As someone who normally reviews software and apps over hardware -Kakuchopurei has predominantly been a video game features & content portal- we do get the occasional smartphone or two to review. And so we usually view gadgets like these with the following criterias: (i) Is it good for gaming and app-handling? And (ii) What’s the camera like?

China tech brand iQOO have been around the tech block since 2019, though they still have a lot to prove in a smartphone environment dominated by your Xiaomis and Samsungs. Their latest mid-ranged phone, the iQOO 15R, aims to deliver a near-flagship phone-like experience with a fair budget and better insides to run apps on.

Does it do its job well? Yes it does, and I’ll explain why.

Silver Age

When you take the iQOO 15R out of the box for the first time and after setting up your account and Google-related stuff onto it, you start to notice how well-built and solid the phone’s body is. After handling it for a few weeks, the phone strikes a nice balance between small and large; hefty enough to feel good to hold for a long while but not too slippery and light. I’m pretty clumsy when it comes to these gadgets, and the iQOO 15R devs kinda know this. That’s why its body and frame doesn’t feel like an expensive twig that I’m afraid of handling too rough.

The phone’s processors and insides boast the latest in smart device tech -Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM. Sexy stuff for tech-heads, but the jist of it is that all my apps and games run really smooth with nary a hitch. I open up a ton like YouTube, Google Chrome, and Wuthering Waves, yet the phone runs like a champ just fine. You can thank the in-built OriginOS 6 operating system for making it all run great and flawlessly. And you can delete all the unnecessary third-party apps that came along with it, which is more than I can say for some Asian smartphone brands. All that precious space is meant for true gems like Umamusume Pretty Derby, not proprietary apps your regular joe won’t fall for.  

Speaking of mobile games, I was playing through Wuthering Waves’ 3.1 update (the one with the red-haired laser sword schoolgirl who can become a mecha) and effortlessly blazed through the new open world areas in 60fps and the highest graphics setting possible. Yes, the phone did heat up after about an hour, but that’s more of a current smartphone issue these days when it comes to maxing out your graphics on phone games. If you tone down the settings, the heat buildup will only be noticeable after another hour or so.

What was impressive is that the fully-charged battery was at 50% during 2 hours(ish) of nonstop WuWa action RPGing. After purposefully draining the battery to 0%, I used the standard charger that came with the phone; it took about less than an hour to get to full battery thanks to the in-built fast-charging system. However, if you’re using the iQOO 15R like a normal person (mid-level usage, 6 to 8 hours on average), it’ll last you about 2 days before it needs a recharge. If anything, you don’t have to worry about battery life with this bad boy.

The fact that it’s got a lot under the hood for its size is pretty impressive on iQOO’s side. I’d say the only “issue” it has is its camera. My snapsnot-taking spree over the weeks with the iQOO 15R boasts some decent daytime and midday pictures, though the nighttime shots leave a lot to be desired. The phone does a better job in detail-capturing, but relies a lot on post-processing and high contrast instead of true-to-life rendering.

They’re not terrible by any means, but they pale in comparison to heavy hitters and feature-filled alternatives like the current iPhone and its previous iteration, as well as its Android sibling, the Vivo V70. You’re clearly not getting the iQOO 15R for its camera, but everything else around it.

Power Over Optics

The insides of the iQOO 15R are flagship quality material -the sterner stuff- and it costs less than half of an iPhone 17 Pro. And with the current price tag of RM2,499, it’s definitely a steal.

True, the 15R’s camera isn’t the best when compared to its other high-tier competitors, but everything else is top-notch. This is especially true if you play a lot of mobile games like your WuWas and your MiHoyo title(s) of choice at max settings up to 60 frames-per-second. Or maybe don’t if you rather have your phone not be a literal hot potato.

If the expected camera (which is fine for most consumers) bothers you a lot, do subtract a 10 out of our score, because at the end of the day, you should count the whole package when it comes to spending your hard-earned mother on a phone that can go toe-to-toe with the big boys. As it stands, no mobile gamer should leave home without the iQOO 15R. Even the filthy casuals; they can definitely get a lot out of the gift bestowed by iQOO here.

Pros

• Crystal clear AMOLED display.
• Great specs = smooth and fast to use.
• Plays the latest games & other apps really well & with little hassle.
• Sublime battery life & charging speed, even for gaming standards.
• Decent weight & size; ergonomically-sound.
• Cool pixel back design.

Cons

• Heats up after an hour if you play games at max settings.
• Average camera.

Final Score: 90/100

Vital Statistics

• Display: 6.59-inch AMOLED, 2750 × 1260 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 5,000 nits peak brightness, Schott Xensation Alpha glass.
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.
• Memory/Storage: 8GB/12GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256GB/512GB UFS 4.1 storage.
• Battery & Charging: 7600mAh Silicon-Carbon battery, 100W fast charging (1-50% in 33 mins, 100% in 63 mins).
• Rear Camera: 50MP Main (Sony LYT-700V, OIS) + 8MP Ultra-wide.
• Front Camera: 32MP.
• Software: OriginOS 6 based on Android 16 (4 years OS updates, 6 years security).
• Cooling: 6.5K IceCore VC Cooling System.
• Design: 7.9mm thickness, 202g or 206g, IP68/IP69 water/dust resistance.
• Others: 3D ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, Stereo speakers, no headphone jack, IR Blaster. 
• Price: RM2,499 onward

Review unit provided by publisher.