REVIEW: OnePlus 15

OnePlus built its reputation on being the so-called “flagship killer”, offering near top-tier performance at prices that weren’t as eye watering as some of their competitors. For a long time, if you were shopping in the upper mid-range to lower flagship bracket, OnePlus was almost always part of the conversation.

With the OnePlus 15, the company is clearly still aiming for that space, but the competition has become far more crowded. After using the phone for a few weeks, it’s clear the OnePlus 15 does many things well, but it also highlights how much the rest of the market has caught up.

Design & Build Quality

At first glance, the OnePlus 15 feels very familiar. It looks extremely close to the OnePlus 13s launched earlier this year, and while there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it does mean the phone lacks any real visual surprise. The biggest change is the rear camera layout.

OnePlus has finally moved away from the oversized circular camera module that has defined several previous generations. In its place is a more restrained squircle-shaped camera island that houses the triple camera setup and flash neatly.

The rear panel is one of the quieter successes of the phone. It resists fingerprints and light scratches well, and even after weeks of daily use without a case, it still looks relatively clean. In-hand feel is solid, if slightly on the heavier side, but the weight distribution is good enough that it never feels uncomfortable during long gaming sessions or extended scrolling.

Durability is another strong point. With IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings, the OnePlus 15 is well protected against dust, water, and even high-pressure sprays, which adds some peace of mind if you are rough on your devices.

Software Features

The OnePlus 15 runs OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, and this is where some of the more noticeable changes appear. Visually, OnePlus has leaned heavily into a translucent, glass-like aesthetic that closely resembles recent versions of iOS. This effect shows up across system apps like Settings, Dialler, Calculator, and menus. It looks modern and polished, though some may feel it lacks originality.

Customisation options are extensive. The lock screen and home screen offer a wide range of layouts, widgets, and visual tweaks, allowing users to fine-tune the phone’s appearance more than before. These features are optional, and those who prefer a simpler setup can largely ignore them.

One notable and slightly controversial change is the removal of the iconic alert slider. In its place is a new Plus Key, which can be customised to launch apps or shortcuts. It works well, but for any long-time OnePlus users, the absence of the alert slider feels like a genuine loss rather than a neutral change.

Performance

Performance is not an area where the OnePlus 15 struggles. It is one of the first phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X Ultra+ RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. In everyday use, everything feels super fast and responsive. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and there is no noticeable stutter during regular use.

Gaming performance is particularly strong. Titles like Battlegrounds Mobile Call of Duty: Mobile, and Destiny: Rising all run at high settings with stable frame rates. Destiny: Rising, in particular, holds up well during combat-heavy scenes and exploration, with consistent performance over long sessions.

The ‘OP Gaming Core’, a gaming-focused overlay you can interact with when playing different games allows you to tweak the device’s performance even more to get the most out of the newest Snapdragon processor. If you do crank it up to the ‘Pro Gamer’ option, performance might drop quicker as the chip will be throttled to keep the heat levels in check. The pop up even goes as far as to recommend playing in a cooler environment.

The phone supports refresh rates of up to 165Hz, and while this looks impressive on paper, the real-world impact is more limited. Most apps settle between 60Hz and 120Hz, and even in games, the difference beyond 120Hz is difficult to notice. Thermals are managed reasonably well. After around 30 minutes of intensive gaming, the phone does get warm, but never uncomfortably so.

Cameras

The camera system is where the OnePlus 15 feels the most uneven. OnePlus has moved away from Hasselblad tuning this year and is instead relying on its in-house DetailMax image processing. The results are mixed.

The 50MP main camera performs well in good lighting. Outdoor shots of streets, buildings, and greenery generally come out sharp, with decent dynamic range and mostly accurate colours. That said, there are moments where highlights are slightly overexposed, particularly in bright midday sunlight, and some shots look a little less consistent than expected.

The 50MP telephoto camera offers 3.5x optical zoom and is usable in most general daytime scenarios. Zoomed shots are detailed enough for casual use, though colours tend to appear slightly more boosted compared to the main camera.

Low-light photography is a mixed experience. Night shots are often bright and usable, but fine detail is frequently lost, and occasional lens flare makes night photography less reliable than it should be.

The 32MP front camera is dependable for selfies and video calls, delivering accurate skin tones and reasonable detail, but it does not stand out. Overall, the camera system works, but can’t really compete with the likes of the OPPO Find X9 Pro or Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which are admittedly in a higher price bracket.

Battery

Battery life is one of the OnePlus 15’s biggest strengths. With a massive 7,300mAh battery, the phone easily lasts more than a full day of heavy use. Even with long gaming sessions, video streaming, and constant social media use, it is difficult to drain the battery in a single day. With lighter use, two days is achievable.

Charging performance remains a clear advantage. The 120W fast charging system can take the phone from empty to full in around 45 minutes, which makes topping up far less stressful than on many rival devices. This is an area where OnePlus still feels ahead of brands like Apple and Samsung.

Conclusion

After spending time with the OnePlus 15, it is clear that this is still a strong flagship phone, but it no longer feels like the obvious choice it once might have been. Performance is excellent, battery life is outstanding, and charging speeds remain among the best in the industry. For users who prioritise gaming, endurance, and fast charging, the OnePlus 15 makes a strong case for itself.

However, the camera system is just decent rather than impressive, and some design and software choices feel more iterative than innovative. The OnePlus 15 is a good phone, just not a standout one, and that says more about how competitive the flagship market has become than about any major failing on OnePlus’ part.

OnePlus 15 Pricing & Availability

The OnePlus 15 is available now, starting at €949 on OnePlus.com for the 12GB/256GB model. While it still undercuts some premium rivals, its value proposition depends heavily on whether performance and battery life matter more to you than camera versatility or brand prestige.