Return to Form with this new phone that has premium features

When the chronicles of the Indian smartphone segment will be written, Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series will find noteworthy mention in spurring affordable smartphones…and how much consumers could expect for not a lot of cash. Off late though, the series has inched upwards into the mid-range, and the Note 15 Pro+ lands with some big upgrades. Enough to warrant the significantly bumped-up price tag? 

A closer look at Redmi Note 15 Pro+

At first glance, it’s a very familiar design, with the curved edges and squircle camera module centrally aligned on the rear panel. If you’re considering one, you’d want to look at the distinctively head-turning mocha brown variant, with its leathery finish that lends the device a grippy, premium hand-feel (the blue and black variants have a glass back and are slightly thinner and lighter). Whichever variant you pick up, it’s a tall phone, but one that is rather light (208g) for its size. 

Yet the familiar design hides big durability upgrades under the hood, with the new Titan structure and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection allowing it to better withstand drops, and IP rating all the way up to the new 69K standard. Without a doubt, the phone is the most rugged phones in its segment, and while I didn’t theatrically take a hammer to it, it should last the wears and tears of everyday life…and then some.

The larger footprint affords the Pro+ a 6.83-inch AMOLED display, and the 1.5K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 3200 nits lets the display hold up well, whether you’re immersed in a binge-watch in the late evening or scrolling through your socials under harsh sunlight. Interestingly, the phone supports Xiaomi Offline Communication, which can let users make calls to other supported Xiaomi phones over a distance of one kilometer even when there is no network - a concert in the middle of the city or a hike in the middle of nowhere. 

Powering the device is a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, an incremental upgrade over the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 found in the previous generation that, while well suited to everyday tasks and popular game titles at medium settings, isn’t the one for you if raw performance is your top priority. Coupled with slightly slower UFS 2.2 storage on each of the 256 and 512GB variants (with 8 and 12GB memory), you get a phone that falls a bit behind its competitors at its higher-than-ever-before price point. And seeing that we’re well into 2026 by now, launching a phone on Android 15 (HyperOS 2) just feels a bit dated, and one hopes Xiaomi starts delivering soon on its four major upgrades and six years of security support for this phone.

Xiaomi’s biggest bet for this device is the upgrade to the massive 200-megapixel optically stabilized HPE primary sensor, alongside an 8MP ultra-wide. The new sensor allows 2x and 4x optical level zoom via high-resolution crops, which has given Xiaomi the confidence to drop a dedicated telephoto sensor. In daylight, the main camera delivers strongly, with sharp, detailed images and pleasing colors, without even having to go to the 200MP mode. Zoom at 2x and 4x via the primary sensor are usable, but the ultra-wide is less so, paling in comparison behind the primary sensor. Low light performance is a bit of a hit-or-miss – good with colors and details with some ambient light, but far worse in dim lighting. As long as you understand this is a phone with one good camera, and work your way around that, you won’t be disappointed.

Battery life has always been a strong suit of the Note series, and the Note 15 Pro+ is no less, packing in a 6,500mAh battery in a form factor thinner than its predecessor. It also charges faster at 100W and can reverse charge other devices at up to 22.5W. Even with heavy use, it manages to last well past the one-day mark. 

Focusing on stuff that matters – durability, longevity and a solid display and primary camera – this phone is a good buy for a long-term mid-ranger, though it does land in a price segment where expectations around better performance and cameras aren’t unwarranted. 

Rating: 8/10

Price: ₹37,999 onwards

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