Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 5G Review: Style on a Budget

Best Prices Today: Redmi Note 15 5G

The Redmi Note 15 5G enters the competitive budget smartphone market, aiming to deliver a compelling mix of modern features, strong performance, and accessible pricing.

With a large, vibrant display, an updated chipset for smooth operation, and a claimed long battery life, the Redmi Note 15 5G strives to establish itself as one of the top choices for consumers seeking powerful 5G connectivity and all-day usability in a budget-friendly package.

But how does this smartphone from Xiaomi’s subsidiary stack up against tough rivals in the budget segment? Let’s delve into the details.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Design & Build: Sleek and Stylish

Upon reviewing the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G, I praised its resemblance to a high-end flagship, feeling both substantial and premium. Its smaller counterpart retains the premium feel but with a slimmer, polycarbonate body that feels even better in the hand and weighs only 178g.

It is gratifying to hold, featuring a curved display at the front and a curved back as well.

The black-on-black design of our review unit makes the “squircle” rear camera housing – which I typically dislike – surprisingly appealing. While it’s not without flaws, there’s no denying that this is a well-crafted device.

Additional notes

• The phone comes in Black, Glacier Blue, and Mist Purple color options.
• It carries an IP65 rating, providing protection against dust and low-pressure water jets, though it’s not as durable as the Pro versions.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Screen & Speakers: Enhanced with Bluetooth

The 6.77″ AMOLED display stands out, boasting a 2392 × 1080 resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. While watching The Night Manager, I observed a high level of detail in Tom Hiddleston’s tie fabric, and unlike other phones that may offer more vibrant colors, Redmi opts for a natural balance.

Switching to an episode of Doctor Who, I noticed that this phone excels in capturing dark corners without sacrificing detail by being too bright or too dark.

The audio quality is decent, but at maximum volume, dialogues can sound harsh, a common issue with small speakers. The bass is lacking, as evidenced by Kanye West’s Love Lockdown losing its signature drumbeats’ impact. For a better audio experience, it’s recommended to pair the phone with Bluetooth headphones, as there is no 3.5mm headphone jack.

Additional insights:

• The display’s 3,200 nits peak brightness ensures excellent visibility even in direct sunlight.
• HDR support is not available at this price point.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Specs & Performance: Reliable for Daily Use

The Redmi Note 15 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, offering the phone 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage (expandable via a microSD card slot).

These specifications ensure smooth operation for daily tasks. Apps open swiftly and animations are fluid. While it may not be ideal for intensive multitasking or high-end editing, for everyday use, it performs admirably.

For gaming, less demanding titles like Pokémon Unite run smoothly. However, for more demanding games like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves, the chipset may struggle under the pressure, as is common with devices in this price range.

Additional insights:

• The expandable storage supports up to 1TB, ample for most users’ needs.
• Other configurations of the phone include 6GB RAM/128GB ROM, 8GB RAM/512GB ROM, and 12GB RAM/ 512GB ROM.

Adam Smith / Foundry

Camera: High-Resolution Highlights and Lowlights

Overall, the Redmi Note 15 5G performs well in capturing photos. Images are sharp with well-balanced colors, as long as the subjects are stationary – any movement can result in blurry shots.

The phone offers up to 20x zoom, and while the quality diminishes at that level, the results are decent, especially compared to other budget devices that produce subpar photos at higher zoom levels.

However, there are areas for improvement: it struggles to capture detailed textures and tends to be overly aggressive with shadows. While this enhances the depth of blacks, the nuances of shadow may appear unnatural and somewhat faded in comparison.

Additional insights:

• The 20MP front camera provides satisfactory results in good lighting, featuring expected beauty modes and filters.

Battery & Charging: Over 38 Hours Per Charge

The Redmi Note 15 5G is equipped with a 5,520mAh battery, a slight increase of 410mAh from its predecessor.

However, this capacity is overshadowed by several competing smartphones released last year with batteries of 7,000mAh or larger.

Despite this, Redmi claims that the Note 15 5G is optimized to deliver