GSMCritic Take:
With its bright HDR OLED display, long-lasting battery, and powerful processing, this phone delivers a smooth and immersive daily experience, though the modest speaker quality slightly limits the enjoyment of media playback.
Screen:
6.85"
Weight:
215g
Waterproof
Charging:
100W
Optical Zoom:
3x
Thickness:
8.1mm
Screen covers
90.7% of body
Reviews
Overall rating and the reviews that impact it
Pros
Camera
Strong main camera: The primary camera is a strong performer and is described as an improvement over the previous generation.
Reliable exposure in photos: The cameras deliver solid exposure behavior that produces balanced and dependable images.
Capable telephoto camera: The telephoto unit is highlighted as one of the stronger parts of the camera system.
Overall capable camera system: The imaging setup is described as surprisingly capable and able to exceed expectations in some scenarios.
Performance
Powerful hardware performance: The system-on-chip and internal hardware deliver strong processing capability that keeps everyday operation quick and responsive.
Phone Appearance
Premium build quality: The chassis combines a clean design with solid construction, quality materials, and careful assembly that provides a refined feel and comfortable grip.
IP68 and IP69 protection: The device includes both IP68 and IP69 ingress protection ratings, indicating strong resistance to water and dust.
Ultrasonic fingerprint reader: Security is handled through an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Display
Bright and sharp OLED display: The OLED panel delivers a very bright and sharp image that creates a vivid and immersive viewing experience.
Vibrant color reproduction: The display presents vibrant and well-represented colors that enhance multimedia viewing.
Eye-friendly screen: The display is described as eye-friendly, making it comfortable to use during extended viewing sessions.
HDR video certification: The screen carries full HDR video certifications that strengthen its multimedia capabilities.
144Hz refresh rate support: The display supports a 144Hz refresh rate specification.
Battery
Excellent battery endurance: The battery provides outstanding runtime and can easily sustain extended use without frequent charging.
Software
Fluid software experience: The interface and system environment feel consistently fluid and responsive during daily use.
Long software support: The manufacturer promises five major Android version upgrades and seven years of security updates.
Connectivity
IR blaster included: The device integrates an IR blaster that allows control of compatible external electronics.
Other
Rear LED utility light: The phone includes a rear LED that serves as a practical additional hardware feature.
Cons
Camera
Telephoto close-focus limitation: The telephoto camera struggles with close focusing, reducing its flexibility for nearby subjects.
Underwhelming ultrawide camera: The ultrawide lens is regarded as underwhelming and requires improvements in sharpness.
Weak selfie camera sharpness: The front-facing camera is noted as needing refinements in image sharpness.
Performance
Weaker sustained performance: Sustained performance under extended load is noted as weaker than the previous generation.
Phone Appearance
Less distinctive design: The styling is described as restrained and does not stand out as strongly as earlier iterations.
Display
Limited real-world 144Hz benefit: Although the screen supports 144Hz, the practical improvement from the higher refresh rate is limited to a small number of scenarios.
Price
Significant price increase: The phone is considerably more expensive than its predecessor due to a substantial price jump.
Software
Basic AI features: The artificial intelligence features are present but feel relatively basic and lack depth.
Audio
Poor speaker quality: The speakers are described as underwhelming and the audio output lacks bass presence.
Availability
Restricted availability: The device has limited availability, making it harder to obtain in some markets.
Rankings
Where vivo iQOO 15 stands in 2025
Best Phone Of 2025
#42
Highest Optical Zoom
#18
Largest Screen
#12
Smallest Screen
#54
Lightest
#48
Thinnest
#25
Fastest Charging
#6
Highest Screen Ratio
#14
Cheapest
#22
