I really enjoyed using the OnePlus 13, and with the manufacturer now introducing the OnePlus 15 in China, I'm excited to see how the device holds up. The OnePlus 15 is making its global debut on November 13, which is notable in itself — OnePlus doesn't usually launch its flagship globally until a few months after its Chinese release.
The OnePlus 15 has considerable upgrades across the board, and it doesn't look like the OnePlus 13 at all. That said, it is good to see the phone getting a massive 7,300mAh battery, allowing it to hold its own against the Find X9 Pro. With the global launch imminent, let's take a look at all the features available with the OnePlus 15.
OnePlus 15: Design
OnePlus switched up its design once again, and the result is that the OnePlus 15 doesn't look like a OnePlus phone at all. This was the case to an extent last year with the OnePlus 13 as well, but the OnePlus 15 takes things to a whole new level.
The phone has a new matte texture and boxy design, and if anything, it looks like another model of the Find X9. The camera island is distinctive, but the rectangular housing doesn't stand out quite as much as last year. Look, renders only tell one side of the story; I wasn't keen on the renders of the OnePlus 13 last year, but the device itself was terrific to use, and it is the same with the OnePlus 15.
There's a dedicated button that can be used to customize actions, and this is again identical to what's on the Find X9 Pro and the Vivo X300 Pro. Outside of that, you get IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance, and the usual nano-SIM with eSIM integration.
OnePlus 15: Specs
Obviously, a big part of any OnePlus phone is the hardware, and the OnePlus 15 does all the right things in this regard. The phone is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and having used MediaTek Dimensity 9500-powered devices in the last month, I'm excited to see just how much of a difference there is with Qualcomm silicon.
The phone has a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 1.5K resolution, going up to 165Hz. It should make using the device that much better, and I don't mind the resolution at all — it is a non-issue. What I like instead is that PWM dimming is retained, and the quality of the panel itself looks to be better this generation.
Otherwise, it comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage with the base model, going up to 1TB. It is unlikely global regions will get the 1TB model, with OnePlus mostly getting the 256GB and 512GB variants.
Where things get interesting is the battery; the OnePlus 15 gets a huge 7,300mAh battery, and it should easily last two days. The use of silicon battery tech has allowed Chinese manufacturers to push the boundaries of batteries, and it's exciting to see such a big battery in a device that has similar dimensions as the OnePlus 13.
OnePlus 15: Cameras
The OnePlus 15 still sees a trio of 50MP cameras, but it gets new sensors, and it should take much better photos and videos. Honestly, this was where the OnePlus 13 stood out over earlier models, and I'm eager to see how the OnePlus 15 measures up.
OnePlus is obviously positioning the cameras as the standout feature on the OnePlus 15, and in my use, the phone managed to deliver cleaner and better-detailed shots. I'll reserve judgement until I've used the cameras a little bit, but it looks like the device is able to hold its own.
OnePlus 15: Launch date
OnePlus is all set to showcase the OnePlus 15 globally on November 13. While we don't know what the device will cost, the Chinese launch indicates it will be in line with last year's model, and that's good to see.
OnePlus always stood out as being the only major Chinese manufacturer to still sell its phones in North America, and that isn't changing with the OnePlus 15. The phone should cost a few hundred dollars less than its equivalent Google and Samsung rival, and the cameras and huge battery give it an edge. Now we just need to see if it delivers in real-world usage, and thankfully, we don't have to wait too long.
