Realme 15

At Rs. 119,999, the Realme 15 is good value only if you care about battery, screen and camera features more than raw processing power.

What you get for the money:

• A 7000 mAh battery with 80W charging and a charger in the box
• A 6.77 inches 144Hz AMOLED screen with 3840Hz PWM dimming for easier long sessions
• A 50 MP selfie camera with 4K recording, plus a stabilised 50 MP main camera
• IP69 water and dust protection, stereo speakers and an infrared blaster

What holds it back: the Dimensity 7300+ is a familiar chip, and hands-on tests openly say a phone with this processor could sell for under a lakh. There is no telephoto lens and the ultrawide is only 8 MP.

Verdict: worth buying for heavy users, selfie lovers and anyone who wants a tough, long-lasting phone. Buyers who game heavily or want zoom photos should compare carefully before paying this price.

Official specs: a 6.77 inches AMOLED panel with 1080 x 2392 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1600 nits in high brightness mode and up to 4500 nits peak, plus 3840Hz PWM dimming.

Hands-on observations:

• The jump from 120Hz on the Realme 14 to 144Hz makes scrolling feel smoother, and the screen grew in size too.
• It is a 10-bit panel with HDR support, HDR playback on YouTube and Widevine L1, so streaming apps can play in high definition.
• The high PWM dimming rate is the standout for people who spend long hours on their phone, as it is easier on the eyes at low brightness.
• Bezels are narrow, though there is a slightly thicker chin.
• The edges curve gently on the front and back, which makes the phone comfortable to hold.

Limitation: the type of front glass is not clearly stated for this model.

Official specs: the MediaTek Dimensity 7300+ (4 nm) with 12GB RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

Hands-on observations:

• Day-to-day use such as social media, camera work and light CapCut video editing runs without lag or stutter.
• With 12GB RAM, apps stay open in the background and Realme UI 6 animations feel smooth.
• One gaming test found PUBG running at up to 90fps, with GT mode, a performance mode and bypass charging available for long sessions.
• A large vapor chamber cooler is fitted, but neither hands-on test ran a long heat or throttling check on this model.

Limitation: the chipset is the most common criticism. It is capable for the price, but it is not new, and buyers wanting top gaming performance at this budget may feel short-changed.

Official specs: a 50 MP Sony IMX882 main camera with OIS, an 8 MP ultrawide, and a 50 MP selfie camera. Both front and back record 4K 30fps video.

Hands-on observations:

• Main camera photos show plenty of detail and good dynamic range, with well-controlled highlights.
• Two colour profiles are offered: Crisp for natural shots and Vibrant for colourful, social-media-ready pictures.
• The ultrawide is soft in detail, both in photos and in its 4K 30fps video, though it is a welcome addition since the Realme 14 had none.
• The 50 MP selfie camera is the biggest upgrade, with clearly better detail than the last generation and steady 4K video.
• Video stays stable even without turning on the extra stabilisation mode; the ultrawide and front cameras use electronic stabilisation.
• Portrait video blurs the background at 1080p 30fps on both front and rear cameras.
• AI Party mode, an AI landscape mode, underwater and starry modes, plus a dual-tone flash help in tricky lighting.

Limitation: there is no telephoto lens, and a full low-light test was not part of the early hands-on coverage.

Official specs: a 7000 mAh silicon-carbon battery with 80W wired charging; the official figure is 50% in 25 min and a full charge in 61 min.

Hands-on observations:

• One multi-day test reports roughly 9 to 10 hours of screen-on time on medium to heavy use.
• Charging estimates differ slightly: one source puts a full charge at about 70 minutes, but that figure came from testing the Pro model with the same battery and charger; another says it fills up in under an hour and a quarter.
• The 80W charger and cable come in the box.
• Bypass charging lets the phone run from the charger during gaming to reduce battery heat.
• Reverse wired charging is mentioned for small accessories.

Limitation: a proper full-day battery drain test has not been published for this exact model yet.

Official specs: Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15. Realme has confirmed three Android OS updates and four years of security patches for the Realme 15.

Hands-on observations:

• The interface feels smooth, with fast app opening and closing animations.
• AI Edit Genie lets you change a photo by voice or typed prompt, such as removing a background or changing clothing colour.
• The gallery editor adds AI Glare Removal and Remove Reflections, alongside AI Eraser and image extension tools.
• Circle to Search and Gemini are built in.
• A rear Pulse Light syncs with calls, notifications and music.
• The in-display fingerprint sensor unlocks quickly.

Limitation: the phone comes with preinstalled games and apps that need to be removed by hand if you do not want them.