iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: comparison and differences

Two very similar screens

The screens of the iPhone 15 Plus are the same size as the screens of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. These measure no less than 6.7 inches diagonally. In other words, they are phablets: very large and comfortable mobiles for long streaming sessions, for example. But there is a notable difference between the two panels, which we don't often think about. And for good reason: the manufacturer does not mention it on the box.

This is the ProMotion refresh rate at one hundred and twenty frames per second. Gamers particularly appreciate it during long games of video games, but the iPhone 15 Plus is not entitled to it. Only the iPhone 14 Pro Max is equipped with this advantage.

For the rest of the public, however, this technical characteristic will remain anecdotal and there is not really anything to compare our two opponents of the day. It's up to you; but know that the two tiles are therefore equal, more or less.

Performance is there, on iPhone 15 Plus as on iPhone 14 Pro Max

Surprisingly, Apple chose to integrate the same processor under the hood of the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, two generations separate the two smartphones. Thus, the iPhone 15 Plus was released at the same time asthe iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, i.e. in September 2023. While the iPhone 14 Pro Max was released about a year earlier, that is to say at the end of 2022. This is therefore good news for those who would like to opt for an iPhone 15 Plus in order to save a few pennies, since these smartphones are much cheaper, if new.

On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Plus is not offered with the internal storage option which provides 1 TB of memory. However, this is the case with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This is understandable, since when these premium smartphones were released, Apple also unveiled the iPhone 14 Plus, which is unfortunately no longer available new today. These are the models that we can consider as the true predecessors of the iPhone 15 Plus, with few differences separating these two versions, also high-end.

Price comparison, depending on storage capacity

Price of iPhone 15 Plus

• 1,119 euros for the model with 128 GB of internal storage
• 1,249 euros for the model with 256 GB of internal storage
• 1,499 euros for the model with 512 GB of internal storage

Price of iPhone 14 Pro Max

The iPhone 14 Pro Max was offered at the following prices when it was released in the official store:

• iPhone 14 Pro Max (128 Go) : 1 479 euros
• iPhone 14 Pro Max (256 Go) : 1 609 euros
• iPhone 14 Pro Max (512 Go) : 1 869 euros
• iPhone 14 Pro Max (1 To) : 2 129 euros

From now on, however, you should know that you can easily find iPhone 14 Pro Max sold for under a thousand euros. In this case, the older, more efficient models are more affordable than the new, slower ones! A calculation not to be missed if it's really the size and the price that matter to you.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is clearly better in photos

On the imaging side, on the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro Max wins hands down with a triple photo sensor on the back: telephoto, ultra wide-angle and wide-angle. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Plus only has an ultra-wide-angle and a wide-angle. The definition of forty-eight megapixels is, however, offered on both models, which was not the case at the time of the iPhone 14 Plus.

In addition, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has an impressive 3x optical zoom, while the iPhone 15 Plus is limited to 2x optical zoom.

Autonomy and recharging

The iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max charge in the same way, thanks to their USB-C port.

In his time,l’iPhone 14 Pluswas sometimes considered the most durable when compared to an iPhone 14 Pro Max. But today, the endurance gap seems to have faded a bit when comparing the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

In fact, we see that the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max can last about as long as each other, on a single charge. Despite everything, we should not neglect the official technical sheet which mentions up to twenty-nine hours of autonomy for an iPhone 14 Pro Max, in video playback. Against up to twenty-six hours, still on paper, for the iPhone 15 Plus. The advantage here is that the chip is the same on both models. However, it is one of the components that consume the most. The screen is also the same size, and this time it is THE part that consumes the most energy.

On the other hand, as we saw previously, the iPhone 14 Pro Max features the ProMotion refresh rate at one hundred and twenty frames per second. However, this option uses a lot of electricity, especially with the brightness turned up all the way. What's more, the 120 Hz panel allows you to always have the screen activated, with a reduced refresh rate. But this feature, available only on iPhone 14 Pro Max, consumes money, while the iPhone 15 Plus automatically avoids this expense.

It’s up to you to judge!

Design comparison

The designs of the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Plus are relatively close, especially since Apple decided to offer itsDynamic Islandon its most affordable premium collection. Please note, however, that the material used for the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the same as that of the iPhone 14 Pro. This is titanium. This material is often considered stronger than the aluminum chassis of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is also heavier, which could be a problem when wearing loose pants or shorts. For harem pants, this is not ideal. Here, the iPhone 15 Plus therefore does a little better with a mass of 201 grams compared to 240 grams for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. That's still 39 grams of difference, which is equivalent to the weight of a small apple, all the same.

Moreover, know that the iPhone 15 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are approximately the same size with their size of 6.7 inches. Even the thickness only differs by 0.05 millimeters: this is completely negligible.

The case of artificial intelligence

With the arrival of iOS 18 and all its features boosted by artificial intelligence, only a few well-equipped smartphones will be entitled to it. It is rumored that these are the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, in this list, no iPhone 15 is reported.

Our opinion: which one to choose?

Choosing an iPhone 15 Plus is, for us, the most conscientious choice if you need a well-made mobile phone with excellent value for money. But the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains excellent premium mobile and often outperforms the iPhone 15 Plus, particularly in photos and sometimes in autonomy. However, these are very important comparison criteria when choosing a smartphone.

Compared to an iPhone 14 Pro Max, an iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly improved, but remains very expensive. However, the iPhone 15 Plus, released at the same time, comes very close and therefore presents itself as an excellent alternative, hence the comparison with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Choose an iPhone 14 Pro Max if:

• you want a state-of-the-art smartphone
• you plan to play games at 120 Hz
• you plan to take advantage of the AI ​​features of iOS 18

Choose an iPhone 15 Plus if:

• your budget is limited
• you don't need premium photo performance
• you want a good screen/price ratio