5 Android phones you should buy instead of the OnePlus 15R

I recently reviewed the OnePlus 15R and, spoiler alert, I came away very disappointed in the phone. OnePlus’s R series has typically provided great options in the mid-tier/value flagship space, but the 15R breaks that trend. It removes OnePlus’s iconic alert slider for an annoying AI button, has downgraded cameras compared to the 13R, and no wireless charging — all on top of a steep $700 price tag.

The OnePlus 15R isn’t the worst Android phone you can buy, but it’s also incredibly easy to find something much better — even from OnePlus itself. If you’re thinking about buying the OnePlus 15R, here are five other Android phones you should buy instead.

OnePlus 13R

Perhaps the easiest OnePlus 15R alternative to recommend is its predecessor, the OnePlus 13R. One of the biggest draws to the OnePlus 15R is its battery life, with the 7,400mAh battery easily lasting two and a half days on a single charge. While the OnePlus 13R’s 6,000mAh battery may not be as impressive on paper, it’s still outstanding, lasting about two days in our testing. The 13R has the same 55W wired charge speeds as the 15R, and neither phone has wireless charging, so there’s no trade-off there.

The OnePlus 13R also holds its own on the performance front. Although the OnePlus 15R beat the 13R in our benchmark tests, both phones are extremely performant in real-world use. And as far as gaming chops are concerned, the 15R and 13R are pretty evenly matched.

In other areas, the OnePlus 13R actually pulls ahead. The 13R has a higher-quality primary camera than the 15R does, plus a dedicated telephoto camera — something the 15R completely lacks. And if you love OnePlus’s alert slider, only the OnePlus 13R has it. The OnePlus 15R ditches it for an AI button that’s just a pain to use.

Making all of this better is the price. Even at its $600 retail price, the OnePlus 13R is a significantly better value than the $700 OnePlus 15R. And given that the 13R is just about a year old, you should be able to find it on sale for even less. Without question, the OnePlus 13R is still the best value flagship OnePlus has to offer.

OnePlus 13

Staying with OnePlus, it’s also worth considering the flagship OnePlus 13. Although the phone’s $900 MSRP is considerably higher than the OnePlus 15R’s, it’s been heavily discounted since the OnePlus 15’s release. How much? At the time of writing, the OnePlus 13 is available for just $750 — only $50 more than the 15R. And for that small a price difference, the OnePlus 13 is absolutely worth splurging for.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip inside the OnePlus 13 delivers nearly identical CPU performance to the 15R, while the GPU has slightly more horsepower. The OnePlus 13 also has dramatically better cameras, an area where the 15R seriously struggles. The OnePlus 13 has faster 80W charging out of the box, supports (very fast) wireless charging, and has a much nicer design, too. It even shares the same IP68 and IP69 protections as the 15R. The alert slider is here, too.

Are there any downsides? The AMOLED display is “only” 120Hz, rather than 165Hz like on the 15R, but it’s still extremely smooth and features an LTPO panel that can drop to 1Hz (something the 15R doesn’t have). The OnePlus 13 also has a smaller 6,000mAh battery, but, like the 13R, it’s still plenty big for two days of use per charge.

If battery life is your top priority, the OnePlus 15R has the edge. But if you want a more well-rounded OnePlus phone that delivers on basically every front, you should buy the OnePlus 13.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

There aren’t many Android phones in the US competing in the $600-$700 price bracket, but one of them is the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. If you’re OK sacrificing multi-day battery life and some performance, the benefits of the S25 FE compared to the OnePlus 15R are well worth it.

What kind of benefits? Software is a big one. Samsung’s One UI is a much more cohesive Android skin than OnePlus’s OxygenOS, with a lot more polish and better-implemented features. It also benefits from seven years of Android OS upgrades, toppling the four years of updates OnePlus promises for the 15R. The S25 FE is also a more comfortable phone, featuring a thinner, lighter design while retaining a large 6.7-inch AMOLED LTPO panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Exynos 2400 chip inside the S25 FE isn’t quite as fast as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in the 15R, but it’s still more than capable for most tasks. And while you won’t get two-day battery life with Samsung’s phone, it easily gets through a full day of heavy use — and recharges pretty quickly thanks to 45W wired charging (and supports wireless charging, too).

The Galaxy S25 FE retails for $650, which is already cheaper than the OnePlus 15R. But in typical Samsung fashion, the phone is often available for considerably less. At the time of writing, Samsung has it on sale for just $500. If you can pick up the S25 FE at or around that price, it’s absolutely worth saving some cash and buying it instead of the OnePlus 15R.

Nothing Phone 3

Although it’s not the best Android phone released in 2025, the Nothing Phone 3 is still very good. And as an alternative to the OnePlus 15R, it’s honestly a pretty compelling option.

In many ways, the Nothing Phone 3 feels like the opposite of the OnePlus 15R. Where the 15R prioritizes a giant battery and flagship-grade performance at the expense of an interesting design, worthwhile cameras, and good software, the Nothing Phone 3 is the inverse.

Its performance and battery life are good, although nothing to write home about. But on the flip side, the Nothing Phone 3 has one of the most unique designs you’ll find on an Android phone. It also has really solid cameras, and Nothing OS is a thoroughly enjoyable Android skin — something I can’t say about the latest version of OxygenOS.

There are other benefits of choosing the Nothing Phone 3. The phone has faster 65W wired charging than the 15R, supports wireless charging, and has a slightly better update policy (Nothing promises five years of Android updates). The Nothing Phone 3 is a bit more expensive at $800, but I’d argue it’s worth the extra money. And like so many of the phones mentioned here, it’s not uncommon to find the Nothing Phone 3 on sale for less. Whether you get it at a discount or at its full price, this is one to keep on your radar.

Google Pixel 10

My fifth and final recommendation is the Google Pixel 10 — and I want to be very clear about this recommendation. If you want a phone for multi-day battery life, fast charging, and top-notch gaming performance, the Pixel 10 isn’t it. However, if you want a phone with extremely reliable cameras, excellent hardware, and unmatched software, the Pixel 10 is a damn good phone.

Where the OnePlus 15R’s camera system is one I almost dreaded using, the Pixel 10’s is a champ. The 5x telephoto camera is a particular strong suit, allowing you to zoom in on subjects in a way that isn’t possible with the 15R. The Pixel 10’s overall hardware design is great, too. The phone is more compact and comfortable to hold, has a more interesting design, and has built-in magnets on the back for magnetic charging and other accessories.

The real reason to buy the Pixel 10, though, is its software. Google’s Pixel software is the best way to experience Android in late 2025/early 2026. All of the Pixel-exclusive features make a meaningful difference in daily use, you’re guaranteed updates for seven years, and the Pixel 10 is first in line to get an Android update as soon as it’s released.

All of those things make the Pixel 10 a very worthy alternative to the OnePlus 15R, even with its higher $800 price tag. However, if you’re patient and shop around, you can usually find it for cheaper. The Pixel 10 is on sale for just $600 at the time of writing, making it a no-brainer over the OnePlus 15R.