_:nd187e55df6f0485a9b8e957aee1077c0xb3
<http://schema.org/reviewBody>
"<p>Apple's iPhone 15 Plus (starting at $899) takes everything good about the <a alt=\"iPhone 15\" href=\"/apple-serie/148897/apple-iphone-15\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone 15</a> (starting at $799) and dials it up a notch with a bigger screen and longer battery life. This second iteration of the Plus model features a revised design, a brighter display, and a step forward in performance compared with its predecessor, all while keeping the starting price unchanged. It's about the same size as the <a alt=\"15 Pro Max\" href=\"/apple-serie/148806/apple-iphone-15-pro-max\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">15 Pro Max</a> (starting at $1,199), but easier on the wallet. Ultimately, the Pro Max is our Editors' Choice winner for its advanced features, but the 15 Plus is a fine alternative if you want most of what that <a alt=\"phone\" href=\"/smartphones/119938/the-best-phones\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">phone</a> offers for less money. </p><hr/><h2>More to Like</h2><p>Generally speaking, the iPhone 15 Plus is just a larger iPhone 15. It's the same feature-for-feature and spec-for-spec other than the battery, screen, and size. Much more separates the regular iPhones from the Pro models, such as a more powerful new processor and the addition of a telephoto camera in the Pro.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-2_tkzw.jpg\"/></figure><p>Aside from the slightly modified shape and the adoption of USB-C, nearly all other design aspects here are similar to the <a alt=\"iPhone 14 Plus\" href=\"/apple-serie/143069/apple-iphone-14-plus\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone 14 Plus</a>. Starting with the shape, Apple softened up the joint between the aluminum frame and glass panels by rounding out the metal. This small tweak greatly improves the feel of the phone in your hand. The 15 Plus is available in a really nice matte black as well as light blue, green, pink, or yellow. To achieve these finishes, Apple says it used a new method of infusing the color directly into the glass.</p><p>The phone's dimensions and weight are practically identical to its predecessor at 6.33 by 3.06 by 0.31 inches (HWD) and 7.09 ounces. Last year's Plus model came in at 6.33 by 3.07 by 0.31 inches and 7.16 ounces. The standard iPhone 15 is markedly smaller at 5.81 by 2.82 by 0.31 inches and 6.02 ounces, while the 15 Pro Max is close at 6.29 by 3.02 by 0.32 inches and 7.81 ounces. On the Android front, the $999 <a alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S23+\" href=\"/mobile-phones/145569/samsung-galaxy-s23\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Samsung Galaxy S23+</a> measures 6.21 by 3.0 by 0.30 inches and weighs 6.91 ounces, while the $999 <a alt=\"Pixel 8 Pro\" href=\"/mobile-phones/148979/google-pixel-8-vs-pixel-8-pro-whats-the-difference\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pixel 8 Pro</a> measures 6.4 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches and 7.5 ounces.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-7_3qnc.jpg\"/></figure><p>Apple's Ceramic Shield protects the screen, though it doesn't say what type of glass the rear panel uses. All four iPhone 15 models meet the <a alt=\"IP68 rating\" href=\"https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/dust-resistant-waterproof-making-sense-of-gadget-ratings\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">IP68 rating</a> for resistance to dust and water. The iPhone 15 Plus can sit in up to six meters of water for up to 30 minutes, according to Apple. We still think you should cover it with a <a alt=\"protective case\" href=\"/mobile-phones/148791/the-best-iphone-15-plus-cases\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">protective case</a> to be safe.</p><p>The 15 Plus doesn't have the new <a alt=\"Action button\" href=\"https://www.pcmag.com/articles/everything-you-can-do-with-the-iphone-15-pros-action-button\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Action button</a> you get with the Pro models. It carries over the legacy ringer switch, which sits high on the left edge of the phone. Other controls include two volume buttons on the left and a power/screen lock button on the right. They all work well.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-12_fqc5.jpg\"/></figure><p>Apple has finally swapped out the old Lightning port in favor of USB-C. On the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, the USB 2.0 port is capable of data transfer speeds of 480Mbps (the same as Lightning), as well as mirroring video out via an adapter. The Pro models have a faster version of USB-C that handles 10Gbps data speeds and can send video capture signals to external hard drives for recording, provided you <a alt=\"buy the right cable\" href=\"/mobile-phones/148623/iphone-15-pro-supports-usb-3-speeds-but-only-if-you-buy-an-extra-cable\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">buy the right cable</a>. </p><hr/><h2>A Bigger Canvas</h2><p>The 6.7-inch, 2,796-by-1,290-pixel OLED screen is one of the primary reasons to pick the iPhone 15 Plus over the standard 6.1-inch, 2,556-by-1,179-pixel model (all four iPhone 15s have a pixel density of 460ppi). It has all the same features, but that 0.6-inch size difference gives movies, photos, and websites a bit more room to breathe. The 15 Plus display has a two-million-to-one contrast ratio and varying brightness of 1,000 nits (typical), 1,600 nits (HDR), and 2,000 nits (peak outdoor). We found it easy to read outdoors under direct sunlight. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-9_xqak.jpg\"/></figure><p>The phone does away with the unsightly notch of the 14 Plus and instead adopts Apple's <a alt=\"Dynamic Island\" href=\"/mobile-phones/143966/notch-no-more-how-to-use-the-dynamic-island-on-iphone-14-pro-and-pro-max\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dynamic Island</a>. This section near the top of the display hides the TrueDepth and Face ID cameras. Rather than simply cede the area to darkness, Apple dresses it up with dynamic content that lets you interact with select apps such as Apple Music, the clock, timers, and more. This is a great upgrade for the 15 and 15 Plus, but neither phone gets the useful always-on display of the Pro models. </p><p>Another thing the 15 Plus doesn't get? An adaptive <a alt=\"refresh rate\" href=\"/mobile-phones/142775/from-60hz-to-240hz-refresh-rates-on-phones-explained\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">refresh rate</a>. The 15 and 15 Plus both have static 60Hz displays even though many Android phones in the same price range have 90Hz or 120Hz panels. Apple is relying on the faster adaptive refresh rate of the Pro models as a differentiator between the lines. Faster refresh rates lead to smoother experiences when you interact with the screen.</p><hr/><h2>Plenty of Power</h2><p>The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus share the same specs when it comes to the processor, memory, and storage. That means Apple's A16 Bionic processor is running the show: It is manufactured with a 4nm process and is carried over from the 14 Pro models from 2022. It's still a capable chip thanks to its six-core configuration, which includes two performance cores at 3.46GHz and four efficiency cores. A five-core GPU pushes the polygons and a 16-core Neural Engine handles machine learning tasks. The 15 Plus has 6GB of RAM and comes with either 128GB ($899), 256GB ($999), or 512GB ($1,199) of storage. The iPhone doesn't support memory cards.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-6_r78c.jpg\"/></figure><p>Benchmarking the year-old chip proves the iPhone 15 Plus has all the power it will ever need. As expected, the 15 Plus put up numbers almost identical to the 15. For example, on Geekbench 6, which challenges the CPU, the 15 Plus scored 2,598 and 6,549 on the single- and multi-core tests, respectively, while the iPhone 15 scored 2,607 and 6,231. Both sets of scores are a huge jump over the numbers from the iPhone 14 (1,753 and 4,734), while competing Android phones posted lower numbers. The Galaxy S23 scored 1,541 and 4,949, and the Pixel 7 hit 1,032 and 2,749, for instance.</p><p>In graphics tests, the 15 Plus was a tick slower than the 15. In the GFXBench Aztec Ruins, T-Rex, and Manhattan tests, the 15 Plus averaged 57fps against the 15's 58fps. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S23 also hit 58fps, while the 15 Pro Max hit 60fps.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-28_usw5.jpg\"/></figure><p>Pushing the 15 Plus through a few more benchmarks turned out scores of 2,985 on 3DMark Wildlife Extreme, 1,535 on the BaseMark Web 3.0, and 1,405,642 on AnTuTu. These results are in line with those of the iPhone 15, and a little lower than those of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.</p><p>Testing a resource-intensive game like <a alt=\"Genshin Impact\" href=\"/pc-games-2/126552/genshin-impact-for-pc\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Genshin Impact</a> demonstrates that the phone is fully equipped for most users. Gameplay was outstanding even with everything set to the highest levels. In addition, the phone handles every app well and multitasks without slowing down. </p><hr/><h2>A Top Battery Performer</h2><p>Long battery life is one of the top reasons to buy the iPhone 15 Plus. It handily outlasts the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro and nearly matches the everlasting 15 Pro Max in testing. </p><p>Our battery test involves dialing the screen brightness setting to the maximum and streaming HD video over Wi-Fi until the battery fully depletes. The battery netted about 40 minutes more than the 14 Plus, jumping from 18 hours and 30 minutes to 19 hours and 10 minutes. By way of comparison, the iPhone 15 reached 16 hours, the 15 Pro reached 16 hours and 45 minutes, and the 15 Pro Max topped the lot at 20 hours and 15 minutes. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-3_r3hq.jpg\"/></figure><p>No other similarly priced Android smartphone lasts as long as the 15 Plus for this same test. The Galaxy S23+ put up 13 hours and 12 minutes, the Pixel 7 Pro held on for 10 hours and 30 minutes, and the $699.99 <a alt=\"OnePlus 11 5G\" href=\"/mobile-phones/145312/oneplus-11-5g\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">OnePlus 11 5G</a> lasted for 11 hours and 13 minutes. </p><p>If you’re taking the 15 Plus out for a day full of adventure, you need not worry. We relied on the phone for a day trip out of town that required multiple hours of GPS navigation, lots of on-the-ground mapping, and plenty of Google Search and camera use. Despite running it hard from early morning until late evening, the phone still had plenty in the tank to push through breakfast the following morning. If you want an affordable iPhone that goes the distance, the 15 Plus is the model to get.</p><p>All iPhone 15 models can handle wired charging at up to 20W. Apple stopped including charging bricks in the box a long time ago, but the company does supply a high-quality 39-inch braided USB-C-to-USB-C cable with the new models. The top two competitors charge a little faster at 45W for the S23+ and 30W for the Pixel 8 Pro. None of these charge as fast as the OnePlus 11 5G, which can handle 80W. </p><p>It takes 30 minutes to charge the 15 Plus from dead to 50% as long as you have a fast enough charger. A full charge takes a little under 90 minutes. The S23+ charges quickly in just 62 minutes while the OnePlus 11 can soak up a full charge in a mere 27 minutes.</p><p>As for wireless charging, the iPhone 15 Plus is compatible with <a alt=\"Apple’s MagSafe system\" href=\"/batteries-power/130154/the-best-apple-wireless-chargers\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple’s MagSafe system</a> as well as standard <a alt=\"Qi wireless chargers\" href=\"/mobile-phone-accessories/130204/the-best-wireless-chargers-for-your-android-or-iphone\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Qi wireless chargers</a>. Using MagSafe is faster at 15W compared with Qi’s 7.5W.</p><div class=\"vplayer\"><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/TAp5Tgf4aOs\"></iframe></div><hr/><h2>All the Wireless Connectivity You Need</h2><p>Radio capabilities are about the same across the entire iPhone 15 range, but the Pro models get a few extra tricks. Even so, most people won’t miss them on the iPhone 15 Plus. </p><p>Most importantly, the phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem. This connects to C-band, sub-6GHz, and mmWave 5G service across AT&amp;T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and their various MVNOs. We tested the phone extensively on AT&amp;T’s network and came away impressed with the performance. </p><p>Speed tests on strong AT&amp;T 5G+ service consistently reached over 300Mbps on the downlink, which is in line with the results we saw testing an S23+ in the same location. Upload speeds were also quite good, often reaching 60Mbps, the same as the S23+. In areas with a weak AT&amp;T 5G connection, download and upload speeds dipped to 10Mbps and 4.4Mbps, respectively, while the S23 came in at 9.45Mbps and 5.1Mbps. In other words, the 15 Plus performs on par with competing devices on the same network. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-8_sp5u.jpg\"/></figure><p>One area the 15 Plus doesn’t quite compete with the S23+ or the 15 Pro models is Wi-Fi. Apple skipped the newer Wi-Fi 6E spec and instead carried over the Wi-Fi 6 radio from last year. The phone hit a maximum Wi-Fi download speed of 590Mbps when we tested on a 1Gbps connection. The iPhone 15 hit about that same number, but the S23+ and iPhone 15 Pro were able to reach 640Mbps. Upload speeds were good at 251Mbps. Testing the Wi-Fi performance at the network’s far edge, speeds dipped significantly but remained equivalent to other devices, hitting 8.5Mbps down and 4.8Mbps up. </p><p>Bluetooth 5.3 is aboard for connecting to accessories like wireless headphones and smartphones. The phone’s codec support is unchanged with AAC, Apple Lossless, and FLAC available. It also supports Apple's <a alt=\"spatial audio\" href=\"/mp3-players/128697/first-listen-spatial-audio-on-the-airpods-pro\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">spatial audio</a>. We tested it with several pairs of <a alt=\"true wireless earbuds\" href=\"/mp3-players/126830/the-best-noise-cancelling-true-wireless-earbuds\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">true wireless earbuds</a> and came away impressed with both the audio and connection performance. Apple updated the 15 Pro and Pro Max with the Thread smart home networking protocol, but not the 15 or 15 Plus.</p><p>All the iPhone 15s are eSIM-only in the US. International models still ship with a nano SIM tray. US buyers will need to activate the phone on their network of choice directly. The phone supports up to two active eSIM numbers at a time. Phone call clarity was excellent across the board. Apple’s new Voice Isolation feature, which you must turn on in the settings, really makes your voice pop so others can hear it better.</p><p>Apple has done a fine job with the phone’s stereo speakers. You can fill a small room, like a bedroom or office, with solid, clean sound. The Knife's \"Silent Shout,\" our bass test track, played with clean highs and plenty of low-end thump (for a phone). If you’re outside, you might be better off with a <a alt=\"Bluetooth speaker\" href=\"/speakers/4122/the-best-wireless-and-bluetooth-speakers\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bluetooth speaker</a>.</p><p>With the 15 Plus, you get two years of access to <a alt=\"Emergency Roadside Assistance\" href=\"/mobile-phones/148619/stuck-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-latest-iphone-feature-pings-aaa-via-satellite\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Emergency Roadside Assistance</a>. This feature lets you connect to a nearby AAA provider using satellites much like <a alt=\"Emergency SOS\" href=\"/mobile-phones/143840/first-look-emergency-sos-via-satellite-on-iphone-14\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Emergency SOS</a>. It is strictly for emergencies that occur in areas with no cellular coverage.</p><hr/><h2>Double the Camera</h2><p>The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus share all their camera hardware and features. Each has a 48MP primary camera that Apple is using in a unique way to create 24MP shots that are rich in detail and bright in low-light situations. The 15 Plus supports the efficient HEIF format for saving photo files, but you can opt to fall back to JPGs if you wish. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-11_nf6p.jpg\"/></figure><p>Thanks to the high pixel count of the main sensor, the primary camera can take 1x and 2x \"optical\" zoom shots. This works because the 2x shots are captured with the central 12MP of the sensor (rather than the entire 48MP count) and then run through Apple's algorithms. </p><p>The other camera squeezed into the rear camera module is a 12MP ultra-wide camera with an aperture of f/2.4. This camera captures photos at 0.5x, which delivers a really wide field of view for grand vistas, tight indoor spaces, or just a whole lot of people. The 15 Plus does not have the third telephoto lens of the Pro models, nor does it have the macro shooting mode. The 12MP selfie camera, which Apple calls TrueDepth, has an aperture of f/1.9 and handles a range of photo modes including low light. </p><p>Most people will be happy with the pictures they get from the main camera. It does really well outdoors in bright light. Here's a series of shots taken at 0.5x, 1x, and 2x:</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-17_5ncx.jpg\"/></figure><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-18_trx8.jpg\"/></figure><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-19_tw5u.jpg\"/></figure><p>It's sometimes easy to spot the optical distortion from the ultra-wide camera's lens, but that's part of its character. Overall, the 15 Plus does a fine job capturing good color, accurate exposure, and decent white balance all while remaining sharp. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-15_t6uq.jpg\"/></figure><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-16_cvmd.jpg\"/></figure><p>Switching to nighttime and low-light shooting, the 15 Plus manages to make improvements over the iPhone 14 Plus. The new sensor is better at keeping things sharp and clean without too much noise. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-20_6saq.jpg\"/></figure><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-21_8q8p.jpg\"/></figure><p>People who love to take photos of themselves will be happy with the results they see from the 15 Plus. It does a good job of capturing clean selfies and portraits no matter the lighting. Speaking of portraits, all iPhone 15 models can automatically capture depth info when you take a photo of a person, dog, or cat, allowing you to turn a regular photo into a portrait after the fact. </p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-26_b1ks.jpg\"/></figure><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-27_va7r.jpg\"/></figure><p>All three lenses are capable of recording high-quality 4K60 footage and can also apply Action mode, Cinematic mode, and Dolby Vision. You have to upgrade to the 15 Pro or Pro Max to get ProRes, Log, or Macro video capture. </p><hr/><h2>Capable Software</h2><p>Apple ships the iPhone 15 Plus with iOS 17. There are plenty of new features on board that we really like, including Contact Posters, FaceTime Messages, Search Filters in Messages, and Standby mode. Be sure to check out our <a alt=\"in-depth review\" href=\"/ios/147731/apple-ios-17\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">in-depth review</a> and read about <a alt=\"all of the new capabilities\" href=\"/macos/147191/ios-17-adds-journal-app-standby-smart-display-mode-better-autocorrect\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">all of the new capabilities</a>.</p><figure><img alt=\"\" src=\"https://sm.pcmag.com/pcmag_uk/photo/default/04p2svrxnx1o9pdcxxk30hy-10_8qgp.jpg\"/></figure><p>The most important aspect of the software is that Apple will support it for years to come. For example, Apple is currently updating all iPhones back to the XS and XR with iOS 17. Based on that timeline, the 15 Plus will see at least five iterations of iOS in addition to all the minor and security updates in between. Apple has a better track record for supporting its devices over time than Google, though <a alt=\"that's beginning to change\" href=\"/mobile-phones/148977/pixel-8-pixel-8-pro-to-receive-android-updates-until-2030\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">that's beginning to change</a>. </p><hr/><h2>A Safe Bet for Battery Life</h2><p>Apple's iPhone 15 Plus is the phone to get if battery life and budget are your top concerns. It outlasts the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, coming in second only to the top-shelf Pro Max. Otherwise, it includes a larger display than the standard iPhone 15, the same speedy processor, a fine pair of cameras, excellent wireless radios, and a waterproof build. If you prefer a smaller phone, you can save $100 with the regular iPhone 15, but you'll take a hit on battery life. The iPhone 15 Pro Max still earns our Editors' Choice award for offering the best iPhone experience overall, but the 15 Plus gets you most of the way there for $300 less.</p>"
<https://uk.pcmag.com/apple-serie/149041/apple-iphone-15-plus>