The OnePlus 15 has landed, and it packs serious hardware and battery muscle. This new flagship ditches the “14” naming for cultural reasons, but upgrades virtually every aspect of the phone. In day-to-day use the OnePlus 15 shines: it easily offers two-day battery life and blazing-fast charging, while maintaining the snappy performance OnePlus fans expect. Out of the box it runs OxygenOS 16 on Android 16, with OnePlus’ signature clean interface and useful extras. Overall, the OnePlus 15 feels like a mature, refined device – powerful under the hood yet uncomplicated on the surface.
Design and Build Quality
OnePlus has refreshed the 15’s look. Gone is the familiar circular camera island; instead, a sleek rectangular camera bump sits in the top-left corner of the matte glass back. The chassis is all-metal, and the new Sand Storm finish uses aerospace-grade micro-arc oxidation to give it a smooth, ceramic-like feel and tough scratch resistance. This is a departure from OnePlus’s older flashy designs – the 15 opts for a restrained, business-like style. It comes in three colors (Infinite Black, Ultra Violet, and Sand Storm), each with the same durable coating.
Durability is improved too. The 15 carries an IP68/IP69K rating for dust and water resistance – meaning it can survive deeper water than many rivals. The front is now completely flat glass, aligning it with modern iPhones and Galaxies. Notably, OnePlus has replaced its iconic alert slider with a new customizable Plus Key (Action Button), which can be programmed for shortcuts or actions.
Despite packing a huge 7,300 mAh battery, the OnePlus 15 is surprisingly thin. It’s only a hair thicker than the iPhone 17, even though it holds nearly double the battery of an iPhone Air. It weighs about 211 grams and is roughly 8.1 mm thick – a bit hefty, but the trade-off for giant battery life and premium build (slight differences depending on color). All in all, the design feels solid and premium – the flat display, tough finish, and sturdy metal frame give it a refined flagship feel.
Display Quality
The OnePlus 15 sports a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display at 2772×1272 (1.5K) resolution. This year OnePlus uses BOE’s latest X3 material, which allows ultrathin bezels. The panel can run as fast as 165 Hz in supported games and adapt all the way down to 1 Hz when idle, delivering extremely smooth motion and good power savings. In normal use it dynamically shifts between 1–120 Hz, with an extra experimental 165 Hz gaming mode. Those high refresh rates make gameplay and scrolling feel incredibly fluid.
The display is also very bright and color-rich. It can dim down to 0.5 nit for easy night viewing, supports HDR10+, and uses a dedicated chip to keep brightness stable across scenes. Touch response is extreme: a 3200 Hz touch-sampling chip means every tap or swipe registers almost instantly. In practice this makes the UI feel extra snappy, especially in fast games. Overall the OnePlus 15’s display is among the best for Android phones – very bright, color-accurate, and ultra-fluid.
Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the OnePlus 15 is a performance monster. It’s the first phone to ship with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform. This cutting-edge chip runs up to 4.6 GHz on the CPU and pairs with Adreno GPU and an accelerated NPU. OnePlus complements it with LPDDR5X Ultra+ RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. Apps open instantly, games run at maximum settings, and even sustained loads show no lag. Benchmarks put it near the top of any chart, with about a 20% CPU boost and 23% GPU boost over prior chips.
Cooling has been redesigned: a new “Glacier” system dissipates heat twice as fast, plus aerogel insulation keeps the surface cool. Networking is bolstered too: a new G2 chip optimizes Wi-Fi and 5G connections, and a console-grade gyroscope improves motion control in games. All this means the OnePlus 15 feels like a top-tier gaming phone. Even after long sessions it stays relatively cool and maintains peak framerates.
Cameras
The OnePlus 15 gets a major camera upgrade. The rear module packs three 50 MP sensors: a wide main camera (f/1.8, OIS), a 112° ultra-wide, and a 50 MP periscope telephoto. The main sensor is larger than before, capturing more light. The telephoto lens offers 3.5x optical zoom and up to 7x “optical-quality” digital zoom. You can digitally zoom up to 120x, though quality falls off at extremes. OnePlus now uses its in-house “DetailMax Engine” for image processing, aiming for more real-world detail and less over-processing.
Daytime shots have excellent detail and natural colors, while low-light performance is improved with bright night modes. The ultra-wide is especially good at capturing wide scenes, and the telephoto delivers usable zoom up to about 10x. The front-facing camera is a sharp 32 MP sensor with autofocus – a big jump over most competitors.
That said, while pictures look very good, the post-processing software isn’t quite as polished as Samsung or Apple. Google’s Pixel 8 Pro also offers stronger zoom (5x optical), and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra leads with a 200 MP sensor and 10x optical zoom. Still, for a OnePlus phone, this is a big step up – sharper, more “true-to-life” images across the board.
Battery Life and Charging
Battery life is one of the biggest standout features. The OnePlus 15 houses a huge 7,300 mAh cell – by far the largest in any mainstream phone so far. Combined with the efficient new processor and adaptive screen, this translates to exceptional endurance. In practice the 15 easily lasts two full days on a charge under typical use. Even with heavy gaming or video recording, reaching the end of Day 2 is realistic.
Recharging is super-fast too. OnePlus supports up to 120W wired charging and 50W wireless. The company claims 0–100% in just 39 minutes with its official charger. In testing, the US model topped out at around 80–100W wired, still filling the massive battery very quickly – from 0 to 50% in roughly 15 minutes. Reverse wireless charging is also supported. Overall, the OnePlus 15 delivers the longest battery life we’ve seen, while charging faster than most rivals.
Software and Features
The OnePlus 15 runs OxygenOS 16 on Android 16. OxygenOS remains one of the cleaner Android skins, with a mostly-stock look but useful extras. Built-in AI features include AI Detail Boost, AI Unblur, and AI Reflection Eraser for photos, plus AI Notes for productivity. The camera app adds Gemini Vision mode for object recognition and editing tips.
In daily use, OxygenOS 16 feels polished and uncluttered. It includes thoughtful touches like Zen Space (locks you out of the phone for focus) and a handy widget sidebar. OnePlus promises 4 years of major Android updates and 6 years of security patches. A fun bonus: the IR blaster returns, letting you use the phone as a universal remote for TVs and ACs.
Connectivity
The OnePlus 15 supports 5G (both sub-6 GHz and, in some regions, mmWave). Inside is a new G2 networking chip that intelligently switches between Wi-Fi and cellular. Wi-Fi 7 is supported, with extended range and stability. Other radios include Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC. The phone is dual-SIM capable, supporting Dual eSIM. The USB-C port is 3.2 Gen 2 for fast data. Stereo speakers are included, though the headphone jack is gone. Overall, connectivity is future-proof and comprehensive.
Comparison to Other Phones
Compared to its predecessors, the OnePlus 15 is a big leap: larger battery, faster charging, upgraded cameras, and a refreshed design. Against competitors, it undercuts many flagships on price. The base model (12GB/256GB) launched at $899, cheaper than Galaxy S25 or Pixel 8 Pro models. Hardware-wise, the 15 has a more powerful chipset and much larger battery than most rivals.
Compared to Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, the OnePlus 15 emphasizes raw specs (battery, speed, display) while the Pixel excels at photo processing and AI features. Compared to Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, the OnePlus offers better value, though Samsung still leads in camera versatility. In short, the OnePlus 15 competes strongly at its price point, delivering flagship performance without Ultra-tier costs.
Who It’s Best For
The OnePlus 15 is aimed at power users and tech enthusiasts. Gamers and heavy multitaskers will love the combination of the 165Hz screen, 120 FPS gaming mode, and peak CPU/GPU power. Content consumers get exceptional endurance and loud stereo speakers.
It’s also a great choice if you want flagship features without paying Ultra-tier prices. For $899 you get specs on par with the most expensive phones, and even the top configuration (16GB/512GB) stays under $1000. The trade-off is size and weight – it’s bulkier than thinner rivals – and cameras, while very good, are still a step behind the very best. If your priorities
Availability and Preorders
While the OnePlus 15 has already launched in several international markets, availability is still rolling out globally. In the United States, the phone only recently opened for preorders in December 2025 after a short delay caused by certification issues. Shipping is expected to begin later this month, with wider retail availability to follow.
For other regions, including parts of Europe and Asia, the OnePlus 15 is already on sale, though stock may vary depending on local carriers and retailers. Buyers should check regional OnePlus stores or authorized resellers for the latest updates.
Bottom line: the OnePlus 15 is officially here, but depending on where you live, you may need to preorder or wait a little longer before it’s widely available.
👉 If you’re excited about the OnePlus 15, now’s the perfect time to secure a preorder or keep an eye on local retailers for stock updates. Don’t miss out on one of 2025’s most powerful flagships.
