Is the iPhone 15 nonetheless price shopping for in 2025? The reply is sophisticated

For some time now, a part of Apple’s modus operandi for making iPhones reasonably priced (comparatively talking) has been to maintain at the least one older mannequin on sale. The result’s that whereas there are 4 variations of the

iPhone 16
obtainable, together with the

iPhone 16e
, you may nonetheless purchase the iPhone 15 and

15 Plus
, which initially shipped in 2023. They might be tempting for some patrons, provided that Apple tends to assist its telephones for a very long time, and the 16e is not actually meant to be a flagship — it is a alternative for the budget-priced iPhone SE.

Do you have to truly drop money on an iPhone 15 in 2025? You have most likely already bought an inclination, however the reply is a bit more advanced than you could be imagining. And even if you need one, it’s possible you’ll want to think twice about how, the place, and whenever you purchase it.

Associated

Apple’s credibility is on the line with this fall’s Siri revamp

It could be a do-or-die scenario for belief within the firm.

How does the iPhone 15 stack up in opposition to the iPhone 16 and 16e?

Efficiency

The foremost distinction is, after all, processor energy. Whereas each iPhone 16 is supplied with some model of Apple’s A18 chip — the 16e having a four-core GPU, as an alternative of the common 16’s five-core unit — each the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are caught with the A16. Meaning they’re incapable of operating

Apple Intelligence
, together with every little thing from notification summaries to Visible Intelligence and

ChatGPT integration
. It is not an enormous deal in the intervening time (I not often use ChatGPT myself) however AI will inevitably turn out to be an even bigger and larger a part of iOS, so it’s possible you’ll miss out on key options as iOS 19 and its successors roll out.

In any other case, the A16 continues to be a really succesful processor. There are few video games that may tax the A16 to its limits, and most different apps ought to be silky clean. Certainly, since upgrading to an iPhone 16 Professional, I have been stunned at how not often the A18 is (noticeably) higher than the A15 chip in my previous iPhone 13. Issues set up sooner, and navigation apps are snappier, however the A18 does not make a lot distinction to apps like Cronometer or Reddit.

It ought to be famous that the iPhone 15 solely has 6GB of RAM, versus 8GB with the iPhone 16 collection, however the improve between generations is generally for the sake of Apple Intelligence. It may make a distinction in another areas — notably high-end 3D video games like Resident Evil: Village — however Apple’s {hardware} and software program is so tightly optimized that you simply most likely will not discover more often than not.

Associated

With the iPhone 16e, is Apple abandoning budget devices?

Some upcoming {hardware} refreshes ought to verify the place Apple is headed.

Digicam tech

Functionally, the iPhone 15 digital camera system is just about an identical to the iPhone 16 lineup. The usual 16 does have benefits like macro images, Visible Intelligence, and assist for spatial images and movies you may expertise with a

Vision Pro
, but it surely nonetheless makes use of a 48-megapixel primary digital camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide, similar to the 15. Most images and movies ought to look an identical below related situations, except maybe you determine to experiment with the expanded Photographic Types on the 16 and 16 Plus.

The iPhone 15 truly has an edge over the 16e. There is not any ultra-wide digital camera on the 16e, so should you’re a fan of capturing vistas, structure, or tight areas, the 15 is a greater choice. The 16e additionally lacks Focus Management — which lets 15 and 16 house owners change a portrait’s point of interest after the actual fact — in addition to another options, like Motion (stabilization) and Cinematic (shallow depth-of-field) modes for video. There is not any wind noise discount on the 15, thoughts, or any

smart audio mixing
choices.

Associated

5 tips for phone photographers that make your pictures not suck

You are able to do loads with a bit should you assume like a professional.

Battery life, wi-fi charging, and different options

One space the place the bottom iPhone 15 is soundly trounced is battery life. You may get about 20 hours out of it based mostly on Apple’s testing, whereas the usual 16 will get 22 hours, and the 16e will get 26 hours, only one wanting my iPhone 16 Professional. In follow, nobody makes use of a cellphone the best way Apple does, and you will be charging all of those units in a single day — however the 16e may very well be preferable for vacationers or different individuals who usually discover their system operating on fumes.

The 15 Plus matches the 16e, so which may be the best way to go if you need each wonderful battery life and a bigger 6.7-inch display with out spending on a 16 Plus. Each different cellphone on this comparability (excluding my iPhone 16 Professional, after all) has a 6.1-inch show.

When it comes to wi-fi charging, the iPhone 15 sits within the center. It does have MagSafe, which robotically places it above the torpid 7.5W Qi speeds of the 16e, but it is capped at 15W versus the iPhone 16’s 25W. You may get the very best speeds from USB charging anyway, so this can be a moot level should you’re fearful about charging in a rush. MagSafe is an enormous deal for different causes too. It is usually one of the simplest ways of mounting an iPhone, or attaching equipment like wallets and exterior batteries. You may dwell with out it, naturally, but it surely’s frankly superb that Apple felt it may very well be sacrificed, given the cash it makes from the accent market.

One other factor the 16e lacks is Dynamic Island multitasking. That will truly be extra vital than MagSafe for some folks, because it makes it simpler to manage media playback, swap apps, and preserve tabs on Reside Actions like timers and meals deliveries. I take advantage of it every single day. There aren’t too many different variations to level out, but it surely’s price noting that solely the common 16 helps

Wi-Fi 7
, and that the 16e does not assist the quickest type of 5G, often called mmWave. When you’ve bought a sensible dwelling, neither the iPhone 15 nor the iPhone 16e have a Thread radio for suitable equipment. The iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e have a customizable Motion button instead of a hoop/mute swap.

Associated

Here’s how I built a Matter smart home

Matter could make your good dwelling seamless — these are the issues it’s essential to get began.

Do you have to get an iPhone 15 in 2025?

Perhaps, however it is time to go cut price searching

As you have seen, the iPhone 15 holds up surprisingly properly, if largely as a result of iPhone (and app) evolution has come to a crawl. You may get jealous of the battery life on new fashions, and finally remorse the absence of Apple Intelligence, however even these issues will not matter a lot should you’re simply attempting to get to work or browse social media. It is truly a better option than the 16e should you care about digital camera tech, MagSafe equipment, and Dynamic Island controls.

I might strongly advocate in opposition to shopping for a 15 from Apple, nevertheless. Official costs begin at $699, which is not price it for a base-spec iPhone that is almost two years previous. As of this writing, you will get a refurbished one on Amazon for $508, and the 15 Plus is just barely {dollars} extra. When you’re keen to purchase a used however non-refurbished system from eBay, you could find an unlocked 15 Professional for round $600.

There’s additionally a time window at play, because the

iPhone 17
is predicted to launch in September. The iPhone 16 will drop to the iPhone 15’s present worth, and manufacturing of the 15 will cease fully. The excellent news on that entrance is that the iPhone 15 will proceed to be a related system — simply relegated to the used/refurbished market, presumably at even decrease price. That could be the chance to strike if worth trumps all different components.

You may also like

Everything you need to know about PEVs, or personal electric vehicles

You should utilize PEVs to discover, run errands, or velocity up your commute.