‘Nothing short of nightmarish’: Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G has some of the worst software I’ve ever used — but its display, cameras, and battery life are undeniably impressive

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G: two-minute review

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is a budget to mid-range phone that offers a very impressive set of specs. A 200MP main camera, a huge 6,580mAh battery, a 6.83-inch AMOLED display, and a lightweight feel all sound great — especially when you consider the device’s modest starting price of £349 / AU$699 (about $470).

And luckily, the Note 15 Pro offers more than a nice-looking specs sheet. It’s a very capable phone, which impressed me in a number of ways. But it’s not without its flaws.

First of all, it has a great display for the price. Its 2772 x 1280 resolution, punchy colors, and support for formats like HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision is a real treat, and even though it doesn’t supply the highest peak brightness compared to the best phones out there, it’s perfectly capable of working in bright outdoor environments.

Similarly, the performance of this device is really solid. The MediaTek Dimensity 7400-Ultra provided a smooth experience whether I was scrolling the net, gaming, or streaming video content, and delays were very rare during my time with the phone. I could also continue to enjoy whatever I was doing without needing to constantly check the remaining battery life. The high-capacity battery paired with admirable 45W wired charging keeps the device going all day long.

There are even more positives to note, especially in terms of the phone’s cameras. Sure, the lack of a telephoto lens means that you’re not getting the most effective zoom around, and the main camera is barely going to produce flagship quality. But in this price bracket, it gives very good results. I was impressed with the main camera’s attention to detail, its ability to naturally replicate rich colors, and the selfie camera was talented at picking up finer intricacies like hair strands and facial details too.

But there are some drawbacks worth noting. The main thing is the phone’s software, which, frankly, is pretty bad. Where to begin? Built-in apps are flooded with ads, the device is overflowing with bloatware, and the OS is insistent on spamming you with worthless notifications about apps you never asked for. You do get four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, which is commendable, but everything else about the software experience is poor.

I’m also not a big lover of the Note 15 Pro’s design. Its central camera module is bulky and slightly unsightly, its unappealing color options aren’t amazing, and it also looks a little bit cheap to boot. The IP68 dust and waterproof rating is very nice to see though, and buttons are well placed.

All in all, then, the Redmi Note 15 Pro leaves me feeling pretty conflicted. Despite its impressive display and performance, the poor software and middling design mean that it’s not quite a top-tier option. My top recommendation in this price-range would be the Nothing Phone (4a), but you can read more about my favored alternatives in the ‘Also consider’ section.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: price and availability

• 8GB + 256GB for £349 / AU$699 (about $470)
• 12GB + 512GB is £399 (about $540)
• Not sold directly in the US, but could conceivably be imported

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G launched in January 2026, just over a year after the global launch of its predecessor.

It’s available with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space for £349 in the UK and AU$699 in Australia. However, some markets, including the UK, can instead choose a model with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which comes in at £399 (about $540 / AU$740). That represents a price increase over the previous model, which was available from £299 (about $400 / AU$560).

Although this phone isn’t directly sold in the United States, it could conceivably be imported, and I did spot a few online listings when producing this review.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: specs

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: design

• Well built, but central camera module not my favorite
• Three color options — and they’re not the prettiest
• IP68 dust and waterproof rating

To be honest, the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G isn’t exactly the prettiest phone I’ve seen. It’s fairly slim, and the screen is well-sized, but the central camera module on the reverse side lacks style — it almost reminds me of my kitchen stove at home. The metallic finish also has a slightly cheap look to it — I usually prefer budget phones to have more of a glossy, understated finish.

Of course, my dislike of the design is subjective, and some may appreciate aspects like the central camera module. But something else I personally wasn’t a huge fan of was the phone’s color options. There’s a basic Black, but also the Glacier Blue I reviewed here and a slightly murky looking Titanium alternative. All in all, I much prefer the design of Samsung’s recent budget releases, or rivals like the Nothing Phone (4a).

Still, there are some positives worth noting, such as the Note 15 Pro’s excellent IP68 rating. This means that the device is fully dustproof, and can survive being dunked under a meter and a half of water for as long as 30 minutes. As a result, you’ll never have to worry about a spot of rain or accidentally dropping it in the sink — it’s a durable lil’ thing.

Otherwise, the basics are done well. All of the buttons are well-made and responsive, and positioning them all on the same side means you’re less likely to press something accidentally while gaming or viewing a movie.

• Design score: 3/5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: display

• 6.83-inch AMOLED display
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Respectable 3,200 nits peak brightness

Although I wasn’t bowled over by the Note 15 Pro’s design, its display actually exceeded my expectations.

You get a 6.83-inch AMOLED display, which is plenty large enough to enjoy all sorts of content on the go — be that movies, mobile games, or social media video.

The 2772 x 1280 resolution also means that you’ll be able to view HD content, and when watching videos on YouTube and streaming apps like Netflix, I was highly satisfied with the quality. Colors are punchy and vivid, faces and buildings maintain plenty of detail, and support for both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision only enhances the sharpness of movies and shows.

This model has a peak brightness of 3,200 nits, which is a slight bump over its predecessor. Although this figure isn’t quite class-leading, you’re still getting enough brightness to enjoy online articles or games in outdoor environments, even on brighter days.

Like a lot of modern handsets, the display has a 120Hz refresh rate, which means that keen mobile gamers will be able to play select titles at 120fps. More generally, things like scrolling on the web or social media feel silky smooth too.

Sure, you’re not going to get the phenomenal sharpness that top-class phones like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, but for the price, I have very few complaints about this model’s display.

• Display score: 4/5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: software

• Runs Xiaomi HyperOS 2 (based on Android 15) out of the box
• Four years of OS updates, six years of security patches
• Horrific bloatware and spam-like notifications

Out of the box, the Note 15 Pro runs Xiaomi HyperOS 2, which is based on Android 15. However, the phone will get four years of OS updates, alongside six years of security patches. For a budget device, that is very solid indeed, and gives the handset a respectable level of longevity.

However, that’s just about the only positive I have to say on the software side of things, as the Note 15 Pro provided one of the least user-friendly experiences I’ve had with a phone. A lot of the frustrations are the same ones we had with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G — which we rated very poorly in the software department.

The device’s UI is laid out simply enough, and any Android users will have no issue with navigation I’m sure. But there are some pretty frustrating quirks thrown in the mix. First of all, when swiping up, I was met with a bunch of tabloid and AI-generated articles and ads. This command is all too easy to accidentally trigger, and I can’t see why anyone would want to read 90% of the content pushed here.

In addition, many of the system’s baked-in apps are loaded with ads. I tried using the Mi Browser, and was instantly hit with an ad for Temu. I was subsequently bombarded with similar pop-ups on other apps, including the File Manager. This isn’t something you’ll have to deal with from a lot of budget competitors’ first-party applications, and it put me off using any of them.

We also have to mention the bloatware on this phone, which is nothing short of nightmarish. As soon as I set the Note 15 Pro up, I could see a ton of apps I never asked for, including the aforementioned (and dreaded) Temu, low-quality mobile games, AliExpress, and some kind of AI chatbot.

I can understand pre-downloading some first-party software and perhaps a few Google tools and the like, but there’s far too much bloat installed from the get-go, and you’ll likely have to take a decent chunk out of your day uninstalling it.

Pair this with frequent and unwanted notifications from ‘GetApps’, which surfaces constant reminders about software like Temu and Amazon Music — which are already loaded in by default — and the Note 15 Pro’s software score isn’t looking too pretty.

• Software score: 2/5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: cameras

• 200MP main camera performs pretty well
• Neat 20MP selfie camera is also decent
• No telephoto lens, so zoom has its limitations

I was actually quite impressed with the quality of the Note 15 Pro’s main 200MP camera, which captured photos with admirable levels of detail and surprisingly true-to-life color.

Some budget phones use AI processing that creates artificial looking images with unnatural looking details and oversaturated colors, but this model takes a more simple approach. When snapping a picture of a local church shrouded in trees, I was satisfied with the rich greens of trees and foliage, as well as the deep blue sky.

Of course, you’re not going to get the true-to-life colors and exceptional attention to detail that premium phones — like the iPhone 17 Pro Max or Google Pixel 10 Plus — can provide, but for a handset in the budget-to-mid-range bracket, the results are very decent.

The main camera is definitely best-suited to well lit conditions, and some low-light images could look a little obscured, but at night time, my environment would be brightened accordingly, and elements like streetlights didn’t exhibit exaggerated blooming or similar.

As you may expect, there are some limitations to the camera capabilities on-board, though. The main thing is that there’s no telephoto lens, so the effectiveness of zoom can vary. In 2x or even 4x mode, pictures still emerged with commendable clarity. When snapping a swan in the distance, details on its head and wings were easy to make out with 4x zoom, which can’t be said of all budget phones. However, when straying beyond that mark, photos could often look grainy and unrefined — something worth bearing in mind if you’re a photo enthusiast.

There’s also a 20MP front camera, which is neat for social media use or grabbing a quick selfie on the go. I found it captured intricacies like individual hair strands and lines on my face with relative ease, and it will certainly be up to the task of delivering clear video calls.

Finally, the Note 15 Pro’s video capabilities remain in-line with the bulk of the competition. You get 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps, and during testing I found captured content to be smooth, stable, and to look clean.

• Camera score: 4/5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: performance

• Relatively smooth user experience
• 8GB or 12GB versions available
• LDAC, aptX, and Dolby Atmos support

As a phone in the budget to mid-range zone, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G performs about as well as you’d expect.

Its MediaTek Dimensity 7400-Ultra processor supplies a relatively smooth user experience, and I experienced no delays when scrolling social media, web pages, or playing more basic mobile games — even with multiple applications open at once.

When playing more demanding games like Genshin Impact, I spotted the occasional frame drop, but again, the game still ran plenty well enough, and the phone’s ‘Turbo’ mode kept things stable, even during busier segments. I was using the version of the Redmi Note 15 Pro with 12GB of RAM, so your experiences may differ slightly on the 8GB alternative, but that should handle day-to-day use, video streaming, and general productivity tools without a hitch.

The phone’s stereo speakers aren’t the highest quality ever — I experienced the odd bit of tinny audio, especially when listening at higher volumes, but they sounded pretty solid for the price you pay.

This phone also supports higher-resolution Bluetooth codecs like LDAC and aptX Adaptive, so you’ll be able to get the most out of your wireless headphones or earbuds that support such standards. There’s also Dolby Atmos support if you’re watching movies or listening to music in that format.

• Performance score: 4/5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: battery life

• 6,580mAh capacity battery
• 45W wired charging
• No wireless charging

Like many budget devices, the Note 15 Pro prides itself on battery life — and you’re getting a big upgrade over its predecessor’s 5,110mAh capacity battery.

This model has a 6,580mAh battery, and I found it lasted plenty long enough during everyday use. Even if you dip into more intensive apps for video calls or mobile games, you should be able to make it through the day without having to juice up your device, which is great to see.

When you do need to charge your phone, though, you’ll be able to do so relatively quickly. The Note 15 Pro supports 45W “turbo” charging, so you won’t have to wait around for hours on end to hit 100%. It’s not the fastest about, and some rivals, like the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion, offer 68W wired charging. But it’s definitely rapid enough.

Unfortunately, though, there’s no support for wireless charging, and as someone who uses this daily on my Samsung phone, this was a little disappointing. It’s quite common for cheaper and mid-range handsets to skip on this feature, but it would’ve been a very nice addition.

• Battery life score: 4/5

Should I buy the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G review: also consider

How I tested the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G

• Tested intensively across multiple days
• Used for gaming, working, and general productivity
• Made full use of various features and camera settings

I spent a number of days testing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G, during which time I used just about every feature it had to offer, took a whole lot of photos, and tried out a bit of mobile gaming.

In addition, I made sure to compare the phone against the similarly priced Nothing Phone (4a) on aspects such as camera quality, display, and general performance.

During photography, I made sure to snap a range of objects and environments in a wide array of conditions, including natural, artificial, and low-light settings. Most photos were taken using the main camera in 16:9 at the highest quality, but I also made use of the selfie camera and tried out the cameras’ zoom capabilities.

More generally, I’ve tested a ton of phones here at TechRadar, including budget-friendly models like the Motorola Moto G06 Power and pricier alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: May 2026