Realme 15T Review: Getting the job done!

VERDICT:

The Realme 15T bets on practicality instead of flashy specs. You get a slim design, a bright AMOLED display, and a massive 7,000mAh battery with this one. It handles daily tasks well and delivers dependable performance. While it lacks an ultrawide camera and comes with some bloatware, its strong software support and balanced features make it a reliable choice at Rs 20,999.

Realme 15T Review: The budget smartphone market in India has become fiercely competitive, where every brand tries to strike the perfect balance between power, design, and affordability. With the Realme 15T, the company has decided to go in a slightly different direction. Instead of chasing benchmark numbers or cramming in flashy but less practical features, Realme has focused on usability with a slim design, a massive 7,000mAh battery, and cameras that stand out on paper. This phone starts at Rs 20,999, and tries to be a phone for those who value everyday dependability over raw specifications. I used this phone extensively, and while most of the time it held up, there’s something that you should know, too! 

Realme 15T Review: Design

The Flowing Silver variant I tested has a subtle textured finish that catches the light without being overly flashy. Realme has also kept the camera module nearly flush with the back panel, meaning the phone rests evenly on a flat surface without wobbling. Now yes, it looks like it has a triple camera setup, but it doesn’t. That third camera ring is nothing but a gimmick. The build quality feels solid, and while the frame is still plastic, the finish gives you a nice, premium feel. The Realme 15T also comes in Silk Blue and Suit Titanium colourways.

The first thing, however, that you notice about the Realme 15T is its size relative to the battery it houses. A 7,000mAh cell usually means bulk, but at 7.79mm thickness and just 181 grams, the phone feels surprisingly manageable in hand. It is also one of the compact smartphones under the budget segment, with just a 6.57-inch display. 

Furthermore, the Realme 15T comes with an IP69 rating and can handle dust, splashes, and even more extreme water exposure. Not just that, but you also get good protection against drops and scratches, as it is equipped with Dragontrail DT Star D+ glass. If you don’t know about it, this glass offers decent protection at this price range. 

Realme 15T Review: Display

Coming to its display now, the Realme 15T features a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a claimed peak brightness of up to 4,000 nits. In daily use, the panel looks vibrant and is sharp enough for binge-watching, scrolling through reels, and casual gaming. The brightness is also sufficient, even under strong sunlight.

In Calman testing, the display achieved an average Delta E of 2.2, ensuring accurate and natural-looking colours. On the lux meter test, it reached a peak brightness of 2140 nits. 

For most users, the Realme 15T’s display will feel impressive. The 120Hz refresh rate paired with bright AMOLED colours makes everyday use smooth and vibrant. Visually, it looks really slick, something I honestly haven’t seen in a smartphone at this budget. Even if you compare it to pricier rivals, the experience here doesn’t feel like a compromise.

Realme 15T Review: Performance

Let’s talk about its raw power and its consistency. The Realme 15T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 Max, a 6nm chip that’s only slightly better than the Dimensity 6300 seen on its predecessor. In AnTuTu and Geekbench, the Realme 15T trails behind its competitors with scores that could have been better at Rs 20,999. 

But, good thing – it keeps that power stable. I also ran the CPU throttling test on it, and in that 15-minute stress test, it remained cool. 

Now, if I talk about the real-world usage, the Realme 15T handles everyday tasks smoothly: switching between apps, video calls, messaging, or browsing never feels sluggish.

What surprised me was gaming. In Call of Duty Mobile, it managed a steady 53–54 FPS, almost on par with the rivals, while staying noticeably cooler. Even in BGMI, it maintains frame stability pretty well, offering up to 60 FPS. While the frame stability was decent, I felt that, at this price, it should have supported at least 90 FPS in BGMI. 

So yes, this isn’t the fastest phone in the Rs 20–22K bracket, but it’s one of the most consistent ones. If you are someone who plays games casually or moderately, you’ll likely appreciate the stability over sheer numbers.

Realme 15T Review: Software

The Realme 15T runs on Realme UI 6.0 on top of Android 14. The interface feels familiar if you have used a Realme or Oppo phone before. There’s also the Gemini AI assistant and Circle to Search-like features, which add some AI flavour. Though it’s not as deeply integrated as on premium devices.

There is some bloatware, I’ll admit, but it is manageable since you can remove most of the pre-installed apps anytime. The good news is that Realme is not compromising on software support, as you are promised 3 years of major updates and 4 years of security patches.

Realme 15T Review: Camera

Realme is pushing the 15T as a camera-focused device by offering 50-megapixel sensors, one on the back and one on the front. 

The main camera captures natural colours. Portraits also look more natural here, with better skin tones and realistic background blur. Selfies are sharp and detailed, and the 50-megapixel front camera gives you an edge over other phones in the same price range.

But the weaknesses become apparent at night. Low-light shots tend to be overexposed, with visible noise and lens flare. Night Mode doesn’t do much to fix these issues either. 

Lastly, one thing I wish were different is the lack of an ultrawide lens, which means you cannot click wide angle picture on this phone. It definitely limits the camera’s versatility.

Realme 15T Review: Battery

The battery is undoubtedly the Realme 15T’s biggest selling point. At 7,000mAh, it’s the largest in this category, and in practice, it lives up to the promise. I easily got two days of screen time on a single charge with moderate usage. Even on heavy days, I rarely ended with less than 30% at night.

In PCMark’s battery life test, we recorded a continuous screen time of just under 20 hours. You also get a 60-watt adapter in the box, which takes just over an hour to fuel up the battery from 0 to 100%. 

Final thoughts!

The Realme 15T is not a phone built for spec sheet bragging rights. It doesn’t have the most powerful processor, it lacks an ultrawide camera, and its low-light photography is underwhelming. But for many users, those things don’t matter as much as reliability. And that’s where the Realme 15T shines. It’s compact and premium-looking design despite its enormous battery, sustained performance during long gaming sessions, bright display for content consumption, and nearly two days of battery life. Add in solid durability and decent software support, and you have a phone that’s practical, dependable, and easy to live with.

At Rs 20,999, the Realme 15T feels like a smart choice for users who want a no-nonsense daily driver. But power users, or those looking for something very specific, might feel this package would have been better at a slightly lower price.