A number skipped, and a lot seems to have changed with this generational transition. The OnePlus 15 is of course being positioned as a performance oriented flagship Android phone, but the reality is that this phone isn’t simply a wholesome generational step forward that you’d expect. OnePlus’ subtle pivot is to be appreciated, one that focuses on raw performance and gaming experiences, while hoping the camera still impresses the loyalists, with the Hasselblad reassurance no longer around now. If extracting best performance means streamlining costs elsewhere, so be it. Yet, this will be a considerable shakeup for OnePlus flagship loyalists to contend with, and perception results could go either way. More so, with the looming shadow of Oppo’s upcoming Find X9 series.
This time, OnePlus’ focus seems to be laser focused on getting the gaming experience right-er. The new direction could well be a good thing. Everything seems to be aligned towards that — the choice of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip (though you’d expect no less in a new flagship), a more elaborate approach to the display, as well as changes to Oxygen OS. The silicon aspect is a troika, with a touch response chip and the G2 Wi-Fi chip alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which itself is very new. That’s not it, in terms of what defines performance. OnePlus has chosen to go with the LPDDR5X Ultra+ standard for the memory, clocking at 10667Mbps — this is limited to the 16GB variant, for now. Benefits would be seen with gaming as well as on-device AI handling.
All this has worked, because the OnePlus 15 holds performance very well when tasked with gaming sessions, multitasking and general usage that is beyond predictability which AI defines. Remember, overheating flagships from a couple of generations ago? That chapter seems to have been well and truly closed. There is a clear whiff of streamlined performance boosts with the OnePlus 15, building on the consistent flagship experiences that OnePlus has seamlessly managed to deliver over the years. The 360 Cryo-Velocity Cooling System, as OnePlus calls it, plays its part. That said, it is worth noting that OnePlus 15 does perceptibly heat up when plugged in for fast charging.
Higher battery capacities will be par for course with the 2026 flagships, and the OnePlus 15 is taking no risks with the 7300mAh silicon battery. OnePlus calls it a NanoStack battery, which defines the architecture and density. The advantage isn’t just a wider window between charges, but this type of battery will hold usable capacity for much longer — useful in case you’d like to hold on to the OnePlus 15 beyond the typical 2 year usage trend. This, in my usage, tends to return around 6 hours and 15 minutes of on-screen time, which is more than the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. The fact that this has 120-watt of fast charging on wired and 50-watt fast charging on wireless, means you won’t have to leave this plugged in for long either. May not seem like much now, but it’s a different story once you get used to the convenience.
Despite a definitive step forward in terms of performance and battery stamina, the choice of display specs may prove a bit more contentious. The OnePlus 13’s 6.82-inch display with 3168 x 1440 pixels and the 120Hz refresh rate has been succeeded by a similarly AMOLED type display real estate which instead is 6.78-inches in size, has a lower 2772 x 1272 resolution, but goes up top 165Hz refresh rate. You will find that slight sacrifice in terms of the number of pixels and therefore pixel density, for the extra smoothness that the higher refresh rate tends to bring. Again, takes us back to the earlier point about the performance and gaming positioning. That said, the former change isn’t exactly visible unless you get into editing photos for the minutest of details or editing videos for the exact colour corrections, while the latter is a perceptible bonus when consuming media or playing games.
That conundrum extends to the camera as well, with the Hasselblad partnership a closed chapter. There are new sensors (it continues to be a 50-megapixel troika) for the primary wide, ultra wide as well as periscope zoom cameras, but are they really a step forward. In the OnePlus 13 review, I had noted that “Having Hasselblad calibrate the colours, and the use of AI, does have its positives.” This time around, the colours are appreciably well done across lighting scenarios. This is perhaps coincidentally bad timing to text cameras outdoors in Delhi NCR, but it is clear across the board that learnings from the Hasselblad era are very much on show in the OnePlus 15. A warm-ish tone that comes through in some photos is likeable, DetailMax engine’s processing finesse is clear with the amount of detailing that comes through, albeit some improvements must be on the agenda for overall dynamic range in outdoor daytime shots when it’s overcast.
OxygenOS, for the longest time, was my preferred custom design language on Android. It still is, not to be mistaken, but there is a sense that the changes made visually and to the toolset, will take some getting used to. Little doubt the interface feels snappy and everything (well, almost) is where it should be, but visually it is different. That’s subjective though — and certainly colourful enough. The learning curve is perhaps unnecessary. OnePlus talks about the Predictive Back Gesture which is supposed to show a smooth, animated preview of the home screen or the previous page appears under your finger as you swipe back to exit an app or return to a previous screen — I never saw it happen. Dual App Control and Split View are proper utilities, but you’ll have to get used to them too.
OnePlus’ AI suite is complete, and most of it adds value — AI Scan, AI Recorder and editing tools in Photos including portrait glow. Plus Mind, which is being positioned as a personal assistant, is something I’m yet to get used to. Somehow, the idea of a jumbled up digital notepad (notes, web links, screen captures, voice notes etc.) doesn’t come across as too appealing. Yet, with Google Gemini as the underliner, it could certainly be useful for many.
The new design language that the OnePlus 15 brings, with its flat sides and a slab-like footprint, is very likeable. Particularly in the Infinite Black finish which is photographed above. It is a matte finish, somewhat grippy and has its set of advantages as well as disadvantages. It’ll repel fingerprints (unless you have disgustingly dirty hands), and there is a reassuring grip that’s apparent. However, scratch this back and it’ll be nigh impossible to ignore. Little to complain on the ruggedness front either, with IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K water and dust resistance standards ticked off. In fact, this may be more than any current Android flagship.
OnePlus’ latest flagship effort is here, a bit ahead of time, but I don’t think anyone’s really complaining. That said, pricing might prove interesting, and therefore a perception of value or upgrade necessity. Two variants go on sale, that is 12GB memory and 256GB storage as well as 16GB + 512GB. The former sports a price tag of ₹72,999 while the latter costs ₹79,999. This is quite a step forward from the ₹65,999 price that the OnePlus 13 series starts off with. An inevitable defence would be, components have become more expensive in the past year, and it’s hard to argue with that. Whether the OnePlus 15 delivers value now, is something you’ll have to consider. On its part, the realigned positioning of the OnePlus 15 compared to its predecessors, may just help deliver more focused experiences. You’ve to decide on the camera though, whether it is worth risking the early part of the post Hasselblad era, or Oppo’s Hasselblad and Xiaomi’s Leica experiences are a surer bet.
