Hitechreports

Just weeks after unveiling the OnePlus 15, OnePlus is already back with a more affordable sibling. The OnePlus 15R launches at $700, undercutting the flagship by $200 while keeping most of its core strengths intact.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Much of what made the OnePlus 15 appealing is present here. But with one major compromise that buyers will need to weigh carefully.

Design and Build: Minty Fresh, but Uninspired

The OnePlus 15R shares its design language with the OnePlus 15 and even earlier models like the OnePlus 13R. The overall look is safe, bordering on generic, and doesn’t stray far from modern iPhone aesthetics. With one fewer rear camera, it’s even easier to mistake it for an older Apple device at a glance.

That said, the Mint Breeze colorway is a standout. It’s vibrant without being flashy and easily more appealing than the muted tones on the standard OnePlus 15. The phone is also available in Charcoal Black.

OnePlus has upgraded durability as well. The 15R now carries an IP69K rating, meaning it can withstand dust and high-pressure, high-temperature water, a rare feature at this price point. Like the flagship, the Alert Slider is gone, replaced by a customizable Plus Key, which works much like Apple’s Action Button.

A Bigger, Faster Display Built for Gaming

The OnePlus 15R features a 6.83-inch OLED display, slightly larger than the OnePlus 15’s screen. In practice, both phones feel equally large in hand, so size alone may not sway buyers.

Where the 15R shines is its 165Hz refresh rate, especially in supported games. The panel is bright and colorful, reaching up to 1,800 nits, making it easy to view outdoors. While the display isn’t noticeably better than the flagship’s, it holds its own, and the addition of an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor makes unlocking quick and reliable.

Performance and Battery: Built to Last All Day (and Then Some)

Under the hood, the OnePlus 15R is the first North American phone to ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. While it’s not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite found in the OnePlus 15, the difference is mostly academic outside of benchmarks.

In real-world use, the phone feels fast and fluid. Apps launch instantly, multitasking is smooth, and most games run without issue. With 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage, the 15R never feels underpowered.

Battery life is another strong point. The 7,400mAh battery comfortably lasts well over a day, even with heavy use. When it’s time to recharge, the included 55W SUPERVOOC charger gets the phone from zero to full in under an hour, which is a rare convenience in this price range.

Cameras: The Price of Affordability

This is where compromises become clear. To hit its lower price, OnePlus removed the telephoto camera, leaving the 15R with a familiar 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor carried over from last year.

The results are serviceable but unremarkable. Photos look fine in good lighting, but low-light performance struggles, with muddy shadows and inconsistent detail. The upgraded 32MP selfie camera with autofocus is a welcome improvement, but it doesn’t compensate for the overall lackluster camera system.

If photography is a priority, competitors in this price range do a better job.

Software: Smooth, but Shorter Support

The OnePlus 15R ships with OxygenOS 16, offering a fast, polished Android experience with fluid animations and smart AI tools like the Mind Space hub for organizing screenshots and notes.

However, OnePlus’ update commitment lags behind that of its rivals. The 15R is promised four years of Android updates and six years of security patches, which falls short of the seven-year guarantees offered by Google and Samsung.

Verdict: A Great Choice If Cameras Don’t Matter

The OnePlus 15R is a phone designed for users who prioritize performance, battery life, and display quality over photography. In those areas, it excels and often outperforms rivals like the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 FE.

While it can’t match those phones in camera quality or long-term software support, the 15R delivers a faster, smoother experience with a better screen and longer-lasting battery. For many buyers, that trade-off will be well worth the $200 savings over the OnePlus 15.

If you don’t take many photos and want a fast, long-lasting phone with one of the best displays in its class, the OnePlus 15R is an easy recommendation.