The OnePlus 15 will likely last longer than other phones when it comes to battery life, and that’s the biggest selling point here. This is especially true when compared to its biggest Android competitors—Samsung and Google—though a lot also depends on which other features you want to prioritize.
It also sports a different look from previous versions, yet retains the excellent OxygenOS software overlay and unique connectivity features, including smoother sharing with iPhones, iPads, and Macs. There’s plenty to like about this device, though some stark choices are necessary to determine if it’s for you.
Watch my review of the OnePlus 15
A different look
After years of daring and sometimes striking designs, OnePlus gives the 15 a pretty conventional look. The shift to a squared camera module in the corner strips away some of the flair seen in previous models, particularly in the circular camera modules and more colourful finishes. My Infinite Black review unit uses a subtly textured matte finish, whereas the Sand Storm one has tactile fibreglass. Either way, the phone still sports tough IP68/69 dust and water resistance.
OnePlus 15 (as tested):
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It’s just unfortunate OnePlus didn’t build in MagSafe support, opting to offer it through cases instead. Not a deal-breaker, by any means, but a starker contrast considering Google embeds it in its Pixel 10 series devices.
The 6.78-inch LTPO display looks like a step down from previous 2K panels, but it’s the only way to offer a peak 165Hz refresh rate for gaming. There’s simply no 2K panel that can do that yet. In practical terms, you may not even notice the resolution difference anyway but at least you know the context as to why it looks like a downgrade on paper.
RAM and storage options give you either 12GB RAM with 256GB storage or 16GB RAM with 512GB. Running on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, the phone has plenty of power under the hood.
The jewel here is the 7,300mAh battery, which is monstrous compared to what Samsung and Google offer. Not only that, but the 80W charger is absurdly fast. Put together, you get a phone that not only lasts longer but also charges back up much faster than any other Android on the market.
OxygenOS is still great
As the Android overlay, OxygenOS 16 remains one of the cleanest skins, striking a balance between utility and simplicity. There’s a lot of room for customization in the settings, and I recommend taking time to test those out. One is Flux Themes, which consist of dynamic themes that let you overhaul your home screen, lock screen, and Always-On Display.
Live Alerts acts a lot like Dynamic Island on an iPhone, where you can access something contextual happening on another app. That could be music playback, audio recording, screen recording, and a stopwatch or timer.
Shelf returns as a central waypoint. Swipe up or down from the middle of the screen to see a card-based layout of widgets that include clock, weather, phone, storage, notes, step tracking, and more. While the number is limited, you can add extras to the list.
Other returnees include Smart Sidebar which allows you to access quick apps from a side menu. I personally like it for how it also shortcuts to the File Dock to access files you’re working on. It’s best to use it as a staging ground, say for dragging multiple photos into the dock to then attach in another app, like Messages or your email. It’s just really efficient that you can do this with different file types, including highlighted text.
When you swipe up from the bottom (if you’re using gesture controls), tap the three-dot button at the top and you can turn the app into a Flexible Window or bring it in split-screen with another app. It’s up to you on how to resize each app when in split-screen, which is convenient for multitasking purposes.
Mind Space as a safe space
New to the OnePlus 15 is the Plus Key on the left edge that replaces the previous Alert Slider on past models. While not exclusively tailored to AI features, it’s the most obvious shortcut to OnePlus’ Mind Space platform. It acts as a repository for things you want to collect or track for whatever reason. Capture screenshots of anything you want to look into later, make notes, record voice notes to document ideas, reminders, or scheduling, which can then go into specific sections if you save them to the same space.
This all comes with Google Gemini as the AI assistant, where it can access and reference information contained in those elements. This way, if you’re looking for something specific, the AI can pull it all together in a matter of seconds.
Mind you, the Plus Key also serves other purposes. You can set it to switch between ring, vibrate, or silent. It can act as a Do Not Disturb shortcut. It can launch the camera directly, though double-clicking the phone’s power button does the exact same thing. Press and hold it to turn the flashlight on or off. Same with audio recording, language translation, or taking a screenshot. The only problem is you can’t do a mix of these things using the button. You pick one and go with that until you change it.
Gaming on the OnePlus 15
I wouldn’t go as far as calling the OnePlus 15 a “dedicated” gaming phone because it’s not its primary purpose, but it stands out as a phone made to be good for gaming. The 165Hz refresh rate is a gaming-centric feature; you don’t really need it for much else anyway. Combined with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, large battery, and thermal dissipation, the 15 seems well suited to handling demanding games.
Upon its initial launch, reports indicated the phone would run hot or fail to complete benchmark testing. Since then, software updates have largely remedied these issues to the point where playing games won’t paralyze the device. It can run warm if you’re playing something intense for longer periods but it should hold up quite well now. The Snapdragon chip and GPU should also give you enough wiggle room to play a game at higher settings and see the visual difference.
This is far less of an issue when using a cloud-based platform like Xbox Game Pass where processing happens on servers far away. You still need to run that through a web browser to get it to work properly on any phone these days, though. It’s the games you download and play on-device that make the bigger impact. That’s why a base 256GB storage is valuable, while 512GB really gives you peace of mind. If you’re into mobile gaming, I’d suggest the latter.
Share with iPhone
This was already possible on the OnePlus 13, so it’s not a new feature—but it sure is a convenient one. You’ll find “Share with iPhone” in the settings, and once enabled, you’ll see it pop up when trying to share a photo or file. However, iOS or Mac user still needs to have the O+Connect app installed to make this possible. So, while not quite as slick as AirDrop, it feels close once the app is in place. Plus, it really simplifies sharing photos or video from the same place or event.
Camera
This is where things get a little murky, mainly because the OnePlus 15 doesn’t feel like a camera upgrade over its predecessor. For one, the image sensors are smaller. While it avoids oversaturation, the rear cameras take more muted shots compared to what my own eyes would see. That’s partly because Hasselblad’s influence is gone. OnePlus’ years-long collaboration kept yielding good results over the years but without its imaging expertise, it’s the in-house DetailMax Engine that handles image processing instead.
You can still capture very good photos, but images don’t feel quite as crisp when looking closely. The OnePlus 13 struck a nice balance between sharpness and realism. Here, things feel slightly dialed back. I found myself editing photos more often to get them where I wanted.
Dynamic range is solid, even when zooming beyond its optical range, where some smart processing happens behind the scenes. It’s just that colour and tone aren’t always consistent between the main and telephoto lenses. Moreover, the telephoto camera feels restrained at a time when competitors are pushing zoom further, leading to hit-or-miss results, especially in low-light. At other times, you get impressive results when everything lines up.
Action photography is better than what you’ll get from Apple, Samsung, or Google. Long exposure modes offer room to experiment, especially with motion blur effects. The new Ultra Clear feature automatically boosts detail in bright daylight, though without direct control over it. The ultra-wide camera works best in good lighting and is mainly there for added perspective.
Video is where OnePlus seems more focused and polished this time. There’s a new Pro Video mode with manual controls and LOG recording, replacing the old Movie mode. You can shoot 4K at up to 120fps, along with cinematic 24fps, plus 8K in standard video mode.
Battery life
This is where the OnePlus 15 shines most. Battery life is fantastic, delivering endurance that lasts well over a full day of heavy usage, even pushing into a second day with moderate use. While usage patterns largely determine how long the battery lasts, it holds up well in varying circumstances. More often than not, you will outlast friends and family using their phones.
The 80W charger that comes in the box is super fast. From empty, it can fully charge the phone in about 40 minutes. From zero to 80%, you’re looking at less than 25 minutes. Even wireless charging is capable of hitting 50W with a capable charger like the AirVooc. Simply put, there’s no real chance of range anxiety using this phone on a daily basis.
Final thoughts
There are reasons to consider the OnePlus 15 strongly. Spec-for-spec, it’s arguably a better deal than what competitors offer, especially since it addresses the combination of performance and battery life in ways they don’t. Even if you’re not an avid gamer, that doesn’t really matter. The wild card is the camera. If you don’t care as much about that, there’s serious value here. If you do, recognize how to build on its strengths and it will serve you well.
You could also consider the OnePlus 13 as a solid alternative, not to mention the OnePlus 15R as another lower-cost option. You lose some of the premium features but the software experience isn’t all that different.
The OnePlus 15 and OnePlus15R are now available at Best Buy Canada.
