Apple's fall hardware event came and went, and the iPhone 15 Pro quietly slid down the product ladder like a guy who peaked in college.
Retailers have been slashing prices on the leftover Pro stock, and the internet has responded exactly how you'd expect: with 4,000-word think pieces and a comment section that looks like a cage match.
The 15 Pro is a genuinely good phone that's now two generations behind.
It still has the titanium frame, the Action button, and a 120Hz display that makes the base iPhone 16 look like it's running through wet cement.
If you can find one under $700, you're getting flagship guts for mid-range money.
But let's talk about the elephant in the room, which is the battery.
Two years of charge cycles on a used unit means you're inheriting someone else's bad habits.
Check the battery health before you hand over cash.
If it's below 85%, either walk away or mentally add the cost of a replacement to your total.
Nobody wants to admit this part because everyone's too busy arguing about USB-C.
The other thing nobody mentions: the 15 Pro runs Apple Intelligence.
Apple's AI features technically work on it, but the newer chips chew through those tasks with way less strain.
You're not getting locked out of anything today, but you're standing at the back of a line that's only going to get longer.
If you're upgrading from an iPhone 12 or older and you find a clean example at a real discount, sure.
If you're on a 14 Pro, this is a lateral move dressed up as a deal.
And if you're the type who keeps a phone for five years, just pay up for the 17 and stop pretending you're frugal.
Prices on the 15 Pro will keep drifting down as carriers clear inventory, and the holiday sales are going to get aggressive.
Set a price alert, ignore the hype, and let the desperate sellers come to you.
The real takeaway here is that "should I buy this" questions almost never have a universal answer, no matter how confidently strangers on the internet deliver one.
Your budget and your current phone matter more than any spec sheet.
Final Thoughts
Also, please stop asking Reddit for permission to spend your own money.