The iPhone 15 is certainly not a bad smartphone, but the iPhone 17 is superior in many ways – we show why you should upgrade.
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iPhone 17 vs iPhone 15
The iPhone 17 obviously has a lot more to offer than the iPhone 15. However, the latter is still a solid smartphone, which you can find refurbished for less than 500 euros. To see whether upgrading is really worth it, we compare both iPhones on paper and in practice. This way you quickly know what the best choice is for you!
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 15 |
|---|---|
| 6.3 inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| A19 chip | A16 Bionic chip |
| 256 GB or 512 GB storage space | 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB of storage space |
| 8 GB RAM | 6 GB RAM |
| Up to 30 hours of video playback | Up to 20 hours of video playback |
| Lavender, Sage Green, Nebula Blue, White and Black | Black, Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink |
| €968 | €629 |
Housing
The iPhone 17 is slightly larger and heavier than the iPhone 15. It measures 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm and weighs 177 g. On the iPhone 15 it is 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm and 171 g. Both devices have an aluminum frame and a glass front and back. The glass of the iPhone 17 is made of the stronger Ceramic Shield 2.
Screen
Not only is the housing of the iPhone 17 slightly larger, but also the screen: 6.3 inches compared to 6.1 inches. At 3000 nits, this screen also has a higher maximum brightness than the screen of the iPhone 15 (2000 nits), which you especially notice when you view the screen in direct sunlight. The iPhone 17’s screen also has an anti-reflective coating. Furthermore, the screen of the 17 is equipped with ProMotion and the always-on function. The iPhone 15 does not have this. Thanks to these advantages, the screen of the iPhone 17 is a lot better than that of the iPhone 15.

Camera
The camera of the iPhone 17 has been improved compared to that of its predecessor. The iPhone 17 has a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system, which consists of a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide. The iPhone 15 has a 48MP wide-angle camera and a 12MP ultra-wide angle. If a good camera is important to you, then the iPhone 17 is clearly the best choice.
Performance
On this point too, the iPhone 17 easily beats the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 still runs on an A16 Bionic chip and the iPhone 17 is a big step ahead with the A19 chip. The A19 is a lot faster and also more energy efficient than the A16 Bionic chip.
In addition, the iPhone 17 with 8 GB of RAM is also a lot faster than the iPhone 15 with 6 GB of RAM. It also means that the iPhone 17 has support for Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 15 does not.
Battery
The iPhone 17 does have a battery with a larger capacity than the iPhone 15, but the difference is not huge: 3692 mAh compared to 3349 mAh. Yet the iPhone 17 has a significantly longer battery life: 30 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 15 gives up after 20 hours. This is partly due to the more energy-efficient processor of the iPhone 17.
Advantages of iPhone 17
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Better screen with always-on
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Longer battery life
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Support for Apple Intelligence
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Better camera
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You will receive software updates for longer
Disadvantages of iPhone 17
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More expensive
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A bit bigger (which you might not want)
Advantages of iPhone 15
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Cheaper
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You can choose 128 GB (if you want)
Disadvantages of iPhone 15
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Less good screen
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Shorter battery life
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No support for Apple Intelligence
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Not so good camera
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You will receive software updates for less time

Conclusion: iPhone 17 vs iPhone 15
It is of course no surprise that the iPhone 17 comes out better than the iPhone 15. But is the difference so big that you should switch? That is very personal. It is possible that you can live just fine with a slower iPhone, with a less good screen, a less good camera and a shorter battery life. You may be able to do just fine without Apple Intelligence at the moment, although there is a good chance that you will miss it more and more in the near future.
It doesn’t have to be done right away, but if you want to be prepared for the future, it is advisable to switch to the iPhone 17. The faster processor and extra RAM ensure a better iPhone experience in any case, and on top of that are Apple Intelligence, a better camera, a better screen, a longer battery life and longer software updates.
Buy iPhone 17?
After reading this article, do you want to take the step and purchase an iPhone 17? Then keep an eye on the deals below to ensure you don’t pay too much!
Apple iPhone 17 deals
Compare all Apple iPhone 17 subscriptions