Redmi Note 15 5G first impressions

Xiaomi’s budget-friendly Redmi Note series has been quietly punching above its weight for years now, and that trend looks set to continue with the Redmi Note 15 5G. This phone landed on our desk recently, and after spending some quality time with it, there’s quite a bit worth talking about.

Redmi 15C 5G: Design and display

Upon unboxing, you’ll get the phone itself, a protective case, a 45W charger, and a USB-A to USB-C cable. But the first thing that stands out when you actually hold the phone is how slim it feels. Those curved edges on both the front and back really do make a difference.

We know flat-sided phones are having their moment right now, but there’s something to be said for a device that nestles comfortably in your palm. The Redmi Note 15 5G manages to feel premium without trying too hard. The black colour that we received also stands out, especially in the sun when all of those sparkles light up.

Durability is decent too here with an IP66 rating for dust and water resistance. That means you can confidently use this under light rain. The display even stays responsive when your fingers are wet, which is a nice touch that not everyone thinks about until they actually need it.

Speaking of that display, we’re looking at a 6.77-inch AMOLED panel running at 120Hz with a peak brightness of 3,200 nits. Those numbers translate to genuinely vibrant colours and smooth scrolling that makes everything from social media feeds to video content look really good. Also, 6.77 may sound large on paper, but this is one wieldy phone nevertheless thanks to those curved edges and the slim profile.

Redmi Note 15 5G: Performance and camera

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset handles processing duties, paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. Now, benchmark scores for this processor might not blow anyone away on paper. But here’s where things get interesting. In actual daily use, performance has been consistently solid. Apps open quickly, and multitasking feels smooth.

The camera setup features a 108MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation, accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide lens. Photos from that main shooter show strong colour reproduction and plenty of detail. There’s an Ultra HD mode that unlocks the full 108MP resolution, which gives you enough pixel density to crop into shots afterwards without losing too much quality. The 20MP front-facing camera handles selfies and video calls competently enough for most people’s needs.

ALSO READ: Redmi 15C review

That said, the camera experience isn’t without quirks. Portrait mode edge detection could use some work, as subject separation sometimes looks a bit rough around the edges. The camera UI itself can also be sluggish when switching between modes.

Battery life comes courtesy of a 5,520mAh cell. In our testing, this easily stretched to 1.5 days with regular use. When you do need to top up, that included 45W charger gets you back in action quickly. There’s also reverse charging at up to 18W for powering accessories, which is a genuinely useful feature at this price point.

Redmi Note 15 5G early impressions

The Redmi Note 15 5G will be available in Glacier Blue, Mist Purple, and Black. Prices range from Rs 22,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant to Rs 24,999 for the 8GB+256GB configuration. All in all, Xiaomi continues to blur the line between budget and mid-range, and the Redmi Note 15 5G is another example of why that reputation exists.