Is the iPhone 15 nonetheless value shopping for in 2025? The reply is difficult

For some time now, a part of Apple’s modus operandi for making iPhones reasonably priced (comparatively talking) has been to maintain a minimum of 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 possibly can nonetheless purchase the iPhone 15 and

15 Plus
, which initially shipped in 2023. They could be tempting for some consumers, on condition that Apple tends to help its telephones for a very long time, and the 16e is not actually meant to be a flagship — it is a substitute for the budget-priced iPhone SE.

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

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

Efficiency

The key distinction is, in fact, processor energy. Whereas each iPhone 16 is provided 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 all the things from notification summaries to Visible Intelligence and

ChatGPT integration
. It is not an enormous deal in the intervening time (I hardly ever use ChatGPT myself) however AI will inevitably grow to be an even bigger and greater a part of iOS, so you could miss out on key options as iOS 19 and its successors roll out.

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iPhone 16 Professional, I have been stunned at how hardly ever the A18 is (noticeably) higher than the A15 chip in my outdated iPhone 13.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

It needs to be famous that the iPhone 15 solely has 6GB of RAM, versus 8GB with the iPhone 16 sequence, however the enhance between generations is generally for the sake of Apple Intelligence. It might make a distinction in another areas — significantly 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.

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Digital camera tech

Functionally, the iPhone 15 digital camera system is nearly equivalent to the iPhone 16 lineup. The usual 16 does have benefits like macro pictures, Visible Intelligence, and help for spatial photographs and movies you possibly can expertise with a

Vision Pro
, but it surely nonetheless makes use of a 48-megapixel predominant digital camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide, similar to the 15. Most photographs and movies ought to look equivalent below related circumstances, until 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 no ultra-wide digital camera on the 16e, so should you’re a fan of taking pictures vistas, structure, or tight areas, the 15 is a greater possibility. The 16e additionally lacks Focus Management — which lets 15 and 16 homeowners 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 no wind noise discount on the 15, thoughts, or any

smart audio mixing
choices.

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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 primarily based 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 apply, nobody makes use of a telephone 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 gadget operating on fumes.

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

By way of 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 one of the best speeds from USB charging anyway, so this can be a moot level should you’re nervous 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 possibly can reside with out it, naturally, but it surely’s frankly wonderful 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. Which will truly be extra important than MagSafe for some individuals, because it makes it simpler to manage media playback, change apps, and hold tabs on Dwell Actions like timers and meals deliveries. I exploit it on daily basis. There aren’t too many different variations to level out, but it surely’s value noting that solely the common 16 helps

Wi-Fi 7
, and that the 16e would not help the quickest type of 5G, often known as mmWave. In case you’ve bought a sensible house, 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 rather than a hoop/mute change.

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Must you get an iPhone 15 in 2025?

Possibly, however it is time to go cut price searching

As you have seen, the iPhone 15 holds up surprisingly effectively, if principally as a result of iPhone (and app) evolution has come to a crawl. You would possibly 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 making an attempt 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 would strongly advocate in opposition to shopping for a 15 from Apple, nevertheless. Official costs begin at $699, which is not value it for a base-spec iPhone that is almost two years outdated. As of this writing, you will get a refurbished one on Amazon for $508, and the 15 Plus is barely barely {dollars} extra. In case you’re prepared to purchase a used however non-refurbished gadget from eBay, yow will discover an unlocked 15 Professional for round $600.

There’s additionally a time window at play, for the reason that

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

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