Official Review of iPhone 15 Pro: Durable Titanium Frame, Powerful Apple A17 Pro, Stunning Camera Shots

Although the iPhone 15 Series has been released for over 3 months, I've finally had the hands-on experience with the iPhone 15 Pro. This phone excites me with numerous upgrades in design, specifications, and camera compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro. Let's dive into the iPhone 15 Pro review to understand more about this product!

iPhone 15 Pro features a compact design with a Titanium frame, delivering a comfortable grip

At first glance, the iPhone 15 Pro design may not seem significantly different from its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro. However, when held in hand, the iPhone 15 Pro provides a completely refreshed grip and feel. The most noticeable aspect is the significantly reduced weight, making it a delightful experience.

The weight difference becomes more apparent when comparing the iPhone 15 Pro, weighing only 187 grams, to the iPhone 14 Pro, which is 206 grams. This allows for comfortable one-handed use, and even with a case, it doesn't feel as heavy as the previous generation. Additionally, Apple has slightly curved the phone's frame to enhance the gripping experience. Consequently, using the device without a case provides a nearly seamless feel with minimal finger strain.

After a considerable period, our users consistently complained about the excessive weight of the iPhone Pro series. Apple has now optimized the product's weight, showcasing their commitment to user experience, not only in terms of software but also the external feel of usage. So, with such changes, is the durability of iPhone 15 Pro affected?

My answer may not be entirely precise as it depends on individual usage. It's known that the iPhone 15 Pro is crafted from a single piece and utilizes a Titanium frame. This metal material boasts high durability and finds applications in various industries such as aerospace, jewelry, medicine, etc. Therefore, it can be said that the iPhone 15 Pro exhibits fairly high durability compared to the previous stainless steel frame. Additionally, the characteristics of Titanium make it significantly lighter than many other metals, contributing to the phone's overall lightness.

In addition, the Titan frame of the iPhone 15 Pro is designed with a matte finish, and for me, this is a plus compared to the glossy metal frame before. Now, the matte frame significantly reduces fingerprints and sweat, making it more comfortable to hold for extended periods without the need for frequent cleaning.

The back of the iPhone 15 Pro is still crafted from smooth matte glass. So, when touching this area, I can still feel the familiar smoothness from the previous generation. This year, the iPhone 15 Pro comes in 4 colors for users to choose from: Titan Green, Titan Black, Titan White, and Natural Titan. Among them, I prefer the Natural Titan color the most, as it is the distinctive color of the Titanium material and upon closer inspection, this version looks elegant and beautiful.

Another noteworthy change in the iPhone 15 Pro compared to other Apple products is the replacement of the silent switch with the Action Button. Compared to the traditional silent switch, the Action Button provides a much more convenient user experience. For instance, I can quickly turn on the flashlight, launch games, access Facebook, take screenshots, and more.

I usually assign a quick launch for Arena of Valor to start gaming instantly when I have some free time without needing to search for the app. Additionally, I regularly switch functions to cater to daily usage needs. To make changes, you need to go to Settings - Task button - Choose function as needed.

Another intriguing change in the design of the iPhone 15 Pro is the inclusion of a USB-C charging port, finally moving away from the Lightning cable after a long period of frustration. Since I have many devices using USB-C charging ports like the Macbook Air M2, laptops, Android phones, etc., I only need to carry a USB-C charger for all these devices.

As for the display, the iPhone 15 Pro also has a slight change in the bezel around the screen. Specifically, when I compare the iPhone 15 Pro to the iPhone 14 Pro, the bezel of the new iPhone looks a bit thinner. This change is challenging to notice unless we pay close attention.

As for the display specifications, the iPhone 15 Pro doesn't undergo any significant changes compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. Specifically, we still have a 6.1-inch screen, Dynamic Island hole-punch design, OLED panel, and Super Retina XDR resolution (1,179 x 2,556 Pixels). Additionally, the product features a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. Therefore, I will still enjoy a well-balanced display space, smooth user experience, and excellent display quality in various lighting conditions.

iPhone 15 Pro boasts powerful specs with the Apple A17 Pro chip, but the device heats up quickly

Before diving into details, let me summarize the entire configuration of the iPhone 15 Pro for everyone to follow easily!

• Display: 6.1-inch size, OLED panel, Super Retina XDR resolution (1,179 x 2,556 Pixels), 120 Hz ProMotion refresh rate, brightness up to 2,000 nits.
• CPU: Apple A17 Pro.
• RAM: 8 GB.
• Internal Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB.
• Rear Camera: 48 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP.
• Selfie Camera: 12 MP.
• Battery Capacity: Approximately 3,274 mAh.
• Operating System: iOS 17.2.1 (latest version at the time of writing).

The iPhone 15 Pro derives its performance from the new Apple A17 Pro chip, rather than the Apple A17 Bionic as leaked information suggested before the product launch. This chip is the first developed for phones based on the advanced 3 nm process, comprising 19 billion transistors, delivering power savings of 30 - 35% compared to the 4 nm process. Additionally, the Apple A17 Pro features a 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU, providing up to 20% faster performance than the Apple A16 Bionic.

Additionally, the Apple A17 Pro chip supports Ray Tracing, allowing the iPhone 15 Pro to handle graphics-intensive tasks effectively. However, in practice, using the iPhone 15 Pro, I noticed the device tends to get hot, especially when taking photos, recording videos, playing games, or even with regular use. This aligns with my initial prediction about the chip being prone to overheating. Despite Apple actively releasing quick updates, including the latest iOS 17.2.1, the issue persists.

It's evident that using a 3 nm process chip comes with several challenges, especially regarding temperature. Despite providing the phone with powerful performance, the temperature remains the sole impediment to a seamless user experience. How does the iPhone 15 Pro perform specifically? Check out the section below for more details!

• Performance Rating for iPhone 15 Pro

In this section, I utilized three dedicated performance benchmarking tools: GeekBench 6, 3DMark, and AnTuTu Benchmark to provide you with a more visual understanding of the iPhone 15 Pro's capabilities. Additionally, I compared the performance scores of the iPhone 15 Pro on iOS 17.0 and iOS 17.1.2 (the latest iOS version at the time of writing). The conditions for specific benchmarking are as follows:

• The device's battery must be between 90 - 100% (performance may be affected if the battery is below 90%).
• Avoid charging the battery while benchmarking.
• Conduct three consecutive benchmarks and calculate the average result after three sessions.

Specific results are as follows:

- GeekBench 6 (single-core/multi-core):

• iOS 17.0: 2,692 points / 6,677 points.
• iOS 17.2.1: 2,827 points / 7,059 points.

- GeekBench 6 (GPU Compute):

• iOS 17.0: 23,120 points.
• iOS 17.2.1: 27,397 points.

- AnTuTu Benchmark:

• iOS 17.0: 1,477,680 points.
• iOS 17.2.1: 1,493,453 points.

- 3DMark Solar Bay:

• iOS 17.0: Total score 6,391, Average FPS 24.3.
• iOS 17.2.1: Total score 4,544, Average FPS 17.3.

- 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test (iOS 17.0):

• Stability: 78.7%
• Highest loop score: 5,320 points.
• Lowest loop score: 4,184 points.
• Score difference between highest and lowest loop: 1,136 points.

- 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test (iOS 17.2.1):

• Stability: 69.1%
• Highest loop score: 6,717 points.
• Lowest loop score: 4,639 points.
• Score difference between highest and lowest loop: 2,078 points.

Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro delivers outstanding scores compared to many other devices in its class. In comparison with its 'sibling' launched at the same time, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, this phone only falls slightly behind. Additionally, after updating to iOS 17.2.1, the iPhone 15 Pro no longer experiences frequent heating issues as it did at launch, but there is a slight reduction in stability during the most demanding 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test.

In my opinion, iOS 17.2.1 seems to have sacrificed a bit of iPhone 15 Pro's performance to keep the device running cooler. While the device is indeed cooler, as I mentioned initially, it still heats up when using resource-intensive apps. I believe Apple has more work to do to enhance the cooling performance.

• Gaming Experience on iPhone 15 Pro

In addition to performance benchmarks, I tested the real-world strength of the iPhone 15 Pro using four popular games: Arena of Valor, Call Of Duty Mobile, Honkai: Star Rail, and Genshin Impact. I attempted to measure FPS using Perfdog, but unfortunately, the results were inconclusive. So, check out the illustrative video below for a better understanding.

• Arena of Valor

Commencing with the national favorite, Arena of Valor, I could set the graphics to the highest level supported by the iPhone 15 Pro.

I'm pleased with the Arena of Valor experience on the iPhone 15 Pro, where all in-game actions are smoothly processed by the phone. Additionally, this device vividly reproduces details in the scenery, character models, and spell effects. After playing the game for an hour, the device remains at a comfortably warm temperature.

• Call Of Duty Mobile

In Call Of Duty Mobile, I can set the in-game graphics to the highest level allowed by the iPhone 15 Pro.

I have no complaints about the gaming experience of Call Of Duty Mobile on the iPhone 15 Pro. Every action, from moving, aiming, shooting, running, jumping, etc., is smoothly executed by the device, without any stutter, lag, or frame drops. Additionally, the iPhone 15 Pro tends to feel slightly warmer when playing this game compared to Liên Quân Mobile. However, this level of warmth is not uncomfortably high during prolonged use.

• Honkai: Star Rail

Moving on to a graphics-intensive game - Honkai: Star Rail. In this game, I've also set the graphics to the highest level for the ultimate experience.

With the graphics settings, I have no complaints as every movement, character skill effects, etc., are smoothly and beautifully reproduced. However, for a graphically intensive game like this, the iPhone 15 Pro heats up very quickly, and after about 30 minutes of gaming, I had to put it down.

• Genshin Impact

Just like the other games, I set the graphics in Genshin Impact to the highest level on the iPhone 15 Pro as shown below.

While battling in Genshin Impact on the iPhone 15 Pro, I noticed that the device smoothly reproduces image quality, details, and character skill effects in the game. Additionally, the phone doesn't experience frequent FPS drops despite the quick heating. I observed the device getting warm relatively quickly after about 10 minutes of gameplay, with the heat concentrated around the frame and camera area. Therefore, I don't play this game too often on the iPhone 15 Pro.

In terms of performance, I believe the iPhone 15 Pro rightfully earns its flagship status with excellent power scores and smooth gaming experiences. However, the temperature remains a barrier, the only drawback I attribute to this product. I hope Apple swiftly releases iOS updates with better bug fixes in the future to address the heating issue.

iPhone 15 Pro with a 3,274 mAh battery can last nearly 7.5 hours continuously

The iPhone 15 Pro is equipped with a 3,274 mAh battery, a figure not exceptionally high compared to other competitors. However, thanks to Apple's excellent optimization in both hardware and software, the battery life will pleasantly surprise you. For a clear illustration, I conducted an iPhone 15 Pro battery test following the standard of Mytour under specific conditions as follows:

• Experience 4 rotating tasks including: Playing Liên Quân (graphics set as shown below), watching YouTube, browsing Facebook, and using the Safari browser.

• Each task runs for 1 hour.
• Screen brightness set to 100%.
• External speaker on with 50% volume.
• WiFi and social media notifications enabled.
• No power-saving mode, adaptive brightness, GPS, and Bluetooth.
• Drained from 100% to 0%.

The results I obtained are as follows:

Thus, the iPhone 15 Pro consistently operates for 7 hours and 28 minutes after the rigorous test. For me, this is an impressive figure considering the not-so-high battery capacity it is equipped with. When compared to other similarly positioned products, it remains competitive. Additionally, if you observe closely, the game Liên Quân Mobile quickly drains energy as the device heats up during gameplay, affecting subsequent applications and causing faster battery depletion.

Therefore, I believe that when Apple addresses the temperature issue, the iPhone 15 Pro could achieve even better results. During normal usage (excluding the specified conditions), the iPhone 15 Pro can easily handle various mixed tasks from 8 AM to 9 PM. Of course, these figures are indicative as everyone's usage needs vary.

Furthermore, I conducted a test to measure the charging speed of the iPhone 15 Pro using the Ugreen 65W charger, and the results are shown below. Keep in mind that I used a non-official charger, so the results should be taken as a reference only.

The recorded result indicates that it takes 1 hour and 33 minutes to fully charge the iPhone 15 Pro. While not exceptionally fast, it's also not overly slow. Personally, as I often leave my device to charge overnight, I don't pay too much attention to the charging time. I would like to emphasize once again that these results may not be entirely accurate due to the use of a non-official charger.

iPhone 15 Pro with a 48 MP camera captures stunning and realistic photos.

In terms of camera specifications, the iPhone 15 Pro doesn't deviate much from its predecessor. The specific details are as follows:

• Main Camera: 48 MP resolution, f/1.8 aperture, 24 mm focal length, PDAF, OIS.
• Ultra-wide Camera: 12 MP resolution, f/2.2 aperture, 13 mm focal length, PDAF.
• Telephoto Camera: 12 MP resolution, f/2.8 aperture, 77 mm focal length, PDAF, OIS, 3X zoom.
• Selfie Camera: 12 MP resolution, f/1.9 aperture, 23 mm focal length, PDAF, OIS.

While the iPhone 15 Pro still features a 48 MP sensor, the captured images are now enhanced to 24 MP instead of the previous 12 MP. This significant upgrade aims to deliver more realistic and detailed photos. Users can also adjust the resolution from 24 MP to 12 MP through Settings - Camera - Format - Photo Mode. Different resolution settings provide varying levels of image detail.

When using the iPhone 15 Pro for basic well-lit photography, the device produces beautiful, high-detail images. Colors remain true to life, and the contrast in the photos is well-executed, ensuring dark areas are appropriately dark, and bright areas are adequately lit.

When capturing portraits, the images no longer appear overly yellow, and the photo quality maintains a realistic tone down to each strand of hair. Therefore, post-processing is still necessary to enhance photos after capture.

In terms of portrait photos, the iPhone 15 Pro offers three zoom levels: 1x, 2x, and 3x. The photo quality impresses with harmonious colors and excellent details. Additionally, the background behind the subject is gently blurred, and intricate details like hair remain well-defined.

Overall, I'm pleased with the iPhone 15 Pro's camera, delivering well for the basic photography needs of most users. The camera doesn't undergo significant changes compared to the previous generation but continues to produce impressive photos.

Conclusion

Based on these tests, I evaluate the iPhone 15 Pro as a current and worthwhile Apple smartphone. Its compact, lightweight design provides an excellent hand feel for users. Additionally, the convenient Action Button simplifies tasks, and the robust performance handles any demands efficiently.

Currently, the price of the iPhone 15 Pro at Mytour is as follows (subject to change based on timing and promotions):

• 128 GB internal storage variant is priced at 28.99 million VND.
• 256 GB internal storage variant is priced at 31.99 million VND.
• 512 GB internal storage variant is priced at 37.99 million VND.
• 1 TB internal storage variant is priced at 43.99 million VND.

What are your thoughts or reviews on the iPhone 15 Pro? If you have any, feel free to leave them in the comments section below! Thank you for your time and attention to my article.

In addition to the iPhone 15 Pro, you can explore many other iPhone models currently available at Mytour with very attractive prices. Click the button below to access if you're interested!

GET GREAT DEALS ON iPHONES AT Mytour

Explore more:

• Authentic iPhone 15 Plus Review: Nearly 12.5 Hours Battery, Impressive Camera
• Authentic iPhone 15 Review: The Perfect Upgrade from iPhone 14