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OnePlus 15R: two-minute overview
Regardless that the competitors among the many newest mid-range telephones has by no means been hotter, OnePlus’ choices have definitely held their very own towards these from Samsung, Apple, and Google. The OnePlus 13R managed to hit a house run in virtually each space, from battery life to efficiency, so developing a successor was all the time going to be a tall order (to keep away from confusion, there was no OnePlus 14R).
For the OnePlus 15R, the corporate has gone in a barely completely different route. Don’t get me fallacious, it’s an incredible telephone, nevertheless it lacks the one large improve that was added within the 13R: a telephoto lens. Whereas that reality alone is bound to show some potential adopters in the direction of triple-sensor telephones just like the Nothing Cellphone (4a) Professional and Xiaomi 15T Professional, know that there’s a trade-off at play with the OnePlus 15R.
By casting off the telephoto lens, OnePlus has given the 15R’s battery a lift. It boasts a bigger 7,400mAh cell than its predecessor, which may simply see most customers by two days at a time, and it definitely signifies that you gained’t have something to fret about over a single day. As somebody who makes use of their telephone for lots of issues, together with checking up on social media, hotspotting to different units, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts, I want having the bigger battery.
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(Picture credit score: Future)
Plus, the telephone’s 50MP essential digicam nonetheless takes superb photographs, particularly throughout the daytime. Colours look superb, and the upgraded 32MP entrance digicam does the uncommon factor of capturing selfies that I’d really need to share on-line.
- OnePlus 15R (256GB) at OnePlus for $699.99
There are different welcome upgrades, too, together with a transfer to the extra highly effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset — which not often buckled in my time utilizing it (even whereas operating extra demanding video games) — and the sooner 165Hz refresh charge, which has been pinched straight from the wonderful OnePlus 15.
If it wasn’t for the truth that you’re solely getting 4 years of software program updates (with six years of safety patches), then I’d be giving the OnePlus 15R a better rating. However for anybody who’s completely happy to improve once more in roughly 4 years’ time, you’ll have a blast with this handsome, long-lasting mid-ranger.
OnePlus 15R overview: worth and availability
- Begins at $699.99 / £649 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage
- Though cheaper than its predecessor within the UK, the telephone is $100 dearer within the US
- It isn’t obtainable in Australia
The OnePlus 15R is on the market in two storage configurations, 256GB and 512GB (each of which include 12GB RAM), and is at the moment bought within the UK, US, and Europe.
It begins at $699.99/ £649, however that worth jumps as much as $799.99 / £729 if you would like the additional inner storage, which can be extra tempting to those that want to keep away from cloud storage prices.
Oddly sufficient, relying on the place you’re shopping for the OnePlus 15R, it’s both barely cheaper than its predecessor or considerably dearer. The OnePlus 13R had a beginning worth of £679 within the UK, making the 15R only a tad more cost effective as an improve. However for patrons within the US, you’re taking a look at an additional $100, which feels completely absurd. I absolutely perceive that worth will increase are, sadly, turning into the norm within the present financial local weather (simply check out the Samsung Galaxy S26 vary), however that is such a large improve for a mid-range telephone that the 15R dangers pricing itself out of affordability totally.
So, should you are within the US and also you need a respectable mid-range telephone that doesn’t break the bank, you is perhaps higher suited with the iPhone 17e or Nothing Cellphone (4a) Professional.
OnePlus 15R overview: specs
Simply probably the most eye-catching of all of the OnePlus 15R’s specs is its 7,400mAh battery, which is among the largest telephone batteries you will get exterior of China. The 15R’s cell is even barely larger than the 7,300mAh equal discovered throughout the flagship OnePlus 15.
Listed below are the specs for the OnePlus 15R in full:
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dimensions:
163.41 x 77.04 x 8.3mm
Weight
213g/219g
Chipset:
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
Working system:
OxygenOS 16
RAM:
12GB
Storage:
256GB/512GB
Show:
6.83-inch 1272 x 2800 AMOLED, 165Hz
Cameras:
50MP broad, 8MP ultra-wide, 32MP entrance
Battery:
7,400mAh
Charging:
80W wired charging
OnePlus 15R overview: design
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- Identical design language because the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus Nord 5
- Extra sturdy construct than earlier than
Among the best issues I can say concerning the OnePlus 15R is that, if you maintain it in your hand for the primary time, there’s nothing about it that means it prices something lower than the present crop of flagship smartphones. It packs an aluminum body and a glass rear panel, which feels very premium — it jogs my memory a substantial amount of the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, a telephone that additionally punches above its weight on the design entrance.
From a visible standpoint, the OnePlus 15R is a departure from the OnePlus 13R, particularly because the spherical digicam bump has been ditched for a barely extra rectangular one. However this aesthetic aligns with OnePlus’ most up-to-date telephones.
Each the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus Nord 5 opted for a extra skilled look versus their respective predecessors. Their digicam bumps and chassis adhere to a single shade, making the marble-like aesthetic of the OnePlus 12 really feel like a lifetime away. If I am being fully trustworthy, I did discover the general look of the Nord 5 to be a tad mundane, however this method feels much more at dwelling on the 15R due to one factor: the Mint Breeze colorway.
This lighter inexperienced possibility, which I’ve had in for overview, is simply gorgeous. Though I do have a penchant for any tech that is available in inexperienced, I believe the injection of shade right here makes the general look of the OnePlus 15R extra thrilling than the Charcoal Black possibility. It’s an analogous story with the Extremely Violet OnePlus 15, and I solely hope that extra corporations comply with go well with.
All the OnePlus 15R’s beauty aren’t only for present, nevertheless, because the telephone is now an incredible deal extra sturdy than earlier than, boasting IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K certifications. Whereas which may sound like plenty of jargon, it mainly signifies that the 15R can do much more to face up to the weather than its predecessor, which is nice to see within the mid-range market.
I do, nevertheless, assume that the marginally bigger construct of the 15R could make issues a bit troublesome when reaching for the highest of the show. This gained’t be a difficulty for everybody, however I did discover myself having to depend on each fingers pretty usually to comfortably use the machine, though it’s nowhere close to as cumbersome as one thing just like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely, with its 6.9-inch display.
OnePlus 15R overview: show
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- The 6.83-inch display is bigger than the 13R’s
- Display screen brightness peaks at a barely lesser 3600 nits
I’ll by no means absolutely perceive the urge for telephone producers to go larger relating to shows, however for no matter cause, OnePlus has determined to ditch the 6.78-inch norm of the final two R-series telephones and undertake a 6.83-inch panel as a substitute. Like I stated earlier than, the marginally bigger construct now signifies that the OnePlus 15R is only a bit too large to be comfortably used one-handed (one thing just like the Honor Magic 8 Professional’s 6.71-inch panel hits the candy spot for me), however there’s nonetheless loads to love about this show.
The bigger panel makes the telephone nice for a little bit of leisure, and I’ve actually loved utilizing the OnePlus 15R to atone for the most recent season of Invincible, because it depicts the present’s colourful visuals with eye-catching depth. Plus, with extra room for having a number of apps open facet by facet, OnePlus’ Open Canvas multitasking software program works like a allure right here.
Relating to display brightness, there’s a slight downgrade at play, however I don’t assume it’s a dealbreaker for the telephone. As an alternative of the 4,500 nits of peak brightness attainable on the OnePlus 13R for HDR content material, the 15R now tops out at 3,600, however I by no means discovered myself squinting on the display when making an attempt to take an image open air or examine practice instances. Plus, it’s nonetheless a brighter show than you may get on plenty of telephones on this worth vary (the iPhone 17e, as an example, can solely attain 1200 nits).
(Picture credit score: Future)
What’s extra spectacular, and one thing I’m far happier to have as a trade-off on display brightness, is the 165Hz refresh charge pinched from the flagship OnePlus 15. The sooner pace right here is ideal for gaming, and for a fast-paced title like Name of Responsibility: Cell, it simply goes that further step in drawing you into the motion. It additionally makes the whole lot from social media scrolling to internet shopping really feel that a lot smoother.
As a closing word, the OnePlus 15R’s display itself can also be very responsive, with an incredible feeling of cohesion between the quick refresh charge and the onboard chipset to the purpose the place utilizing the telephone by no means actually appears like a mid-range expertise. I believe that should you have been at hand the 15R to somebody with out offering any background info, they might simply assume that it’s a flagship machine, which is a good praise.
OnePlus 15R overview: software program
(Picture credit score: Future)
- OxygenOS stays among the best Android overlays
- 4 years of software program updates, six for safety patches
One factor I all the time love about reviewing OnePlus merchandise is that I get to step again into the OxygenOS platform, which is a giant step up in comparison with another Android overlays which can be crammed to the brim with bloatware and unintuitive designs. From a software program perspective, it’s like getting right into a comforting heat bathtub — the whole lot simply works as you’d hope, and since the expertise isn’t stuffed with pre-installed third-party apps, there’s little or no friction from the soar.
As a brand new dad, I now should depend on my telephone much more than ordinary for getting work performed throughout small pockets of time all through the day, and to that finish, the OnePlus 15R has been very useful through its Open Canvas software program. In case you haven’t used it, simply know that Open Canvas is among the finest examples of multitasking performed proper on Android, and the entire thing shines notably on the OnePlus Pad 3, nevertheless it’s nonetheless simply pretty much as good on a smartphone.
You’ll be able to have one app on high of one other in a 50/50 break up or, as I want to have it, a 90/10 break up that enables me to swap between two principally full-screen apps in only a faucet, which may be very useful for writing in Google Docs whereas checking my overview notes in Google Hold. When on this mode, I’ve additionally been in a position to open a windowed model of WhatsApp to shortly reply to a message, all with out ever closing the multitasking setup. All of it works seamlessly, and it’s proper up there with what Samsung supplies by One UI.
Relating to synthetic intelligence, OnePlus’ suite of AI options isn’t fairly as strong as Samsung’s Galaxy AI platter, however I really feel that it’s undoubtedly a step up from Honor AI, which feels as if it’s consistently thrust on the consumer and simply isn’t excellent at what it makes an attempt to do. By comparability, OnePlus AI does a number of issues fairly effectively, however there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment.
(Picture credit score: Future)
OnePlus’ Thoughts Area, which isn’t too dissimilar to Important Area discovered on the Nothing Cellphone (4a) and (4a) Professional, acts as a hub for notes, screenshots, and voice recordings, all of which may then be analysed by the onboard AI to supply extra detailed info. As an example, a fast picture of my desk, which incorporates a mouse mat with Stormtroopers on it, led the AI to inform me all concerning the Star Wars universe and what it entails.
I do assume that there’s plenty of potential right here, however I wish to use Thoughts Area as a way of accumulating attention-grabbing articles I’ve come throughout on-line, and after I tried to just do that with the devoted Plus Key, which prompts Thoughts Area, it might solely acquire a single screenshot and wouldn’t save the hyperlink to the article both. Fortunately, the AI instruments obtainable when shopping the net are loads higher.
For after I’m pushed for time, I discover AI article summaries to be extremely useful for staying within the loop with the most recent tech launches, and the model that OnePlus employs is definitely among the many finest on the market. It really works in a short time, and it does an incredible job of highlighting key factors in both an in depth or concise format.
What I most admire, nevertheless, is that it by no means feels as if OnePlus is pushing you to make use of these AI options. They’re available for if you want them, however they’re additionally simply ignored you probably have no style for the software program, which is an method that a number of different producers might undoubtedly pay attention to.
By way of help over time, OnePlus guarantees a complete of 4 years’ price of software program updates and 6 years of safety patches to increase that lifecycle a bit additional. 4 years isn’t unhealthy, nevertheless it pales compared to the six years of help that you will get with the Samsung Galaxy A57 or Google Pixel 10a, so it’s price having a take into consideration how lengthy you’re comfy with ready earlier than your subsequent improve.
OnePlus 15R overview: cameras
(Picture credit score: Future)
- 50MP broad angle, 8MP ultra-wide, and 32MP entrance digicam
- Final yr’s telephoto lens is gone
Though the OnePlus 15R comes out swinging in most different classes, the one space the place there’s been an simple step backwards is within the digicam division. One of many large additions to the OnePlus 13R was the inclusion of a 50MP 2x telephoto lens, which was nice for capturing topics that have been simply out of attain for the primary digicam. Alas, that telephoto lens is nowhere to be seen on the 15R, which I can solely assume is a trade-off for its a lot bigger battery.
What’s left is a 50MP (f/1.8) wide-angle lens and an 8MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, each of that are similar to those discovered on the 13R. The one a part of the digicam set-up that’s had any form of improve is the selfie digicam, which has jumped from 16MP to 32MP. With that form of actuality dealing with potential adopters, the 15R is definitely not a must-buy for anybody who already owns the 13R, and should you’re curious about smartphone pictures above all, then you could need to purchase that older handset anyway, now that it may be discovered for much less. For most individuals, nevertheless, I believe they’ll get on simply high quality with what the OnePlus 15R has to supply.
Not too dissimilar to the most recent Google Pixel telephones, I’ve all the time discovered OnePlus’ eye for shade to be very enticing, and right here it’s backed up by the big megapixel rely of the primary digicam to provide very sharp photos that look nice on the 15R’s show.
Taking the telephone all the way down to a close-by canal throughout a sundown, you may see simply how effectively the digicam handles the dynamic vary throughout the sky, in addition to within the reflections throughout the water. I’ve taken loads of telephones all the way down to that very same spot, and infrequently has that location appeared higher than it does right here.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Regardless that the 2x zoom throughout the digicam app is a digital crop, the telephone nonetheless captures sufficient knowledge in these photographs that they appear nice on the floor. I simply don’t advocate zooming in any additional past that, in any other case the composition begins to collapse until there’s a ton of pure mild obtainable.
On sunny days, despite the fact that it’s simply an 8MP sensor, the ultra-wide digicam can maintain its personal towards the primary lens with great-looking photographs. It’s solely when issues get a bit cloudy that you simply discover the colour is barely muted by comparability.
Taking a number of photos throughout an evening out round London Waterloo, I used to be impressed to see that the 15R did an incredible job of recreating the colour palette round me in a reasonably pure approach, though I undoubtedly advocate sticking to 1x in low mild, as these photographs can get a tad blurry beneath a microscope, however they appear strong sufficient when seen from a full perspective.
One thing I undoubtedly have to go with OnePlus on is its understanding of what makes a selfie digicam nice. I’ve seen this earlier than within the OnePlus Nord 5, as its 50MP front-camera is among the finest I’ve ever used, and it’s an analogous expertise with the 32MP different discovered on the 15R. Very like the primary digicam, the colours are so good that I can overlook my sleep-deprived expression and luxuriate in these images for what they’re.
Once more, I fully perceive why the elimination of the telephoto lens is perhaps sufficient for some to put in writing off the OnePlus 15R, however I’ve nonetheless loved my time with its cameras.
Cameras samples
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OnePlus 15R overview: efficiency
(Picture credit score: Future)
- The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset can deal with nearly any process
- 3D video games aren’t a difficulty right here
Earlier than penning this overview, I wrote a separate piece on how the OnePlus 15R appears like one other entry within the rising sector of all-rounder telephones that, regardless of costing lower than the most recent flagships, handle to hit a sure bar of high quality throughout the board, and will not depart nearly all of customers wanting for something. One of many essential the explanation why I felt that to be the case right here was due to the efficiency provided by the telephone’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset.
Skipping two generations of Snapdragon chipset forward of its rapid predecessor, the OnePlus 15R feels each bit like a flagship telephone in on a regular basis use. Scrolling by apps is as clean as you’d need it to be, and when operating a number of apps at one time by Open Canvas, the telephone by no means buckled beneath the stress.
Gaming is a equally fluid expertise, and it’s solely additional emboldened by the telephone’s 165Hz refresh charge. Operating by a number of rounds of Name of Responsibility: Cell, the sport felt prefer it was meant for this sort of handset, as the big display provides you a superb view of the battlefield whereas the chipset retains the whole lot operating with none indicators of tearing or stuttering.
The one occasion the place I might see a noticeable hole between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and the much more highly effective Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 was when loading in bigger areas in Honkai: Star Rail. That is fairly a demanding sport for many who haven’t performed it, however I used to be impressed to see that, exterior of these moments, the fight and exploitation ran to a excessive commonplace on the OnePlus 15R.
OnePlus 15R overview: battery
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- The 7,400mAh cell can run for a minimum of two days
- No wi-fi charging
Saving the very best for final, the OnePlus 15R boasts one thing of an anomaly relating to batteries within the mid-range class. Though the proliferation of silicon-carbon tech has paved the way in which for bigger batteries, it’s sometimes been flagship telephones which have benefited from this innovation, with the Oppo Discover X9 Professional and the OnePlus 15, for instance, packing 7,500mAh and seven,300mAh batteries, respectively. Following of their footsteps, the OnePlus 15R has a big 7,400mAh cell to attract on, one thing that you just gained’t discover on every other mid-range telephone proper now.
I discussed earlier that it seems as if OnePlus made the choice to put off the telephoto lens on this telephone so it might go all in on battery, and as somebody who would favor to not should cope with any battery nervousness throughout a day trip, even when I’m within the minority right here, it’s a trade-off I’m completely happy to just accept. In any case, should you’re lifeless set on having a triple digicam set-up, there are many alternate options on the market, together with the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, Nothing Cellphone (4a) Professional, and the Xiaomi 15T Professional.
With this sort of longevity within the tank, I had no points with getting the OnePlus 15R to final a minimum of two days between expenses. On a extra relaxed day, when working from dwelling and solely accruing an hour and a half of display time, plus a number of hours of Spotify playback, the telephone solely dropped to 74%. As an iPhone consumer who is consistently having to maintain one eye on how a lot battery is left, I can’t let you know how liberating it felt to not have to fret about endurance in any respect, and it allowed me to make use of the OnePlus 15R unencumbered.
The telephone’s 80W charging pace stays unchanged from the OnePlus 13R, however that’s high quality by me provided that it’s nonetheless a lot additional forward than most telephones (the 45W pace of the S25 FE appears glacial by comparability). From my testing, you will get from 0% to a full battery in 1 hour and 25 minutes. In case you’re actually pressed for time, then you definitely’ll be glad to know that I clawed again 67% after simply 50 minutes, which is greater than sufficient to get you safely by a complete day.
It could have been good to see OnePlus add wi-fi charging into the combo, as it could have paired effectively with the concept of the 15R being a battery beast, nevertheless it’s not the worst omission, given how briskly the wired charging is right here.
Do you have to purchase the OnePlus 15R?
Swipe to scroll horizontallyOnePlus 15R scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Ranking
Worth
The OnePlus 15R is great-value for UK patrons, however its worth is more durable to justify within the States.
4 / 5
Show
The bigger show seems to be nice however the peak brightness is decrease than earlier than.
4.5 / 5
Design
A classy and really effectively constructed telephone that appears distinctive in inexperienced.
4.5 / 5
Software program
OxygenOS works brilliantly, however you are solely getting 4 years of software program updates.
4 / 5
Cameras
The principle sensor does an incredible job in all settings, however the telephoto lens is missed.
4 / 5
Efficiency
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is a beast for mid-range worth, making brief work of 3D video games.
5 / 5
Battery
The 7,400mAh cell is unmatched on the mid-range market. No wi-fi charging is a letdown although.
4.5 / 5
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Additionally contemplate
Nonetheless on the fence concerning the OnePlus 15R? Listed below are some contemporaries price testing:
Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0
OnePlus 15R
Nothing Cellphone (4a) Professional
Apple iPhone 17e
Worth
$699 / £649
$499 / £499
$599 / £599
Storage
256GB / 512GB
128GB / 256GB
256GB / 512GB
Display screen dimension
6.83-inch 1272 x 2800 AMOLED, 165Hz
6.83-inch AMOLED, 144Hz
6.1-inch 1170 x 2532 Tremendous Retina, 60Hz
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4
Apple A19
Battery
7,400mAh
5,080mAh
4,005mAh
Charging
80W
50W
40W
Cameras
50MP broad, 8MP ultra-wide, 32MP entrance
50MP broad, 8MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto, 12MP entrance
48MP broad, 12MP entrance
OS
OxygenOS 16
Nothing OS 4.1
iOS 26
How I examined the OnePlus 15R
I used the OnePlus 15R over a interval of two weeks for this overview. This concerned utilizing the telephone throughout a visit to London and a visit to Cambridge, alongside visits to native cafes to have the telephone function as a hotspot for my laptop computer.
To check the display, I streamed Avengers: Infinity Conflict and Invincible over Disney Plus and Prime Video, respectively, and for gaming efficiency, I tapped into Name of Responsibility Cell and Honkai: Star Rail.
First reviewed Could 2026
OnePlus 15R: Worth Comparability
