I enjoyed using the OnePlus 13, and with the manufacturer now introducing the OnePlus 15 globally, it's time to see what's new with the 2026 flagship. The OnePlus 15 has considerable upgrades, 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. I got started with the OnePlus 15 a few weeks ago, and I've been using the device alongside the OnePlus 13 to get a sense of what's new, and how it differs. So let's take a look at all the new features, and whether you should consider upgrading if you're looking to buy a new phone.
OnePlus 15: Review
If you haven't already, you should take a look at our OnePlus 15 review to know all about the device:
"The OnePlus 15 is an improvement over the OnePlus 13 in many ways, including a faster Qualcomm silicon, even better 165Hz OLED, improved camera quality, and an even more durable build. But the release is marred a bit by an overly generic design, the loss of some OnePlus features, and software that can be buggy at times. Still, this is a superb flagship phone with the best battery life you'll find anywhere, ultra-fast charging speeds, and great OS features."
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.
While it's great to hold thanks to the texture, I don't really like the design this year — I think it looks generic, and it isn't exciting in the least.
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, it's exciting to use Qualcomm's silicon. That said, the phone tends to overheat during intense gaming sessions.
The phone has a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 1.5K resolution, going up to 165Hz. It makes 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 takes better photos and videos. Honestly, this was where the OnePlus 13 stood out over earlier models, and while the difference isn't as notable this time in my OnePlus 15 camera testing, the device still holds up well against Google's Pixel 10 and the Galaxy S25.
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.
OnePlus 15: Release and availability
The OnePlus 15 made its global debut on November 13, and the phone is now available in India for ₹72,999 ($822), $899 in the U.S., and £849 ($1,116) in the U.K. There's also a 16GB/512GB edition that costs $999 in the U.S., ₹79,999 ($901) in India, and £979 ($1,286) in the U.K.
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 is yet to go on sale in the U.S. because of delays, but those should be resolved shortly.
The OnePlus 15 continues to deliver great hardware, but the design is divisive this year, and the cameras don't stand out as much.
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