Buy an iPhone 14 or 15: Who should choose the newer model?

Does the iPhone 15 take better photos than the iPhone 14?

Yes, but not in every photo. On the phone screen and in chats, photos from both devices look almost the same. You’ll see the difference when you zoom in on the image, crop it, or enlarge it. Comparison tests show this too.

The 14’s main camera has 12 megapixels (MP), while the 15’s has 48 MP. More MP means more detail.

Where you’ll notice it:

You zoom in. At the edge of a sports field, at a concert, or on a building detail while on vacation. The 15 has a 2x setting that crops an area from the large sensor. Strictly speaking, this is digital zoom; the 15 doesn’t have a separate telephoto lens either. Even so, the result is clearly better than the 14’s basic zoom.

You take a photo against the light. The person is standing by a window, or the sun is low in the sky. In practical comparisons, the 15 does a better job of balancing the face and background. With the 14, shadows are darker and there is more flare.

In the evening, the picture is less clear. Some tests consider the 15 clearly better, while others find hardly any difference. Both have a night mode.

You take photos of people and later realize that one could have been a beautiful portrait, with the person in focus and the background blurred. With the 14, you have to switch to portrait mode beforehand. The 15 recognizes people in the frame and saves the depth information at the same time. You can set the blurred background later in the Photos app.

Video is equally good on both models (both record in 4K), as are the selfie camera and the ultrawide camera, for example for group photos in tight spaces.

Look through your last 50 photos. How often did you zoom before taking the shot? And how many didn’t turn out the way you imagined in the evening or against the light? If you can’t think of many, the camera isn’t a reason to choose the 15.

View iPhone 15

Lightning or USB-C: What changes when charging?

The iPhone 14 has «Lightning», the connector used only by Apple. The iPhone 15 has «USB-C», the standard now used by almost everything else: laptops, Tablets, Android phones, and many chargers.

In everyday use, this means: If your laptop or iPad already has USB-C, one cable is enough for everything. Your laptop charger will also work with the iPhone. If, on the other hand, you have Lightning cables in your car, by your bed, and at the office, buying the 15 means replacing them.

When it comes to charging itself, there’s no difference between the two. With a suitable power adapter, both charge quickly, and both also support wireless charging.

The 15 can charge small devices such as an Apple Watch or AirPods. You can’t charge them by placing them on the back. Instead, you plug one end of a cable into the iPhone and the other end into the device. It’s slow and drains your iPhone’s battery. Good in an emergency, but not for everyday use.

You should temper one expectation. The iPhone 15's USB-C transfers data only at the leisurely speed of the older USB 2 standard, up to 480 Mb/s according to Apple. That is enough for photos and backups. If you often copy large video files to your computer, you will be waiting.

Which cable is next to your bed today? If your laptop and iPad already use USB-C, the 15 is an improvement here. Otherwise, hardly.

Display, battery, and chip: What else is different?

The answers here are brief.

Is the iPhone 15's display better?

Hardly. Both displays are 6.1 Inch and equally sharp. One difference is immediately noticeable: the 14 has the «Notch» at the top, the black cutout for the camera and facial recognition. The 15 has the «Dynamic Island» instead, a smaller, elongated cutout. Navigation or music playing, for example, appears there. Practical, but not a reason to switch.

On paper, the 15 is brighter outdoors. In everyday use, however, the display makes little difference in comparison tests.

What neither has: «Always-On» (the screen remains dimly visible) and «120 Hz» (scrolling feels smoother). Those features are only available on the Pro models. If that matters to you, the Pro models are the right choice. There is a separate article about the iPhone 14 Pro: Is a refurbished iPhone 14 Pro worth it?

Does the iPhone 15's battery last longer?

A little. Apple specifies the same video playback time for both. In a Tom's Guide battery test (web browsing), however, the 15 lasted around an hour and a half longer than the 14. That was with new devices.

With a refurbished iPhone, the battery's condition also matters. We do not sell any device whose battery capacity is below 85%.

Does your current phone's battery last you through the day? If not, the 15 gives you a little more breathing room. It is not a miracle.

Is the iPhone 15 faster?

On paper, yes; in everyday use, hardly. The 14 has the A15 chip, while the 15 has the A16. Neither is a bottleneck for messaging, maps, the camera, or streaming. Comparison tests reach the same conclusion.

How long will the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 continue to receive updates?

As of October 2026, both run iOS 27, the current version of the iPhone operating system. That is not a given. Apple did not drop a single model from support this year. Everything that received iOS 26 also gets iOS 27, all the way back to the 2019 iPhone 11. Many had expected the iPhone 11 to be dropped. A year earlier, Apple had already phased out the iPhone XR and both XS models.

One thing doesn’t run on either: Apple Intelligence, Apple’s collection of AI features, for example for writing and the new Siri. You need at least an iPhone 15 Pro or an iPhone 16 for that.

And after that? Apple only commits to minimum periods. A document for the UK market states that the iPhone 14 receives at least five years of security updates from its sales launch in September 2022. Security updates close vulnerabilities, even if the device no longer receives new features.

Based on experience, it’s longer. Major iOS updates usually arrive for five to seven years after release, followed by around two more years of security updates. This is not an Apple promise, just what we have seen with earlier iPhones. The 14 came out in 2022, the 15 in 2023. The 15 has a one-year head start.

How long do you want to keep the device? Two or three years: Both are more than sufficient. Five years or more: The 15 gives you an extra year of breathing room.

Who we advise against buying the iPhone 15

We’re happy to sell you the 15. Even so, in these cases we say: Get the 14 or keep yours.

• You already have an iPhone 14 that works. The jump is too small to justify switching.
• You’re switching because of the AI features. They run on neither.
• You expect the new connector to enable fast copying of large files. The 15 doesn’t offer that.

View iPhone 14

Your result: iPhone 14 or iPhone 15?

Count how often you answer yes:

• I often zoom in on the image, at the edge of the field, at concerts or on holiday.
• My masterpieces turn out poorly on my phone in the evening or against the light.
• My laptop and my iPad charge via USB-C, and I want one cable for everything.
• I want to keep the device for five years or longer.

Zero or one yes: iPhone 14. Two or more yeses: iPhone 15. Both come with a 14-day right of return and up to 3 years of warranty.

Decided? Here’s how to transfer your data to your new iPhone: Transfer your data to your new iPhone.

We offer refurbished iPhones in five conditions: New, As new, Very good, Used and Bargain. We are an Apple Authorized Service Provider. How our warranty works is explained in a separate article.

Thinking about simply waiting for a new iPhone? Then read first whether waiting is worthwhile.

Here you can find both Series: iPhone 14 Series and iPhone 15 Series.