Most smartphone reviews are written within a week or two of a phone’s launch, when everything still feels fresh. But that’s rarely how people use their phones. A smartphone is something you rely on every day for work, entertainment, photography, gaming, and staying connected. That’s why I decided to revisit the iQOO 15R after using it as my primary device for the past few months.
Since its debut in February, the smartphone market has become even more competitive, with several new contenders entering the premium mid-range segment. Yet, the iQOO 15R continues to promise flagship-level performance, a massive 7,600mAh battery, and a compact design at a price that undercuts many rivals. After living with the Dark Knight variant for months, here’s what has impressed me the most, what hasn’t aged quite as well, and whether it’s still worth buying today.
3Performance That Refuses to Slow Down
If there’s one reason to buy the iQOO 15R even today, it’s performance.
Many Android phones start showing small signs of ageing after a few months. Apps take slightly longer to open, animations occasionally stutter, and multitasking becomes less reliable. Thankfully, that hasn’t been my experience with the iQOO 15R.
Whether it’s juggling dozens of Chrome tabs, editing images, switching between social media apps, or handling a busy workday filled with emails and messaging apps, the phone continues to feel as responsive as it did on day one.
Gaming remains one of its strongest suits. BGMI, Call of Duty: Mobile, and other demanding titles run effortlessly with consistently smooth frame rates. Even during longer gaming sessions, the phone manages heat well thanks to its cooling system. It certainly gets warm, but never to the point where it becomes uncomfortable to hold or starts throttling noticeably.
Another pleasant surprise has been the haptics. It’s not something you consciously think about every day, but every vibration, keyboard press, and notification feels tight and precise, adding to the overall premium experience.
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give the iQOO 15R is this: after four months, I’ve never felt that the phone was slowing me down. It simply gets out of the way and lets me focus on what I’m doing.
