Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus review: A familiar formula, refined where it matters

The Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus sits at the top of Xiaomi's Note 15 lineup, offering a new 200MP camera, a large AMOLED display, and a bigger battery. Here's how it performs in everyday use

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi continues to expand its Redmi Note 15 series in India with the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus being the latest entrant in the lineup. The smartphone promises a more polished design and a higher-resolution 200-megapixel camera, but how much of a difference does it make in daily use? Let’s find out:

Design

The Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus sticks to the design language it introduced with the Redmi Note 15, but there are a few differences that make it feel more refined in daily use. The back panel curves slightly along the edges, making it easier to grip. In fact, after using it for a while, I found the Note 15 Pro Plus more comfortable to hold than the vanilla Note 15, which my colleague reviewed earlier this year.

 

 

At the back, the phone features a squircle-shaped camera module with four large cutouts. One of these is a dummy lens, though that doesn’t immediately take away from the overall look. The chrome strip outlining the camera island adds a premium touch, and the “200MP OIS” branding placed at the centre of the module makes it clear where the phone’s focus lies.

 

The Mocha Brown unit I reviewed comes with a vegan leather coating on the back, paired with a gold-coloured frame. It’s a tasteful combination and one I genuinely like — the shade feels understated and classic, and it doesn’t look out of place in formal or casual settings. The in-hand feel is reassuring, and the leather back gives the phone a slightly heavier, more substantial feel. That said, the finishing didn’t entirely convince me. Right after unboxing, I noticed rubber lashings along one side of the display, which was hard to ignore at this price point.

 

Weighing around 211g, the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus isn’t a lightweight phone, but it doesn’t feel unwieldy in everyday use either. I generally prefer using lighter phones, and while this one is noticeable in the hand, it never felt uncomfortable during extended use.

 

Xiaomi has also focused on durability this time around, with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, along with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front, which should help the phone handle regular wear and the occasional drop.

Display

On the front, the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus features a 6.83-inch FHD+ AMOLED display of a 120Hz refresh rate. It is a quad-curved panel, with mild curves along all four edges. The curvature isn’t as pronounced as on fully curved screens, but it’s also not completely flat. In regular use, this makes the phone look slightly more compact from the front, with slimmer-looking bezels, without causing accidental touches or glare issues that are often associated with curved displays.

 

In everyday use, the screen delivers punchy colours and remains easy to read outdoors. With a claimed peak brightness of 3,200 nits, the display gets sufficiently bright under direct sunlight, and I rarely found myself struggling with visibility. The in-display fingerprint scanner is placed well and works reliably, unlocking the phone quickly without repeated attempts.

 

The display is set to vivid colour mode by default, which makes colours pop a bit more than necessary. If that’s not to your liking, Xiaomi does offer enough options in the settings to fine-tune colour temperature and profiles. 

 

For video streaming, the experience is largely solid. HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats are supported on platforms like Netflix, and paired with Dolby Atmos, the phone does a decent job as a media device. The stereo speakers can get very loud, especially with the dedicated 400 per cent audio mode enabled, to the point where I rarely felt the need to switch to earphones while watching content at home. That said, at maximum volume, the sound does get a bit sharp, which can feel slightly fatiguing over longer viewing sessions.

 

Cameras

The Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus brings a noticeable change to its camera setup this year. It now uses a 200MP Samsung HPE sensor as the primary camera, replacing last year’s 50MP unit. Alongside it is an 8MP ultrawide camera, while the telephoto lens has been dropped entirely. For selfies, the phone relies on a 32MP front camera.

 

In everyday use, the main camera leaves a largely positive impression. Photos come out sharp with pleasing colours, and the overall shooting experience feels dependable. Using the 200MP Ultra HD mode, you can capture a good amount of detail, especially in well-lit scenes.

 

Portrait shots are handled well for the most part. Edge detection is fairly accurate, and the background blur looks acceptable, though it can sometimes feel a bit artificial when compared to phones that prioritise a more natural bokeh effect. Low-light performance is also decent, with the main camera managing to retain enough detail and colour in night shots without falling apart.

 

The ultrawide camera is serviceable but clearly not the highlight. Images are usable during the day, though fine details are often lost. In low light, photos tend to look grainy, which is fairly typical for ultrawide sensors in this segment.

 

Selfies taken with the 32MP front camera turn out well. The camera does apply some skin smoothing by default, but this can be disabled if you prefer a more natural look. Skin tones are generally accurate, and portrait selfies benefit from decent edge detection, making them suitable for sharing on social media.

 

When it comes to video, the main camera supports 4K recording at 30fps and features optical image stabilisation, resulting in stable footage during handheld shooting. The ultrawide and front cameras are limited to 1080p at 60fps. While this feels restrictive on paper, the video quality from both is acceptable for casual recording.

Performance

The Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, an upgrade over the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 used in last year’s model. In regular use, the chip performs as expected and handles day-to-day tasks without much trouble.

 

In day-to-day use, the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus feels responsive. App launches, social media scrolling, and general browsing happen without much delay. The phone also holds up reasonably well when handling multiple tasks at once, such as navigation running in the background alongside Bluetooth and video playback. However, during extended periods of use, there are brief moments where the interface isn’t as fluid, especially when moving quickly between demanding apps, though these slowdowns are minor overall.

 

Battery, better endurance

Battery life is a fairly strong aspect of the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus. The phone packs a 6,500mAh battery, which, in everyday use, is enough to get through a full day without needing frequent top-ups. During my time with the phone, it comfortably lasted a full day, even with heavy use. On days filled with streaming, long video calls, switching between mobile data and Wi-Fi, and general browsing, I usually ended the day with around 20 per cent battery remaining.

 

For most users, I feel this should be more than enough to get through a full day without any stress. The real advantage here is the battery endurance, which remains steady and predictable. In fact, the overall battery performance reminded me of phones like the Realme GT 7, which I reviewed earlier, which offered a similar sense of reliability at a comparable price point. When you do need to charge it, the 100W fast charging support helps refill the battery quickly. That said, charging speed feels like a useful addition rather than the main highlight. 

 

While smartphone batteries are starting to cross the 7,000mAh mark in this price segment, the 6,500mAh capacity here still holds up well. The phone doesn’t top the charts on sheer numbers, but in real-world usage, it performs reliably and consistently.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus doesn’t try to change what the Note series stands for, and that works in its favour. It delivers a comfortable design, a bright and immersive display, dependable day-to-day performance, and battery life that easily lasts through a full day. The new 200MP main camera is an improvement and handles most shooting situations with confidence.

 

At the same time, a few compromises hold it back from feeling fully rounded. The lack of a telephoto camera, occasional performance stutters, and minor finishing issues mean it isn’t the most polished phone in its segment. That said, if you value a big screen, steady battery life, and a main camera you can rely on daily, I feel the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus fits the bill without trying to do too much.

• Price: Rs 43,999
• Colour: Coffee Mocha

Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus: Unboxing

 

 

 

 

 

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