Realme 15 Pro review: A reliable all-rounder with a fun AI twist

India Today

6 days ago

Realme is following a rapid refresh cycle for its popular number series, with the new Realme 15 Pro arriving just six months after the 14 Pro. The company says it has packed meaningful upgrades across the board, from chipset to battery to display, seemingly justifying the update. The price has gone up by a few thousand rupees, but for good reason, or at least that's the impression you get looking at its spec-sheet. The design is brand-new, too. Question is, with tight competition, has Realme done enough? We will try to find out in this review of the Realme 15 Pro.advertisementRealme 15 Pro design reviewThe Realme 15 Pro doesn't go overboard with its design and that is a good thing. The purple variant we tested offers a clean, understated look that feels refined without trying too hard to stand out. If you are after something with a bit more flair, the green vegan leather version adds a touch of luxury, and a more premium in-hand feel.Compared to its predecessor, the design refresh is very noticeable, and it gives the phone a more modern vibe overall. Realme has ditched the circular camera module it used for the last three generations in favour of a more modern rectangular layout. The module has a transparent layer over it, giving it a clean and futuristic aesthetic. It doesn't stick out too much but yes, there is a slight wobble when the phone is kept on a flat surface.
That aside, Realme has done an excellent job with the ergonomics. Despite housing a massive 7,000mAh battery, the phone remains impressively slim at 7.69mm and light at just 187 grams. That is no small feat and Realme says it was made possible by using a high-density graphite single-cell battery with an industry-leading energy density of 813Wh/L. Additionally, the curved front and back make the phone sit snugly in the hand, and the matte-finished flat edges offer excellent grip. For a device this slim and light, the in-hand feel is surprisingly premium.Durability is another highlight. Mid-range phones don't usually boast serious water resistance, but the Realme 15 Pro does. It has an IP69 rating — yes, IP69 — which means it can handle high-pressure water jets and submersion up to two metres for 30 minutes. That is rare at this price point. Up front, Realme has added Gorilla Glass 7i protection, which should offer decent resistance against scratches and minor drops.Realme 15 Pro display reviewOn to the display and it is another win for Realme. The phone sports a 6.8-inch curved AMOLED panel, slightly larger than the 6.77-inch one on the previous model. It is a bright, punchy, and colour-rich screen that feels like it belongs on a much more expensive phone. The bezels are minimal, and the curved edges make the panel look even bigger as well as attractive.advertisementThis is a 10-bit panel with HDR10+ support, and brightness peaks at an eye-watering 6,500nits. In typical use, it maintains 1,000nits, and High Brightness Mode (HBM) can push it to 1,800nits. In real-world usage, outdoor visibility is good. Even in direct sunlight, I was able to clearly see photos, read messages, and navigate without squinting.
Moreover, with a pixel density of 453ppi, everything looks crisp - from videos to web pages. Out of the box, the display uses the 'Vivid' colour profile, which offers punchy and saturated colours. If you prefer more accurate tones, there is a 'Natural' option in the settings. The panel supports a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, though in day-to-day use it mostly hovers around 120Hz for smoother UI interactions. It rarely drops to a 60Hz or 90Hz refresh rate, which is something that can be fixed via a software update, too. Overall, you are getting a good display in its price range.advertisementRealme 15 Pro performance reviewRealme isn't chasing benchmark records with the 15 Pro, but what it delivers is something more valuable — consistency. At the heart of the phone is a mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset. While the more powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip does outperform it in raw numbers, the Realme 15 Pro comes surprisingly close in day-to-day performance and for most users, that is what counts.In synthetic benchmarks, the 15 Pro pulls off respectable numbers. It scored around 1.1 million on AnTuTu, which isn't the highest in its class but comfortably beats some competing phones from brands like Vivo and Nothing. On Geekbench 6, the Realme 15 Pro achieved a multi-core score of 3,603, which aligns with what we would expect from mid-range hardware.But benchmark numbers only tell part of the story. Real-world performance is where the 15 Pro proves its worth. Apps load quickly, multitasking is mostly fluid, and the phone rarely breaks a sweat, even with some demanding tasks like video editing on InShot or casual gaming. It handles background activity well and doesn't stutter when switching between apps.
advertisementGaming performance is good, though not flawless. Genshin Impact defaults to low graphics at 30fps, and that is where it runs best. Pushing it to the medium graphics option shows some stutter and frame drops, but nothing deal-breaking. The phone also handled a 1.5-hour BGMI session without noticeable heating, and the back only got mildly warm, even in longer gaming stretches.What impressed me most, though, was the thermal stability. In the 3DMark stress test, the Realme 15 Pro managed a 99.1 per cent stability rating, which is better than several premium phones in its segment. That means fewer performance dips over time, something you will notice if you are into long gaming sessions or heavy multitasking.Overall, the Realme 15 Pro doesn't try to be the most powerful phone on the shelf. Instead, it delivers a well-rounded, smooth experience with solid heat management and reliable performance. Realme is committing to deliver 2 years of Android OS upgrades and 3 years of security updates. This is on par with some of its rivals. It even has some bloatware like other Realme phones. The company has added unnecessary native apps like Hot Games, Internet, Videos, Phone Manager, and Hot Apps. While these apps cannot be deleted, some other third-party apps like Spotify and LinkedIn are removable.
advertisementRealme 15 Pro battery reviewIt features a 7,000mAh battery under the hood, which is huge. The company also bundles an 80W fast charger in the box, something which a few brands have stopped offering even in the mid-range segment. With my usage involving WhatsApp, a few photo sessions, browsing and scrolling on Instagram, the 15 Pro easily lasted for 14.5 hours. Adding a bit of gaming reduces the battery at a slightly faster rate, but you are still getting solid battery life with the new Realme phone. Additionally, the bundled charger takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to top up the battery from 8 per cent to 100 per cent. This is not bad and quite good because of the big battery unit that the phone offers.Realme 15 Pro camera reviewRealme is calling the 15 Pro its "AI party phone," which might sound like a marketing buzzword, but there is some substance here, just not quite where you would expect.AI Edit Genie is fun but not reliable yetLet's start with the feature Realme is hyping the most: AI Edit Genie. This tool is supposed to let you change image backgrounds, weather scenes or other things using text prompts. You can simply say or type "turn a rainy backdrop into a sunny day" or "change a casual photo into a party scene." On paper, it's a cool idea. In practice? Not so much.The output looks clearly edited and lacks the polish you would expect from higher-end offerings. Give it a second prompt after the first transformation, and things get worse. Sharpness drops, colours get weird, and in some cases, important subject details get lost entirely. The process also takes about 25 seconds per image, which isn't exactly quick.That said, it's Realme's first attempt at this kind of AI editing, and the potential is there. For casual users who want to experiment, it's a fun feature to play with but don't expect Photoshop-level results.Some useful AI features are there tooWhile Edit Genie is mostly a hit or miss, Realme's AI Eraser is actually quite good. You can access it right from the gallery after snapping a photo and it does a solid job removing unwanted people or objects from your shots. Think of those random background photobombers gone in seconds and with minimal artefacts left behind.Other features like AI Reflection Remover, AI Unblur, and AI Ultra Clarity also help fine-tune images without destroying the natural feel. Even AI Snap Mode works decently, as long as the subject isn't moving too fast. It gives you sharper images with better background separation and bokeh. There are also party filters that overlay glimmery stars or hearts on your shots. They feel more gimmicky than groundbreaking, but hey, some people will enjoy them on Instagram.Reliable camera performance, day or nightOnce you move past the AI gimmicks, the Realme 15 Pro offers a dependable camera experience that punches well above its price tag. Daylight photos are crisp, colourful, have plenty of details, and are well-balanced in terms of dynamic range, especially when the sun's out. You get a good sense of depth, natural colour tones, and pleasing contrast. The camera handles highlights and shadows reasonably well, although dynamic range can take a hit on gloomy days.Low light is where things get more interesting. Realme's night mode retains good detail for a mid-range phone. Colours stay accurate, highlights don't blow out easily, and the sharpness is better than expected. In low-lit restaurants and bars, the phone still manages to capture the ambient mood — subjects are visible, lighting looks atmospheric, and the overall scene stays intact. There is a bit of distortion when taking close-up food shots, but that is a minor gripe at this price.Click on any photo below to access all the camera samplesPortraits and selfies are goodPortrait mode is good. Edge detection works well, and the bokeh looks smooth without being too aggressive. The camera nails skin tones and doesn't blow out highlights, even when shooting indoors with tricky lighting. You will also appreciate how it retains fabric texture and keeps the lighting vibe intact, especially in party scenes.Selfies follow the same story. Get close to a light source, and you will get punchy, sharp shots ready for your social feed. Just don't expect miracles if the background is completely dark because it is still a mid-range phone, after all.Realme 15 Pro: Should you buy it?The Realme 15 Pro doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it polishes it in all the right places. You are getting a slim, lightweight phone with a massive battery, a solid AMOLED display, and surprisingly dependable cameras — all wrapped in a refined design with top-tier durability, including IP69 protection. The AI features are ambitious and mostly fun, even if not always reliable. Performance is consistent, thermals are excellent, and everyday use feels smooth and snappy. The Realme 15 Pro is one of the most well-rounded mid-range phones you can buy today, offering real value for money at an effective price of Rs 28,999. Its original price is Rs 31,999, but you can buy it right now for the mentioned price with launch offers.- Ends