OnePlus 15 Review: Playing the Long Game? (ft iPhone 17 & OnePlus 13)

The OnePlus 15 is a turning point for the brand, and to really understand what this phone is trying to do, you have to look at it next to its closest rivals. So while this is a review of the OnePlus 15, it also makes sense to compare it to last year’s OnePlus 13 and Apple’s new iPhone 17 — because together, they paint a very interesting picture.

This year, OnePlus has taken a noticeably different direction. The OnePlus 15 comes with several trade-offs. The Hasselblad branding is gone, the display resolution steps down, the camera sensors are smaller, and even the haptics aren’t as strong as before. On paper, it looks like OnePlus is pulling back.

Meanwhile, Apple is pushing forward. The iPhone 17 finally brings a smooth 120Hz ProMotion display to the base model, upgrades the ultrawide camera to 48MP, and starts at a much more practical 256GB.

And then you have the OnePlus 13, which still stands as a well-rounded flagship — strong performance, solid cameras, and that classic OnePlus feel.

So the question is simple: did OnePlus really take a step backward with the 15, or is this part of a bigger, smarter strategy? Let’s dive in.

Design & Build

The OnePlus 15 feels cleaner and more industrial this year. The new Sandstorm finish gives it a matte, grippy texture that hides smudges well, and the whole thing’s flatter and lighter. This Sandstorm variant gets a glass-fiber back, while the black and purple versions use either Gorilla Glass 7i or Crystal Shield Glass.

So, depending on which color you pick, you’re also getting a different material feel. Overall, it’s a really comfortable phone to use and despite that 6.78-inch display, it doesn’t feel bulky or oversized in the hand.

That said, I still prefer the frosty matte back on the OnePlus 13 — it has a nicer in-hand feel.

Side by side, the change is obvious. The circular camera bump is gone, and it’s now a squared-off module. It's  sharper, simpler, and clearly inspired by Oppo’s design language.

The new nano-ceramic metal frame is aerospace-grade, 26% lighter than titanium, tougher, and better with heat. It feels dense yet cool — like metal and ceramic had a baby.

As for durability, the OnePlus 15 is rated IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K — basically meaning it’s protected against dust, water, and even high-pressure jets. That’s a level of protection you don’t really see on other flagships. 

For comparison, the OnePlus 13 has IP69 and iPhone 17 offers IP68, which is good, but not quite this extreme.

The OnePlus 13 still feels great in the hand —   solid build, nice grip and yes, the alert slider’s still here. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 is the most compact and balanced of the bunch — light, premium, and classic Apple comfort.

Display

Now, let’s talk about the display on the OnePlus 15 — this one’s a bit of an oddball. It’s the first phone with a 165Hz LTPO AMOLED panel, which sounds impressive… but you probably know by now that the screen resolution drops from QHD+ to 1.5K, and the 165Hz refresh rate isn’t available when scrolling or swiping through the UI. That’s capped at 120Hz. 

Only select games, like Call of Duty Mobile, can take advantage of that high refresh rate. It does support 165FPS gameplay, but I’ll discuss that later.  So no, you’re not seeing 165Hz magic in the UI or everywhere else. The 120Hz experience is still super smooth — but to be fair, you already had that on the OnePlus 13.

Infact, the OnePlus 13 still hits harder on paper with QHD+ resolution and 4,500 nits of peak brightness, but the 15 fights back with smarter HDR tone mapping and Ultra HDR support, giving you richer contrast and more lifelike colour. It also has some of the thinnest and most symmetrical bezels I’ve ever seen on a smartphone.

As for the iPhone 17, it finally brings 120Hz to the base model and achieves a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. It’s the smallest display here at 6.3 inches, but day to day, it’s buttery smooth, incredibly bright, and the color accuracy is classic Apple — easily one of the most premium screens you can get right now.

Perfrmance and 165 FPS Gaming

The OnePlus 15 runs what OnePlus calls a Tri-Chip system, and it’s kind of wild. There's the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 330 Hz Touch Response Chip, and a Wi-Fi G2 chip that keeps connections rock solid, even with weak signal. Put all that together — CPU, touch, and connectivity — and you’ve basically got a holy trinity of performance. 
 

Compared to the OnePlus 13, which had the Snapdragon 8 Elite, you’re looking at roughly a 20% boost on AnTuTu. Geekbench numbers tell a similar story — the 15 edges out both the 13 and the iPhone 17 in multi-core performance. It does run a little warmer under sustained load, but it barely throttles. (See video for exact benchmark results). That means even during long gaming sessions or heavy multitasking, you’re not going to see sudden dips in performance.

Speaking of gaming — the OnePlus 15 takes things up a notch. As I mentioned earlier, it can run select games at a full 165 FPS, thanks to OnePlus’s OP FPS Max technology. This isn’t fake frame interpolation — it’s true native 165 FPS on a custom 165Hz panel. We tested it with COD Mobile, and even after half an hour, the phone held that frame rate steady. 

Will it matter to everyone? Probably not. Casual gamers won’t see a huge difference beyond smoother motion. But for competitive players, that faster response and fluid gameplay can be a legit edge. Either way, it’s super cool to see a phone actually hit native 165 FPS — because right now, no one else does.

Now, that’s not to say the other two phones are bad for gaming. The OnePlus 13 can handle 120 FPS in supported games, and the iPhone 17 tops out at 60 FPS, but that A19 chip can crush any title you throw at it. But if you’re chasing pure performance and high frame rates, the OnePlus 15 is the new king.

The OnePlus 15 pulls ahead when it comes to RAM and storage. The 16GB version uses LPDDR5X Ultra+ RAM, which boosts multitasking and overall responsiveness, while both the 12GB and 16GB variants get faster UFS 4.1 storage.

The OnePlus 13, on the other hand, offers up to 24GB of RAM but relies on regular LPDDR5X and slightly slower UFS 4.0 storage.

The iPhone 17 might only have 8GB of RAM, but Apple’s tight integration between hardware and software keeps performance consistently smooth.

All three phones start at 256GB of storage, even the base iPhone 17.

Battery & Charging

 The OnePlus 15 is packing a huge 7,300 mAh cell. That’s one of the biggest batteries we’ve seen in a flagship. Pair that with 120W wired charging — you’re going from 0 to 50% in just about 17 minutes, and a full charge takes around 40. Plus, there’s 50W wireless charging, making it a dream setup for gamers or heavy users.

The OnePlus 13 isn’t far behind — 6,000 mAh battery, 100W wired charging and 50W wireless. This setup still offers excellent endurance and super-fast top-ups. For most people, that easily lasts a full day and more.

Then there’s the iPhone 17 with just 3,692 mAh on paper, but Apple’s efficiency is next level. The A19 chip and iOS optimization easily push it through a full day. Charging also got faster — 40W wired, 50% in 20 minutes, full in about 90. So yeah, smaller battery, but still really dependable in real-world use.

Camera Performance

Cameras are where you can see OnePlus shifting its priorities. When you line up the camera specs, it’s clear the OnePlus 15 steps down a bit from the OnePlus 13. The new phone swaps last year’s larger sensors and faster apertures for smaller ones across the board.

The main sensor moves from the 1/1.4-inch Sony LYT808 to a 1/1.56-inch IMX906. The ultrawide now uses a smaller OmniVision OV50D, and even the periscope zoom shifts from a larger IMX882 to the Samsung JN5. 

OnePlus has also officially ended its partnership with Hasselblad. Instead, the company has moved to its own in-house DetailMax Engine for image processing. 

Overall, photos clicked on the OnePlus 15 look sharp and detailed, but they do lean a little too saturated at times. Skin tones, especially, can come out warmer than they should. On the plus side, the video capabilities are seriously strong. You get 10-bit Log, 4K at 120 FPS video with Dolby Vision HDR, and even 8K at 30. 

The tools are there, but it’s clear OnePlus isn’t trying to chase the absolute best camera crown this year. They’ve made trade-offs to focus on performance and battery instead.

The OnePlus 13, on the other hand, feels more like the camera-focused OnePlus we used to know. You still get that triple 50MP setup (with larger sensors), and thanks to Hasselblad’s color tuning, the images come out balanced and natural.

It’s versatile across all focal lengths, and low-light performance holds up really well. Honestly, between the two, the 13 is still the better OnePlus camera phone in my opinion.

Then you’ve got the iPhone 17, which takes the classic Apple route — a dual setup with a 48MP main and a 48MP ultra-wide. But here, it’s not about the hardware, it’s the processing. 

Colors are consistent, dynamic range is excellent, and low-light shots look clean without getting noisy or crushed. And video quality is still the gold standard — smooth stabilization, natural tone, and that 24MP selfie camera with Center Stage is genuinely one of the best front-facing setups out there.

If you just want a phone that takes great photos and videos every single time without any tweaking, the iPhone 17 still makes that experience effortless.

Audio, Haptics & Software

Now, let’s talk about the little things — haptics, speakers, and all the extras that actually make using these phones feel premium day to day.

On the OnePlus 15, the speakers sound better this year. It's louder and more balanced, but the haptics have taken a hit. They feel softer than they did last year, and that iconic alert slider is gone. It has been replaced by a new programmable “Plus Key,” which is handy but lacks the same charm.

The OnePlus 13 keeps things classic — strong, crisp haptics and the alert slider still right where it should be. It just feels more familiar and satisfying to use.

As for the iPhone 17, it’s peak polish. Haptics are perfect, stereo speakers are rich and full, and the overall experience — from hardware to software — just feels cohesive. 

Sotware wise, the OnePlus 15 ships with OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16. I won’t dive deep into it here, as we’ve already written a full article on the topic when we tested Oxygen OS 16 on the OnePlus 13s. If you’re curious, feel free to check it out. But in short — faster animations, deeper customization, and a bunch of new AI features that actually work pretty well.

 The OnePlus 13 still runs OxygenOS 15 based on Android 16, but the OxygenOS 16 rollout has already started. So, most users should see the update hit their phones by the end of November.  

On the iPhone 17, you’re getting iOS 26. If you’re an Apple user, you're probably going to swear by it. But even Apple fans would agree that Apple Intelligence still isn’t quite on the same level as what OnePlus is offering with AI right now.

That said, Apple still wins on longevity — six to seven years of iOS updates versus four on both the OnePlus phones. 

Final Verdict

Ok, so which one should you go for?

The OnePlus 13 remains the classic all-rounder — boasting great design, solid cameras, and that signature OnePlus feel. The iPhone 17 is easily the safest bet, especially if you are an Apple user— super consistent, great cameras, excellent software, and long-term reliability.

But the real standout this year, for me, is the OnePlus 15. It might look like a downgrade on paper, but once you actually use it, it’s easily the most balanced phone of the bunch. 

The performance is rock-solid, the battery life is excellent, and that new 165Hz FPS gaming feels ridiculously smooth. If the cameras were just a bit better, this would’ve been an easy A+. But even as it stands, it’s a solid A — and that’s still pretty great.