OnePlus 15R review: good smartphone could be better

OnePlus 15R review

The OnePlus 15R might be an obvious choice for those who want flagship performance but don't want to spend that much money. The device runs on Android 16 with OxygenOS and has the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset on board. This device also has a massive 7400 mAh battery. Let's put the 15R to use!

Unboxing

Inside the box, we find the OnePlus 15R, USB-C cable and a SIM needle. A screen protector is already stuck on the screen. Furthermore, in the box we find some paper and pull the foil off the phone.

Design and interface

In terms of design, the OnePlus 15R follows the line of its more expensive brother, the OnePlus 15. You get an aluminium frame with flat edges and a glass back. The device is available in Charcoal Black and Mint Breeze. At 163.4 x 77 x 8.3 millimetres and 214 grams, it is no lightweight.

What is immediately noticeable compared to the 13R: the alert slider is gone. Instead, OnePlus has introduced the Plus Key. This lets you switch between silent, vibrate and sound, as well as activate other things like the torch or recorder. Fans of the slider will still have to make do with this new multifunction key.

In terms of durability, the 15R does score points. The device has IP69 certification. That means you can take it out in the rain or even in the shower without worry. Nice plus for a phone with a suggested retail price of €699.

Interface

The software experience is as we have come to expect from OnePlus: smooth and responsive. OxygenOS 16 looks fresh and offers plenty of personalisation options. You can customise app icons, resize widgets and fully customise the lock screen.

It also includes AI features, although they don't go as far as Samsung's. The Mind Space (Memory Space) function can analyse and store content, which could still use some refinement. When asked the example question "how do I open Mind Space", OnePlus' AI starts a whole story about Windows and Mac. Other than Mind Space, Gemini is the default AI assistant and it does work fine.

Communication and multimedia

The OnePlus 15R has room for two nano SIM cards and supports eSIM. Also on board: 5G, WiFi 7, Bluetooth and NFC. Call quality is fine, we have nothing to comment on that.

The stereo speakers are surprisingly good. The sound is full and fills a room just fine. Not the level of a true flagship, but certainly not wrong.

On the front is a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2800 x 1272 pixels. The refresh rate goes up to 165Hz, though this is especially useful for gaming. For everyday use, the screen switches between 60 and 120Hz. Unlike the OnePlus 13R, the 15R uses an LTPS panel instead of LTPO. This is slightly less economical, but in practice you won't notice much of a difference.

Brightness is excellent, peaking at 3,500 nits. Even on a sunny day, the screen is fine to read. The colours are nice and the thin bezels give it a premium look.

Camera

Here we come to one of the compromises. The OnePlus 15R has a dual-camera: a 50-megapixel main camera with Sony IMX906 sensor and an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens. A telephoto lens is sadly missing, while the OnePlus 13R had one. That's a shame.

In daylight, the main camera takes nice pictures. The colours are vibrant, the lighting is right and details are captured well. The 32-megapixel front camera also delivers good selfies.

But as soon as the light becomes dim, things go wrong. The camera then struggles with focus and noise, even with night mode on. For a $699 device, you actually expect better low-light performance. The wide-angle 8-megapixel lens is on the limited side anyway with a clear quality difference compared to the main camera.

If you want to see the photos we took with the smartphone, check out the digital photo album here.

Video

Filming can be done in up to 4K at 120fps, which is a big upgrade. The optical image stabilisation does its job well. Again, in low light, the results are less impressive.

Performance and battery life

The OnePlus 15R runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. That's a slightly toned-down version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 from the OnePlus 15, but in practice you hardly notice any difference. Apps open at lightning speed, multitasking is smooth and games run smoothly.

The device comes with 12GB of working memory and 256GB or 512GB of storage. Expansion via memory card is unfortunately not possible.

Battery

This is where the OnePlus 15R really shines and, like the OnePlus 15, scores handsomely. The 7400 mAh silicon-carbon battery delivers insane battery life. In our tests, the device effortlessly achieved two full days with normal use. With more intensive use with lots of screen time and gaming, you'll still get through a long day with ease. After 30 minutes, you're at over 55 per cent recharge, provided you use an 80-watt charger. For those who like to charge the phone wirelessly, there is bad news though, that is missing from the 15R.

Update policy

OnePlus promises four years of Android upgrades and six years of security updates. That means updates until Android 20 and security patches until 2031. Fine, but competitors like Samsung and Google do go further with seven years.

Review

The OnePlus 15R is an interesting device that excels in certain areas but also makes obvious compromises. Battery life is fantastic and you get fine performance, a nice 165Hz screen and IP69 waterproofing.

But there are downsides too. The lack of a telephoto lens is a shame, as is the mediocre low-light photography. For enthusiasts, the lack of the simple alert slider is a point of concern, although this has been taken care of by the Plus Key that offers similar functionality. The price of €699 is slightly higher than its predecessor.

Are you looking for a smartphone with excellent battery life and can live without wireless charging and a telephoto lens? Then the OnePlus 15R is a great choice. Are you an avid photographer or want wireless charging? Then you're better off looking at the OnePlus 15 or an alternative.

Interested? The OnePlus 15R is available from €699. You can find it at Coolblue, Belsimpel, MediaMarkt, Bol.com and Mobiel.