I have used the OnePlus 15 for five days and it was enough to see both the polished and the slightly messy sides of it. Some features clicked instantly, above all the battery and display choices. A few others made me stop and think whether or not OnePlus is trying to reshuffle its identity again. And since this is a OnePlus 15 review, I’m keeping it straight: what feels good, what doesn’t, and where it stands among this year’s big Android releases.

OnePlus 15 Specs Breakdown: 7300mAh Battery, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

So the OnePlus 15 has launched and let’s see what this device actually brings. The 7300mAh battery on a flagship is not common and with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 this duo helps the phone to manage to do heavier tasks and last longer. Although I have used several devices on this chip but this combination feels slightly more stable. The phone also supports fast 120W Super Flash Charge wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

The device offers storage options up to 1TB internal storage and RAM up to 16GB. Compared to last year the haptics have a deeper tone. The modem performance is better too; I noticed fewer dead spots in the same areas where the OnePlus 13 would occasionally struggle.

OnePlus 15 Unboxing & First Impressions – Flat Design, Premium Feel

The box looks the same as always that red colored  box with everything packed in it. The best part is that it comes with a 120W fast charger in the box and type  to type-c data cable + back cover and phone itself. 

The design is similar to the Oneplus 13s. The matte finish on the back and metal curved frame is  very comfortable while holding it. To be honest, I love the design and the in-hand feel is pretty good.

OnePlus 15 Display: 1.5K LTPO, 165Hz, Ultra-Thin Bezels

The display is my second favorite aspect of this phone after the battery. It has a 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display and good brightness. I can read notifications without issue even in sunlight. The bezels are thinner compared to last year. .

The display feels more realistic than the last version since the colors are tuned more neutrally. I prefer this because  it feels more correct without looking washed out. While the 165Hz refresh rate isn’t always active, you still experience the smoothness of animation in that immediate sense when it is.

Durability & Build: IP69K Rating and Nano-Ceramic Metal Frame

I think this is the first Oneplus that comes with IP68/IP69K protection if I am not wrong. It is a big part of the marketing, but in practice it mostly gives peace of mind. I haven’t sprayed it with high-pressure water, but I did use it outdoors in a drizzle and had zero hesitation. So it can handle high pressure water jets; immersible up to 2m for 30 min.

The new frame material is harder to describe to put your finger on – Oneplus dubs it nano-ceramic metal, though to me, it feels like some kind of odd hybrid between matte aluminum and something with a bit more heft to it. The texture is pretty grippy – not too slippery, not too sticky.

I mean, everyone’s still sticking with rounded frames on their Android phones. After five days I can tell you I haven’t seen any real damage yet – just a tiny scratch near the charging port that was probably just from tossing it into a bag with my keys at some point. Not something to worry about.

OnePlus 15 Price in India, USA & Global – Worth the Upgrade?

In India, the price is ₹72,999 for the base model. With all those bank offers flying around, it’s a bit less – that just depends on the day I suppose. In the US, price is mostly $899 for the base model, which surprised me a little since Apple and Samsung raised their prices again. 

Is it worth purchasing? That is up to you. If you are using 12 or older, it is noticeable. If you are coming from 13, it is more of a yeah, okay, I guess a better device unless you really like it that the battery actually stays up longer or the brightness of the screen. 

Price-wise, it does not feel like OnePlus is trying to gouge you, but it is not exactly the best deal for the price point either. It is in that awkward middle space where how much you like their clean software kind of has a moment on how much the price seems fair.

OnePlus 15 Camera Review: 50MP DetailMax Engine in Action

The new camera system doesn’t have Hasselblad branding but the DetailMax Engine actually did better than I expected. I always have more expectations from the camera every time oneplus fails to impress but this time we get sharp, detailed and colourful picture clicking experience. But just one issue I have noticed is that sometimes it makes the skin tone white in portrait mode other than it is pretty improved than previous versions.

Dynamic range is controlled, perhaps overly careful in some circumstances where the brightest phones take on more drama. Low-light is an improvement over last year, but it is still not up to Pixel-level standards. The wide angle lens is also quite good and double duty as the macro lens and the telephoto can be used effectively up to 10x before things break down and noise becomes apparent . 

In terms  of videography there is a lot of improvement in stabilization, walking shots appear more stable, and colors no longer change mid-frame as they once did. It is not a creator’s dream phone, but for the everyday user, it gets the job done without too many artifacts.

Why OnePlus Dropped Hasselblad And Is DetailMax Better?

A lot of people keep asking: Why did OnePlus drop Hasselblad? The short version is that the partnership ran its course and didn’t translate into big real-world advantages over time. OnePlus is pushing its own pipeline now, which they call DetailMax. It focuses on controlling micro-contrast, reducing color shifts, and improving texture consistency.

Is it better? In some aspects, yes. The colors look more stable across the three lenses, and there’s less artificial warmth. But you do lose that subtle Hasselblad color tuning that some people liked. DetailMax is more neutral — and less memorable. It’s the safer choice, not necessarily the more exciting one.

It’ll probably get better with updates. Right now, it’s reliable, which honestly matters more for most users.

OnePlus 15 Battery Life Test: Can 7300mAh Last 2.5 Days?

The 7300mAh pack is the spec everyone talked about, and honestly, it lives up to most of the hype. I pushed the phone pretty hard the first two days — camera testing, maps navigation, a couple of long YouTube sessions — and it still made it through a day and a half. With moderate use, it dipped into that two-day range easily.

For the sake of the required keyword, here it goes once: OnePlus 15 battery life is clearly one of the phone’s strongest points. I didn’t manage to hit 2.5 days like some early testers claimed, but I got close when I used it lightly. Charging remains blazing fast, with 120W SUPERVOOC wired charging providing a full charge in under 40 minutes. If it warms up, the system slows the charging a bit, which is expected with such a large battery.

Standby drain is surprisingly low. I left it unplugged overnight with 5G on and only lost 3%. That’s rare with Android phones of this size.

OnePlus 15 Gaming Review: Cryo-Velocity Cooling + 165Hz Display

The latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor provides exceptional gaming performance by effectively running nearly all titles in high settings without stuttering. Also the Cryo-Velocity cooling system maintains performance under heavy load.

You can finally make real use of the 165Hz display. In my tests, BGMI has a consistent 120 FPS, while COD Mobile even gets up to 165 FPS on supported modes! That’s crazy to see on a phone. The new touch-response chip OnePlus is using this year really benefits gaming too; inputs feel faster and more consistent, especially on flicks or close-range fights.

OxygenOS 16 on OnePlus 15: AI Features That Actually Work

OxygenOS 16 feels much lighter than it did last year, in a way that I wasn’t accustomed to. It could be the animations or perhaps simply there’s less bloat, but everything feels very quick. The AI implementations here, for the most part, are not intended to feel futuristic. More often, it’s like your little assistant that you rarely notice is gone until it isn’t there.

What I appreciated was the stability and  performance optimization. There weren’t any random UI freezes, no animation glitches or drawbacks that I noticed, and no random stutters. It wasn’t mistake proof, but things feel like how OxygenOS 10/11 did compared to the last couple of years, I feel.

OnePlus 15 Heating Issues? Real-World Thermal Test

This time the Oneplus 15 has a very good cooling  system. Heating is better than on the OnePlus 13. During normal use scrolling, messages, Instagram, maps the phone stays cool. Even charging doesn’t push it too far unless you’re also using the camera at the same time.

The camera app is where heat shows up quicker. Shooting a 4K60 video for a longer time may feel some heating. I think it is  normal for every device to heat a little bit. Yeah there is  huge improvement compared to the previous version. Thanks to the Bypass Charging feature, you can even play games while charging without the phone heating up as much. 

OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 13: Should You Upgrade?

A lot of people have been asking me the same thing: Is it worth moving from the OnePlus 13 to the 15? Honestly, it depends on how your 13 is working now and if you want something with the latest tech with improved design and performance.

Also the large battery, improved gaming and more detailed and natural photography experience then you can upgrade. Most important if it fits in your budget then why not. If your old device is working fine and you’re satisfied then no need to upgrade.

Final Verdict — Should You Buy It?

After spending some time using the OnePlus 15 as my everyday phone, I’m convinced this phone is aimed at the user who wants battery life, stable performance and clean Android experience without the flagship tax. Honesty doesn’t mean anything flashy and maybe it also adds to a feeling of reliability compared to others. A missing alert slider is tough to lose, the secondary cameras aren’t top notch or enhancing the experience either but the real experience is good. 

If you’re after something to do your daily tasks for about two days of battery life and avoid all of the bloat happening with the Android skins, it hits the mark here. Power users that want to record video or have really good speakers might feel that it’s a tad bit short in that area, but I bet most won’t care about what if anything is missing. 

In summary, it’s a good total package with some rough edges and at some point your will “get” all about the OnePlus 15.