OnePlus 15R review: When flagship performance meets affordability

OnePlus “R-series” models are popularly known for offering flagship performance and features, but at an affordable price. The series has already built a reputation for impressing year after year, but the OnePlus 15R feels like a genuine leap forward in comparison to its predecessor. While the OnePlus 15R features sound impressive on paper, its real-life experience lives up to the claims.

I have been using the OnePlus 15R for about 2 weeks, and the smartphone strikes a strong balance between flagship performance and affordability. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor paired with a massive 7400mAh battery, which stands out in the segment. While I enjoyed gaming and multitasking on the device, its refined UI is another standout that may make you want to consider this phone. However, a few downgrades may leave you wanting more. Let’s take a closer look and see what the OnePlus 15R has to offer as a flagship mid-ranger.

OnePlus 15R review: Design

Similar to the flagship OnePlus 15 model, the new OnePlus 15R has also received a design revamp, bringing a new squircle-shaped camera deco, marking a shift from the popular circular camera module. It comes with a glass back and aluminium frame, making it look premium. In real life, it feels boxy in hand, but the weight is well-balanced at 219 grams, and it does not feel heavy. Apart from its boxy-looking build, the OnePlus 15R feels comfortable and grippy. However, personally, I prefer a slim and compact build, though a bigger form factor may also appeal to many.

Alongside a premium-looking design, the smartphone also offers advanced durability with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, protecting the device against water and dust. In addition, the OnePlus 15R comes in three colour options: Charcoal Black, Mint Breeze, and Electric Violet. I received the Mint Breeze variant, which has light green and white colour tones. However, my favourite was the Charcoal Black, with its matte-finish back. 

OnePlus 15R review: Display

The OnePlus 15R features a 6.83-inch 1.5K LTPS AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and up to 1,800 nits of brightness. When I mentioned downgrades earlier, one of them will be a compromise of the LTPO display. While the difference is not very noticeable, the hardware-based changes in refresh rate make the usage smoother and more efficient. However, the LTPS display on the OnePlus 15R still delivers crisp visuals and smooth high-refresh-rate performance.

With the OnePlus 15R, you get HDR10+ support, offering accurate and vibrant colours and deeper contrasts. Therefore, gaming or binge-watching content on this device feels smoother, sharper, and more immersive. However, the brightness of the phone could have been better, considering the predecessor offered up to 4500nits peak brightness, and it slightly struggled in direct sunlight conditions. However, if you are more into gaming and browsing content, then the OnePlus 15R display serves the purpose well, if not the best in the price range.

OnePlus 15R review: Performance and software

The OnePlus 15R is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, which is co-optimised for OnePlus. The smartphone is also equipped with an Oryon CPU, Adreno 840 GPU, G2 WiFi chip, and an LPDDR5x Ultra RAM. All these powerful components came together to deliver exceptional performance. In terms of performance, the smartphone was beyond expectations in multitasking, gaming, and intensive everyday usage. 

If you’re a heavy mobile gamer, then the OnePus 15R is one of the best phones in the price range. The smartphone also comes with a dedicated Touch Response Chip and the WiFi chip that helps maintain stable ping and prevents lag. I tested graphic-intensive games such as Genshin Impact, BGMI, and COD Mobile, and the OnePlus 15R delivered stable frame rates at the games’ supported limits, offering smooth and responsive gameplay. With extended hours of gaming, you may notice slight heating, but thanks to the 360-degree cryo velocity cooling system, which kept thermals under control, and I did not face any hiccups.

Coming to the software, the OnePlus 15R runs on Oxygen OS 16 based on Android 16. This year, the experience felt smooth and clutter-free with minimal pre-installed apps, snappy navigation, and improved customisations. I believe OnePlus is one such brand that lets you play with customisations the most, be it the lock screen or the home screen, control centre, etc. In addition, the software brings several AI-powered features like AI writer, AI scan, Plus Mind, and more that make the experience feel futuristic. 

OnePlus 15R review: Camera

The OnePlus 15R features a dual camera setup that includes a 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX906 sensor and an 8MP ultrawide camera. This year, the smartphone lost the telephoto lens, which, in my opinion, is a major downgrade, and it was very noticeable since it could only zoom up to 2x. The smartphone was not able to capture high-quality close-ups as you would expect from a phone costing around Rs 50,000. 

Coming from the main sensor, it captured decent images, but not the best in the segment. As much as the performance and battery segment impresses, the camera lags. In daylight conditions, the camera performs aptly with crisp detailing and close to natural colours. However, the post-processing dulls the natural colours in several scenes; therefore, you may not get accurate colours each time. 

Night or low-light images are also not very promising, as they lack clarity and colour consistency. The same goes for the 8MP ultrawide camera, which delivers an average performance, and you may want to consider another option if you’re a camera enthusiast. 

Apart from the rear camera, the 32MP selfie camera performs quite well, delivering natural skin tones and vibrant colours and detailing. 

OnePlus 15R review: Battery

The OnePlus 15R is backed by a massive 7400mAh battery that offers an exceptional battery life. Even with heavy usage, the phone lasts for about 26 to 28 hours on a single charge. With my day-to-day usage, such as using the camera, browsing, casual to moderate gaming, social media, and OTT viewing, the smartphone lasted about 2 days. The OnePlus 15R makes battery anxiety a thing of the past with its solid single-charge endurance.

As for the charging speed, the OnePlus 15R supports an 80W wired charging, which comes with the box. It takes about 45 minutes to fully charge the device from 0 to 100%, which has always been a promise from a brand. However, the phone does not support wireless charging.

OnePlus 15R review: Verdict

Now, who should buy the OnePlus 15R? Well, the smartphone will be loved by mobile gamers, OTT streamers, multitaskers, and users who prioritise long battery life. The OnePlus 15R offers a flagship-like performance without any hiccups or lags, the 165Hz display works well in daily usage, as well as gaming, and the 7400mAh battery keeps the performance going. However, the phone misses out on a few key features like an LTPO display, a telephoto lens and offers average camera performance. Apart from these few flaws, the OnePlus 15R comes as an impressive upgrade over its predecessor, making it a great choice at Rs. 47,999.