Is the iPhone 15 nonetheless value 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 not less than one older mannequin on sale. The result’s that whereas there are 4 variations of the

iPhone 16
out there, together with the

iPhone 16e
, you’ll be able to 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.

Must you truly drop money on an iPhone 15 in 2025? You’ve got in all probability already received an inclination, however the reply is a bit more complicated than you is perhaps imagining. And even if you would like one, it’s possible you’ll 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 most important 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 a substitute 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 thing from notification summaries to Visible Intelligence and

ChatGPT integration
. It is not a giant deal for the time being (I not often use ChatGPT myself) however AI will inevitably turn into a much 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 can tax the A16 to its limits, and most different apps must 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 must 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 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 in all probability will not discover more often than not.

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Digital camera tech

Functionally, the iPhone 15 digicam system is just about an identical to the iPhone 16 lineup. The usual 16 does have benefits like macro pictures, Visible Intelligence, and assist for spatial images and movies you’ll be able to expertise with a

Vision Pro
, but it surely nonetheless makes use of a 48-megapixel most important digicam and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide, similar to the 15. Most images and movies ought to look an identical underneath comparable 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 isn’t any ultra-wide digicam on the 16e, so in the event 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 isn’t any 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 cellphone the way in which Apple does, and you will be charging all of those gadgets in a single day — however the 16e could possibly be preferable for vacationers or different individuals who usually discover their system operating on fumes.

The 15 Plus matches the 16e, so that could be the way in which to go if you would like each glorious 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, in fact) 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 routinely 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 most effective speeds from USB charging anyway, so this can be a moot level in the event you’re nervous about charging in a rush. MagSafe is a giant deal for different causes too. It is usually one of the best ways of mounting an iPhone, or attaching equipment like wallets and exterior batteries. You possibly can stay with out it, naturally, but it surely’s frankly wonderful that Apple felt it could possibly 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 vital than MagSafe for some individuals, because it makes it simpler to manage media playback, swap apps, and maintain tabs on Stay Actions like timers and meals deliveries. I exploit it every single day. 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 does not assist the quickest type of 5G, often called mmWave. When you’ve received a sensible residence, neither the iPhone 15 nor the iPhone 16e have a Thread radio for appropriate equipment. The iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e have a customizable Motion button rather than a hoop/mute swap.

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Must you get an iPhone 15 in 2025?

Perhaps, however it is time to go cut price looking

As you have seen, the iPhone 15 holds up surprisingly nicely, 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 ultimately remorse the absence of Apple Intelligence, however even these issues will not matter a lot in the event you’re simply attempting to get to work or browse social media. It is truly a better option than the 16e in the event you care about digicam tech, MagSafe equipment, and Dynamic Island controls.

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

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

iPhone 17
is anticipated to launch in September. The iPhone 16 will drop to the iPhone 15’s present worth, 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 system — simply relegated to the used/refurbished market, presumably at even decrease value. That is perhaps the chance to strike if worth trumps all different elements.

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