Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G Review: Autonomous Sub-Flagship

The Redmi Note series is a well-established mid-range Android smartphone lineup. Over the years, the series has shown gradual improvements. Comparisons between the two lower-tier models, the Redmi Note 15 Pro and Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G, will be covered later. This review focuses specifically on the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 163.3×78.3×8.2 mm
• Weight: 207.1 g
• Number of SIM cards: 2 + eSIM
• 5G support: yes
• Screen diagonal: 6.83″
• Display resolution: 2772×1280 pixels
• Screen refresh rate: 120 Hz, PWM 3840 Hz
• Screen type: AMOLED
• Glass protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
• Memory: 8/256, 12/512 GB
• Camera: 200 MP + 8 MP + 32 MP
• Operating system: HyperOS 2 based on Android 15
• Wi-Fi: 6E
• Bluetooth: 5.4
• NFC: yes
• Infrared port: yes
• Body material: plastic
• Protection standard: IP68
• Battery capacity: 6500 mAh
• Charging speed: 100 W

Read also: Redmi smartphone reviews

Позиціонування та ціна

The smartphone is available in six configurations – two memory options, each offered in three colors. The 8/256 GB version is priced up to $400, or approximately €360, while the 12/512 GB version costs $460, or around €400.

Notably, even the highest-end model is priced below the psychological $500 mark. This is significant because, as some Western media refer to it, the “RAMageddon” phenomenon affects smartphones as well.

For this review, the focus is on the 256 GB storage version, though it’s worth noting that higher-capacity models carry higher prices. A 1 TB option, which was available for the Redmi Note 14 in some markets, is no longer offered, and microSD support is not included.

Regarding colors, the review unit features an all-black Black finish, with a lighter Glacier Blue also available. However, the standout for this season is Mocha Brown, a brown variant with a soft-touch leather-like texture.

Package Contents

In the box, alongside the smartphone, there is a silicone case, a USB cable, a SIM eject tool, and the warranty and user manual. What is missing? Correct – a charging adapter.

It’s also worth noting that the included USB cable is not standard – it’s USB-A to USB-C. This appears to be a subtle cue from Redmi: to achieve the 100 W charging advertised on the box, a Type-A charger is required rather than Type-C. This point will be revisited later in the review.

Exterior Design

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G retains the design language of its predecessor, particularly with the rear camera module. The module is shaped as a heavily rounded rectangle, making it visually prominent against the rest of the body. Because the module protrudes slightly and is centered at the top rather than offset to one side, the smartphone remains stable when placed on a flat surface.

Are there differences compared to the predecessor? Yes – on the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G, the camera area is divided into two sections. The back cover appears to wrap around the module, creating a subtle curved contour around it.

The camera module itself features a prominent polished metal ring, inside of which are four protruding circles. Two of these house cameras, one contains the flash, and one includes focus modules.

At the center, there is labeling that reads “200 MP” and “OIS Camera,” indicating that at least one of the modules has a 200-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization. While not groundbreaking, these specifications are noteworthy.

Continuing with the back cover – in the Black version, the material feels unusual. It resembles matte fiberglass visually, but to the touch it is smooth, almost like a glossy surface coated with oil. Without the metal camera area providing some friction, the phone could easily slide on any inclined surface.

While this type of material may not appeal to everyone – less friction against the skin or a surface increases the risk of dropping – the tactile experience is refined and pleasant. Additionally, the included case ensures a secure grip, mitigating the slipperiness of the bare back.

It’s also worth noting that the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G is available with a synthetic leather back, the Mocha Brown version. In that variant, the tactile experience is likely to be both pleasant and secure.

The smartphone frame is flat and made of matte aluminum. The display glass – Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – is curved on all edges, while the central portion remains flat and comes with a factory-installed protective film.

However, the quality of this film suggests it is a transport protective layer rather than a functional screen protector. It lacks an oleophobic coating and can peel off within seconds, particularly from any shocks or impacts.

Ergonomics

On the bottom edge, there is a SIM card slot, a USB-C port with 480 Mbps speed, along with one of the speakers and a microphone. The top edge houses a second microphone and speaker. On the right side are the volume and power buttons, while the front-facing camera is centered at the top of the display.

The smartphone weighs 207 grams and measures 163.3 × 78.3 × 8.2 mm. The device has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, though in some markets it is listed as IP69K.

Display

The new model features a display branded as CrystalRes, a designation previously seen on Poco smartphones. It offers a resolution of 1220p, or 1.5K, equivalent to 2772 × 1280 pixels. This is not a Retina-class display (460 PPI), but it is close – the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G achieves approximately 447 PPI.

Other display specifications are also strong. It uses a 6.83-inch AMOLED panel with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, touch sampling up to 480 Hz under standard conditions, and up to 2560 Hz in Game Turbo mode. The panel supports 12-bit color, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.

Brightness is a key strength of the display: up to 3200 nits in HDR mode and up to 1800 nits in HBM (High Brightness Mode, also referred to as “Daylight Mode” for outdoor use). The effectiveness of HBM can be tested directly through the display settings toggle.

The device also features an under-display optical fingerprint scanner, positioned quite low on the screen. In my experience, the standard grip does not naturally align the finger with the sensor. On a positive note, Always-On Display is supported and customizable.

Performance

The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 system-on-chip, a recent mid-range solution. This is reflected in benchmark results – for example, in AnTuTu, the device scored one million points, with approximately 410,000 attributed to the CPU and 189,000 to the GPU.

The CPU consists of a single Cortex-A720 Prime core at 2.7 GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores at 2.4 GHz, and three energy-efficient Cortex-A520 cores at 1.8 GHz. The Adreno 810 GPU represents the top tier among mid-range SoCs and is designed to deliver around 60 FPS in games at medium settings – meaning it does not fully utilize the high refresh rate of the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G display.

This means that in games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty, I was able to achieve stable 60 FPS at medium settings, which is effectively the maximum performance for this device. The situation is further limited by the memory configuration – 8 GB LPDDR5 and 256 GB UFS 2.2. Compared to the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G, LPDDR4X was upgraded to LPDDR5, while UFS 2.2 remains unchanged, offering sequential speeds of around 1000 MB/s.

Another positive point is the absence of overheating. Stress tests in 3DMark Steel Nomad returned scores of 408 and 403 before and after 20 cycles, while Wild Life Extreme recorded 1130 and 1125 points. This represents only a 1–3% performance drop due to heat, which is minimal.

Software

While testing the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G, I gained a clearer understanding of the concept behind HyperOS, based on Android 15. Initially, I viewed Xiaomi’s transition from MIUI to HyperOS somewhat skeptically. However, over time, with each reviewed device and new HyperOS version, it has become easier to see the reasoning behind such a radical and risky shift.

Initially, HyperOS was clearly less functional than MIUI and plainly exposed missing options in certain settings. I personally recall dropdown menus with only a single selectable option, which felt particularly limiting.

Over time, however, HyperOS has gradually added features and addressed various issues, including some shortcomings of stock Android. For example, on the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G, long-pressing the Bluetooth toggle no longer redirects to the main system settings; instead, a separate window opens where settings can be adjusted directly. Many Android 15 users had complained about this missing – or altered – functionality, with no support from Google. HyperOS, however, resolves this problem.

Here, the strategy becomes clear. HyperOS aims to generate excitement and hype around new versions of the interface by addressing the shortcomings of stock Android. Each newly added feature feels like an event, unlike MIUI, where the sheer number of existing functions meant that additions often went unnoticed and failed to create buzz.

Effectively, Xiaomi reset its interface approach and started a new cycle of engagement and hype. HyperOS combines most of MIUI’s core capabilities with Xiaomi’s latest AI features, creating a system that can genuinely excite enthusiasts with each update.

What can it do now? HyperOS allows adding virtual RAM from internal storage – up to 8 GB on the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G. It supports floating assistant bubbles, a split notification and control shade, Bluetooth calling on Xiaomi phones, quick gesture controls, back-tap actions, one-handed mode, and extensive customization options (from fonts to AI-generated wallpapers). New features include control over animation speed as well.

There are, however, drawbacks – some inherited from MIUI’s more problematic periods. For instance, the presence of ads remains. Unlike MIUI, where all unwanted notifications could be blocked, HyperOS continues to push alerts to clear junk files, because the Security app is treated as a system app, and system notifications cannot be disabled.

The proprietary GetApps store is also treated as a system app; upon first connecting to the internet, it prompts the installation of over a gigabyte of “critically necessary” apps, including two versions of Sudoku. The good news is that notifications from GetApps can be fully blocked, and within Security, alerts from individual tools can be disabled.

As with MIUI, HyperOS requires user attention and knowledge to be fully optimized for enthusiasts, but the platform still has room for further development.

Cameras

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G features three rear camera modules, a flash, and a front-facing camera. The main sensor is a 200-megapixel unit with a 23 mm equivalent focal length, 2.24 µm pixel size, f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.4-inch sensor size, and phase-detection autofocus. Optical image stabilization (OIS) is also included.

There have also been mentions of a 2.5× optical telephoto module, but this likely refers to one of the main sensor’s features – specifically, its 200% and 400% digital zoom. Even at maximum zoom, the device can produce reasonably detailed 50-megapixel images.

The second feature is pixel binning, where the 200 MP sensor combines pixels to produce 50 MP images with improved quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The main module can record video at 4K 30 FPS.

The ultra-wide module is 8 MP with an f/2.2 aperture and a 15 mm equivalent focal length. Image quality is adequate, but it’s clear that the emphasis is on the main sensor. This module lacks optical stabilization and autofocus, and its video recording is limited to Full HD at 30 FPS.

The front-facing camera has a 22 mm focal length, 32 MP resolution, and f/2.2 aperture, with video recording up to Full HD at 60 FPS. Image quality is acceptable, though face-enhancement features are enabled by default, and performance drops noticeably in low-light conditions. The front camera does not include autofocus.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS IN FULL RESOLUTION – HERE

Connectivity and Audio

Given the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC, advanced data transmission technologies were expected, and the device delivers accordingly. The smartphone supports Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and even an IR blaster. It also includes 5G connectivity and a full set of positioning technologies: GPS L1, GLONASS G1, BDS B1 and B1C, Galileo E1, and QZSS L1. Dual SIM support is included, along with eSIM; however, in standby mode, only two of the three options can be active simultaneously.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G supports Dolby Atmos for its speakers. According to the manufacturer, compared to the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G, volume has been increased by up to 400%. This is implemented via a software-based switch: the volume slider rises two notches above 100%, then doubles to 200% and immediately to 400%.

The sound quality at these levels is understandably distorted, but the increase applies across all three volume controls. This means that notifications and alarms can be as loud as a 15.6-inch laptop. Questions remain about design choices in HyperOS – why there are only three volume controls instead of five, and why the volume window automatically closes after two seconds.

Wireless audio support includes AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless codecs over Bluetooth. It should be noted that the 400% volume boost does not apply when using wireless headphones.

Battery Life

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G is equipped with a large 6,500 mAh battery. Combined with an efficient processor, this provides up to 17.5 hours of runtime in the PCMark Battery Test at 50% brightness, comparable to its lower-tier siblings in the lineup. As with other models in the series, the device does not support wireless charging but does offer 22.5 W reverse wired charging, allowing the phone to function as a power bank.

Charging the smartphone itself is somewhat unusual. Using the ZMI No.20 power bank (a Xiaomi sub-brand) and the cable that fully charged the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G in one hour, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G took nearly 2.5 times longer to reach full charge.

Switching to a Baseus power bank sped up the process to match the mid-range model. Peak charging power reached 75 W, but most of the time the device charged at 33–35 W before tapering down to 25 W.

This highlights the main issue with not including a native charger: the user has no clear reference for which charger will be most effective. Should they purchase the expensive official charger, or focus on the proprietary standards of the SoC manufacturer? It’s worth noting that MediaTek and Qualcomm each have their own fast-charging protocols, which do not always interact properly with one another.

However, battery capacity represents the most significant improvement in the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G compared to its predecessor. The previous model had a 5,110 mAh battery and lacked any form of reverse charging. While the predecessor supported up to 120 W charging, achieving even 100 W with a non-proprietary charger proves challenging, as seen in testing.

Conclusions

The “king” has been updated, and long may it reign. If there were any doubts about whether the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G would maintain its status as one of the most compelling mid-range smartphones, they can be set aside. The device offers a comprehensive package, from a high-quality display and refined design – particularly in certain color options – to impressive battery life and versatile audio capabilities.

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