iQOO is gearing up to launch its next performance-focused smartphone in India, the iQOO 15R, on February 24th. This is the first ‘R’ model in the flagship lineup. The brand is also making a bold claim, positioning the iQOO 15R as the fastest phone in its segment. This is the sub-flagship segment, or one where we usually see “flagship killers”. The smartphone is confirmed to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a chipset we’ve already seen prove its worth in the OnePlus 15R (review).
At the heart of iQOO’s claim is the inclusion of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, which the company says helps the phone achieve an AnTuTu score of over 3.5 million. These are flagship-level numbers, which we usually see in phones priced above Rs 70,000. Even the OnePlus 15R scored just shy of 3 million on AnTuTu, conducted by our in-house team. We’d have to test the iQOO 15R to see where it actually stands. The claim makes sense, though, as in the sub-Rs. 50,000 category, where buyers expect near-flagship speeds, raw benchmark numbers continue to play a key role in marketing, particularly among gaming-focused users and power users.
The chipset is paired with an in-house Supercomputing Chip Q2, which is said to enable features such as up to 144FPS gameplay, 1.5K game super resolution, and lower latency. iQOO is positioning the device as the segment’s most stable 144FPS smartphone, highlighting its long-standing strategy of targeting performance enthusiasts. This approach isn’t new for the brand. Since its early launches in India, iQOO has built its identity around high-performance hardware by often prioritising chipsets, thermal management, and gaming features.
Based on the details so far, the iQOO 15R is expected to go head-to-head with the OnePlus 15R, which is also known for its performance-first approach. If the benchmark numbers hold up in real-world usage, the iQOO 15R could edge ahead in sustained performance and high-frame-rate gaming. However, the differences could be minimal and hardly noticeable in real-world usage. It’s safe to say that you would get flagship-level power from both phones, but for comparison’s sake, we will be testing them against each other.
The iQOO 15R is also confirmed to pack a large 7,600mAh battery with 100W FlashCharge support. A Network Enhancement Chip is also included, aimed at reducing latency during mobile data usage. On the camera front, the phone features a 50MP Sony LYT-700V primary sensor with OIS, paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera. While iQOO’s focus remains performance-first, the camera setup still seems good enough for regular photography.
The device will launch with Android 16-based OriginOS 6 and is promised four years of OS updates along with six years of security patches. This is one of the longest software support periods you can get in this segment, although there are brands like OPPO, Google, and Samsung that offer up to seven years of updates.
With pricing under Rs 50,000, the iQOO 15R is clearly aimed at buyers who want flagship-grade speed without stepping into ultra-premium territory. It is likely to appeal most to gamers, heavy multitaskers, and users who prioritise raw performance, high frame rates, and fast charging over brand legacy or camera versatility.
However, buyers who value versatile cameras and longer software updates may want to check out alternatives. We should still wait and see how the overall experience with the iQOO 15R feels, and where exactly it stands among rivals.
