Read iQOO 15 Review — detailed insights on camera, display, battery, and performance before you buy. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powered flagship that redefines mobile gaming.
Introduction to iQOO 15 Review
The iQOO 15 represents the brand’s latest flagship assault on the premium smartphone market, arriving with Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Launched in October 2025 and arriving in India on November 26, this 5G smartphone is positioned as a gaming powerhouse that doesn’t compromise on overall performance or camera quality.
Who should consider this phone? The iQOO 15 review reveals it’s ideal for mobile gamers who demand frame-perfect performance, content creators seeking a reliable camera system, professionals who multitask heavily, and anyone hunting for flagship performance without excessive marketing hype. Whether you’re streaming, gaming at ultra settings, or capturing moments, this mobile review will help you understand if it deserves a spot in your pocket.
The iQOO 15 brings several compelling upgrades over its predecessors, combining raw power with practical features that matter to real users. Let’s dive into what makes this smartphone a contender in the competitive flagship landscape.
Design & Build Quality of iQOO 15
The iQOO 15’s design maintains the brand’s sporty aesthetic while introducing subtle refinements that improve ergonomics. The phone measures 163.7 x 76.8 x 8.1mm and weighs between 215g to 220g depending on the variant, striking a balance between premium feel and practical usability.
The build quality is exceptional, featuring a robust frame with Gorilla Glass protection on the display. The rear panel features a distinctive camera island with a practical layout that minimizes dust accumulation. Available in Black, White, Green, and Blue, plus a special color-changing variant, the iQOO 15 offers aesthetic flexibility without sacrificing durability.
The button placement feels intuitive—power button on the right, volume controls positioned perfectly for thumb access, and the USB-C port at the bottom. The IP68/IP69 rating ensures the phone survives submersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, plus protection against high-pressure water jets. This build quality assures you the phone can handle accidental spills or brief underwater incidents without panic.
Display: 2K LTPO AMOLED Flagship Screen
The 6.85-inch display is arguably the iQOO 15’s crown jewel. This Samsung M14 LTPO AMOLED panel delivers a stunning 2K resolution (1440 x 3168 pixels) at 508 ppi density, offering exceptional sharpness for viewing content, reading, and gaming.
Resolution and Refresh Rate: With 2K clarity and a 144Hz refresh rate, scrolling feels buttery smooth. The PWM dimming at 2160Hz minimizes flicker during prolonged viewing, protecting your eyes during those late-night browsing sessions.
Brightness and Color: The display pushes up to 2,600 nits in high brightness mode (HBM) and peaks at an impressive 6,000 nits, making outdoor visibility absolutely stellar even in direct sunlight. The 1 billion color palette and HDR10+, HDR Vivid, and Dolby Vision support create vibrant, accurate colors whether you’re watching Netflix originals or scrolling Instagram.
Outdoor Performance: What truly impresses during testing is the outdoor visibility—you won’t need to squint when checking messages or navigating maps in bright daylight. The Gorilla Glass protection keeps the display scratch-resistant during daily use.
Hardware & Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Prowess
Powering the iQOO 15 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, built on a 3nm process. This octacore processor features two high-performance cores clocked at 4.6 GHz paired with six efficiency cores at 3.62 GHz, accompanied by an Adreno 840 GPU.
Real-World Performance: In demanding tasks like 4K video editing, multitasking with 10+ open apps, and heavy gaming, the iQOO 15 never stutters. Opening apps is instantaneous; switching between tasks feels seamless. The integration of iQOO’s custom Supercomputing Chip Q3 enhances frame interpolation to achieve up to 144 FPS in compatible games with reduced latency.
Gaming Excellence: Whether playing PUBG at ultra settings or tackling demanding titles like Genshin Impact, the phone maintains rock-solid stability. Benchmark scores show approximately 4.38 million points on AnTuTu 11—impressive by any measure. Gaming performance stays consistent whether you’re in the first minute or playing for an hour straight.
Heat Management: The 8,000mm single-layer vapor chamber cooling system with 200 million nano-graphite oxide particles excels at heat dissipation. During a one-hour Genshin Impact stress test at high settings, the device reaches only 39.3°C on the back—extraordinarily cool for a flagship pushing this much power. Thermal management remains one of the standout achievements here.
RAM and Storage: The iQOO 15 review confirms configurations ranging from 12GB to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, with storage options from 256GB up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage. No microSD card slot means you’ll need to choose your storage wisely upfront.
Camera Features: Professional-Grade Triple 50MP Setup
The camera system is where the iQOO 15 truly shines, representing a major leap in the brand’s photography credentials. The triple rear setup comprises three 50MP sensors, each optimized for specific shooting scenarios.
Main Sensor Performance: The 50MP primary camera (f/1.9, Sony IMX921) with OIS captures incredible detail in daylight. Photos reveal exceptional texture reproduction, whether shooting fabric, buildings, or landscapes. The color science feels refined—no excessive saturation like older iQOO phones. Even in challenging conditions like backlighting or high-contrast scenes, the exposure balancing is impressive.
Ultrawide Lens: The 50MP ultrawide (f/2.1, 15mm equivalent) delivers consistency with the main lens in tone and color accuracy. Distortion correction feels seamless, keeping edges natural even at extreme angles. Low-light ultrawide shots show only minor noise increases compared to the main lens.
Telephoto Excellence: The 50MP 3x optical telephoto (f/2.7) produces portraits with DSLR-like sharpness. The perspective compression flatters subjects naturally, while edge detection around hair and facial features stays precise—zero halos or fuzzy outlines. Zooming to 100mm (hybrid zoom) maintains impressive clarity.
Portrait Mode: Portrait captures feel like professional photography. The 85mm equivalent telephoto option produces classic portrait framing that flatters facial features. Skin tones remain natural without overprocessing; colors like yellows and warm hues appear balanced and lifelike.
Low-Light Capability: Night mode photography showcases iQOO’s computational photography prowess. In dim lighting with minimal ambient illumination, the camera pulls in remarkable light while maintaining fine textures. Fine details like sequins on fabric or patterns on clothing remain sharp. Color accuracy persists even under uneven, warm lighting—a hallmark of flagship capability.
Video Recording: The camera supports 8K recording from the main sensor, though 4K at 60fps offers the sweet spot for most users. Video stability via OIS on the main sensor ensures smooth handheld footage. Dynamic range balances bright skies and deep shadows beautifully, though ultra-stabilization mode could use refinement for extreme movements.
Front Camera: The 32MP selfie camera (f/2.2) delivers balanced, realistic self-portraits. HDR performance under harsh sunlight is spot-on—your face brightens without becoming a silhouette. The camera avoids the over-smoothed filter-heavy look common in smartphone selfies, preserving personality in every shot.
Software & UI Experience: OriginOS 6
The iQOO 15 ships with OriginOS 6 based on Android 16, representing a mature and optimized software experience. Unlike some Android skins heavy with bloatware, OriginOS 6 offers a cleaner, more straightforward interface.
Android Updates and Support: iQOO commits to five years of major Android updates and seven years of security updates—matching flagship promises from premium competitors. This extended support ensures your phone remains secure and functional for years.
Bloatware Assessment: While OriginOS includes some pre-installed apps, the bloat factor is manageable. Most unnecessary apps can be uninstalled, and the system UI rarely intrudes on your workflow.
User Customization: The interface allows substantial personalization—custom launchers, icon packs, and widget arrangements work flawlessly. The system respects user preferences without forcing aggressive optimizations.
Performance Smoothness: Even with dozens of apps installed, the phone maintains snappy responsiveness. App launching is instantaneous; background processes rarely cause hiccups. The combination of powerful hardware and optimized software creates an unusually fluid experience.
Battery & Charging: 7,000mAh Endurance
The iQOO 15 houses a massive 7,000mAh battery—one of the largest in its price segment. This capacity alone suggests impressive longevity, and real-world usage confirms it.
Screen-On Time: In mixed usage (browsing, gaming, messaging, photography), you’ll easily achieve 12+ hours of screen-on time. Even under continuous gaming or video playback, expect 8-10 hours before depleting the battery. The battery handles both high-demand tasks and casual usage with equal composure.
Fast Charging Speed: The 100W wired charging reaches 50% in approximately 15-20 minutes—genuinely quick for daily top-ups. From empty to full, expect 25-30 minutes, ensuring you can get enough juice for the day with minimal wait time.
Wireless Charging: The 40W wireless charging is a practical convenience, though slightly slower than wired options. This wireless capability adds flexibility for desk-side charging during work.
Box Contents: The iQOO 15 includes the 100W charger in the box—a thoughtful inclusion that shows respect for customer value. No frustration of purchasing a phone only to discover you need to buy a charger separately.
Battery Longevity: The silicon anode technology and semi-solid-state battery design promise extended health across thousands of charge cycles. iQOO’s four major battery health technologies indicate this battery will retain capacity better than typical smartphone batteries over two to three years.
Connectivity & Network Features
The iQOO 15 review confirms comprehensive connectivity across all modern standards. The phone supports 5G SA/NSA with dual 4G VoLTE for seamless call transitions. Wi-Fi 7 (802.11 be) connectivity ensures blazing-fast internet speeds when available, while Bluetooth 6.0 provides reliable wireless accessory connections.
5G Support: The comprehensive 5G band support (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 20, 25, etc.) means the phone works on virtually every major carrier’s 5G network in India and globally. Real-world 5G speeds during testing remained impressively fast when network coverage was available.
GPS and Navigation: Multi-constellation GPS (L1+L5) positioning ensures accurate navigation in complex urban environments. The inclusion of GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, and QZSS provides redundancy for reliable location services.
NFC and IR Blaster: NFC enables contactless payments and data transfer, while the infrared blaster lets you control televisions, air conditioners, and other IR-equipped devices using the phone’s app.
Dual SIM: The nano-SIM + nano-SIM setup supports dual numbers, perfect for professionals managing work and personal numbers. Dual standby means both lines remain active simultaneously.
Extra Features: Fingerprint, Audio, and Protection
The iQOO 15 incorporates several quality-of-life features that enhance the overall ownership experience. The under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor unlocks the phone in milliseconds—faster and more reliable than older capacitive sensors. Face unlock via the front camera provides an additional authentication layer, though it’s less reliable in poor lighting compared to fingerprint recognition.
Audio Quality: Dual stereo speakers deliver impressive loudness and clarity. Gaming audio feels immersive with proper separation between dialogue and effects. The 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio support through USB-C ensures audiophile-grade sound quality when using wired headphones—though notably, the 3.5mm headphone jack is absent, requiring USB-C or Bluetooth audio solutions.
Haptic Feedback: The dual-axis vibration motor with 1511 war drum speakers provides nuanced haptic feedback during gaming and notifications. The feedback feels natural and responsive, enhancing immersion without becoming annoying during daily use.
Water and Dust Resistance: The IP68/IP69 rating already mentioned provides genuine peace of mind. The phone survived splash tests during review handling, confirming the protection ratings are legitimate rather than marketing fluff.
Price & Availability: Value Proposition in India
The iQOO 15’s India pricing reflects aggressive positioning in the premium flagship segment. The base model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage starts around Rs. 65,000, while the 16GB + 512GB variant is expected to retail around Rs. 69,999. The maximum 16GB + 1TB model approaches Rs. 72,000.
Launch Offers: iQOO has introduced a Priority Pass system for Rs. 1,000 (refundable), granting early access to exclusive launch benefits. Purchasers through this pass receive iQOO TWS 1e earbuds complimentary plus 12-month extended warranty—genuine value-adds that sweeten the deal.
Online Availability: The phone will be available on major e-commerce platforms including Amazon India and Flipkart, with competitive pricing across platforms. Expect bank discounts, exchange offers, and no-cost EMI options during the launch period.
Offline Presence: iQOO’s retail presence in major Indian cities ensures offline customers can experience the phone before purchasing. This availability across both channels democratizes access to this flagship.
Competition & Comparison: Standing Out Among Rivals
The iQOO 15 faces direct competition from the OnePlus 15, Realme GT 8 Pro, and Samsung’s flagship offerings. How does it stack up?
Versus OnePlus 15: Both share the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, but the iQOO 15 offers superior display specifications (2K vs. 1.5K resolution, 144Hz vs. 165Hz). OnePlus counters with marginally larger 7,300mAh battery and 120W charging versus iQOO’s 100W, plus refined design aesthetics. The iQOO 15’s 2K display delivers sharper visuals, while OnePlus prioritizes response speed through higher refresh rates. For photography, the iQOO 15’s camera receives more acclaim in professional reviews.
Versus Realme GT 8 Pro: The Realme offers similar performance internals but with slightly different software (Realme UI) and camera tuning. The iQOO 15’s superior display brightness (6,000 nits vs. typical 3,000-4,000 nits) provides better outdoor usability. Battery capacity and cooling capabilities slightly favor the iQOO 15.
Versus Samsung Galaxy S25: While Samsung commands brand prestige, the iQOO 15 undercuts flagship Samsung pricing by 30-40% while offering comparable performance. Samsung’s traditional software reliability faces competition from iQOO’s optimized OriginOS 6 experience.
Key Strength: The iQOO 15’s balance of powerful gaming credentials, exceptional camera system, and price competitiveness creates a compelling value proposition unavailable elsewhere.
User Reviews & Feedback: Real-World Perspectives
Early user and critic reactions paint a positive picture of the iQOO 15. Gaming enthusiasts consistently praise the thermal management and frame rate stability during extended play sessions. Content creators highlight the camera system as a major leap forward for the brand, with particular enthusiasm for low-light performance and color accuracy improvements.
Positives Highlighted: Users praise the bright 2K display, exceptional cooling during gaming, impressive camera detail, and competitive pricing. The software experience receives consistent kudos for being less bloated than competitors. Battery life during gaming and standby scenarios exceeds expectations.
Negatives Mentioned: Some users note the weight (220g) feels slightly heavy compared to competitors. The absence of a 3.5mm jack disappoints audiophiles. The lack of microSD expansion means storage choices are final at purchase. A minority report screen glitching issues, though this appears isolated rather than widespread.
Overall Reception: The general consensus portrays the iQOO 15 as a serious flagship that doesn’t deserve the underestimation often directed at the brand. It’s positioned as the antidote for users frustrated by overpriced competitors offering incremental upgrades.
Conclusion: Is the iQOO 15 Worth Buying?
The Verdict: The iQOO 15 review concludes that this smartphone delivers flagship performance, camera quality, and display excellence at a price point significantly friendlier than Samsung, Apple, or even OnePlus’s equivalent offerings. The combination of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 power, exceptional 2K display, outstanding cooling system, and impressive camera prowess makes this a compelling choice for demanding users.
Ideal User Categories: Serious mobile gamers will find the performance and thermal management exceptional. Content creators will appreciate the camera improvements, particularly low-light performance. Professionals managing heavy multitasking will enjoy the snappy performance and RAM options. Budget-conscious flagship seekers get premium features at reasonable pricing.
Who Should Buy: If gaming performance, camera quality, display excellence, and reliable thermal management matter to you, the iQOO 15 deserves serious consideration. The phone punches well above its price point, offering features typically reserved for devices costing 20-30% more.
Who Should Wait: If wireless charging speed is paramount, the 40W implementation might disappoint compared to faster alternatives. If microSD expansion is essential, you’ll need to maximize storage at purchase. If you heavily rely on headphone jacks, external audio solutions become necessary.
Final Thoughts: The iQOO 15 represents the brand’s maturation as a serious flagship competitor. It’s not flashy or heavily marketed like Samsung or Apple, but it quietly delivers precisely what performance enthusiasts actually want. At its price point, the iQOO 15 offers exceptional value and the credentials to compete with any smartphone in its class. Is it worth your money? Absolutely—especially if you value performance, camera quality, and thermal management over brand prestige alone.
FAQs About iQOO 15 Review
Does the iQOO 15 support 5G?
Yes, the iQOO 15 supports comprehensive 5G bands (SA/NSA) across Indian and global carriers, enabling high-speed internet when connected to 5G networks. Dual 4G VoLTE ensures seamless fallback connectivity.
How long does the battery last on the iQOO 15?
The 7,000mAh battery provides 12+ hours of mixed-use screen-on time. Under heavy gaming, expect 8-10 hours. Standby time extends well beyond two days with minimal usage, demonstrating the capacity’s genuine impact.
Is the display AMOLED or LCD on the iQOO 15?
The iQOO 15 features a premium Samsung M14 LTPO AMOLED display with 2K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and exceptional brightness up to 6,000 nits peak—far superior to LCD technology.
How is the camera performance in low light with the iQOO 15?
Exceptional. The 50MP main sensor with large aperture (f/1.9) and sophisticated computational photography pulls in impressive light while maintaining detail and natural color. Low-light photos rival dedicated camera phones.
Does the iQOO 15 come with a charger in the box?
Yes, the iQOO 15 includes a 100W fast charger in the box, respecting customer value by not forcing separate charger purchases.
What’s the weight and size of the iQOO 15?
Dimensions are 163.7 x 76.8 x 8.1mm with weight between 215g-220g depending on variant. This positions it as premium-sized but manageable for single-handed use.
How many years of software updates will the iQOO 15 receive?
iQOO guarantees five years of major Android OS updates and seven years of security updates, matching flagship industry standards.
Is there wireless charging on the iQOO 15?
Yes, the phone supports 40W wireless charging, providing convenient cable-free charging options though slightly slower than wired alternatives.