I had some reservations getting my hands on the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G primarily because I’ve been a staunch Samsung user for pretty much my entire tenure as a mobile phone owner. I’ve been on the Galaxy Note train since roughly 2015, and my Note 20 has served me well since 2020. But as I’ve changed over these last few years, so too must my technology.
I had heard good things about Redmi phones despite a seeming effort by the “big three” to keep them out of the public eye. I can admit, breaking away from what you know can seem like a daunting prospect, but I was genuinely pleased with the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G. Despite a small relearning curve, it’s a solid phone with a decent amount of power behind it.
The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G comes out of the box with both a protective screen and a phone case, which I was genuinely impressed by. Initially, I had thought it was something that was provided to critics, but my wife was quick to inform me that pretty much all Xiaomi phones come with protective cases, which scored a few points in my book. The unit itself had a sleek matte finish and felt great in my hand—sizing in at 6.4” x 3.08” x 0.32” and weighing in at 0.45lbs.
Booting the phone up was fast and seamless, due in no small part to the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Mobile Platform processor (octa-core processor, up to 2.7GHz). As an Android device—alongside Google connectivity—importing all my accounts and data from my Note 20 was a breeze. As I began to set everything up and experiment with the phone, I was genuinely floored by the loading speed between apps and just general browsing.
Now I’ve never really done a lot of gaming on mobile—primarily because I’ve always owned a Nintendo handheld—but for the sake of review, I decided to see what the phone was capable of. Whether it was Super Mario Run, Pokémon TCG Pocket or Fortnite, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G offered incredible load times and uninhibited gaming experiences.
Of course, this was all enhanced by the 6.83″ CrystalRes AMOLED display, which offered a 1.5K (2772 x 1280) resolution and a refresh rate up to 120Hz. This made simple games like Super Mario Run look even more crisp and brightly coloured, more intensive games like Fortnite—which I largely avoided on mobile—felt as playable as their console counterparts.
What impressed me was the GameTurbo performance booster—similar to the boosters usually offered by NVIDIA—which pauses background apps and frees up more memory for whichever game is being played. Mobile gamers can utilize GameTurbo to boost the FPS of their games, optimize performance, or adjust mobile controls, like enhancing touch sensitivity. Not only that, it provides social features like easy screen recording, mobile casting, and even a voice changer for chat.
“Whether it was Super Mario Run, Pokémon TCG Pocket or Fortnite, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G offered incredible load times and uninhibited gaming experiences.”
But the real show-stopper is the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s 200MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), f/1.7, 2.24μm 16-in-1 pixel binning, 1/1.4″ sensor size and 7P lens. Taking photos in both day and night offered clarity on par with some professional-level cameras. And whether you’re taking selfies or making video calls, the 32MP f/2.2 front camera allows for a lot of really high-quality pictures.
Speaking of calls, it’s kind of funny to me that a phone review would go this long without mentioning what should be the central function of the device, but such is the world we live in now. But thanks to the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s Dolby Atmos | Hi-Res speakers, calls are as crystal clear as if you were speaking to someone face-to-face.
Not only that, but something I really appreciate with the Redmi Note Pro+ 5G is its 400% volume boost capability. Oftentimes, when I’m using my phone in more open areas like the kitchen, it can get hard to hear my music over the sounds of sizzling pans and running faucets. Not only does the volume easily clear other noise hurdles, but the device’s dual speakers—located at the top and bottom of the unit—provide a clear and balanced sound no matter how it’s positioned.
One thing that definitely took some getting used to was the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s gesture functions when trying to navigate basic functionality in apps or mobile browsing. In order to go back, users can pull from either the left or right side of the screen, and while this works most of the time, any input that requires getting close to either side can result in unwanted backspaces. The sensitivity of this can be adjusted in the settings.
Luckily, you can switch back to buttons if you choose to. For me, a dedicated back button or a bottom bar will always be preferable to the swipe gestures made popular by the Apple line of products. In fact, for new users, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G has a lot of very specific swipe features that may take some getting used to.
Pulling down on the top right of the screen will bring up the Quick Functions menu, while pulling from the left will show notifications. Pulling up from the bottom middle will show all open apps, but if enabled, pulling up from slightly higher will bring up all apps. While it’s not totally unmanageable, and in theory I like the idea of features mapped to locational gestures, it does take a bit of getting used to.
Nowadays, with how hard it’s being forced onto the general public, I always do a little cringe when I see something advertising its “AI Crafted,” so while I feel it’s worth mentioning that the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G does have several AI features. Users may find use in AI Writing, AI Speech Recognition, AI Interpreter, AI Search, AI Dynamic Wallpapers, or an AI Creativity Assistant, but to me, these features are completely perfunctory.
Furthermore, I can’t help but feel like the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G’s battery is a lot less efficient than it should be. The unit is backed by a 6500mAh (typ) battery that, even with fairly standard usage, only holds a charge for less than a day. Users can switch fairly easily to the Battery Saver or Ultra Battery Saver modes to really extend the phone’s life, but I was genuinely depressed when it seemed like this brand-new device had the same battery capacity as my five-year-old Note 20.
But aside from some minor inconveniences, I was seriously impressed with the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G and would recommend it to anyone looking for an alternative to the big three mobile brands. Its serious power, impressive camera and solid functionality make it a worthwhile pocket companion.
