The OnePlus 15R has officially been launched in India as the first smartphone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. This sub-flagship chipset was announced alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC at Qualcomm Summit 2025 earlier this year. OnePlus claims that it has co-developed the chipset with Qualcomm for the smartphone over the past 24 months to go beyond raw numbers and deliver meaningful gains with faster launches, smoother gaming, and smarter AI-driven experiences.
The company claims that the chipset brings a 36 percent and 11 percent in the smartphone’s CPU and GPU performance, respectively, over its predecessor, the OnePlus 13R. The OnePlus 15R is touted as performance-oriented, similar to the flagship OnePlus 15 (review). Backing that performance are LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage, which ensure quick app launches and faster data speed transfer, respectively. Moreover, a custom CPU scheduler further optimises performance during gaming, while the advanced 360-degree Cryo Velocity cooling system is said to ensure sustained performance even under heavy loads.
Display-wise, the handset sports a slightly taller 6.83-inch display of LTPS variety instead of a more power-efficient LTPO. Other features remain identical to its elder sibling, with an AMOLED panel, up to 165Hz refresh rate, 1.5k resolution, and 19.8:9 aspect ratio. This ensures that, besides supporting high-end games, the handset is also capable of delivering visually smooth gameplay. The display comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection and is TUV Rheinland Intelligent Eye Care 5.0 certified to avoid eye strain. For security, there is an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that should quickly and accurately unlock the device.
Moreover, the OnePlus 15R packs a huge 7,400mAh battery, edging past the flagship OnePlus 15 by 100mAh. That phone already delivers excellent endurance, comfortably lasting a full day of heavy use with around 40 percent charge still remaining, as observed in the review. On that basis, the OnePlus 15R should offer similarly strong, if not better, battery life. The only trade-off is charging speed. The 15R supports 80W SuperVOOC rather than the faster 120W system, meaning top-ups may take a little longer.
The OnePlus 15R also compromises on cameras. The handset sports a dual camera system, with a 50MP Sony IMX906 sensor and an 8MP ultrawide lens. There is no telephoto lens, which is a let-down from its predecessor as well. That said, the primary camera is identical to the OnePlus 15, which means users can expect similar performance – good details, decent contrast, and nice and saturated colours. For the front camera, the OnePlus 15R sports a 32MP sensor in the punch-hole setup to capture selfies and videos.
All of this runs on OxygenOS 16, layered atop Android 16, and with AI Plus Mind, integrated with Google Gemini, enables smarter interactions. Furthermore, there are tools like AI Scan, Writer, Recorder, and Portrait Glow that add practical value to everyday tasks. Parallel Processing 2.0 ensures smoother animations and transitions, and a private computing cloud is rated to keep AI processing secure. In terms of connectivity, the OnePlus 15R features an enhanced Wi-Fi 7 chip to deliver up to “50 percent” better performance and makes hotspot speeds up to 1.6 times faster compared to its predecessor, ensuring stable connections whether at home or on the move.
The OnePlus 15R design may remind you of the OnePlus Nord 2 at first glance. The handset features a rectangular camera module, which seems reminiscent of the Nord-series smartphone. However, the 15R boasts flat edges and a back, along with equally impressive durability, thanks to IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings. OnePlus claims that the ratings allow the device to withstand high-pressure heated water jets up to 80 degrees Celsius and survive submersion at 1.5 metres for 30 minutes.
The handset comes in three colour options: Charcoal Black, Mint Breeze, and Electric Violet. All three options are available in a couple of RAM and storage configurations: 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB, priced at Rs 47,999 and Rs 52,999, respectively. As part of the launch offer, Axis and HDFC bank users can avail a Rs 3,000 instant discount, bringing the net effective price of the OnePlus 15R as low as Rs 44,999. Moreover, pre-book the OnePlus 15R and get free OnePlus Nord Buds 3 worth Rs 2,299.
The sale of the OnePlus 15R starts from December 22nd onwards via Amazon.in.
OnePlus 15R Images
