iQOO 15R Camera “Downgrade” May Not Be as Bad as It Sounds

With iQOO 15R's launch closing in, the brand has been on a spree, revealing key specifications and details. The most recent information reveals that the iQOO 15R may receive a camera "downgrade" from Samsung to Sony.

iQOO 15R could use a 50 MP Sony sensor in India

In a recent post by iQOO India's official X account, the brand has confirmed that the iQOO 15R will arrive with a 50 MP Sony LYT-700 sensor and NOT the 200 MP Samsung HP5 sensor. For those unaware, iQOO 15R is expected to be a rebranded iQOO Z11 Turbo, which uses the HP5 sensor.

iQOO 15R camera information in X post by iQOO India

While the sheer difference in megapixels makes this change feel like a huge downgrade, which it is, to some extent. Samsung's 200 MP HP5 and the 50 MP LYT 700 boast the same 1/1.56-inch sensor size, but the LYT700 offers a larger Pixel size (1.0 micrometre vs 0.5). However, HP5 boasts in-sensor cropping, making it more versatile of the two.

Therefore, while the LYT700 won't beat the HP5 in zoom shots, it should offer slightly better dynamic range, less pixel crosstalk and a clearer, faster output since the software processing will have much less data to deal with. However, the only other sensor on the 15R is an 8 MP ultrawide, so a 200 MP HP5 sensor would've filled in for the lack of telephoto.

iQOO 15R held from the back — Image Credit: Beebom Gadgets

The rest of the specifications remain the same with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 with the Q2 chip, LPDDR5X RAM and a 7,600mAh battery tucked in a rather slim 7.9mm chassis. The phone is confirmed to support 100W charging, too. Complimenting the processor will be a 6,500mm² IceCore VC Cooling system.

On the front, there's a 6.59-inch 1.5K flat OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1,800 nits of peak brightness. The smartphone will boast a metal frame, glass back and will be IP68/69 rated for dust and water resistance. iQOO has also confirmed 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patches for the phone. The phone will come with OriginOS 6 features out of the box.

iQOO 15R launch date in India is all set for February 24, 2026, and with its key specifications already out, we should start hearing more about its potential pricing in India soon. Stay tuned!