OnePlus 15 First Impressions: A 7,300mAh Battery Monster… But With a Catch

The OnePlus 15 is here! Our first impressions of the new flagship with its monster 7,300mAh battery, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and 165Hz display. Is it the new king? The wait is over. The OnePlus 15 has officially landed in India, and “flagship” almost doesn’t feel like a strong enough word. Launched yesterday, November 13, 2025, this isn’t just a simple yearly update; it’s a statement. OnePlus has packed this phone with some of the most outrageously powerful specs we’ve ever seen, including a processor that’s a first for India and a battery so large, it rewrites the rules of flagship endurance.

But it also makes one of the most controversial changes in OnePlus history.

Starting at a premium ₹72,999, the OnePlus 15 is aimed squarely at the power user. After its launch, we’ve gathered all the details for our quick review and first impressions. Is this the new undisputed king of Android, or has OnePlus lost a bit of its soul in the process?

Let’s dive in.

First Impressions: Design, Display, and… Where’s the Slider?

The first thing you’ll notice picking up the OnePlus 15 is the new design. The iconic circular camera module that defined the last few generations is gone. In its place is a more refined, square-shaped camera island with rounded corners. It looks clean and mature, but also a bit more “generic” than before.

The phone now features flat metal sides, a departure from the curved edges of its predecessor. This gives it a solid, dense, and premium feel in the hand, available in stunning new colours like Absolute Black, Misty Purple, and a textured Sand Storm finish.

But let’s address the elephant in the room: The Alert Slider is gone.

Yes, you read that right. After a decade of being a fan-favourite, a staple of the OnePlus identity, the physical switch to silence your phone has been removed. It has been replaced by a new customizable “Plus Key,” which can be long-pressed or double-tapped to trigger shortcuts or change sound profiles. While a customizable button is useful, the immediate, tactile convenience of the alert slider will be deeply missed by long-time fans. This is, without a doubt, the most controversial decision OnePlus has made.

On the front, however, it’s all good news. You’re greeted by a massive 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display. In simple terms, it’s stunning. It’s incredibly sharp, and the 165Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel impossibly smooth. With a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, it’s more than bright enough for direct sunlight.

To top it all off, this phone has an almost comical level of durability, with IP66, IP68, and IP69K ratings. This means it’s not just protected from a drop in the pool, but can even withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. It’s built like a tank.

Performance: India’s First Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Beast

The OnePlus 15 is the very first smartphone to launch in India with the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. This is the absolute bleeding edge of mobile performance.

While benchmark numbers (like its reported 3.6 million AnTuTu score) are abstract, here’s what it means for you: this phone is fast. Apps open instantly. Multitasking with dozens of apps is effortless. And for gaming? It’s a dream.

Paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a new aerospace-grade cooling system, the OnePlus 15 is designed to handle the most demanding games like Genshin Impact at high settings without breaking a sweat. In our initial look at first-impression reports, the consensus is that while the phone can get warm during extended, intense stress tests (what phone doesn’t?), it remains cool and stable during everyday use and typical gaming sessions.

Running on OxygenOS 16 (based on Android 16), the software is as fast and fluid as ever, though OnePlus has taken some… “inspiration” from iOS. You’ll notice new animations and design cues that feel very familiar, but the core “OnePlus speed” is still there.

The Main Event: A 7,300mAh Battery?!

This is it. This is the feature that will make you sit up and pay attention. The OnePlus 15 doesn’t just have a big battery; it has a gargantuan 7,300mAh Silicon NanoStack battery.

This is not a typo.

For context, most flagships today top out around 5,000mAh. This massive cell completely changes the conversation around battery life. For the first time in years, we have a flagship that isn’t just a “one-day” phone. This is a comfortable two-day phone for most users, and potentially even a three-day phone for light users. This feature alone is a massive selling point and a huge win for consumers.

When you finally manage to drain it, charging is just as impressive. The phone supports 120W SUPERVOOC wired charging, which can take this enormous battery from 0 to 100% in around 39 minutes. It also supports 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, which is faster than many competitors’ wired charging.

Cameras: No Hasselblad, No Problem?

Here’s the second big change: the “Hasselblad” branding is gone. After a multi-year partnership, OnePlus is now flying solo with its own camera-tuning, now branded as the “DetailMax Engine.”

The hardware itself is still impressive. It’s a triple 50MP camera setup:

• 50MP Main Camera
• 50MP Ultra-wide Camera
• 50MP Telephoto/Periscope Camera

From the first photo samples, the camera system is a very strong and capable performer. In good daylight, photos are sharp, detailed, and have that vibrant, “lively” look OnePlus is known for. The new DetailMax Engine seems to be doing a good job of processing images, delivering clean results.

While it may not be the absolute best camera system on the market (the competition from Google’s Pixel and Samsung’s Ultra is fierce), it’s a solid, reliable, and versatile setup that will not disappoint.

For videographers, the OnePlus 15 is also a powerhouse, offering high-end features like 4K recording at 120fps (frames per second) and even 8K recording.

Quick Review Verdict: Price and First Thoughts

The OnePlus 15 (12GB+256GB) starts at ₹72,999, with the 16GB+512GB model coming in higher.

So, what’s our first impression? The OnePlus 15 is a “spec monster” in the truest sense of the word. The performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the mind-blowing endurance of the 7,300mAh battery are a combination no other brand can touch right now. It is, without a doubt, the new king of performance and battery life.

But this power comes at a cost, and not just a financial one. The loss of the iconic Alert Slider feels like a small piece of the brand’s identity has been traded away for a more mainstream “Plus Key.”

Who is this phone for? This is for the ultimate power user. The hardcore gamer. The person who travels constantly and is sick of carrying a power bank. The person who values raw speed and battery endurance above all else.

The OnePlus 15 is a statement that “Never Settle” now applies to performance and battery… even if it means settling on a few fan-favourite features.