OnePlus 15 Review Roundup: Battery MONSTER or Camera Letdown? (ft MKBHD, SuperSaf, ShortCircuit)

Transcript

0:00 Speaker A: This phone is so good. Speaker B: It is the debut of Snapdragon's latest high end chip. Speaker C: It's easily the best battery life I've ever experienced. Speaker D: The fastest smartphones in the world. Speaker E: Welcome back to RE Review, where we watch all the reviews so you don't have to Today we're digging into the highly anticipated OnePlus 15 and let's kick things off with the physical design. Speaker C: Design wise, the corners are a bit more rounded and both the screen and the frame are flat, which gives it a cleaner look.

0:27 Speaker C: The screen no longer has the curved edges that roll into the frame. Speaker C: It's simple, it's modern, and in my opinion, it looks more premium. Speaker F: The camera module has undergone significant changes this year and I prefer this design to the dinner plate look of the OnePlus 13. Speaker F: It's smaller, less obtrusive, and fits in with the overall aesthetic just a bit better. Speaker E: This focus on cleaner aesthetic extends to durability features and finish, particularly on the Sandstorm Colorway.

0:54 Speaker B: On this version, The Sandstorm colorway OnePlus is using something called Micro Arc Oxidation and what that basically allows them to do is apply a coating to the aluminum that provides it with a lot of extra durability. Speaker B: They're claiming 3.4 times harder than aluminum and 1.3 times tougher than titanium. Speaker A: Anything that's not literally diamond is going to be softer than it. Speaker A: This phone isn't taking the damage, it's doing the damage that's not normal.

1:22 Speaker C: The bezels are another highlight. Speaker C: At just 1.15 millimeters on all four sides, they're the slimmest ever on a OnePlus device. Speaker E: But perhaps the most noticeable physical change is the replacement of a long standing OnePlus hallmark, the alert Slider. Speaker B: No. Speaker B: No. Speaker B: Look how they've massacred my boy. Speaker B: They got rid of the slider again. Speaker B: It's a button now. Speaker B: The plus key is assignable to several other tasks.

1:48 Speaker B: Like you can make it be your alert slider again, but with a press and hold. Speaker B: Or you can make it a camera button or flashlight button. Speaker B: Whatever your heart desires, as long as it's one of these eight options. Speaker E: Moving on to the performance, the OnePlus 15 is built all around speed and houses the newest silicon available. Speaker G: It's the first phone with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Speaker G: There's two versions, 12 gig of RAM and 256 gig of storage, or 16 gig of RAM and 512 gig of storage.

2:14 Speaker A: The upgraded version has 16 gigs of LPDDR 5X Ultra plus RAM that's as fast as it gets. Speaker A: This is not normal and it is. Speaker D: Number one on benchmark scores on AnTuTu. Speaker D: And to keep things cool, we've got 360 cryo velocity cooling with a huge 5730 millimeter squared vapor chamber. Speaker D: For sustained performance under heavy loads, the.

2:39 Speaker E: Generational uplift in raw power is undeniable. Speaker E: But pushing this level of performance has created thermal challenges. Speaker E: During intense stress testing across our suite. Speaker B: Of benchmarks, the OnePlus 15 performed better than the OnePlus 13 by 19 to 22% and better than the S25 Edge by 1414 to 19%. Speaker F: This bad boy gets hot. Speaker F: In fact, it gets so hot that I can't show you the results of a standard benchmark we run, which is the 3dmark wildlife extreme stress Test.

3:08 Speaker F: This measures the phone at peak load for 20 runs and the OnePlus 15 overheats at the 17th run and shuts down the benchmark. Speaker E: The display and integrated systems also showcase the engineering focus on speed, starting with a record setting refresh rate. Speaker H: Let's start with the display 6.78 inch LTPO AMOLED display and it is a 165Hz panel and with that 165Hz and with this touch response, the thing is so silk it's silky smooth.

3:36 Speaker H: It's probably the smoothest phone I've tested this year. Speaker B: By fiddling around with the settings, we were actually able to get it as high as 2,859 nits. Speaker B: It's not the brightest screen on the market, but in my opinion it's about bright enough as you'll ever need for almost any setting. Speaker B: Now this reportedly gets to 0.5 nits which is really low brightness. Speaker E: The extreme 165Hz refresh rate however, comes with a noticeable trade off compared to the previous generation's displays.

4:03 Speaker F: With the nifty upgrades this year there is a heavy downgrade which is the removal of 2K resolution. Speaker F: I don't know about you, but this isn't a great trade. Speaker F: Mobile gamers might like the fact that they can see that higher refresh rate, but losing resolution is a tough pill to swallow for everyone. Speaker H: I was getting rather close on the screen and I couldn't even tell that this was under 2k resolution. Speaker H: I look at multiple smartphone displays every day and to me this is still tech sharp.

4:30 Speaker E: This push for speed is clearly driven by the dedicated components designed to maximize responsiveness, particularly for mobile gaming. Speaker D: And OnePlus have done something quite unique with a triple chip setup. Speaker D: So we have the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for better performance, a dedicated touch response chip for a better display, and an advanced WI Fi chip for better connectivity. Speaker A: The dedicated touch response chip enables a ridiculous 3200 Hz touch sample rate.

4:56 Speaker A: For reference, most normal flagships are typically 1440 hertz to about 2400 hertz, so that is also clearly not normal. Speaker E: Shifting to software Oxygen OS 16 is minimal, but packed with features and backed by excellent long term support. Speaker D: So this comes with Oxygen OS 16 based on Android 16 out of the box OnePlus have promised 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security updates and OnePlus have the most comprehensive parallel processing Parallel processing 2.0 with improved flow motion so everything just feels fast and smooth from swiping through screens to opening and closing apps.

5:32 Speaker D: But this is also the industry's first personalized AI with Gemini. Speaker D: So Gemini can now connect to your content from Mindspace and supercharge your search. Speaker D: And we also have AI Play Lab. Speaker D: Now this is a space for you to test new AI features. Speaker D: So with umc it can not only translate and convert currency on a menu, but but it also gives you some AI visuals of what that thing may look like.

5:57 Speaker D: And this has Android's first private computing cloud with hardware level protection, so not even OnePlus can access your data now. Speaker C: Something I don't think OnePlus gets enough credit for is cross device compatibility with the Oplus Connect app. Speaker C: You can Easily pair the OnePlus 15 with a Mac or PC computer. Speaker C: You can access your files. Speaker C: You can even cast your phone screen onto your computer if you need to send files to your friend that has an iPhone.

6:24 Speaker C: As long as they have the app, it's the closest thing to airdrop. Speaker E: While some specifications involve clear trade offs, the most talked about feature of the 15 is its endurance, made possibly by a massive power cell. Speaker B: Dual cell battery in this thing is 7300 milliamp hours, which is frickin large. Speaker B: The OnePlus 15 gets 29 hours in our battery test. Speaker B: Compare that to the 20 hours of our OnePlus 13.

6:50 Speaker B: That's like a 50% increase in screen on time. Speaker G: Yes, if you're wondering about the battery technology in this phone, it is the silicon Kryptonite thing, which means it should have good health as well. Speaker G: So OnePlus is saying that after four years you'll still have 80% battery health. Speaker G: What's not to like? Speaker E: This huge capacity supports advanced features like bypass charging and is housed with an extremely durable shell providing the best endurance tested so far.

7:15 Speaker B: And one more cool feature that OnePlus toss in there is bypass charging. Speaker B: So if you're playing a game and you're plugged into the wall, you don't have to worry about heating up the battery. Speaker B: By charging the battery, you can just power the phone directly from the wall. Speaker B: OnePlus 15 is the new chart topping phone when it comes to battery life, scoring better than any phone we've tested so far. Speaker B: On top of that, the phone supports 120 watt charging using OnePlus's proprietary SuperVOOC charger. Speaker B: This charger can top up the phone to 78% in half an hour.

7:42 Speaker B: And it's IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K, which means it can be submerged and blasted with water up to 80 degrees Celsius. Speaker A: Pretty sure it could literally survive a laundry cycle and be fine. Speaker A: That is also not normal. Speaker A: And it's also hilarious. Speaker A: Because of OnePlus's history of not wanting to pay for official IP certification for years to save a few bucks, now they're just doing all the things. Speaker G: Now to unlock the OnePlus 15, you have an in display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which is an absolute banger.

8:12 Speaker G: Doesn't seem to matter if your fingers are moist or oily or anything, and full support for face unlock. Speaker G: As usual, the camera system is arguably. Speaker E: The most controversial part of the package, particularly following the end of the Hasselblad partnership. Speaker G: We have three 50 megapixel cameras on the back. Speaker G: The telephoto has a 3.5 times optical zoom and up to 120 times digital zoom. Speaker A: But there are some downsides to this phone though, and the really big one is the cameras.

8:38 Speaker A: It's not like just a oh, you know, the phone's really great, it's just not the best cameras. Speaker A: No, this is actually a pretty substantial downgrade. Speaker A: Like the sensors are smaller, the apertures are smaller, and the photos and videos are just worse and disappointing. Speaker A: Across the board, this primary sensor has been a surprisingly weak performer. Speaker A: This is actually the same one that's in the $400 honor 200 and it kind of acts like it. Speaker A: There's more noise than you'd want to see in some medium lighting shots where other flagships do just fine.

9:04 Speaker A: There's also a decent 3.5x telephoto zoom and 116 degree ultra wide that's a little soft around the edges. Speaker E: Despite hardware concerns, the video capabilities include an industry first spec and opinions on photo quality are mixed. Speaker D: This is one of the first Android smartphones with 4K120 frames a second Dolby Vision on all of the cameras. Speaker D: So as you can see on screen you get excellent detail and dynamic range.

9:30 Speaker G: And I can't really argue with the results most of the time as again usually on point with only the occasional bit of saturation if the light is particularly strong. Speaker G: Unfortunately, where the OnePlus 15 can't keep up with rivals is softer light conditions, so photos taken in darker environments or in the evenings do usually look rather flat. Speaker G: Detail capture certainly isn't as strong, so the clarity can be a bit fuzzy. Speaker C: It does give my skin a little bit more magenta.

9:57 Speaker C: You'll definitely notice it compared to the iPhone's yellowish tint and Samsung's more neutral tones. Speaker C: Landscape shots are vibrant and typically punchier than the competition. Speaker C: Bluer skies, greener grass. Speaker C: Of course it comes down to personal preference, but I like the punchier look for creators. Speaker E: The new tools offer customization and the overall quality assessment often comes down to individual preference against rivals. Speaker B: Plus has included a bunch of cool new features for creators which includes log video recording in OnePlus's proprietary color space.

10:28 Speaker H: They're still very strong. Speaker H: It's not like they're going to put some weak cameras in $1,000 phone. Speaker H: Now are they better than the competition? Speaker H: I think that is going to be subjective. Speaker F: The one exception to this fiasco is the selfie camera. Speaker F: OnePlus did upgrade that one. Speaker F: It has a slightly better sensor and now supports autofocus. Speaker F: This is nice for sure, but does it make up for all the rear camera downgrades?

10:53 Speaker E: Considering these high end specs and surprising camera performance, the final hurdle is the price and overall value proposition. Speaker H: The OnePlus 15 is going to cost you 899 and this is subject to change, but this is mostly going to be for the infinite black color. Speaker H: This one right here you can only get in the 16 gig of RAM. Speaker H: This one right here is 999. Speaker H: That's actually a pretty good deal when you consider most phones that are competing or it's competing against are going to cost a bit more.

11:18 Speaker G: And it's another example of why sometimes you should look past the obvious. Speaker G: Given the price, the battery, the display technology, the flagship design, this is so tempting. Speaker E: Its closest competition often comes from sister brand, but the OnePlus 15 also makes consumers reconsider buying its own predecessor. Speaker B: The Design of the OnePlus 15 is very similar to the Oppo Find X9 Pro which is the flagship of OnePlus's sister company.

11:45 Speaker F: And you know what? Speaker F: You should probably skip it because the OnePlus 13 might be the better buy right now. Speaker F: The OnePlus 13 is going to be cheaper with a much better camera, a processor that's much better for thermals, the same software, basically the same RAM and storage options, and it's going to have a display with 2K resolution. Speaker G: If you are a gamer, you're looking for something with hardcore dedicated gaming performance. Speaker G: We'll definitely check out the Red Magic 11 Pro.

12:11 Speaker E: The OnePlus 15 marks a significant effort by the company to deliver an extreme flagship package, prioritizing raw performance, connectivity and sheer endurance above all else. Speaker B: The OnePlus 15's champion battery life and stellar performance make it an intriguing offer. Speaker E: It achieves a unique blend of industry leading specs, but requires users to accept the certain trade offs, particularly in the camera department where some found it disappointing compared to rivals. Speaker G: But if you're after a proper flagship style camera experience, I would highly recommend checking out the likes of the oppo.

12:39 Speaker G: Find X9Pro instead, otherwise you might be a wee bit disappointed. Speaker E: If you're a mobile gamer or a power user seeking the best battery life possible, this is a top contender. Speaker B: You have a solid battery life package in this phone and speaking of the screen, it's actually fully flat so it's easy to apply a screen protector and it's less fragile. Speaker E: However, consumers prioritizing photography might find the previous generation or a different competitor more appealing, even if they sacrifice peak speed.

13:05 Speaker H: I do think OnePlus should improve the cameras if they want to beat the camera phones out there, but I think from a performance perspective they're beating basically everyone. Speaker E: Thank you very much for watching this ultimate roundup review of the OnePlus 15 and come back for more re reviews where we watch all the reviews so you don't have to.