iQOO 15 Review: The Generational Performance King Device!

iQOO has just released their brand new iQOO 15 series, the generational performance king! With its compact size and standout performance, this device will allow you to experience PC-grade gaming in the palm of your hands! In this review, we’ll be taking a closer look at the X300’s design, display, camera, performance, and battery life to show why this device stands out as the ultimate mobile gaming device!

Design

When looking at the design for the iQOO 15, the device features a refined and futuristic aesthetic which takes inspiration from racing flags that are shown during automotive events. With its Three Colour Rhombus Pattern paired with a White Frosted Glass finish which gives the device a premium and racing-inspired vibe that feels both modern and futuristic at the same time.

Not only that, but the device also features a rounded large R-Corner design, offering a more comfortable grip for users, especially during horizontal gaming sessions, such as Honor of Kings or even Genshin Impact. And located just beneath the camera module is the Monster Halo, which lights up whenever you’re playing and it also enhances the gaming experience.

Beyond its appearance, the iQOO 15 is also built with durability in mind as it comes with an IP68 and IP69 Dust and water resistance, which ensures that users will not have to worry about water or dust entering the device.

The iQOO 15 offers various colour options, which includes the “volcanic-inspired” ZEN colour. Though the one that I received was the grey colour, which adds a sense of sophistication to its overall appearance.

Display

The iQOO 15 sports an impressive 6.85-inch display that is paired with the debut of their  Samsung 2K M14 LEAD AMOLED Display, offering incredible visuals with stunning clarity and for an eye-friendly viewing experience. The phone also comes with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate, which delivers an incredibly fluid and responsive display whether you’re gaming or browsing through social media. 

With an impressive 6000 nits peak brightness, visibility is no issue even when you’re outdoors under the bright lights.

The phone features the world’s first 2K Samsung Ultra Vision EyeCare Display, ensuring exceptional detail with top-tier eye protection technology. The device comes with various features in order to help enhance visual comfort, such as a Circular Polarization display and Comfortable Eye Protection 2.0.

And to prove its effectiveness, the iQOO 15 has been certified by TÜV Rheinland for Full Care Display Certification, Circular Polarization, and Flicker-Free performance.

Camera

The iQOO 15 comes with a triple-feature camera system, starting with their powerful 50MP Sony Ultra-Stabilization Main Camera that is paired with a Sony IMX921 VCS Large Sensor and is paired with a 50 MP Sony 3x Periscope Telephoto Camera and a 50MP Ultra-Wide Angle. This will allow users to be able to capture stunning landscape images or even group pictures with amazing clarity and with focal lengths of up to 100x zoom.

X1                                            X10                                       X100

And the iQOO 15 doesn’t just help snap great pictures, it also comes with several AI tools in order to help enhance the pictures that you take, making them stand out much more. 

AI Passerby Erase

With the AI Passerby Erase feature, you’ll be able to erase any unwanted objects or passerbys in your pictures to make it look much better.

Before:                                           After:

AI Four-Season Portrait

Through the powers of AI in order to intelligently remove the backgrounds from your image and set your own background that best suits your interests. So, if you’re looking for some cherry blossoms in the background, then utilise the AI Four-Season Portrait feature to create that exact background for your pictures.

Original:                                                AI Four-Season Portrait:

Performance

When it comes to performance, the iQOO 15 certainly delivers as the Generational Performance King Device, powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile processor. This chipset ensures faster, smoother, and more efficient performance whether you're gaming or watching videos, all while helping to reduce power consumption.

Within the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Gen 5, users also benefit from the world’s fastest 3rd-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which significantly boosts core processing capabilities, along with the Qualcomm® Adreno GPU that enhances graphics performance. Together, they elevate the iQOO 15’s overall speed and gaming experience to the next level—all as part of one powerful flagship processor. Furthermore, the iQOO 15 features a Supercomputing Chip Q3, an industry-leading gaming GPU that is exclusive to vivo. With this, you’ll be able to get an ultra clear, ultra smooth and ultra realistic gaming experience.

And with the Supercomputing Chip Q3, users will be able to access several features to help improve the gaming experience by enhancing the picture clarity in order to create immersive visuals in the game.

One showcase of this would be that the iQOO 15 comes with Android’s first self-developed Ray Tracing feature, something that is notable in PC-gaming, and iQOO has made it so that they would be able to do the same on this device.

Without Ray Tracing:

With Ray Tracing:

Asides from that, users will also be able to access Super Resolution and Super Frame Rate in order to enhance the visual clarity of the game while also making the game feel incredibly smooth. 

Super Resolution Pictures:

Without:

With:

Super Frame Rate:

Speaking of gaming, users will also be able to enjoy gaming while using this device as the vivo X300 comes with an Esports Mode which leads to an improvement in the overall gaming performance of your device. With greater network stability, optimised display and even smoother frame rates, users will be able to fully immerse themselves in their games.

When Esports Mode is turned on, users will be able to select between three different modes, Battery Saver, Balanced Mode and BOOST in order to match the device’s battery life and still be able to have a pleasant gaming experience.

Battery Saver:

Balanced Mode:

Monster Mode:

One proper measure to determine the strength and performance of was via the AnTuTu Benchmark test, a professional and handy mobile phone evaluation tool which is used to measure the performance of mobile devices. The iQOO 15 achieved an impressive 4 million score, which showcases its reliability in its usage.

Furthermore, the iQOO 15 also includes a Dual-Axis Vibration Motor which offers true 4D vibrations in all directions. This not only helps users in locating enemies in games such as Honor of Kings, but it also helps to create a more immersive gaming experience.

The iQOO 15 also offers an industry-leading Touch Response which is 3,200Hz and this will help track every finger movement and ensure that you will be able to hit exactly where you aim in the game.

And with the addition of these many features to help improve the performances and graphics of the device, there would be a concern about the phone overheating. Though, with the iQOO 15, that’s one thing you need not worry about as it comes with an Ultra-Large 8K VC Cooling System, which is 14% larger than their predecessor, the iQOO 13. In addition, the cooling system also comes with a Super Thermal Gel which improves the heat dissipation of the device.

OriginOS 6

In addition to its incredible performances, the iQOO 15 also comes equipped with the OriginOS 6, which provides a better user experience for users as the system device feels much smarter, more intuitive and will ensure that you will be able to adapt seamlessly to your daily routines without any issues. 

Flip Cards

With the release of the OriginOS 6 system, several new features have been introduced for users to experience for themselves. One of which would be the Flip Cards, which provides a new “Origin” theme that can be used for the home screen. And when tilting the screen, the wallpaper would shift.

Asides from that, the iQOO 15 also comes with an Origin Island feature which helps to display seamless information which makes it easier for users to get, which helps to save time.

Origin Design

Battery

When looking at the battery life for the iQOO 15, the device is equipped with a massive 7000 mAh BlueVolt Battery, delivering exceptional endurance and reliable all-day performance even under heavy usage, whether you're grinding through intense gaming sessions or watching videos for long periods of time.

Wanting to measure the battery performance, I decided to measure the device’s battery drainage using two different means. The first was by playing games for an hour. The game that was chosen for this test was Genshin Impact, one of the most popular mobile games that is known for its battery drainage. Not only that, but I also placed the game to the highest settings while Ray Tracing was turned on and with the phone’s performance was set to Monster Mode. 

After the hour, it revealed that only 10% of the phone’s battery was drained which is an incredible feat.

Aside from just gaming, I also decided to measure the phone’s battery device for video playback. So, I watched a YouTube video lasting an hour at 1440p. Once the hour was up, the battery only consumed 6% which is a very impressive feat and it also showcases how reliable it is for those who enjoy watching videos for prolonged periods.

And when the phone is low on power and in need of a recharge, the device supports a powerful 100W FlashCharge which will ensure that users will be able to quickly get back into their gaming marathon without having to wait for a long time. Though it isn’t just wired charging, as the iQOO 15 also supports a 40W Wireless FlashCharge, giving you fast and hassle-free charging even without cables. When measuring the charging speed of the device, it was able to 23% in just 15 minutes while reaching 100% in only 62 minutes.

Verdict

In conclusion, the iQOO 15 is an incredible device that truly stands out with its monstrous performance, showcasing why it's dubbed as the Generational Performance King. Whether you're a casual mobile gamer or a professional gamer, this phone will surely ensure an immersive gaming experience. Not only that, but with a powerful 7000mAh BlueVolt battery, and its Samsung 2K M14 LEAD AMOLED Display, the iQOO 15 is sure to help you unleash monstrous performances in the battlefield.

The iQOO 15 is priced at RM3899, and considering its features and performances, it’s definitely worth considering, especially for avid mobile gamers.