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Also traded in my 14PM for 15PM and couldn’t be happier. I used a Spigen liquid crystal clear case for the 14PM and have the ultra hybrid MagSafe clear case for the 15PM. The overall footprint is smaller than 14PM and weight is noticeably lighter. The screens are identical but speakers are much better on my 15PM.

The natural Ti is tied re: my favorite iPhone color ever, with the slate black iPhone 5. That phone was so sleek.
 
Same. My 15PM screen looks a lot warmer and dimmer than my 14PM.
15 PM True Tone is definitely warmer than the 14 PM. I went outside with the 15 PM in bright sunlight and observed that it was also a bit dimmer. Replicated this several times just now at home under a bright white light (~6500k) with the same settings on both phones (Night Shift at the same level, max brightness, and True Tone on) - 15 PM is a bit dimmer and more yellow/green, while the 14 PM can get blindingly bright.

I had the chance to stop by the Apple Store and it seems like the display 15 Pro Max models are also calibrated similarly (compared with auto brightness off, true tone off, night shift off at full brightness). Is it possible that Apple intended for the displays to be calibrated this way? The differences this year are not that massive so I may just stick with the 14 PM for another year and give things another swing in 2024.
 
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I upgrade every year regardless so perhaps this doesn't apply to me.... but in my opinion the upgrade is totally worth it so far... Mostly for aesthetic reasons... Firstly I looove the look of the phone with natural titanium... the rounded edges feel great since I don't use a case..... And I know the weight difference is minimal but for some reason it feels so much lighter and smaller than the previous Max phones I've owned.... So much so that I catch myself wondering if I got the 6.1" pro by mistake. It seems silly because the change is so minimal, but it feels more extreme in practice.
 
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i’d say so far the 15 PM is worth the upgrade from the 14PM .. everyone saying something about durability has me confused. i never dropped my 14 PM and i most likely won’t drop the 15 PM so durability is exactly the same for me. 🤔
 
Definitely no regrets. Was a little unsure, only my third iPhone - 12PM, 14PM and now this. Charging port broke on the 12 and the screen was covered in micro scratches. 14 is as new, not a mark on it, but battery health went from 100 to 99 between launch and July, and now down to 92 since.

So I thought why not? I can afford it, and I like. A lot of small things are better than the 14 - even display, lighter, USB C, a nice colour that I admired for the six seconds it took me to slap a case on it. Camera testing tomorrow.

My 15PM has no scratches, no blemishes, hasn't got hot, no raised glass nor any of the other disasters the yoof here are wailing, gnashing their teeth and rending garments about.

Gave the 14PM to my kid. His 12 looks like he's been dunking it for three years, and looks ridiculous in his Kawhi sized hands. This one will be better for him. He's delighted, and that makes me a happy dad.
 
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For me it's not worth it from 14 PRO MAX to 15 PRO MAX (it's what I did but don't regret). From 14 pro to 15 PRO MAX, it's worth a little
 
I just got back from a lunchtime trip to the Apple Store. As I mentioned in my original post, its a rare year that I don't upgrade, and I wanted to see the iPhone 15 PM in person. I think my original feeling was correct, there is no real reason to upgrade from my iPhone 14 PM this year.

I picked up a model in Natural Titanium. The color and feel does look great. However, knowing my own usage, it would be in a case from the minute I took it out of the box, so the feel and color are almost meaningless to me. The phone is zippy as it should be. The action button is nice and i'm sure people and Apple will come up with great uses for it in the future. However, I use the mute switch every day, I do glance at my phone to make sure the ringer is off if im in a meeting or a show. So its a good addition to the phone, but not groundbreaking in my opinion.

We all know the differences in cameras by now. Improvements, yes of course, but enough to upgrade? Not this year.

USB-C is a major improvement if you are a professional photographer or content creator and will use the port to record to external drives and move multiple photos and video across devices. But for the average user such as me, it's again not game changing. I have many lightening cables, I charge wirelessly every night, and still have many devices that use lightening (Magsafe Duo, Magsafe Battery Pack, Magic Mouse).

The feel and look of the phone was very similar to the 14PM. Im not sure I would even get that "new toy" feeling.

This post isn't a negative post against Apple or anyone who decided to upgrade. Apple adds enough into a phone each year to differentiate it from the year before because the have to sell millions of phones each year. My point is that a 14PM has 95% of the features and usability of the 15PM. I still do have some FOMO, I can't shake that feeling. But again, as of now, I am sticking with my 14PM.
 
I'm going for 15PM from the 14PM. It's worth the upgrade if you value the following:
  • If you don't use a case: A more rounded edge so it won't dig into your skin after a long use.
  • 5X zoom
  • Portrait mode: taking photos then turn on portrait mode later. This is huge for me.
  • Blue color: I love blue, so I really hate it when 14PM doesn't have blue
  • Noticeably lighter: The weight reduction is real because somehow apple balance the weight distribution, making it easier to hold now.
  • Action button: I always hate the mute switch because it's a useless switch when my phone is on silent 100% of the time. So having a customization button is way better.
 
Definitely worth it! I did not think there was a difference in the cameras, but went to a concert on Friday night and took photos using 5X zoom and the photos were amazingly clear - so much better than my 14PM. That coupled with the lighter weight, natural Ti color, and action button makes this a great upgrade. Plus, I am finding the battery much better on my 15pm
 
Well, can't say from the 14PM, but from the 14 Pro, it was 1000% worth it.

That battery was CRAP compared to my 13 Pro. So, knowing the 14 PM was also worse, the battery improvements alone should be worth it. Multi-use action button based on orientation is awesome. hand-feel is WAY better. camera is obvs better.

If you can afford it without negative impact, the upgrade is worth it.
 
I have so far held off on upgrading for the first time since the X->Xs. I watched a lot of reviews that came out over the weekend that said there was no compelling reason to upgrade. I would like to hear thoughts from real life users who upgraded from the 14PM to the 15PM. Was the upgrade worth it?
Yes, it is. Lighter weight is totally worth it for me and making Pro Max light material short pocket friendly preventing from wardrobe malfunction 😂
 
I am happy with the upgrade from the 14 pro max to the 15 pro max. It's not mind-blowing changes but the quality of life upgrades are great. I think the camera is an improvement over the 14 Pro Max as well.

I am a little disappointed with the back glass being a bit less durable than the 14 pro but I don’t think it's the end of the world. Glass is glass and anything can break given the variables.

For those that only looked at Jerry Rigs video about the glass breaking, I encourage you to look at the other two YouTubers who did the bend test and the back glass didn't break.

Also, Apple Pro everything drop tests video showed the pro max can take a beating and still work ( cameras and all) it's just the back glass that breaks really.

Also looking forward to seeing what happens with the A17 chip, gaming, and more. Overall, happy with the phone!
I got worried seeing jerryrigs video. I was contemplating returning my PM. Then I saw those other 2 videos and made the decision to keep it. Love the phone otherwise.
 
I might be the odd one out here but I actually preferred the weight of the 14PM, that said, USB-C and the slight camera upgrade made it worth it for me.
 
I was at an open house at the local HS last night (yes I am 50 and I have 2 kids in the HS), and everyone of course has their phones out and on the desks. As the tech nerd I am, I glanced around to see what everyone is using and also to see if anyone has the new 15PM. I saw a LOT of iPhone 11PM's and 12PM's, with either horrible screen protectors or just cracked screens that were never repaired. I honestly think it's accurate that people do not upgrade for 3 or more years. Yet I am sitting contemplating whether the 15PM is a worthy replacement for the 14PM. Let's be real, I love tech or I wouldn't be here at MR. But...the 14PM is still a pretty good phone after a year.
 
"Worth" is subjective to everyone, but for me it was worth upgrading to the 15 PM from the 14 PM. I am not running into any of the issues people have been mentioning.
 
"Worth" is subjective to everyone, but for me it was worth upgrading to the 15 PM from the 14 PM. I am not running into any of the issues people have been mentioning.
The only issue I’m having is battery life is bad. I think it’s a software issue, so I will wait for an update. I do carry a Anker portable charger with me so I don’t have an issue topping up before I arrive home after work.
 
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The only issue I’m having is battery life is bad. I think it’s a software issue, so I will wait for an update. I do carry a Anker portable charger with me so I don’t have an issue topping up before I arrive home after work.
Really? I get pretty good battery life. What's normal usage for you? Your typical screen on time before needing to charge?
 
Really? I get pretty good battery life. What's normal usage for you? Your typical screen on time before needing to charge?
This is today. I took a 2 hour nap earlier so I wasn’t using my device. I know my battery would’ve dropped more if I was using it.

IMG_0049.png
 
Absolutely not. It is almost entirely the same experience. But I still like it anyway and intend to keep it, since I have not had any of the heat issues of other problems reported.
 
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I was at an open house at the local HS last night (yes I am 50 and I have 2 kids in the HS), and everyone of course has their phones out and on the desks. As the tech nerd I am, I glanced around to see what everyone is using and also to see if anyone has the new 15PM. I saw a LOT of iPhone 11PM's and 12PM's, with either horrible screen protectors or just cracked screens that were never repaired. I honestly think it's accurate that people do not upgrade for 3 or more years. Yet I am sitting contemplating whether the 15PM is a worthy replacement for the 14PM. Let's be real, I love tech or I wouldn't be here at MR. But...the 14PM is still a pretty good phone after a year.
Well put. We are all tech nerds to one degree or another or we would not be posting on MacRumors...

It comes down to a ratio based on can you afford it and will it make you happy? The level of happiness is often related to the level of nerdiness... and the happier you are with the new tech, the more you are willing to spend vs your income. The more wealthy you are the less happy the phone needs to make you to be "worth it."

I am by no means "wealthy" but I am no where near struggling either. As a tech nerd, a new iPhone makes me happy every year. Luckily my work gets me a new MBP every 3-4 years so no computer expenses make a new phone an easy choice.
 
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This is today. I took a 2 hour nap earlier so I wasn’t using my device. I know my battery would’ve dropped more if I was using it.

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I’m sorry your battery life hasn’t been the greatest. On the bright side it more than likely is software, hopefully it improves soon. I’m loving my 15 PM. This was mine on Saturday using about 75% of my battery, so pretty good!
 

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