only has a 6.1-inch screen, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is larger with a 6.7-inch screen.
Both are Super Retina XDR OLED displays with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates. And they have always-on technology, although you can turn it off if you prefer.
So why go for the smaller iPhone 15 Pro? Well, even though it seems like everyone is buying giant phones, it’s almost impossible to use them comfortably with just one hand, especially if you have smaller hands.
Want another reason why smaller is better? The iPhone 15 Pro is easier to fit into pockets and bags.
Among my circle of family and friends, I’m usually the only one with the smallest phone. They always ask me why I didn’t get the biggest one. It’s annoying, but I always give the same answer: I simply appreciate having a phone that is more compact, comfortable to use, and easier to carry.
You don’t really need the 5x zoom camera
For the past few years, Apple had made the regular iPhone Pro the same as the iPhone Pro Max in terms of cameras, but that changed with the iPhone 15 Pro. Only the iPhone 15 Pro Max has the new tetraprism telephoto lens that can do optical zoom of 5x, while the regular iPhone 15 Pro still only has 3x optical zoom capabilities. The reason for this is due to size, but it seems that the iPhone 16 Pro It will be a little bigger this year and will be able to fit a better telephoto lens.
While I was initially bothered by this change, it hasn’t really bothered me too much. Although I take a lot of photos daily, I don’t often encounter situations where I need to zoom that much. Other than taking photos of a cute animal in the distance, I just don’t use the telephoto lens too often.
I suppose having the 5x optical zoom would be better if you go to a lot of concerts or shows, but that’s not something I do much these days. And it’s not that zooming beyond the 3x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro is badEven if it’s digital zoom quality, most of the details are still there, and it’s pretty clear, especially if you’re just sharing on social media. We put this to the test in our iPhone 15 Pro Max camera test, and the results were pretty shocking. The 5x zoom is technically better, but it’s not a night and day difference.
It’s a little cheaper
I’m the type of person who prefers to get as much storage as possible. That way, I never have to worry about running out of space.
With my iPhone 15 Pro, I purchased the 1TB version, which retails for $1,499, excluding tax. If you got the 1TB version of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the cost would increase to $1,599.
That doesn’t seem like a big difference, right? If you’re already going to pay that amount, is $100 more really something to worry about? To that, I would say that every penny counts. I’m already happy with the size and capabilities of the camera, so if I save a little money, that’s just the icing on the cake.
Smaller, but still powerful
I feel like there isn’t as much love for small phones these days, but I prefer them because they’re easier for me to use. And of course, although having the 5x optical telephoto lens would be nice, it is not a necessity, since the normal iPhone 15 Pro still takes very good photos.
Plus, you still get the A17 Pro chip, a Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion, Dynamic Island, the action button, and USB-C charging, all for a slightly lower price. Of course, the battery life is also a little shorter, but that’s a problem that can be easily solved with a power bank laptop.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great option for some people, but for everyone else, the smaller iPhone 15 Pro is the way to go.
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