OnePlus 15R Review
The smartphone market in 2026 is getting expensive. Prices are going up, and flagship phones are becoming harder to afford. In this scenario, the OnePlus 15R comes as a breath of fresh air, although it is priced under 50000 mark.
The company has clearly shifted its focus here. This phone is not just about looking good; it is about raw power and endurance. With the new 8th Gen 5 processor and a battery that just won’t die, the OnePlus 15R specifications look incredible on paper. But how does it perform in real life?
Design & Build Quality: Solid and Durable
Let’s start with the design. To be honest, design is subjective (personal choice). I found the design of the OnePlus 15R to be decent and polished. It looks neat. However, some people might feel that for a Rs 50,000 phone, it could have looked a bit more premium or unique.
But where it lacks in “flashiness,” it makes up for in durability. OnePlus has covered all the bases here:
- IP Ratings: It comes with IP68 and IP69 certification. This means it is fully protected against dust and water. You don’t have to worry if you get caught in the rain.
- Protection: The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i, which is very tough.1
- Ports: You get an IR Blaster (to control TV/AC), NFC, and a USB Type-C port.2 Note: The USB port is USB 2.0, not the faster USB 3.2, which is a small compromise.
Overall, it feels like a solid, durable phone made for rough and tough usage.
Display Performance: Bright and Fast
The display is one of the strongest points of this device. The OnePlus 15R features a large 6.83-inch AMOLED display.3
Here is what makes it special for Indian users who love watching movies or Netflix:
- Brightness: It has a peak brightness of 3600 nits and supports 1800 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM).4 This means even under direct sunlight in Indian summers, you will see the screen clearly.
- Quality: It supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Colors look punchy, and the viewing experience is fantastic.
- Eye Care: If you use your phone at night, the brightness can go down to as low as 1 nit or 2 nits, which is very comfortable for the eyes.
Important Note on Refresh Rate:
It has a super-fast 165Hz refresh rate. However, it uses an LTPS panel, not an LTPO panel. LTPO panels save battery by lowering the refresh rate when you aren’t touching the screen.5 But since this phone has a huge battery, the lack of LTPO isn’t really a problem.
Processor & Performance: The Gaming King
Now, let’s talk about the highlight of this OnePlus 15R review—the performance.
The OnePlus 15R is the first phone to launch in India with the 8th Gen 5 chipset.6 This is a brand-new processor, and it is a beast.
- AnTuTu Score: On paper, it scores around 3.1 Million (v11), which is a massive number.
OnePlus 15R Gaming Performance
If you are a gamer, you will love this phone. We tested it extensively:
- Genshin Impact: We played this heavy game for 30-45 minutes. The phone delivered a stable 112-113 FPS continuously.
- Call of Duty (COD) Mobile: You can play this natively at 165 FPS. It is incredibly smooth.
- BGMI: The phone interpolates the game to 165Hz. You can actually feel the smoothness.
Haptics and Cooling:
The haptic feedback (vibration motor) is tight and gives a great feel while shooting in games. Also, the thermal management is great. It has a large 5700mm² vapor cooling chamber. Even after long gaming sessions, the temperature stayed around 42-43°C, which is very safe. It also has dedicated chips for better touch response (up to 3200Hz), making your in-game movements instant.7
Camera Review: Good, But No Telephoto
The OnePlus 15R camera review is a mixed bag—mostly good, but with one missing feature.
Rear Cameras:
- Main Sensor: 50MP (IMX906).8 This is the same primary sensor used in the flagship OnePlus 15.
- Ultra-wide: 8MP.
Front Camera:
- Selfie: 32MP with Autofocus.9
Photo Quality:
The primary camera takes excellent photos. The skin tones, colors, and dynamic range are very close to flagship level. Even though there is no dedicated Telephoto lens (zoom lens), the phone uses “in-sensor zoom” to take 2x lossless portrait shots.10 These portraits look surprisingly good with nice background blur.
Video:
- Rear: You can shoot 4K at 60FPS and even 4K at 120FPS.11
- Front: Selfie video supports 4K at 30FPS, which is great for vloggers.12
What’s Missing?
There is no optical zoom lens. If you love zooming in 5x or 10x to take photos of distant objects, you might miss a dedicated telephoto camera. But for 90% of users, the main camera is more than enough.
Battery Life & Charging Speed
This is where the OnePlus 15R destroys the competition.
The phone comes with a massive 7400mAh battery. Yes, you read that right.
In the OnePlus 15R battery performance test, the phone easily lasted for 1.5 to 2 days on a single charge. Whether you are gaming, watching movies, or using 5G, this battery simply refuses to die.
- Charging: It supports 80W fast charging.
- Wireless Charging: Sadly, there is no wireless charging support.
For most Indian users, a battery that lasts 2 days is more valuable than wireless charging, so this is a smart trade-off by OnePlus.
Software & Features
The phone runs on OxygenOS 16.13 If you have used OnePlus before, you know how smooth this software is.
- Updates: OnePlus promises 4 years of major Android updates and 6 years of security updates.14 This means you are covered until Android 20.
- AI Features: It comes loaded with modern AI tools like AI Eraser (to remove people from photos), AI Recorder, and AI Summary.15
- Bloatware: The interface is clean with very little unnecessary app clutter.
Connectivity & Audio
- 5G: It supports 13 5G bands, so it will work perfectly with Jio and Airtel 5G across India.16
- Wi-Fi & Bluetooth: It has the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0.17
- Fingerprint: It uses an Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, which is faster and more secure than the old optical ones.18
- Audio: The stereo speakers are loud and clear. Combined with the Dolby Vision display, it offers a great multimedia experience.
OnePlus 15R Specifications Table
| Feature | Specification |
| Display | 6.83″ AMOLED, 165Hz, 3600 nits Peak |
| Processor | 8th Gen 5 (Snapdragon) |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB/256GB & 12GB/512GB (LPDDR5X, UFS 4.1) |
| Battery | 7400mAh |
| Charging | 80W Wired (No Wireless) |
| Main Camera | 50MP (IMX906) + 8MP Ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 32MP (Autofocus) |
| OS | OxygenOS 16 (Android 15 based) |
| Durability | IP68/IP69, Gorilla Glass 7i |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- ✅ Massive 7400mAh battery (2-day life).
- ✅ Incredible Gaming performance (165Hz support).
- ✅ Bright and vivid Display (Dolby Vision).
- ✅ Fast Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor.
- ✅ Long-term software support (4 Android updates).
Cons:
- ❌ No Telephoto (Zoom) camera.
- ❌ No Wireless Charging.
- ❌ USB 2.0 port (slow data transfer to PC).
- ❌ Design is a bit plain for the price.
Comparison: OnePlus 15R vs Previous Generations
Many of you might ask, OnePlus 15R vs OnePlus 14R?
Compared to the previous generation, the 15R is a significant jump in battery life and processor speed. The battery has grown from the standard 5500mAh range to a huge 7400mAh. The processor is now generationally ahead, capable of handling 165Hz gaming natively.
However, the price has also increased. If you own a 14R, you might not need to upgrade immediately unless you are a hardcore gamer. But if you are using an older phone (like 11R or 12R), this is a massive upgrade.
Price in India & Verdict
Now, the main question: OnePlus 15R price in India.
The phone is expected to be priced around Rs 50,000. It is definitely more expensive than previous “R” series phones, which usually launched under 40K.
Final Verdict: Is OnePlus 15R worth buying?
You should buy the OnePlus 15R if:
- You are a Gamer: The 165Hz refresh rate, dedicated gaming chips, and 8th Gen 5 processor make it a beast.
- You hate charging your phone: The 7400mAh battery is a game-changer for people who travel or work long hours.
- You want a smooth phone: OxygenOS remains one of the best software experiences.
You should skip it if:
- You are a Camera Enthusiast: If you need high-quality zoom (Telephoto), look at the OnePlus 15 (standard) or other flagship options.
- You want a stylish/compact phone: This is a big, heavy phone because of the battery.
My Advice:
If you can stretch your budget to Rs 50,000, the OnePlus 15R is a solid long-term investment. It’s not just a phone; it’s a power bank with a screen!
Did you like this review? Let me know your thoughts on the OnePlus 15R in the comments below!
