One of the best ways to truly perceive the idiom “time flies” is by tracking the launches of new phones. The launch of the OnePlus 13 is still fresh in my mind. But OnePlus, backed by the earlier-than-usual release of the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, is already launching a successor: the OnePlus 15. Following its unveiling in China last month, the OnePlus 15 is now available globally, featuring a slightly revised design, new colors, and impressive battery and charging speeds.
Like its predecessor, the OnePlus 15 eschews the flagship killer identity that the brand previously established and is instead surrounded by the aura of a true flagship. As it finds a spot among other flagships, it’s worth evaluating how the OnePlus 15 competes against its competitors in the premium segment.
In this article, we look at the differences that make the OnePlus 15 a more compelling option than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which sits at the top of the food chain (for phones).
Out of the OnePlus 15 and the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which flagship would you buy? 8 votes OnePlus 15 38 % Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 50 % Other flagships (tell us in comments!) 13 %
The humongous battery
Tushar Mehta / Android Authority
The OnePlus 15 gets an enormous 7,300mAh battery across all regions. Not only is that a sizable (21%) upgrade over the OnePlus 13, but it is also significantly larger than the 5,000mAh unit that Samsung stocks the Galaxy S25 Ultra with. The pack has remained notably consistent since the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
The much larger battery on the OnePlus 15 has its obvious yields. Over the past two weeks, while testing the phone, I have only had to charge it once every two days. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Ultra I have had for much longer won’t last longer than a day and a half with moderate usage.
And while the OnePlus brings a much larger battery than earlier, it does so while maintaining the same weight as earlier, which, by the way, is still lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That is because OnePlus uses a silicon-carbon battery, which allows it to have a significantly higher energy density than the traditional lithium-ion battery in the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The OnePlus 15 packs more charge without feeling like a brick in your pocket.
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