OnePlus 15R: Smart Choices Made, But Still Faces Tough Rivals | Review

The OnePlus 15R made its debut shortly after the flagship model, aiming to offer a more budget-friendly option by making some strategic compromises. Did it hit the mark? In some areas, definitely. In others, not so much.

For photography enthusiasts, the absence of a telephoto lens is a letdown. Gamers might also raise an eyebrow at the lack of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite processor.

On the plus side, the OnePlus 15R impresses in several ways. It boasts a sleek design and smooth software experience, packed with useful features. The battery life is outstanding, making it a solid choice overall. However, when it comes to value for typical use cases, competitors like RedMagic and Asus still reign supreme, while the full OnePlus 15 remains the better option for those focused on camera quality.

Key Specs

Price	$699.99 – $799.99 / £649 – £729
Display	6.83-inch AMOLED, 1272 x 2800, 165Hz
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
RAM	12GB
Storage	256GB / 512GB
OS	Android 16 / OxygenOS 16
Cameras	50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 32MP front
Battery	7,400 mAh
Water resistance	IP68 / IP69K
Dimensions	163.4 x 77 x 8.1mm
Weight	213g

At first glance, the OnePlus 15R has an iPhone-like aesthetic, especially in the Mint Breeze color I’ve been testing. With rounded corners, a soft matte finish, and flat sides, it follows a familiar design language. Instead of vibrant side colors, OnePlus opts for a frosted effect on the back panel.

As a daily iPhone user, I found the 15R to be one of the more recognizable Android devices I’ve held. Its slim display bezel and 8.1mm thickness give it a sleek profile, while the IP68 and IP69 ratings enhance its durability—something not commonly found in gaming phones.

In contrast to the flashy designs of devices like the RedMagic 11 Pro, which features exposed fans for cooling, OnePlus’s more understated approach will appeal to those seeking a subtler look.

The centered USB-C charging port is a plus for future compatibility with mobile controllers, while the left side houses the lock button and volume rocker. The right side features the Plus Key, a multifunction button that can execute various commands, similar to Apple’s Action button. Everything is easily accessible, minimizing accidental presses as I got accustomed to the device.

Weighing in at 213g, the 15R is slightly lighter than most dedicated gaming phones, with the RedMagic 11 Pro at 230g and the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro at 225g.

Now, let’s talk about the display.

The OnePlus 15R sports a 6.83-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1272 x 2800, delivering a pixel density of 450ppi and a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz. This gives it more screen real estate and a higher resolution than the Asus ROG Phone, along with a refresh rate that surpasses the RedMagic. While it may not be as vibrant as the stunning OLED on the RedMagic 11 Pro, it still performs well at full brightness, especially with HDR10+ enabled.

Both gaming and everyday scrolling are smooth, with no jagged edges. However, the refresh rate could drain the battery faster than other devices since this isn’t an LTPO display that can automatically lower refresh rates below 60Hz. Instead, you have fixed options of 60Hz, 120Hz, or 165Hz, regardless of the on-screen action.

Still, as we’ll see later, I’m not overly worried about the OnePlus 15R running out of battery mid-day.

The camera setup on the OnePlus 15R includes a 50MP main lens, an 8MP wide lens on the back, and a 32MP selfie camera on the front. While they may not win any awards, they do a decent job of keeping your social media feed fresh on sunny days.

I took the 15R to the park for some test shots, and I was pleased with how well it captured ideal conditions. The greens and blues were vibrant, and noise was minimal unless using the ultrawide lens. The images appeared more natural compared to the often overly saturated shots from RedMagic, relying less on digital enhancements for color.

I was also impressed with how it handled motion. My dog was in full stride when I snapped a shot, and the OnePlus 15R maintained clarity and focus remarkably well.

However, using the ultra-wide lens resulted in a noticeable drop in sharpness and clarity.

In lower light conditions, the camera quality takes a hit. Colors become muted, and images can appear fuzzy.

Then there’s the telephoto issue. The OnePlus 15R omits the third lens found in the OnePlus 15 and the previous OnePlus 13R, meaning any zoom is purely digital and suffers from quality loss. I also noticed a lag when trying to line up shots, even at 2x digital zoom.

My comparisons to the iPhone didn’t stop at the exterior. OnePlus’s OxygenOS 16, running on Android 16, seems to have taken some design cues from Apple. From the floating island feature to the app drawer and sleek design, I felt right at home. However, this might not resonate with all Android fans.

Overall, the software runs smoothly, with no noticeable lag, awkward app closures, or confusing menus. While there is some bloatware, it’s typical of most devices, featuring standard pre-installed apps alongside OnePlus-specific options.

The device also leans into AI, with Google Gemini powering the brand’s Mine Space software. This serves as a personal noticeboard for saving images, links, AI summaries of webpages, and voice notes. While it offers some useful features, it feels more like a gimmick than an essential part of the experience. I could save a trophy hunting website and get a quick auto-generated summary, but that was about the extent of my usage.

The OnePlus 15R isn’t primarily a gaming phone; it’s not even a flagship device. This means it lacks the sustained cooling capabilities of more advanced models and the Elite-level processor found in top-tier handsets.

In benchmark tests, the 15R lagged significantly behind recent RedMagic and Asus devices, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 falling short of the Elite version. In practice, games ran smoothly, with only a few stutters during intense moments in MTG Arena, but it doesn’t offer the future-proofed power of its competitors.

The dedicated Game Assistant app organizes your games similarly to RedMagic’s Game Space and provides a performance-boosting power profile. While this can drain the battery faster, it allows the device to run at full capacity. However, it still doesn’t match the performance of more advanced gaming phones, and my 3D Mark scores reflected that.

Game Assistant also includes sliders for tap and swipe sensitivity, touch response times, and precision, along with graphical controls for anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, and texture filtering.

Outside of synthetic benchmarks, the performance is solid for most games, with the smooth 165Hz display enhancing the experience. While you won’t get the same long-term reliability in demanding titles as you would with a device featuring a more robust cooling system, casual gamers will find everything they need.

Battery life is where the OnePlus 15R truly shines. The 7,499mAh battery lasted over two days during my initial usage. While my iPhone typically drops to around 40% by evening, the 15R was still at 84%.

This massive battery can easily last for days if you’re not constantly on your phone. My casual usage—about an hour of gaming, a few Spotify sessions, some TikTok scrolling, and general messaging—only used a small fraction of the battery each day.

Where OnePlus made its sacrifices is in wireless charging. While the RedMagic 11 Pro introduced Qi charging to the gaming phone market, the OnePlus 15R has removed it from the mainstream lineup. You’ll need to rely on a cable, and those in the US should be cautious about the 80W fast-charge claim, as only regions outside the US will benefit from that speed; US users will receive a 55W adapter instead.

The OnePlus 15R is a more affordable alternative to the full OnePlus 15, but it’s not necessarily a better value. With compromises in camera quality, wireless charging, and processing power, the $699.99 price tag feels a bit tricky to justify against the $899.99 for the full model. If you don’t need a strong camera setup, rarely use wireless charging, and typically play lighter games, it’s a solid choice and $100 cheaper than the iPhone 17. However, if you have any doubts about those sacrifices, the $200 upgrade to the main model could be worth it.

When it comes to gaming competition, if you’re a Play Store power user looking to run or emulate console-level titles or engage in competitive gaming, you might feel the drop in processing power more acutely. The RedMagic 11 Pro has delivered some of the highest 3D Mark scores I’ve seen, and it’s priced the same as the OnePlus 15R at $699.99. Yes, it has a slightly slower screen (though very few games will fully utilize that 165Hz refresh rate) and the same battery size.

I used the OnePlus 15R as my primary device for four weeks, completely swapping out my iPhone 13 Pro. During that time, I primarily played MTG: Arena, Call of Duty Mobile, Best Fiends, and PUBG Mobile, while also stress-testing with 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme and Solar Bay.