Iphone 15 Plus Vs 8 Plus Is The New Size Worth The Upgrade Or Is Older Still Better

The iPhone 8 Plus remains a surprisingly resilient device in 2024. Despite being nearly seven years old, it still powers through daily tasks for thousands of users. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Plus represents Apple’s latest approach to large-screen performance, efficiency, and camera innovation. For long-time iPhone 8 Plus owners debating an upgrade, the question isn’t just about features—it’s about value, usability, and whether modern advancements justify leaving behind a phone that still works.

This isn’t a simple “newer is better” scenario. The answer depends on how you use your phone, what you prioritize in performance and longevity, and whether the benefits of the iPhone 15 Plus align with your lifestyle.

Design and Build: From Glass to Ceramic Shield

The iPhone 8 Plus introduced a return to glass-backed design, allowing for wireless charging—a first for the Plus line. Its aluminum frame and thick bezels give it a sturdy, almost industrial feel. At 7.5mm thick and weighing 200g, it’s compact by today’s standards but feels dense in hand.

In contrast, the iPhone 15 Plus adopts a sleeker, more modern aesthetic. It’s slightly taller and narrower than the 8 Plus, despite having a larger 6.7-inch display. Apple replaced the aluminum frame with aerospace-grade aluminum and added a Ceramic Shield front cover, improving drop resistance significantly. The contoured edges and flat sides make it easier to grip, even though it’s lighter at 199g—despite offering more screen real estate.

Tip: If you frequently drop your phone, the iPhone 15 Plus’s improved durability and IP68 rating (up to 6 meters for 30 minutes) offer meaningful peace of mind over the 8 Plus’s IP67 (1 meter).

Display and Usability: Bigger Screen, Smarter Experience

The most noticeable difference is the display. The iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5-inch LCD with 1080p resolution. While sharp for its time, it lacks the vibrancy, brightness, and contrast of modern OLED panels. Maximum brightness peaks around 625 nits—adequate indoors but struggles under direct sunlight.

The iPhone 15 Plus features a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with HDR support and a peak brightness of 2000 nits. This means outdoor visibility is vastly superior, colors are richer, and blacks are truly black. For media consumption, reading, or multitasking, the larger screen offers a tangible improvement.

Additionally, the shift from physical Home button to full-screen gesture navigation changes how you interact with the device. Some users miss the tactile feedback of Touch ID, but Face ID on the 15 Plus is faster and more secure, especially when wearing masks (iOS 15.4 and later).

Performance and Longevity: A Quantum Leap in Speed

Beneath the surface, the gap between these phones is enormous. The iPhone 8 Plus runs on the A11 Bionic chip—an impressive processor in 2017 but now struggling with demanding apps, multitasking, and future iOS updates. It has 3GB of RAM, which limits background app retention and smoothness over time.

The iPhone 15 Plus, powered by the A17 Pro chip, delivers desktop-class performance. Built on a 3nm process, it handles 4K video editing, AAA gaming (like *Resident Evil Village* via cloud), and AI-powered photography with ease. With 6GB of RAM, apps stay open longer, and system animations remain fluid even after extended use.

“Upgrading from an A11 to an A17 Pro isn’t just about speed—it’s about future-proofing. The 15 Plus will likely receive iOS updates until 2029 or beyond.” — David Lin, Mobile Hardware Analyst at TechPulse Insights

If you rely on your phone for productivity, photo editing, or augmented reality apps, the performance difference is not incremental—it’s transformative.

Camera Comparison: From Dual-Lens Pioneer to Computational Photography Leader

The iPhone 8 Plus was one of the first iPhones with a dual-camera system: 12MP wide and 12MP telephoto lenses. It introduced Portrait Mode and optical zoom, which were groundbreaking at the time. However, low-light performance is weak, and video tops out at 4K/60fps without advanced stabilization.

The iPhone 15 Plus improves on every front. It keeps the 48MP main sensor (with pixel binning for sharper 12MP shots), adds a second-generation sensor-shift OIS, and includes a 12MP ultrawide lens. The telephoto lens is gone compared to the Pro model, but digital zoom up to 10x is supported with remarkable clarity thanks to computational photography.

Night mode now works across all lenses, and Smart HDR 5 captures far more detail in shadows and highlights. Video recording supports Action mode (gyro-stabilized footage), Log encoding for pro color grading, and spatial video for Apple Vision Pro playback.

Feature	iPhone 8 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
Main Camera	12MP f/1.8	48MP f/1.6 with sensor-shift OIS
Secondary Camera	12MP f/2.8 Telephoto	12MP f/2.4 Ultrawide
Low-Light Performance	Limited, no Night Mode	Advanced Night Mode on all lenses
Video Recording	4K@60fps, basic stabilization	4K@60fps with Action Mode & Log
Front Camera	7MP f/2.2	12MP f/1.9 with Autofocus & Night Mode

Battery Life and Charging: Efficiency Meets Modern Standards

Apple never officially rated battery life beyond “longer than iPhone 7 Plus,” but real-world usage shows the iPhone 8 Plus lasts about 10–12 hours of mixed use. It supports 12W wired charging and 7.5W Qi wireless charging—both considered slow today.

The iPhone 15 Plus boasts up to 26 hours of video playback, one of the longest-lasting batteries in any iPhone. It supports 20W+ fast charging (50% in ~30 minutes) and USB-C, finally replacing Lightning. This opens compatibility with a wider range of chargers, headphones, and accessories.

Tip: Switching to USB-C means you can use the same cable for your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook—simplifying travel and reducing clutter.

Real-World Example: Sarah’s Upgrade Dilemma

Sarah, a high school teacher and mother of two, has used her iPhone 8 Plus since 2018. She takes photos of her kids, checks email, uses Maps, and occasionally edits videos for her small tutoring business. Her phone still turns on and makes calls, but apps take longer to load, and the battery dies by mid-afternoon.

After testing a friend’s iPhone 15 Plus, she noticed immediate differences: messages load instantly, photos look vibrant even in dim classrooms, and Face ID unlocks smoothly—even when she’s wearing a mask. Most importantly, the battery lasts all day, even with GPS navigation during weekend trips.

She upgraded and found the transition seamless. The larger screen made typing easier, and the improved camera let her capture clearer moments with her family. For Sarah, the upgrade wasn’t about chasing specs—it was about regaining reliability and simplicity.

Should You Upgrade? A Practical Checklist

Use this checklist to determine if moving from iPhone 8 Plus to iPhone 15 Plus makes sense for you:

• ✅ Does your current phone struggle with app loading or freezing?
• ✅ Is battery life under 6 hours with light use?
• ✅ Do you want better photos, especially in low light?
• ✅ Are you tired of slow charging and outdated cables?
• ✅ Do you use your phone for work, learning, or creative projects?
• ✅ Do you want at least 5 more years of iOS updates?

If you answered yes to three or more, the iPhone 15 Plus is a worthwhile investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the iPhone 8 Plus still run the latest iOS?

No. The iPhone 8 Plus maxes out at iOS 16. It does not support iOS 17 or later, meaning no future security updates, feature improvements, or app compatibility beyond 2024–2025.

Is the iPhone 15 Plus too big for everyday use?

It depends on your hand size and pocket space. Many users adapt quickly to the larger form factor due to the taller, narrower design. Using a case with grip helps, and one-handed use is possible with Reachability enabled.

Do I need the Pro model, or is the 15 Plus enough?

For most users, the 15 Plus is sufficient. The Pro adds a telephoto lens, ProMotion (120Hz refresh rate), and titanium build—but at a significantly higher price. Unless you’re a photographer or power user, the standard Plus delivers 90% of the experience.

Conclusion: The Old Guard Has Its Limits

The iPhone 8 Plus was a landmark device—one of the last with a Home button, a headphone jack predecessor, and a symbol of Apple’s pre-notch era. But technology evolves, and so do user needs. The iPhone 15 Plus isn’t just bigger; it’s smarter, faster, safer, and built for the next generation of mobile experiences.

The upgrade is absolutely worth it if you value performance, camera quality, battery endurance, and long-term software support. While the 8 Plus may still turn on, it’s operating on borrowed time. The 15 Plus isn’t merely a new phone—it’s a reliable companion for the next half-decade.

🚀 Ready to make the leap? Evaluate your current usage, consider your needs, and if it’s time—embrace the upgrade. Your future self will thank you for a faster, brighter, and more capable iPhone experience.