iPhone 15 vs 12

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Apple iPhone 15

Lifespan decides this one: the iPhone 15 is supported until Sep 2030 at $8.38 per month of safe use, while the 12 runs out in Jan 2029 ($15.94/month). On a which-lasts-longer question, that's not a tie — it's the whole answer.

Value Score: iPhone 15 62 · 12 72 — 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$8.38/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Sep 20282030

OnePlus 12 $500

Buy with care$15.94/mo

2024◆ Buy-by Jan 20272029

Category by category

Display

iPhone 15 5012 100

The 12's screen is the better one — 6.82-inch ltpo amoled proxdr, qhd+ (3168×1440), 1–120hz, up to 4500 nits peak.

Performance

iPhone 15 8012 92

The 12's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is simply the faster chip.

Camera

iPhone 15 6212 79

The 12 has the stronger camera system (3 real rear lenses vs 2).

Battery

iPhone 15 4712 88

5,400mAh vs 3,349mAh — the 12 lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 15 6112 37

The iPhone 15 is supported until Sep 2030 — 20 months longer than the 12.

Value

iPhone 15 6212 72

Overall value goes to the 12 at $15.94 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 15	12
Price (street)	$430	$500
Display	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, Dynamic Island, up to 2000 nits peak	6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED ProXDR, QHD+ (3168×1440), 1–120Hz, up to 4500 nits peak
Chipset	Apple A16 Bionic	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM	6GB	12GB/16GB
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB	256GB/512GB
Battery	3,349 mAh	5,400 mAh
Charging	Wired ~50% in 30 min with 20W+; MagSafe 15W wireless	80W SUPERVOOC wired (50W in North America), 50W wireless
Rear cameras	48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide	50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 64MP periscope 3x
Dimensions	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.80 mm	164.3 × 75.8 × 9.2 mm
Weight	171 g	220 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP65
Supported until	Sep 2030	Jan 2029

iPhone 15 full verdict →12 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.