4 reasons to buy iQOO 15R and 3 reasons to skip
The iQOO 15R positions itself as a performance-centric smartphone that tries to bring near-flagship hardware below the Rs 50,000 mark. With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, a massive 7,600mAh battery, and a smooth AMOLED display, the device looks extremely compelling on paper.
However, as with most smartphones, the experience isn’t entirely flawless. Here’s a quick breakdown of the top reasons to buy and the reasons you might want to skip the iQOO 15R, per its review.
Table of Contents
Reasons to buy the iQOO 15R
Flagship-grade performance
AnTuTu score
Motorola Signature
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
3,098,258
iQOO 15R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
3,078,708
OnePlus 15R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
2,957,229
AnTuTu assesses a smartphone's CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience (higher is better)
The biggest highlight of the iQOO 15R is its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, which is rarely seen at this price point. Paired with LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage, the smartphone delivers excellent real-world speed.
Apps open instantly, multitasking remains fluid, and demanding tasks such as 4K video rendering or high-end gaming run without noticeable slowdowns. For users who prioritise raw power, this is one of the strongest performers in its segment.
Exceptional battery life with 100W fast charging
The 7,600mAh battery is easily one of the largest you will find in this category. In everyday use, the phone can comfortably last up to two days with moderate usage, while heavy users can still expect around a day and a half.
For gamers and power users, this translates into long gaming sessions, extended streaming time, and far less anxiety about charging during the day.
Despite the huge battery, the phone supports 100W FlashCharge, allowing it to go from 20 percent to full in under an hour. The handset also offers a bypass charging feature, which powers the device directly from the charger while gaming. This reduces heat buildup and helps preserve long-term battery health during extended sessions.
Smooth AMOLED display
The 6.59-inch AMOLED display offers a 1.5K resolution, HDR10+ support, and up to 144Hz refresh rate. The panel is bright, colourful, and immersive, with thin bezels that enhance the viewing experience.
While the UI runs at up to 120Hz, supported games can unlock 144Hz gameplay, making the phone particularly appealing to competitive mobile gamers.
Surprisingly comfortable design
Packing a 7,600mAh battery into a phone that is just 7.9mm thick and weighs around 202g is impressive. The flat edges and curved corners make the phone easy to grip, and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner sits naturally where your thumb rests. Add IP68 and IP69 ratings, stereo speakers, and solid build quality, and the phone feels more premium than its price suggests.
Reasons not to buy
Thermal management could be better
While the phone performs extremely well overall, it heats up more than some rivals during prolonged gaming or heavy workloads. In testing, the temperature rose noticeably after 30 minutes of gaming sessions. Although it never became uncomfortable to hold, the higher thermal increase may explain why the device throttles more aggressively under sustained load compared to some competitors.
Camera colours aren’t the most natural
The iQOO 15R’s 50MP primary camera captures detailed images, often outperforming rivals in sharpness and dynamic range. However, the camera tends to push contrast and sharpening quite aggressively.
This can make photos look dramatic, but not always natural. Users who prefer true-to-life colour science may find some shots slightly over-processed. The 8MP ultrawide sensor feels somewhat modest for the price segment. While it performs reasonably well, it lacks the resolution and detail you might expect from a near-flagship device.
Software includes unnecessary apps
The phone runs OriginOS 6 based on Android 16, which is smooth and highly customisable. However, the experience includes several pre-installed apps, including proprietary app stores that cannot be removed. While they do not significantly affect performance, they do make the software feel a bit cluttered compared to cleaner Android experiences.
Closing thought
The iQOO 15R remains a strong value-for-money performance phone that gets most fundamentals right and then pushes battery endurance far beyond what most competitors offer. However, if thermal efficiency, camera realism, or a cleaner software experience matter more to you, alternatives such as the OnePlus 15R (review) may be worth considering.
