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Apple iPhone 15
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Apple iPhone 15 Audio test

September 29, 2023
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141
audio
OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS FOR THIS DEVICE

We put the Apple iPhone 15 through our rigorous DXOMARK Audio test suite to measure its performance both at recording sound using its built-in microphones, and at playing audio back through its speakers.

Overview


Key audio specifications include:

  • Two speakers, (One top front firing, one side bottom firing)
  • No Jack audio output
  • Dolby Atmos technology
  • Spatial Audio playback

Scoring

Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.

Apple iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 15
141
audio
143
Playback
Timbre
140

158

Dynamics
138

149

Spatial
148

162

Volume
142

162

Artifacts
91

157

136
Recording
Timbre
133

147

Dynamics
121

146

Spatial
107

159

Volume
132

170

Artifacts
137

145

Background
148

166

AUDIO
Position in Global Ranking
18th
1. Black Shark 5 Pro
161
2. Asus ROG Phone 6
155
2. Honor Magic6 Pro
155
4. Asus ROG Phone 5
151
5. Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
149
5. Black Shark 4S Pro
149
5. Black Shark 4 Pro
149
5. Honor Magic3 Pro+
149
9. Asus ROG Phone 7
148
10. Xiaomi Mi 10 S
147
11. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
144
11. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
144
13. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
143
14. Apple iPhone 15 Pro
142
14. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
142
14. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
142
14. Google Pixel 8 Pro
142
18. Apple iPhone 15 Plus
141
18. Apple iPhone 15
141
18. Apple iPhone 14 Plus
141
18. Apple iPhone 14
141
18. Huawei P60 Pro
141
23. Apple iPhone 12
140
23. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
140
23. Google Pixel 8
140
23. Xiaomi 13 Ultra
140
23. Xiaomi 13 Pro
140
28. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
139
28. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
139
28. Apple iPhone 12 mini
139
28. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon)
139
32. Apple iPhone 13
138
32. Asus ROG Phone 3
138
32. Google Pixel 6 Pro
138
32. Honor Magic5 Pro
138
32. Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
138
32. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
138
38. Apple iPhone 13 mini
137
38. Google Pixel 7 Pro
137
38. Google Pixel 6
137
38. Honor Magic Vs
137
38. Honor Magic4 Pro
137
38. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (Snapdragon)
137
44. Google Pixel 6a
135
44. OnePlus Open
135
44. Oppo Find N2
135
44. Xiaomi 14
135
48. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
134
48. Vivo X100 Pro
134
48. Xiaomi 13
134
51. Google Pixel Fold
133
51. Huawei Mate 20 X
133
51. Lenovo Legion Y90
133
51. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
133
51. Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
133
51. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
133
51. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
133
51. Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
133
51. Vivo X90 Pro
133
60. Google Pixel 7a
132
60. Vivo X Fold
132
60. Vivo X90 Pro+
132
63. Apple iPhone XS Max
131
63. Asus Zenfone 10
131
63. Oppo Find X2 Pro
131
63. Oppo Find N2 Flip
131
67. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
130
67. Xiaomi Mix Fold 3
130
69. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
129
69. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
129
69. Xiaomi 12S Ultra
129
69. Xiaomi 12 Pro
129
73. OnePlus 11
128
73. Oppo Find X6 Pro
128
73. Oppo Find X5 Pro
128
73. POCO F4 GT
128
73. Realme GT Neo 5 (240W)
128
73. Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming
128
73. Xiaomi 13T
128
73. Xiaomi 11T Pro
128
81. Oppo Find X6
127
81. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
127
81. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
127
81. Xiaomi 12T Pro
127
85. Apple iPhone 11
126
85. Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
126
85. OnePlus 10T 5G
126
85. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
126
85. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
126
85. Xiaomi 12T
126
85. Xiaomi 11T
126
92. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
125
92. Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
125
92. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
125
95. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
124
96. Google Pixel 7
123
96. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
123
98. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
122
98. Apple iPhone SE (2020)
122
98. Xiaomi 13T Pro
122
98. Xiaomi 12
122
102. OnePlus 9 Pro
121
102. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
121
102. Sony Xperia 1 IV
121
102. Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
121
106. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
120
106. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
120
106. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
109. Asus ROG Phone 2
119
109. Huawei P50 Pro
119
109. OnePlus 9
119
109. OnePlus 8
119
109. POCO F5 Pro
119
109. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Gaming
119
109. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
119
116. Realme GT Neo 3
118
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
118
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
118
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
118
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
118
116. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
118
122. Asus Zenfone 8
117
122. Google Pixel 4
117
122. OnePlus 10 Pro
117
122. OnePlus 8 Pro
117
122. Vivo iQOO 9 Pro
117
127. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
116
127. Motorola Edge+
116
127. Realme GT Neo 2 5G
116
127. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
127. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
116
127. Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+
116
127. Xiaomi Mi 11
116
134. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
115
134. OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
115
134. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
115
134. Xiaomi Mi 11i
115
138. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
114
138. Vivo iQOO 7 Legend
114
140. Google Pixel 5
113
140. LG V60 ThinQ 5G
113
140. OnePlus 7 Pro
113
140. Samsung Galaxy S20+
113
140. Samsung Galaxy S10+
113
140. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (Exynos)
113
140. Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (Exynos)
113
140. Sony Xperia 1 III
113
148. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
112
148. Nubia Red Magic 5S
112
148. Realme GT 5G
112
148. Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G
112
152. Oppo A78 5G
111
152. Sony Xperia 5 IV
111
154. Oppo Find X3 Pro
110
155. Honor 70
109
155. Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G
109
155. Oppo Find X5
109
155. POCO X3 NFC
109
155. Realme GT 2 Pro
109
155. Vivo X70 Pro+
109
155. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
109
162. Huawei Mate 30 Pro
108
162. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
108
162. Oppo Find X3 Neo
108
162. Realme X2 Pro
108
166. Sony Xperia 5 V
107
167. Honor 90
106
167. Nothing Phone(1)
106
167. Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G
106
167. Oppo A77 5G
106
171. Lenovo Legion Phone Pro
105
171. Nothing Phone (2)
105
171. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
105
171. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
105
175. Honor V30 Pro
104
175. Oppo Reno8 5G
104
175. Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G
104
178. Black Shark 3 Pro
103
178. Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
103
178. Oppo Find X5 Lite
103
178. Sony Xperia 1 II
103
182. Huawei P40 Pro
102
182. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
102
182. Oppo Reno6 5G
102
185. Motorola Razr
101
186. Honor Magic5 Lite 5G
97
186. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition
97
188. Black Shark 2 Pro
96
188. Honor 20 Pro
96
188. Oppo Find X3 Lite
96
188. Vivo X51 5G
96
192. LG G8 ThinQ
95
192. Sony Xperia 10 IV
95
194. Nubia Red Magic 3S
94
195. Fairphone 4
93
195. Sony Xperia 1
93
195. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
93
198. Fairphone 5
92
199. Vivo X60 Pro+
91
200. Nokia 7.2
87
201. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
86
AUDIO
Position in Premium Ranking
5th
1. Black Shark 5 Pro
161
2. Asus ROG Phone 5
151
3. Black Shark 4S Pro
149
3. Black Shark 4 Pro
149
5. Apple iPhone 15
141
5. Apple iPhone 14
141
7. Apple iPhone 12
140
7. Google Pixel 8
140
9. Apple iPhone 12 mini
139
10. Apple iPhone 13
138
11. Apple iPhone 13 mini
137
12. Xiaomi 14
135
13. Xiaomi 13
134
14. Lenovo Legion Y90
133
14. Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
133
16. Asus Zenfone 10
131
17. OnePlus 11
128
17. Xiaomi 13T
128
17. Xiaomi 11T Pro
128
20. Xiaomi 12T Pro
127
21. Apple iPhone 11
126
21. OnePlus 10T 5G
126
23. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
124
24. Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G
123
25. Xiaomi 13T Pro
122
25. Xiaomi 12
122
27. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
120
27. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
120
29. OnePlus 9
119
29. OnePlus 8
119
31. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
118
31. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Snapdragon)
118
31. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (Exynos)
118
34. Asus Zenfone 8
117
34. Google Pixel 4
117
34. Vivo iQOO 9 Pro
117
37. Xiaomi Mi 11
116
38. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
115
38. Xiaomi Mi 11i
115
40. Google Pixel 5
113
40. LG V60 ThinQ 5G
113
40. OnePlus 7 Pro
113
43. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
112
44. Realme GT 2 Pro
109
44. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
109
46. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
108
46. Oppo Find X3 Neo
108
48. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
105
49. Honor V30 Pro
104
49. Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G
104
51. Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
103
52. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
102
53. Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition
97
54. Vivo X51 5G
96
55. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
93
56. Fairphone 5
92
57. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
86

Playback

Pros

  • Good performance in all attributes, with great consistency across them
  • Great timbre performance overall, enriched by a deep low-end extension
  • Great dynamics performance overall
  • Very good spatial performance

Cons

  • Distortion and compression at maximum volume and when watching movies
  • Stereo is still inverted in music app, as in all iPhones

Recording

Pros

  • Good timbre performance overall
  • Good performance when recording loud content such as  concerts
  • Good dynamics performance
  • Good handling of artifacts overall. Wind noise reduction needs some fine-tuning but it works decently

Cons

  • Midrange rendition is too dependent on the use case, and can sound either canny or nasal depending on the app and use case
  • SNR could be greater, as main vocal content is often a bit masked by the ambient noise
  • Poor audio zoom performance


The differences between the iPhone models when it comes to audio playback and recording have usually been minimal. The same holds true now with the release of the iPhone 15 series.

Given the similarities between the models, we direct you to the full test results of the iPhone 15 Pro Max for all the details of the iPhone 15’s audio performance.

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