This year, the Pro and non-Pro versions of the iPhone have more in common than ever, from the screen, to the chip, to the redesigned form. If you're debating whether or not to upgrade, they're better considered as a pair. But if you've committed and are just trying to decide which one to buy, here are the most important differences.
The iPhone 12 Pro has a triple rear-camera system while the iPhone 12 just has the two cameras. Both have the same 12-megapixel ultra-wide and wide camera lenses, while the iPhone 12 Pro has an extra telephoto lens for better zoomed-in photos.
The iPhone 12 Pro has other superior photo and video capabilities, as both of its wide and telephoto lenses are optically stabilized (only the iPhone 12's wide lens is stabilized); this gives you have more options to shoot smoother, better videos.
The iPhone 12 Pro has a LiDAR sensor similar to the one found in the latest iPad Pro, which helps it autofocus faster at night so that you can take better low-light photos. It also you to shoot Night Mode portrait photos.
The iPhone 12 Pro lets you capture photos in Apple's new RAW file format, "ProRAW," which is great for smartphone photographers who want a better ability to edit their phone photos.
The two smartphones are made out of different materials. The iPhone 12 has an aluminum design, while the iPhone 12 Pro is made out of stainless steel. The latter feels just a bit more premium and I expect is just a shade more durable.
The iPhone 12 starts with less storage, and tops out at a lower maximum. It comes with a base storage of 64GB (and is configurable up to 256GB), while the iPhone 12 Pro comes with a base storage of 128GB (and is configurable up to 512GB).
