Buying a new iPhone, but not sure which one you should get? This year, Apple decided to make that choice harder than ever.

Yes, the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are better than ever, and if money is no object, go for those phones. But if you’re just a little cost-conscious, you simply have to consider Apple’s “regular” new phones, the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus.

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In a way, the cheaper iPhones are the opposite of the Pro models. The new iPhone 15 Pro hasn’t seen any major improvements, but it’s been tweaked in so many little ways that it feels like Apple’s most-refined phone ever. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have gotten two major new features: The Dynamic Island and the 48-megapixel camera, and this brings them a lot closer to the Pro phones than last year’s models.

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Colors on the back, Dynamic Island in the front

On the rear, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus still have the dual cameras in the top left, though the back of the phone is now color-infused glass with a choice of very soft colors including blue, pink (yay!), yellow, green, and black. The chassis is still made of aluminum, but it’s now a little rounder on the edges, making the phone nicer to hold. On the front, however, there’s a big difference: The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus now have the Dynamic Island, inherited from the Pro models which received it last year.

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The Dynamic Island itself hasn’t received any massive upgrades, but it’s still gives the phone a unique look (compared to non-iPhone smartphones), and is a useful, situational reminder that something is happening in the background - be it a timer, some music playing, or the Uber app letting you know when the driver’s arriving.

The customizable Action Button from the Pro models is sadly absent; iPhone 15 users will have to make do with the old mute switch.

Put all of these changes together, though, and you get phones that inherit nearly all of the key features of the Pro models, and even surpass them in some ways. Despite having the same, 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, they’re very light (6.02 ounces for the 15 and 7.09 ounces for the 15 Plus). They’re also nice to hold, and are way more colorful. And while the aluminum frame isn't as fancy as the titanium on the Pro models, I doubt there are other significant drawbacks.

What's up with the 60Hz display?

Inside, you get the A16 Bionic chip which the Pro models had last year. Suffice to say, it’s still one of the fastest mobile chips you can get, and it will serve you well for two, three or more years. Apple doesn’t say how much RAM its phones have, and it’s probable that the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus don’t have as much as the Pro models, but it’s not something you’ll often feel in everyday use. Finally, the storage starts at 128GB and ends at 512GB for both models, which will do just fine for most people.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus feel slower than the Pro models due to lack of one key feature: Their displays only have a 60Hz maximum refresh rate, while the Pro models have ProMotion displays with a refresh rate up to 120Hz. Comparing these phones side by side reveals just how important this is; everything just feels so much smoother on the Pro displays. If you’ve never used a 120Hz display, you won’t mind the lower refresh rate on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus; to me, switching from the 14 Pro Max which also has a 120Hz display, the difference was palpable.

Another thing that's missing from the iPhone 15 is the always on display. Personally, I don't care about the feature (I have it turned off on my daily driver as it's too distracting), but it is something to consider. Curiously, StandBy - Apple's new feature that turns the phone into a fancy alarm clock when flipped on the side and plugged in - does work, though without always on, it's fairly pointless, as it will only work when you touch the phone's display.

On the flip side, brightness now goes up to 2,000 nits. This does make a difference, especially in bright sunlight, as the phone's display is much easier to read.

Battery life hasn’t changed. Apple’s official figures are up to 20 and 26 hours of video playback, respectively. In real-life use, that’ll be roughly a day for the iPhone 15 and a day and a half for the iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus review: Almost Pro