Review · Apple
iPhone 15 Pro Review (2026): 2023 Best Camera Winner, Now a Refurbished Bargain
Won Best Camera at MKBHD's 2023 Smartphone Awards. Now $599–$699 refurbished — supports Apple Intelligence and has 4+ years of iOS updates remaining. The cheapest path into a Pro-tier iOS phone with full Apple Intelligence.
By SmartphoneAwards Editorial · Published · Updated
Pros
- MKBHD's 2023 Best Camera winner
- Refurbished pricing $599–$699
- Apple Intelligence supported
- First titanium iPhone; first USB-C iPhone Pro
Cons
- 8GB RAM constrains heavy AI use
- Two generations behind on chipset
- Battery life merely average
- Display dimmer than 16/17 Pro generations
Why it won Best Camera
MKBHD's 2023 award called out the iPhone 15 Pro's combination of ProRes video, the new 5x telephoto on the Pro Max, and Apple's mature Smart HDR pipeline. For mobile video specifically, the 15 Pro was the easy choice and remains excellent.
Display & build
6.1-inch ProMotion OLED, 1–120Hz adaptive, ~2,000 nits peak. First titanium iPhone — meaningfully lighter than stainless 14 Pro. Action Button replaces the mute switch. USB-C is standard.
Performance & Apple Intelligence
A17 Pro + 8GB RAM. Apple Intelligence is supported but runs at the lower performance of any Apple Intelligence iPhone — most features work but on-device processing is noticeably slower than on the iPhone 17.
Camera
Triple 48MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 12MP 3x telephoto. ProRes Log capture supported. Stills are excellent and remain competitive with the iPhone 16 Pro for everyday photography. Video pipeline is the same fundamental ProRes architecture as the 17 Pro.
Battery
Real-world: 5.5–6.5 hours of screen-on time. Average for a Pro-tier iPhone of its generation.
Verdict · 4.5 / 5
Buy the iPhone 15 Pro refurbished at $599–$699 if you want Apple Intelligence and Pro-tier iPhone capabilities at the lowest possible price. Won MKBHD's 2023 Best Camera and remains genuinely competitive in 2026. If budget allows, the iPhone 16 Pro at $899 (2024 Best Camera winner) is the smarter incremental upgrade.
🛒 Buy the iPhone 15 Pro on AmazonAlternatives to consider
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the iPhone 15 Pro still worth buying in 2026?
Yes — refurbished at $599–$699 it's the cheapest Apple Intelligence iPhone with Pro-tier capabilities. Won MKBHD's 2023 Best Camera.
Does the iPhone 15 Pro support Apple Intelligence?
Yes — fully. Was the cheapest Apple Intelligence iPhone at launch and remains supported through Apple's full feature set.
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: which to buy refurbished?
iPhone 16 Pro at $899 if budget allows — won 2024 Best Camera with newer ultrawide and Camera Control button. iPhone 15 Pro at $599–$699 is the value pick.
How we rate
Our editorial score is anchored to outcomes from MKBHD's annual Smartphone Awards (2014–2025), then refined for everyday usability. Phone of the Year winners earn 5/5; category winners 4.5/5; runners-up 4/5; otherwise we score on merit. We earn a commission on purchases via our retailer links — at no extra cost to you.