A number were missed, and it seems a lot has changed with this generational change. The OnePlus 15 is undoubtedly being touted as a performance-oriented flagship Android phone, but the reality is that this phone isn’t the complete generational step you’d expect. OnePlus’s subtle pivot should be commended, focusing on raw performance and gaming experiences while hopefully still impressing the camera loyalists, with Hasselblad assurances no longer around. If achieving best performance means streamlining costs elsewhere, so be it. Still, this would be a major blow to OnePlus’ core loyalists, and the perception consequences could go in either direction. What’s more, the shadow of Oppo’s upcoming Find X9 series is looming.
This time, OnePlus is focused on improving the gaming experience. New direction can be a good thing. Everything seems to be in line with that – the choice of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip (although you wouldn’t expect anything less in a new flagship), a more spacious approach to the display, as well as changes to Oxygen OS. The silicon aspect is a troika, consisting of a touch response chip and a G2 Wi-Fi chip with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is very new in itself. This is not the point in terms of defining performance. OnePlus has chosen to go with the LPDDR5X Ultra+ standard for memory, clocked at up to 10667Mbps – this is limited to the 16GB variant for now. Benefits will also be seen in gaming as well as on-device AI handling.
It all worked out, as the OnePlus 15 performed very well when dealing with gaming sessions, multitasking and general usage that went beyond the predictions defined by the AI. Remember the overheating of flagships from a few generations ago? Looks like that chapter is well and truly closed. There is a clear glimpse of the streamlined performance boost with the OnePlus 15, building on the consistent flagship experiences that OnePlus has managed to deliver seamlessly over the years. The 360 Cryo-Velocity Cooling System, as OnePlus calls it, plays its part. That said, it’s worth noting that the OnePlus 15 gets noticeably warmer when plugged in for fast charging.
The higher battery capacity will definitely be on par with the 2026 flagships, and the OnePlus 15 is not taking any risks with the 7300mAh silicon battery. OnePlus calls it a Nanostack battery, which defines the architecture and density. The benefit is not only a wider window between charges, but this type of battery will retain usable capacity for longer – useful if you want to keep the OnePlus 15 beyond the typical 2-year usage trend. In my usage, it delivered about 6 hours and 15 minutes of on-screen time, which is more than the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. The fact that it has 120-watt fast charging on wired and 50-watt fast charging on wireless means you won’t have to leave it plugged in for long. It might not seem like much now, but once you get used to the feature it’s a different story.
Despite a definite step forward in terms of performance and battery endurance, the choice of display specs may prove to be a bit more controversial. The OnePlus 13’s 6.82-inch display with 3168 x 1440 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate is succeeded by a similar AMOLED type display real estate, with the OnePlus 13 being sized at 6.78-inches, has a lower resolution at 2772 x 1272, but goes up to a 165Hz refresh rate. For the extra smoothness that the higher refresh rate brings, you will get a slight sacrifice in terms of pixel count and hence pixel density. Again, takes us back to the earlier point about performance and gaming conditions. That said, the former change isn’t noticeable at all unless you’re editing photos for tiny details or editing videos for precise color correction, while the latter is a perceptible bonus when consuming media or playing games.
This conundrum also extends to cameras, of which the Hasselblad partnership is a closed chapter. There are new sensors for the primary wide, ultra-wide and periscope zoom cameras (it remains a 50-megapixel troika), but are they really a step forward. In my review of the OnePlus 13, I noted that “Hasselblad’s use of color calibration and AI has its positive aspects.” This time, the colors in the lighting scenarios are commendably well done. This is perhaps coincidentally bad timing for outdoor text cameras in Delhi NCR, but it’s clear that the lessons of the Hasselblad era are very much visible in the OnePlus 15. A warm-hope tone coming through in some photos is likeable, the processing finesse of the DetailMax engine is evident with the amount of detail, although some improvements should be on the agenda for overall dynamic range in outdoor daytime shots when it’s cloudy.
OxygenOS was, for the longest time, my favorite custom design language on Android. It’s still there, not bad, but it feels like the changes made visually and to the toolset will take some getting used to. There’s no doubt that the interface feels fast and everything is (well, almost) where it should be, but visually it’s different. However this is subjective – and certainly quite colourful. The learning process is probably unnecessary. OnePlus talks about Predictive Back Gesture that shows a smooth, animated preview of the home screen or makes the previous page appear under your finger when you swipe back to exit an app or return to the previous screen – I’ve never seen anything like that. Dual app controls and Split View are reasonable utilities, but you’ll have to get used to them too.
OnePlus’ AI suite is complete, and most of the value it adds is editing tools in photos, including AI Scan, AI Recorder, and Portrait Glow. Plus Mind, which is being positioned as a personal assistant, is something I have yet to use. Somehow, the idea of a cluttered digital notepad (notes, web links, screen captures, voice notes, etc.) doesn’t sound very appealing. Still, with Google Gemini as the underwriter, it could definitely be useful to many.
The new design language that the OnePlus 15 brings, with its flat edges and slab-like footprint, is a lot to like. Specifically in the Infinite Black finish photographed above. It has a matte finish, is somewhat grippy and has its advantages as well as disadvantages. It will repel fingerprints (unless your hands are disgustingly dirty), and has a reassuring grip that’s clear. However, look into it and it will be almost impossible to ignore. There’s no need to complain on the ruggedness front either, with IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K water and dust resistance standards touting. In fact, that may be more than any current Android flagship.
OnePlus’ latest flagship effort is here, a little ahead of schedule, but I don’t think anyone is really complaining. That said, pricing could prove interesting, and so does the need for value perception or upgrades. There are two variants on sale, which are 12GB memory and 256GB storage as well as 16GB + 512GB. pre game price tag While the price of the latter is Rs 72,999 79,999. This is a step further than that The price of OnePlus 13 series starts at Rs 65,999. An inevitable defense would be that components have become more expensive over the past year, and it’s hard to argue with that. You now have to consider whether the OnePlus 15 offers value. For its part, the OnePlus 15’s physical positioning compared to its predecessors could help deliver a more focused experience. However, you have to decide on the camera whether it’s worth risking the early part of the post-Hasselblad era, or whether Oppo’s Hasselblad and Xiaomi’s Leica experiences are a sure bet.
