Realme 15 Pro 5G: Realme has been carving out a comfortable niche in India’s smartphone market, but with the Realme 15 Pro 5G, it looks like the brand is hellbent on pushing the boundaries of what a mid-range phone can be.
Chock full of attractive design elements, a good fully-loaded chipset and a bold camera setup, this offering attempts to mix performance and style into one tidy package.
But does it live up to its name or is it just another mid-range phone in a nice suit? Let’s get to the whole experience.
Realme 15 Pro 5G: First Encounters: Eye Catching looks
The first tick in the Realme 15 Pro 5G’s checklist is the design. It features a curved-edge glass front, an eye-catching matte back with gentle gradients, and slim bezels that provide a contemporary, premium appeal.
For a phone with a big battery it’s surprisingly lightweight, and the ergonomics are great.
The in-hand feel is solid. The buttons are well-placed, the fingerprint sensor under the display is snappy and the curved screen gives a hint of luxury not usually seen on less expensive models.
Display: Visuals That Pop
The phone features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support.
Whether you’re binging Netflix or scrolling through Instagram endlessly, the visuals are crisp, fluid and punchy.
The colors pop, blacks are deep and that refresh rate just makes everything feel silky smooth.
Brightness is good as well — you can still read the screen even under direct sunlight. This is a higher-tier display for a midranger.
Performance: Built to Keep Up
Coming to the under the hood, the Realme 15 Pro 5G runs on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
That’s plenty of muscle for everyday use and even some intense multitasking or gaming.
Apps open fast, gaming (such as PUBG or Asphalt 9) is smooth on higher settings, and there’s very little heating even with extended use.
Skinning the bones of Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0 and it feels uncluttered and responsive – albeit a little bloated in terms of pre-installed applications. Fortunately, much of it can be removed.
Cameras: Aiming to Impress
Now, onto the optics. The Realme 15 Pro 5G sports a 64MP primary sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro camera.
In good light the main shooter takes sharp, detailed images with rich color tones, and reasonable dynamic range. In low light, the camera stands up, with Night Mode and optical image stabilization.
The ultra-wide lens is fine but not stellar — details fall off a bit at the periphery. The macro sensor Less interestingly, there’s the macro sensor…
which no one is going to use. It does reasonably well, but don’t expect miracles.
The selfie game is also strong, with high resolution and clear selfies from a 16MP front-facing camera.
Portrait mode is passable, but can produce some flat and boring background blur.
Battery Life and Charging: Time Saved, Time Spent
There’s a 5000mAh battery too with some decent stamina – this takes you through a whole day of moderate to heavy use without needing to worry about running out of power.
It does it with nary a hiccup, no matter what you throw at it: streaming, gaming, browsing.
And when the time does come to top up, the 67W SUPERVOOC fast charging silences the whinges in about 45 minutes.
It’s not the speediest model on the market, but it goes more than fast enough for everyday use.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Curved AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
Good Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 performance
Versatile 64MP main camera with OIS Demonstrate true to life scenes in all their beauty.
Huge battery capacity, and 67W fast charging
Design And Build Quality: Premium In Every Aspect
Clean, customisable Realme UI (for the most part)
Cons:
Below average ultra-wide and macro cameras
Bloatware is still there in Realme UI
Lacks water/dust IP rating
No expandable storage slot
Lacks stereo speakers
Realme 15 Pro 5G: Verdict: Mid-Range Done Right
The Realme 15 Pro 5G doesn’t try to be something that it isn’t — that’s what makes it great.
It concentrates on getting the basics right, and more: A great display, great performance, and a reliable main camera.
It may lack a few premium extras, but what it offers feels artful and deliberate.
If you are in the mood for a phone which gives you premium looks for all practical purposes and doesn’t take too big a sum of money away from you, the 15 Pro 5G is a winner.
For average folks and casual gamers, that’s a great deal that lives up to the hype.