Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 18
Compare Apple iPhone 15 vs Apple iPhone 18 side by side: Apple A16 Bionic vs Apple A20 (2nm TSMC), 48MP vs 48MP camera, 3349mAh vs 3800mAh battery, $799 vs…
Apple
iPhone 15
$799
2categories won
Apple
iPhone 18
$899
12categories won
7 categories tied · 21 scored in total · add a third phone
Which one wins?
Apple iPhone 18 takes the overall win
The Apple iPhone 18 proves superior overall against the Apple iPhone 15, outperforming on gaming and photography. In camera testing, the iPhone 18 leads with superior optics, while battery endurance leans towards the iPhone 18. Choose the iPhone 18 if you want the highest performance ceiling, or opt for the iPhone 15 if its lower retail price better fit your budget.
iPhone 18 takes battery honors offering 3,800 mAh alongside 35W charging.
iPhone 18 provides greater sustained gaming output with its Apple A20 (2nm TSMC) and 12GB RAM.
iPhone 18 takes photography with 48MP optics.
iPhone 15 provides a sharper value proposition, coming in at $799 vs $899.
Category verdicts are computed algorithmically from verified technical specifications and hardware benchmarks. Rows where neither figure is objectively better — screen size preference, operating system choice, aesthetic build materials — are displayed for direct reference without scoring bias.
iPhone 15 vs iPhone 18: specifications compared
Display
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1" | 6.3" |
| Resolution | 1179 x 2556 | 1179 x 2556 |
| Pixel density | 461 ppiWinner | 447 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 HzWinner |
| Peak brightness | 2000 nits | 3000 nitsWinner |
Performance
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A16 Bionic | Apple A20 (2nm TSMC) |
| Process node | 4 nm | 2 nmWinner |
| AnTuTu score | 1,380,000 | 3,200,000Winner |
| Geekbench multi | 6650 | 10800Winner |
| Maximum RAM | 6 GB | 12 GBWinner |
| Maximum storage | 512GB | 512GB |
Camera
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Main sensor | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Rear cameras | 2 | 2 |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MPWinner |
| Selfie camera | 12 MP | 18 MPWinner |
| Max video | 4K at 60fps Dolby Vision HDR | 8K at 30fps / 4K at 120fps |
Battery and charging
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,349 mAh | 3,800 mAhWinner |
| Wired charging | 20 W | 35 WWinner |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 WWinner |
Design
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g | 172 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mm | 7.6 mm |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Build | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front, color-infused matte glass back | Grade 5 Titanium frame, Ceramic Glass front and back |
Software and support
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | iOS 17 | iOS 20 |
| OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearsWinner |
| Security updates | 7 years | 7 years |
Connectivity and value
| Specification | iPhone 15 | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth) |
| Storage expansion | None | None |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| Launch price | $799Winner | $899 |
Apple iPhone 15
The iPhone 15 gains the interactive Dynamic Island, a 48MP dual camera capturing 24MP default snaps with 2x lossless digital cropping, 2000-nit outdoor brightness, USB-C convenience, and pastel matte glass styling.
- Display
- 6.1"
- Chipset
- Apple A16 Bionic
- Main camera
- 48MP
- Battery
- 3,349mAh
Apple iPhone 18
The base iPhone 18 finally adopts smooth 120Hz ProMotion display technology alongside TSMC’s bleeding-edge 2nm Apple A20 chip, dual 48MP Fusion optics, and dedicated Camera Control 2.0.
- Display
- 6.3"
- Chipset
- Apple A20 (2nm TSMC)
- Main camera
- 48MP
- Battery
- 3,800mAh