OnePlus has a history of offering phones with high-end performance, stellar battery life, and excellent thermal management that make them ideal for folks seeking a premium mobile gaming experience without lugging around a specialized gaming phone. For those looking to game on the go, I’m thrilled to report that this trend continues with its current 15 Series lineup. Let’s take a look at the gaming performance of the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R.
OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R gaming impressions
The flagship OnePlus 15 starts at $900 and sports a snazzy new SnapDragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and up to 16GB RAM. Meanwhile, the mid-range OnePlus 15R starts at $700 and comes packing the standard SnapDragon 8 Gen 5, and it caps at 12GB RAM. However, both phones impress with their 6.8” 165Hz displays, best-in-class battery life, and top-tier software — and you might be shocked at just how well the OnePlus 15R keeps up with its big brother.
After putting the two phones through a few hours of Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, Call of Duty Mobile, and more, I couldn’t find much to complain about with either device. While the flagship of the family no doubt shows off more in benchmark tests (more on that below), things aren’t too divisive in practice, with both Series 15 devices outperforming most similar phones in their respective price ranges.
With the OnePlus 15, I was able to push high settings in many games while consistently maintaining their highest frame rates (up to 165fps in supported titles) for lengthy play sessions without any overheating issues. It was sometimes necessary to reduce the quality settings a step lower on the OnePlus 15R to maintain those higher frame rates — and it occasionally suffered from a few dips in particularly demanding sequences — but it still performed better than most other recent mid-rangers I’ve tested.
With all of this said, both phones ran Call of Duty Mobile at the exact same settings without any difference in performance, so mileage can vary based on a game’s requirements and optimization. So, while the OnePlus 15 is definitely the more powerful option, you may find that it’s hard to see a meaningful difference between the two devices in all but the most demanding games.
Thanks to the Game Assistant app, each Series 15 phone can also take advantage of a suite of gaming-focused options. These include unique modes you can swap between to boost performance or save power, the ability to monitor your frame rate and battery life during a session, or even block notifications while your game is running. All of these features are easily accessible with a single swipe, and they can help make the phones feel like dedicated gaming machines when you’re in the zone.
OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R benchmarks
The best way to see how a device functions under pressure is to run it through some high-end games for a while, which we’ve already covered. However, benchmarking is a good starting point for examining the performance capabilities of phones and comparing them against similar competitors. So, it’s good to see the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R provide some killer results right out of the box.
OnePlus 15 benchmark results
Geekbench 6 CPU - 2799 (Single-Core), 9330 (Multi-Core)
Geekbench 6 GPU (Vulkan) - 28219
OnePlus 15R benchmark results
Geekbench 6 CPU - 2061 (Single-Core), 7672 (Multi-Core)
Geekbench 6 GPU (Vulkan) - 21243
OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 15R: Which phone is right for you?
You may be wondering if it’s worth splurging on the more expensive OnePlus 15, or keeping your wallet a little thicker by grabbing a OnePlus 15R. Both are capable gaming devices, so unless you’re a particularly hardcore player, the best one for you will probably come down to what you need out of a phone beyond gaming.
For most users, the biggest difference between the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R will be the former’s triple rear camera setup, which offers more versatility than the latter’s dual rear camera array. If you value photography, that additional telephoto camera will likely be a worthwhile upgrade — as will the ability to record video at up to 8K/30fps.
Elsewhere, though, the two phones are remarkably similar. You get the same aluminum frame and glass back, IP69K dust and water resistance, and aforementioned 6.8” 165Hz displays. I don’t love that the OnePlus 15R lacks wireless charging in 2026, but I’m hard-pressed to find any other notable trade-offs for anyone but the most photography-focused buyer.
So, if you’re an enthusiast wanting to pull every frame possible out of your gaming experience, or need a more substantial camera setup, you’ll likely want to snag the flagship OnePlus 15. For everyone else, you can feel confident that you’re still making a good choice by saving $200 with the OnePlus 15R. But either Series 15 phone you choose will provide a solid gaming experience, so you really can’t go wrong.
