iQOO 15 review
The iQOO 15 signals a shift in strategy. While the brand has always been synonymous with “performance on a budget,” the 15th iteration steps into true premium territory. With a significant price hike comes a massive 7,000 mAh battery, a long-awaited periscope zoom, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.1 But does the experience justify the extra cost?
Design & Build: Flat, Matte, and Rugged
iQOO has embraced the “flat” trend completely. The iQOO 15 sheds the curves of the past for a slab-like aesthetic featuring a flat display, flat frame, and flat rear panel.
- Materials: We reviewed the Alpha Black version, which sports a matte fiberglass back. It feels silky and resists fingerprints beautifully, though it can be quite slippery. The white “Legend” edition sticks to traditional glass.
- Durability: A major upgrade this year is the IP68/IP69 rating, meaning it can withstand high-pressure water jets and submersion.2
- Monster Halo: The RGB LED ring around the camera isn’t just for show; it serves as a functional notification light for calls and charging—a nostalgic nod to the notification LEDs of the past.
Display: Brightness Overload
The 6.85-inch LTPO AMOLED panel is nothing short of spectacular. It now supports the full suite of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+.3
Lab Test Results:
In our testing, the screen is blindingly bright. While the manual slider hits a respectable 831 nits, auto-brightness kicks it up to 3,014 nits on a 10% window.4 Perhaps most impressive is the new Triple Ambient Light Sensor system (one front, two back), which makes auto-brightness adjustments smoother and more accurate than almost any other phone we’ve tested.
Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Heat Check
As one of the first phones to debut Qualcomm’s 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, expectations were sky-high.
- Raw Power: In benchmarks like GeekBench and AnTuTu, the phone flies. It utilizes the new Oryon CPU cores to deliver snappy daily performance.5
- Gaming: Assisted by the proprietary SuperComputing Q3 chip, the phone offers game interpolation (boosting frame rates) and super-resolution.6
- Thermal Throttling: However, the stress tests revealed a crack in the armor. Despite a large vapor chamber, the phone throttles aggressively under sustained synthetic loads, dropping to 50% performance to manage heat. In real-world gaming, this is less noticeable, but the cooling system seems slightly less efficient than the iQOO 13.
Battery & Charging: The New Gold Standard
This is the iQOO 15’s killer feature. The jump to a 7,000 mAh battery transforms the usage experience.
- Endurance: It clocked an Active Use Score of nearly 22 hours.7 Whether it’s web browsing or video playback, this phone simply refuses to die in a single day.
- Charging: Wired charging has dropped from 120W to 100W.8 A full charge now takes about 52 minutes—slower than its predecessor, but the trade-off for extra capacity is worth it.9
- Wireless: Finally, iQOO has added 40W Wireless Charging, fixing a long-standing omission in their flagship killer lineup.10
Cameras: A Telephoto Triumph, Ultrawide Woe
The camera system is a mixed bag of significant upgrades and stagnant hardware.
The Good:
- Main Camera (50MP): Uses a Sony IMX921 sensor.11 Daylight shots are crisp with excellent dynamic range. Night shots are equally impressive, keeping noise low without over-sharpening.
- Telephoto (50MP): The move from a 2x crop lens to a 3x Periscope Zoom (IMX882) is a game-changer.12 It captures stunning portraits and retains detail well at 10x hybrid zoom in good lighting.
The Bad:
- Ultrawide: The 50MP JN1 sensor feels outdated. Images are soft, and edge detail is lacking compared to the main sensors.
- Selfie: The 32MP front camera is merely adequate. It lacks the sharpness and dynamic range found in competitors like the Pixel or Samsung S-series.
- No Tele-Macro: Unlike some competitors, the periscope lens cannot focus on close-up subjects, forcing you to use the main camera for macro shots.
Software: OriginOS Goes Global
The iQOO 15 runs on Android 16 with the new OriginOS 6.13 This is a massive improvement over the older FuntouchOS, offering smoother animations and deeper customization. iQOO is also promising 5 years of major Android updates, matching the industry standard for premium devices.14
Verdict
The iQOO 15 is no longer just a “gaming phone.” It is a well-rounded premium flagship that justifies its ₹72,999 starting price through sheer battery endurance and a vastly improved zoom camera.15 While the speakers are average and the ultrawide camera is weak, the core pillars of a great phone—display, battery, and main camera performance—are rock solid.
Who should buy it?
Power users who prioritize battery life above all else, and gamers who want the latest Snapdragon silicon with a flat screen.
Who should skip it?
Mobile photography enthusiasts who rely heavily on ultrawide shots or top-tier selfies.
Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Specification |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) + Q3 Chip |
| Display | 6.85″ LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz, Dolby Vision |
| Battery | 7,000 mAh |
| Charging | 100W Wired |
| Rear Cameras16 | 50MP Main (OIS) + 50MP 3x Periscope + 50MP Ultrawide17 |
| Durability18 | IP68 / IP69 Water & Dust Resistance19 |
| OS Support | 5 Years Android Updates |
Pros & Cons
✅ The Wins:
- Incredible 7,000 mAh battery life.
- Stunningly bright display with Triple Light Sensors.
- 3x Periscope camera is a massive upgrade.
- IP69 rating for extreme durability.
- 5 Years of software support.
❌ The Misses:
- Significant price increase over iQOO 13.
- Ultrawide and Selfie cameras are mediocre.
- Speakers lack depth and bass.
- Heavy thermal throttling in stress tests.
