GSMArena Team,
13 November 2025.
1. Introduction and unboxing2. Design and build3. Lab tests – display, battery life, charging speed, speakers4. Software and performance5. Camera6. Alternatives, pros and cons, verdictOnePlus 15 specificationUser opinions and reviewsReview comments (60)
Market alternatives
The OnePlus 15 is a proper flagship phone with the latest hardware, premium build and high-end software features. And even if it’s not as affordable as OnePlus’ flagships once were, it still undercuts the majority of the competition. Maybe not at launch, since the handset is asking €950 for the base model, or €999 for the higher memory trim if you catch the early bird sale, while most top-tier flagships go beyond the €1,000 mark. But what are the alternatives, and what would you be missing out on if you decide to “settle” for the OnePlus 15?
One popular and similarly priced alternative is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Even though the Galaxy S25+ is considered to be a more direct competitor, the S25 Ultra’s price is now comparable to the OnePlus 15’s months after release. But even then, it’s hard to say which one is better. The OnePlus 15 has a newer, more powerful chipset, much longer battery life, faster charging and maybe a similar camera experience to some extent. Notably, the S25 Ultra’s ultrawide camera and selfie cameras are nicer and it offers a 5x telephoto shooter. In short, get the S25 Ultra for the cameras, get the OnePlus 15 for the whole package.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra • Google Pixel 10 Pro
Alternatively, you can grab a Google Pixel 10 Pro for around the same price and enjoy the vanilla Android experience with some decent cameras. Once again, the competition has a better selfie and the ultrawide cameras. OnePlus’ offering, on the other hand, has quicker charging, better battery life and a faster chip.
In case you like the OnePlus 15 for the overall user experience, you are fond of the design, and you love the software, but the camera hardware doesn’t cut it, consider the more expensive Oppo Find X9 Pro. It’s the same phone, but with more potent camera hardware.
Oppo Find X9 Pro • Realme GT 7 Pro • OnePlus 13
Alternatively, save some cash and grab the Realme GT 7 Pro with a very similar user experience (same software), but less impressive camera hardware. Or maybe wait for the Realme GT 8 Pro as it will feature the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 like the OnePlus 15.
The OnePlus 13 is another alternative worth considering. OnePlus is promising 4 major OS upgrades for its phones, so the 13 will remain relevant for the next few years. The older Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC is still very powerful in today’s context, and the camera hardware is arguably better than the OnePlus 15’s. The latter’s camera changes are a side step at best. However, getting the cheaper OnePlus 13 will leave you with slightly shorter battery life.
Verdict
With the new 15, OnePlus is seemingly changing its strategy. By removing the Hasselblad branding and downgrading the cameras from the OnePlus 13, the newer OnePlus is focusing more on the other aspects, leaving the Oppo Find X9 Pro as the absolute best cameraphone in the family. This way, the company is avoiding direct, homegrown competition with Oppo.
But even with the downgraded camera hardware, the OnePlus 15 offers more than a decent camera experience overall. It’s not entirely flagship-worthy and the ultrawide and selfie cameras leave more to be desired, but the phone easily compensates in other aspects.
The handset runs on the latest and greatest from Qualcomm, handling high loads very well. It has an excellent display, fast charging, chart-topping battery life, and a robust design that’s easy to like. Don’t forget the smooth and convenient software experience. It’s an excellent all-rounder with some camera missteps.
Competitiveness will improve over time once the OnePlus 15’s price settles down, but at launch, the phone is facing hard competition from more prominent flagships with better camera systems.
Pros
Slick and easy-to-like design, IP68/IP69K ingress protection.
Magnetic accessories support.
Chart-topping battery life without sacrificing charging speed.
Good camera experience from the main and telephoto cameras.
Polished software entitled to 4 major OS upgrades.
Cons
Camera quality could be better.
The telephoto camera can’t focus close.
Current prices