iPhone 15 vs 5

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Apple iPhone 15

The iPhone 15 wins this one, taking performance decisively. Against the 5 it's also the sounder buy at $8.40 per month of safe use.

Value Score: iPhone 15 62 · 5 57 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone 15 $430

Safe to buy$8.40/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Sep 20282030

Fairphone 5 $600

Safe to buy$9.54/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031

Category by category

Display

iPhone 15 505 50

Both displays are effectively the same class.

Performance

iPhone 15 805 55

The iPhone 15's Apple A16 Bionic is simply the faster chip.

Camera

iPhone 15 625 67

The 5 has the stronger camera system — same lens count, higher-grade sensors.

Battery

iPhone 15 475 64

4,200mAh vs 3,349mAh — the 5 lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 15 615 75

The 5 is supported until Sep 2031 — 12 months longer than the iPhone 15.

Value

iPhone 15 625 57

Overall value goes to the iPhone 15 at $8.40 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 15	5
Price (street)	$430	$600
Display	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, Dynamic Island, up to 2000 nits peak	6.46-inch OLED, FHD+, 90Hz, Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset	Apple A16 Bionic	Qualcomm QCM6490 (6nm)
RAM	6GB	8GB
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB	256GB
Battery	3,349 mAh	4,200 mAh
Charging	Wired ~50% in 30 min with 20W+; MagSafe 15W wireless	30W wired; user-removable battery
Rear cameras	48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide	50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide
Dimensions	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.80 mm	161.6 × 75.8 × 9.6 mm
Weight	171 g	212 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP55 (also MIL-STD-810H)
Supported until	Sep 2030	Sep 2031

iPhone 15 full verdict →5 full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.