iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: I compared both models, and here's who should upgrade

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Apple conscionable announced the caller iPhone 17 Pro astatine its Awe Dropping unrecorded event, and it comes with immoderate pretty important upgrades some successful presumption of plan and capabilities. We're talking longer artillery life, much onboard memory, a bigger and brighter screen, and an improved camera system. 

If you've got an iPhone 15 Pro, your instrumentality is already 2 years old. It whitethorn look similar a bully clip to outpouring for the caller phone, but however large of an upgrade is the 17 Pro, really? 

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Take the software, for example: Both phones tally Apple's latest operating system, iOS 26, with galore of the aforesaid Apple Intelligence features. Additionally, the iPhone 15 Pro is smaller and lighter. So is it worthy upgrading? Let's interruption down the differences betwixt the iPhone 15 Pro and the caller iPhone 17 Pro. 

Specifications

You should bargain the iPhone 17 Pro if...

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

1. You privation the upgraded camera 

The camera strategy successful the iPhone 17 Pro is simply a important measurement up from the 15 Pro, with a 48MP Fusion, ultrawide, and telephoto, on with an 18MP Center Stage selfie camera. That's the champion front-facing camera you'll find connected immoderate iPhone. 

What's more, the optical zoom has been upgraded to 8x, which efficaciously doubles the zoom from the erstwhile exemplary and is 1 of the highest retired determination close now. This is each the effect of a 56% larger camera sensor, which volition nutrient sharper, better-quality images, particularly successful debased light. 

Also: The champion camera phone: Tested by experts

The upgraded Camera app besides has immoderate caller features -- similar the quality to alteration the predisposition of the photograph done the software, alternatively of physically rotating the phone. You besides get Dual Capture, which lets you grounds from the front- and rear-facing cameras simultaneously. Simply put, the camera connected the 17 Pro is the champion iPhone camera to date. If you privation to sprout DSLR-quality photos, it's worthy the upgrade. 

2. You privation the champion performance 

The iPhone 17 Pro comes with the A19 Pro processor, a spot that Apple called "MacBook level powerfulness successful an iPhone" during the unrecorded event. This isn't an exaggeration. Apple says the A19 Pro delivers up to 40% amended show compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, with adjacent half-as-fast show compared to the 15 Pro. 

Combined with much basal RAM (12GB alternatively of 8GB), you're getting a telephone that's accelerated and responsive, particularly portion multitasking, similar surfing the web, listening to music, oregon playing YouTube successful the inheritance simultaneously, each tasks the 17 Pro is made to bash without skipping a beat. If you're a mobile gamer, the GPU successful the 17 Pro is doubly arsenic accelerated arsenic the erstwhile iPhone. 

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The processor connected the 15 Pro is nary slouch -- the A17 Pro uses a 3nm node with tons of powerfulness for immoderate you privation to bash -- but the accrued powerfulness connected the 17 Pro is paired with an upgraded cooling system, utilizing a vapor enclosure to propulsion the capabilities of the A19 to higher levels. Paired with the 120Hz refresh rate, the 17 Pro provides a fast, creaseless idiosyncratic experience. 

3. You privation an all-day battery 

Apple doesn't merchandise nonstop metrics for its batteries but successful presumption of hours for video playback. It says the iPhone 15 Pro tin get up to 23 hours, portion the larger artillery successful the 17 Pro tin execute 33 hours. We'll person to spell hands-on and trial this ourselves, but that 10-hour summation indicates a beauteous important bump up successful artillery capacity. 

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If you person an iPhone 15 Pro oregon an older telephone and are starting to spot artillery beingness degradation, upgrading volition springiness you entree to the astir almighty artillery successful an iPhone yet. 

Additionally, contempt the accrued capacity, the iPhone 17 Pro's artillery is much efficient. Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro charges to 50% successful conscionable 20 minutes, 10 minutes faster than it takes the 15 Pro to get to the aforesaid percentage.

You should bargain the iPhone 15 Pro if...

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

1. You conscionable privation the latest software

If you're stoked astir the latest features successful iOS 26, some the iPhone 15 Pro and 17 Pro person entree to the aforesaid features. That goes for Apple Intelligence features similar real-time translation, Shortcuts, and Visual Intelligence. In fact, determination aren't truly immoderate circumstantial Apple Intelligence features unsocial to the 17 Pro. 

Also: Why I'm breaking the 5-year iPhone upgrade rhythm - and I'm not alone

The 17 Pro is surely faster, with a much almighty chip, but the 15 Pro's A17 Pro processor is inactive well-equipped to grip on-device AI, arsenic the earliest iPhone with capable processing powerfulness to bash so. If you already person the 15 Pro and you're keen connected jumping into each iOS 26 has to offer, you're not missing retired by not upgrading. 

2. You don't privation a bigger phone

Although this mightiness not beryllium a large woody for some, it's important to enactment that the iPhone 17 Pro is rather a spot chunkier than the 15 Pro. All that almighty hardware is bigger, requires a much almighty battery, and weighs much -- 206 grams (7.27 ounces) compared to the iPhone 15 Pro's 187 grams (6.6 ounces).

Also: Should you upgrade to an iPhone 17 Pro from a 16 Pro? How I'm justifying it

The 17 Pro is besides longer: 5.91 inches vs. 5.77 inches connected the 15 Pro, somewhat wider, and somewhat thicker. All of these measurements adhd up to a telephone that'll decidedly consciousness heavier successful the hand. 

Additionally, the 17 Pro's camera strategy is simply a caller plan for iPhones, featuring a raised "plateau" that stretches the full magnitude of the phone, akin to the Google Pixel 10 -- but adjacent bigger. If you don't fancy a bigger phone, you mightiness not privation to upgrade. 

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