OnePlus 15 review: Skips Pro and Ultra labels, yet carries traits of both

The OnePlus 15 brings a new design, a massive battery upgrade and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 power, paired with smoother OxygenOS 16 and new AI features

The OnePlus 15 arrives at a time when most flagships are refining familiar formulas, offering iterative upgrades year after year. OnePlus, however, has taken a slightly different path. The OnePlus 15 not only looks noticeably different from its predecessor but also brings meaningful changes across the board.

 

After using the phone as my daily driver for more than two weeks, it’s clear that the focus this year is on speed, endurance, and a cleaner software experience. But with the camera system moving away from the Hasselblad partnership and OxygenOS 16 introducing new AI features, the big question is: does the OnePlus 15 push the series forward in a meaningful way? Let’s find out:

OnePlus 15: Design

The OnePlus 15 marks a noticeable shift in design compared to the OnePlus 13. Gone are the soft curves and round camera module; in their place is a flatter, more angular aesthetic that leans into clean lines and a more understated look. On the Infinite Black variant (review unit), this works especially well. The matte glass back has a deep, almost inky finish that looks genuinely premium. OnePlus has also added a subtle texture to the rear, which feels great in the hand. However, it does pick up scuffs and small marks quite easily. They have all been wiped off so far, but it does not instil much confidence about how it will age.

 

Despite the matte surface, the OnePlus 15 is surprisingly slippery. At 8mm thick, it is not chasing the ultra-slim trend that many recent flagships have adopted, and at 215g, it is on the heavier side too. Even then, I have not felt uncomfortable using it daily over the past couple of weeks. The weight distribution is well balanced and does not cause strain during long sessions.

 

Durability is an area where OnePlus has taken a big leap. The OnePlus 15 is rated IP68, IP69 and IP69K. It essentially means the phone can handle submersion up to two metres for around 30 minutes and can even withstand high-pressure hot water jets. The front is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the rear uses Gorilla Glass 7i on this variant.

OnePlus 15: Display

The OnePlus 15 is still a large-device experience, and that becomes immediately clear the moment you power on the 6.78-inch OLED panel. The resolution sits at 1.5K (2,772 x 1,272), slightly lower than the OnePlus 13’s 1440p display, but when comparing, the visual difference is negligible in everyday use. What you do notice is the refresh rate. The LTPO panel can drop as low as 1Hz for power savings and ramp all the way up to 120Hz when required, and up to a 165Hz in supported games.

 

Peak brightness has dipped compared to last year, but this mostly applies to limited scenarios. What actually matters is the high-brightness mode, which now peaks at 1,800 nits. In practice, readability outdoors is excellent. Even under harsh sunlight, colours remain vivid and text stays crisp.

The panel supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and the content looks genuinely stunning. Contrast levels are deep, HDR movies retain their punch, and overall colour rendering feels vibrant without drifting into excess. The 3,200Hz touch response also shows its benefit in high-speed scenarios, particularly when gaming.

OnePlus 15: Camera

The OnePlus 15 marks a break from the Hasselblad partnership, shifting entirely to its own in-house DetailMax Engine for image processing. On the hardware front, you get a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide that doubles as the macro shooter. On the front, there’s a 32MP camera.

 

All three rear sensors are slightly smaller than those on the OnePlus 13, and while good processing can help bridge that gap, this is exactly where the OnePlus 15 feels inconsistent. The camera can deliver good photos, particularly outdoors, but the results aren’t reliably repeatable. Two images taken moments apart in similar lighting often look noticeably different. Variations show up across colour temperature, contrast, dynamic range, and fine detail, and the tone isn’t always uniform between the main, telephoto, and ultrawide modules.

 

That said, the main camera can capture sharp, vibrant shots in good lighting. Motion is handled well in outdoor scenes, and portraits generally look clean with reliable edge detection. However, the DetailMax engine does tend to oversharpen, which becomes more obvious when the frame gets busy or when shooting in dim light.

The telephoto camera is capable in favourable lighting, and the 3.5x optical zoom delivers good detail. In less-than-ideal lighting, though, the narrower aperture and smaller sensor show their limitations, and the output softens quickly. Digital zoom beyond the hybrid range isn’t especially reliable, as DetailMax doesn’t seem to have the processing depth to clean up noise and artefacts effectively.

 

The ultrawide camera performs well for landscapes and architecture, with minimal edge distortion and consistent exposure. It also doubles as the macro lens, and while macro shots can look good, they tend to suffer from the same quirks as the main camera, occasional softness and processing that can feel unpredictable. In low light, stepping back and shooting normally often gives more dependable results.

 

Video recording is solid, with stabilisation doing a good job of smoothing out handheld footage. The ability to shoot 4K at 120fps is a nice addition, though low-light videos can appear washed out.

 

Overall, the OnePlus 15’s camera system is capable, and it can produce very good photos, just not consistently. The new DetailMax engine clearly has potential, but it still feels like it’s in the early stages, with colour accuracy, fine detail, and exposure stability needing more refinement.

OnePlus 15: Performance

The OnePlus 15 is, without exaggeration, an incredibly fast phone. It’s the first device I’ve tested with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and the jump in raw power is immediately noticeable. Everyday performance is as snappy as it gets: apps open instantly, animations (even the slightly over-the-top ones in OxygenOS) never lag behind your touch, and multitasking feels seamless. It’s not a device you ever feel like you’re waiting on.

 

Gaming is where the hardware really stretches its legs. With the 165Hz display, Adreno 840 GPU, and a dedicated touch-response chip, the OnePlus 15 handles graphically demanding titles without complaint. Games such as BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile ran at their highest frame-rate settings during my testing, holding steady frame times throughout. You can further customise the gaming experience through the gaming sidebar that lets you change performance mode and access advanced features like “Hyper Frame Rate”, “Ultra touch” and more.

 

As for thermal management, no phone can sustain peak chipset speeds forever. However,  the OnePlus 15 manages to stay performant and comfortable far longer than expected.

OnePlus 15: Software and AI

The OnePlus 15 ships with OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, and much like previous versions, the software feels smooth and snappy. OnePlus’ signature animations remain present, sometimes a little elaborate, but they’re executed smoothly enough that they don’t interrupt the experience. What’s different this year is how much deeper AI is woven into the interface.

 

The biggest addition is Plus Mind, which is accessible through the new physical Plus Key on the left frame replacing the traditional Alert Slider. While it isn’t exclusively an AI button, OnePlus clearly intends for it to act as a gateway to its Mind Space, essentially a digital memory hub. With a swipe gesture or long-press of the button, you can capture anything on your screen and store it in Mind Space. Notes, screenshots, voice recordings, and reminders all sit together in collections that can later be analysed by Gemini.

 

This integration with Google’s Gemini feels cohesive. Saved content in Mind Space can be cross-referenced with new data, allowing Gemini to pull out relevant details or build context-aware responses. It’s more polished and usable than Pixel 10’s Magic Cue in practical usage.

 

Other AI features are sprinkled throughout the system. In the Photos app, the AI Editor now includes features like AI Recompose, AI Portrait Glow, and AI Perfect Shot. These tools focus mostly on portraits, brightening faces or adjusting framing, and while they work reliably in many cases, they still struggle with complex scenes. AI Eraser continues to improve but remains hit-or-miss depending on how busy the background is.

OnePlus 15: Battery

Battery life is easily one of the standout strengths of the OnePlus 15. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is a powerful chip that can draw significant power under sustained load, but OnePlus has paired it with a huge 7,300mAh battery.

 

In daily use, this translates to genuine multi-day endurance. With regular social media use, messaging, camera, a bit of gaming, and calling, the phone consistently lasts two full days, sometimes stretching into a third. And this is without switching on any battery-saving mode. It’s one of the few modern flagships where battery anxiety simply doesn’t exist.

 

Charging performance is equally impressive. OnePlus bundles a charger in the box and it supports 120W fast charging. Using the included adapter, the OnePlus 15 can go from empty to full in a little over 30 minutes. Even a quick five minute top-up can add enough charge to comfortably get through several hours of use.

OnePlus 15: Verdict

Priced at Rs 72,999 onwards, the OnePlus 15 comes across as a well-rounded premium flagship smartphone. It is neither a Pro or Ultra, yet has all the traits of both. The new flat design feels solid in hand, the display is excellent, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 delivers the kind of speed you’d normally associate with a laptop. Battery life is the real highlight, comfortably lasting two days, and the charging speeds continue to outpace most competitors.

 

OxygenOS 16 also feels more polished, with additions like AI Plus Mind and deeper Gemini integration, though a few features still need refinement. The only clear shortcoming is the camera system: it can capture good photos, particularly in bright conditions, but consistency remains an area for improvement.

 

If your priorities are performance, battery life, and everyday ease of use rather than pushing for the very best camera, the OnePlus 15 stands out as a strong and reliable choice.

OnePlus 15: Unboxing