Oppo Reno 15 Review: An iPhone Lover's Favorite Android Phone

Finding a good camera phone under Rs 50,000 is like searching for a needle in a haystack. You would think it would be easy enough, but rising RAM prices has let to brands cutting down on camera hardware. In the midst of that, Oppo launches the Reno 15. It packs a good camera hardware for the price, and I was tempted to try it out for myself. After using it for a week, I have figured out a few things no one will tell you about this phone. What are they? Read this Oppo Reno 15 review to find out. 

Unboxing 

Here is a quick showcase of the box content of the Oppo Reno 15: 

Build and Design 

The Oppo Reno 15 5G doesn’t try to be subtle with its design choices. In fact, it’s almost impossible not to notice how closely it resembles the iPhone 16 Pro, especially from the back. The triple camera layout and overall finish are so familiar that during my Oppo Reno 15 review period, I was asked more than once which iPhone I was using. And it was an embarrassing experience to clear their doubts. 

I wish Oppo had taken a different approach, because aside from the size, there isn’t much that visually separates the Reno 15 from Apple’s design. That said, the execution itself is solid. I used the Aurora Blue variant, which features a coarse, matte texture similar to OnePlus 15's sandstone finish. It makes the phone grippy and does a good job of resisting fingerprints.

The phone is also reasonably compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry around. I spent hours walking around with it in my pocket and never once felt weighed down. You also get IP69 water resistance, so while I didn’t get the chance to dunk the phone in water, it’s reassuring to know it can handle the occasional accident. So the build quality is great, I just wish the design were more original. 

Display and Audio Quality 

The display is a comfortable 6.59-inch panel, which is neither too big nor too small. It's also a sharp 1.5k panel that outputs vivid and punchy colours, deep blacks, without coming off as too oversaturated. I have been enjoying the latest season of Jujutsu Kaisen, and it was an amazing experience. 

It's also quite smooth to the touch, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, but it is not an LTPO panel, which is also the case for the similarly priced OnePlus 15R. So, I guess brands are skipping out on LTPO at this price range. It is otherwise one of the best display mobile phones, but the brightness could be better. It peaks out at 1200 nits, which does seem low in direct sunlight. 

The stereo speaker setup lets you push the volume to 300%, which makes the sound artificially loud and hollow. I mostly kept it, just under the max volume for a decent speaker experience. 

Performance Tested 

The Oppo Reno 15 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor.  I last saw it on the Moto Edge 70, and it is a decent midrange chip that won't win benchmark wars, but offers a steady performance for daily use. Here are the benchmarks for those interested. 

During my Oppo Reno 15 review period, the phone ran smoothly, whether it was juggling multiple apps, playing games, answering calls, working, using social media, or anything in between. It has stayed in my pocket for a week, and I have had no complaints to make. 

In gaming, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 only offers 90FPS in BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile at the lowest graphics. Demanding games like Weathering Waves can be played at 30-35 FPS at the lowest graphics, and the phone does get a little toasty after long gameplay sessions. So, if you are serious about your mobile games, maybe the Oppo Reno 15 might not be the best gaming mobile phone for you. 

Software and Updates

In terms of software, the Oppo Reno 15 comes with the latest ColorOS 16 with a promise of 5 major Android updates and 6 years of security patches. This is some update promise, and I think I am running out of ways to praise the OS in a way I haven't before. 

It's smooth, snappy, and streamlined. From animations to the litter blur effects and customisations, ColorOS offers everything you expect from a 2026 Android experience. 

In my Moto Edge 70 review, I discussed some stuttering and hiccups in the OS. But despite running the same chipset, I never once encountered such issues on the Oppo Reno 15. And that's all thanks to the optimizations of the ColorOS 16. 

Even the AI stuff is nice, and I have already talked plenty about it in my Oppo Find X9 Pro review. However, the bloatware situation is quite extreme. In my Oppo Reno 15 review, I noticed that the phone comes with over 20 bloatware apps pre-installed, as well as Hot Apps and Hot Games enabled. While you can get rid of it all, it is something not expected from a sub-Rs 50,000 smartphone. 

Camera Reviewed 

Cameras were the main reason I picked up the Reno 15, so naturally, expectations were high. Starting with the 50MP main lens, it delivers sharp and well-detailed images in daylight with colours that pop without going completely overboard. Reds are a bit more saturated, but highlights and dynamic range are handled well. Even at 2x zoom, image quality barely takes a hit, preserving details and shadows.

Where the Reno 15 really surprised me was in low-light photography. Night shots are clean, with controlled exposure, minimal noise, and plenty of details. That said, the phone takes 10–15 seconds to process photos. If you check the image after clicking, it looks grainy and overexposed. You’ll need to wait for the processing to finish to see the final result. It’s something Oppo really needs to fix with future updates.

The 3.5x periscope camera is another strong point. It lets you get much closer to subjects and delivers genuinely impressive shots and portraits, something you rarely see at this price. In my Oppo Reno 15 review, I found its performance at 3.5x and even 7x at night to be surprisingly crisp. Beyond 20x, though, things fall apart, and Oppo seriously needs to retire the pointless 120x zoom option.

The 8MP ultra-wide camera is the black sheep of the trio. It’s fine for daylight wide shots, but night photos come out soft and lack detail, making it hard to recommend for anything beyond casual use.

On the front, the 50MP selfie camera does a great job. Selfies come out detailed with good skin tones, though the camera does slightly brighten skin tones. Portrait selfies look good too, with a soft, natural bokeh effect. You also get 4K 60fps video recording from the front camera, which is great if you’re into vlogging.

Overall, the Reno 15’s camera setup is strong for the price and comfortably earns its place among the best camera mobile phones under Rs 50,000.

Battery Life and Charging 

The battery life has been another plus point for the Oppo Reno 15. Its 6500 mAh capacity barely feels anything in hand, but goes on for a whole day without any worry. During my Oppo Reno 15 review period, I took the phone on a busy weekend trip to explore Delhi, using Google Maps, hotspot, camera for taking videos, and the phone easily ended the day with 8 hours of screen on time.

And you can quickly top it up in an hour and 10 minutes with the supplied 80W SuperVOOC charger. However, there is no wireless charging option available on this phone. 

Oppo Reno 15 5G Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Overall, the Oppo Reno 15 seems like a fairly balanced phone. Apart from the average performance and the bloatware, there wasn’t much that genuinely bothered me during my Oppo Reno 15 review period. At Rs 45,999, it’s priced reasonably for what it offers, especially if cameras are high on your priority list.

Yes, there are stronger options out there, like the Vivo X200 FE or the OnePlus 15R, particularly if raw performance matters to you. But the Reno 15 finds a middle ground between the two, focusing more on camera quality, battery, and software experience. So, if you’re someone who wants an iPhone-looking phone and needs a reliable camera setup, then the Oppo Reno 15 5G is an easy recommendation.