Whether you are upgrading from another iPhone, or maybe jumping from Android to Apple…
There are many choices when it comes to iPhones.
It’s another iPhone season and with the iPhone 15 being released, you might be considering
an upgrade.
The 15 Pro Max promises to be amazing right, and so does the regular 15 and 15 Plus!
Like every year…
I am going to try and help you and potentially save you from Apple Marketing.
And from yourself.
This is usually one of the most popular videos on the channel and it’s now the 4th yearly
buying guide.
I am Alex and I do down to earth tech videos.
One option maybe even to skip the iPhone 15 altogether,
That was not meant to happen!
One option is to skip the iPhone 15 altogether, not waste your money…
And sit tight and get the 16 next year.
A brand new iPhone 15 is so expensive now…
And I know this can be quite an anxious time for you.
It’s exciting but at the same time, there are lot of options.
Apple Marketing will 100% try to convince you that the new shiny iPhone 15 is better
than whatever you have.
And in some cases that will be true, but in other cases, you could save quite a bit of
money.
On one had you have a device which is supposed to have a huge camera upgrade, one of the
biggest changes in the iPhone history which is that new USB-C port.
But on the other hand, it’s the usual stuff right…
it looks and feels exactly like it did for the last 3 to 4 years, with some minor design
changes…
And as expected, there’s that good old tricky of having some exclusive features on Pro models…
which one could argue could also be on the standard models.
I’ve had an iPhone 15 Pro Max here for a few weeks which is a dummy device that is
meant to be an exact replica of the the real thing.
And you can see right?!
That the changes will be very minimal from a design perspective.
But potentially quite big on the camera aspect.
So, with all that in mind, let’s go through some options… and what I think is the most
sensible thing to do, depending on where you are.
Budget-wise or based on your current device.
And a reminder…
I can’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do.
No YouTuber can.
As we go through the options here, please use this as a guidance, but apply your own
situation, your own circumstances.
I am only here to help you navigate through the noise and all the options.
Let’s start with the scenario where you have an iPhone already… but that is about
3 years old or more.
So we are talking iPhone 12 and older.
If you have an iPhone 13 or 14… bear with me, I have some options for you too.
In this case, whether you like it or not…the features have moved on considerably since
2020.
We have much better cameras, we finally have impressive displays now (on most models) and
an awesome battery life.
But should you go straight for the iPhone 15?
Sure, if this makes sense financially, and it makes you happy, why wouldn’t you?
Yes, your personal happiness is an important factor.
I do appreciate that buying premium tech goes beyond the features of the device these days.
There’s an aspect of having the latest and greatest that may be important to you.
And if you can afford it, why not, you worked for it.
Depending on your current plan, you might be up for an upgrade anyway, with your provider.
Or even better…
you took my advice last year, and saved up some cash!
In which case, yes the latest iPhone 15 will give you that peace of mind that you won’t
need to upgrade any time soon.
Which brings me to the iPhone 14 option.
Personally…
I’ve had all sorts of problems with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, for full transparency I
got rid of mine and have been happily using the S23 Ultra and the Fold 5.
But most of my issues were iOS16 related.
I think the improvements on iOS17 will make the iPhone 14 a really decent option now.
Let’s not forget that even the iPhone 14 PLUS could also be a decent upgrade.
Because, in my reviews I found that device to be a really nice phone to use.
If you want that bigger display, without all the weight and sharp corners of the 14 Pro
Max.
And of course, you don’t mind the fact that it’s the older notch rather than the Monkey
Island.
And if you are really limited on budget…
And you’re NOT gonna hear this from many people.
But I think the 13 Pro range is probably the sweet spot for Pro iPhones.
You are getting a fantastic camera, awesome display, without the crappy Monkey Island….
I actually regret selling mine.
I had the light blue one.
The 13 now will be even cheaper and if you can get a decent 13 Pro… that is a hidden
gem that not many people will be recommending because of the… shiny object syndrome.
I did loads of comparisons between the 13 and 14 here on the channel.
And you can check those afterwards, but if you are settled on Apple, the iPhone 13 PRO
range… or indeed the 14…. both are still a beast and will remain great devices for
a few more years still.
This is definitely something to consider, because Apple will 100% try to get you to
believe otherwise.
Now… this is a tricky one!
What if you know you are going to upgrade, but you are not sure whether to get the regular
iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro or indeed the big boy Pro Max (or ultra)?
Let me get back to you on that.
Whichever model you choose, you’re likely gonna need a decent protective case.
Which brings me to Casetify who is making this video possible today.
And Casetify have incredible case designs and are always a great protective choice.
If you know the channel you know I am quite picky with the brands I work with, and I really
appreciate Casetify because they spent a lot of time with me, sharing a lot of what goes
behind the scenes…
And I am super impressed by how they go about producing these cases.
They have a really nice ethos of being sustainable.
And I really like how they managed to get a really cool balance between being protective
and remaining stylish.
They don’t stop bringing innovations, and are constantly bringing new ideas to their
cases which is really cool.
We have the trusty IMPACT cases which offer great drop protection.
You can bet I will be testing that too, like I’ve done for the past 3 years!
The IMPACT Case offers 6.6 feet drop protection
And you can absolutely bet I will be testing that too!
And if you are bit clumsy like me, or perhaps you work in tougher environments…
The BOUNCE case is a better choice for you, and offers an insane 21.3 feet protection.
To give you an idea, that’s like 2 giraffes stacked together!
They are constantly adding new designs, I am never bored with them, and I have been
reviewing them for the last three years.
They always bring some really cool options not just for the iPhone but for Android devices
too.
As a viewer of this channel you get a special 15% discount too which is great.
They’ve been doing a lot of work to develop their own technology for protection, but at
the same time keeping functionality in mind.
You can choose a MagSafe option as well.
Their website is super easy to use…
And here is where Casetify really shines for me.
It’s so much fun to come in here and customise your case.
If you don’t want to customise it, you can you can pick from their hundreds of designs
too.
Grab yours today from casetify.com/ALEXG to get that 15% OFF.
And thanks so much Casetify for making this video possible.
To recap, so far we looked at the scenario where you have an older iPhone which is 3
years old or more.
Your options depending on your budget are: Get the latest and greatest if your budget
allows, and if make you happy - that’s the easiest recommendation
Get an upgrade.
But an upgrade doesn’t always mean you have to get the latest.
Definitely consider the iPhone 14 range, or indeed even the iPhone 13 PRO models.
Before we get into the next scenario, here’s something ELSE that you’re not gonna hear
a lot of YouTubers say…
Sure there are plenty of improvements on the iPhone 15… but the design itself isn’t
one of those improvements.
If we look at this, the iPhone 15 design hasn’t really changed that much at all.
Unless of course, you are coming from an iPhone 7 or 8… this design, even though is not
new anymore… is gonna be quite a jump for you really.
Going from those older iPhones to the 15 will be amazing for you I am sure and I am jealous
of you if that’s where you are.
The second scenario is you already have the iPhone 13 or 14 model…
What should you do in that case?
For me there are two recommendations really.
If you are someone who relies on the quality of your images and videos, so you videos have
to be pristine…
I am not saying just your personal instagram and TikToks, but you have a business, or you
are trying to build a personal brand, or you are a photographer where every minor improvement
matters, then absolutely- go for the upgrade, the 15 Pro Max will give you that edge.
In this case, a way of looking at it… is that it’s an investment in your business.
I will be ordering the 15 Pro Max again, most likely… and I might actually get the PLUS
model too to compare them for you, like I did last year.
Which reminds me, YouTube can be quite tricky for a small channel like mine, especially
right now with so many creators being pampered by Apple…
So if you enjoyed this video so far a thumbs up really goes a long way in getting YouTube
to recommend this channel to other people.
And if you like my stuff, a sub to channel would be amazing too.
The benefit to you is that I will be here at least once a week with a down to earth
tech video for you.
Lots more on iPhon content, but I do enjoy my tech gadgets in general, so you will get
a nice balance here of Android and Apple stuff.
Now, here’s the third scenario,, You already have the iPhone 14 and really, apart form
the ability to show off a new shiny toy, there’s absolutely no real reason to upgrade to the
iPhone 15.
Unless, you are coming from a regular 14 to the PRO models.
From the regular to the PRO, the same recommendation applies really.
Only upgrade if those extra features in the camera specifically, make a big difference
for you.
Remember, it’s gonna look very similar so it’s not like people will go wow, look at
that!
It’s the latest iPhone whoa!!
I’d say you could save a few hundred dollars and upgrade next year.
Don’t forget, come September 2024 the iPhone 16 will be out anyway.
Sounds cliche but… yeah if you don’t need to upgrade, don’t.
I like to be transparent and keep it real here when it comes to tech brands by the way,
so a bit of context here so you know where I’m coming from.
I’ve used every single iPhone since the first one.
But if you know this channel you will also know that I’ve used a fair share of Android
devices, especially in the last two years.
In 2020 I actually changed completely to the S21 Ultra, went back to using iPhones in 2021
and last year, but this year I’ve completely switched to my S23 Ultra here, and having
the Fold 5 as my other phone.
This context is just so that you know that even though I might be recommending one iPhone
or another, I like to keep things in perspective and as impartial as possible.
Ok Alex, that sounds great, we’ve got a few options here…. but what if I have an
Android phone and I am trying to make a jump to Apple?
Well, you’re in luck because that is my very next video.
If you’re watching this in the future, that video is already out and you can find it here.
And if you want to know some of the key pain points in switching phones, you can also check
these videos over here.
I’ve been through some pain…
Don’t forget to subscribe for more iPhone 15 content, Apple Watch Ultra content as well..
all coming thick and fast now!
See you soon