Redmi Note 15 5G First Impressions

Redmi has kick-started 2026 with the launch of a new smartphone in its popular Note series. The newest Redmi Note 15 comes with an interesting set of features and specifications. You get a slim-looking smartphone, which is also lightweight. The handset also comes with some interesting features, including an OLED display with peak brightness of 3,200 nits, a 108-megapixel rear camera, HyperOS 2, a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, and more. I've had the chance to use the device for a while now, and here's what you need to know about its first impressions. 

The Redmi Note 15 price in India starts at Rs. 22,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The 8GB RAM and 256GB model is available at a price tag of Rs. 24,999. The smartphone will be available for purchase on Amazon, Mi.com, and in retail stores starting January 9, 2026. 

The Redmi Note 15 features a sleek and lightweight design langauge.

Talking about the design, the Note series has always been known for providing some good-looking smartphones in the past, and this one is no different. The handset features a sleek, lightweight design that looks premium. The phone measures 7.35mm and weighs 178 grams, which feels quite lightweight in your hand. 

The handset is available in attractive colours, including Glacier Blue, Black, and Mist Purple. I got the Mist Purple colour option for the review, and it sure looks quite different from the other colour options. The rear panel features a wave-like pattern that offers different shades of purple. The camera module is prominently placed at the centre of the rear panel and is raised. The module also comes with a sparkly texture, which looks quite good, to be honest. 

The volume controls and power on/off button is quite easy to reach.

The front panel comes with a curved display with a centrally aligned punch-hole camera. The right side of the device features volume controls and power-on/off buttons, while the left side is bare. The bottom packs a SIM tray, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille, while the top comes with an infrared sensor and a speaker grille. I really liked the fact that, despite such a big camera module, the phone does not wobble that much. 

The handset features a 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display.

Moving on, the Redmi Note 15 packs a decent display as well. The handset is available with a 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 1080x2392 pixel resolution. The handset also packs a 3,200nits of peak brightness, DCI-P3 colour gamut, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and more. The display looks quite crisp and vivid when I use it in broad daylight. We will talk more about this in our review that drops on January 10. 

The Redmi Note 15 features a dual-camera setup on the rear panel.

In terms of optics, the smartphone packs a dual-camera setup on the rear panel. The handset features a 108-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture. On the front, the device features a 20-megapixel shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. The camera seems to be promising during the initial testing, though we will deep dive into the performance in the upcoming review. 

Apart from this, the Redmi Note 15 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor. The handset also features 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The device also runs on HyperOS 2, which is based on the Android 15 operating system. The company also promises four years of OS updates and six years of security patches. The device also features a 5,520mAh battery with 45W fast charging support.

The handset features a 5,520mAh battery with 45W fast charging.

The specifications seem decent, though the competition is quite tough in this price segment, with smartphones like Nothing Phone 3a Lite (Review), OnePlus Nord CE5 (Review), Motorola G67 Power (Review), and more.