This Small Gaming Phone is Coming to India!

The iQOO 15R, a compact gaming phone, is launching in India with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, a massive 7,600 mAh battery, a 120Hz LTPS display, and a more understated design, despite a downgraded main camera from its Chinese counterpart.

• The iQOO 15R offers a rare combination of a compact design with flagship-level gaming performance.

• It boasts an industry-leading 7,600 mAh battery with 100-watt fast charging capabilities.

• Despite a downgraded main camera in India, the phone provides robust gaming and a long-term software support commitment.

The iQOO 15R, also known as iQOO Z1 Turbo in China, is an upcoming gaming phone for the Indian market that stands out with its compact size, robust performance, and impressive battery life, diverging from traditional bulky gaming phones. It features a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, a high-resolution 120Hz LTPS display, and a 100W fast charger, making it a strong contender against devices like the OnePlus 15R in the Indian market.

Design and Ergonomics

• 00:00:40 The iQOO 15R features an understated, minimal design with rounded corners and flat edges, providing a good in-hand feel. Its size is a key advantage, being comfortable to hold without compromising screen size or battery. The Indian variant will offer two design options: a checker-patterned glass back or a plain plastic back, both featuring metal sides and consistent IP rating, ports, and buttons.

Battery and Display

• 00:01:30 The phone includes a large 7,600 mAh battery, surpassing the OnePlus 15R, offering over 6 hours of screen-on time with gaming and benchmarks, and easily 8+ hours with normal usage. It comes with a 100-watt charger that can charge the phone from 10% to 100% in just one hour, though it lacks wireless charging. The display is a 6.59-inch 120Hz LTPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1.5K resolution, and impressive brightness, complemented by stereo speakers for a comprehensive multimedia experience.

Performance and Cooling

• 00:02:08 Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, the iQOO 15R features 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256 GB of UFS 4.1 storage in its base variant, along with a significant DC cooler and a graphite layer for thermal management. While benchmark scores show it performing well, the Moto Signature slightly leads in some tests and maintains cooler temperatures. In real-world gaming, titles like COD Mobile, Genshin, and Wuthering Waves run smoothly with consistent average FPS, though the 144 FPS option for COD Mobile was stuck at 120 FPS.

Camera and Pricing

• 00:03:50 The Indian variant of the iQOO 15R will feature a 50 MP main camera, a downgrade from the 200 MP sensor in the Chinese model, which may help keep the cost aggressive. It also includes an 8 MP ultrawide and a 32 MP selfie camera, with final image quality judgments pending due to regional sensor differences. Running on OriginOS 6 (Android 16), the phone is promised four OS updates and six years of security patches, and is expected to launch in India between 40,000 to 45,000 rupees, placing it in direct competition with the OnePlus 15R.