The fiercely competitive smartphone market in India under ₹25,000 has a new major player. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 15 5G made its official debut on 6th January 2026, directly taking aim at a well-established favourite in this price range – the OnePlus Nord CE 5 5G. With both devices priced identically at ₹22,999 for the base 8GB/128GB variant, consumers are faced with a classic dilemma: raw power and endurance versus camera specs and peak brightness. This detailed comparison breaks down every key aspect to help you decide.
Display Showdown: Brighter vs Proven
On paper, the two phones seem to offer an identical visual experience. Both the Redmi Note 15 5G and the OnePlus Nord CE 5 5G feature a 6.77-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. They also share Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection for durability. However, the key difference lies in peak brightness. The Redmi Note 15 boasts an impressive 3,200 nits, significantly higher than the 1,430 nits offered by the OnePlus Nord CE 5. This gives the Redmi a potential advantage in harsh sunlight, though for everyday indoor use, both screens should be excellent.
Performance & Battery: The Core Divergence
This is where the philosophies of the two brands become clear. The OnePlus Nord CE 5 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex processor, paired with faster LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. This combination promises superior raw performance for gaming and multitasking.
In contrast, the Redmi Note 15 5G uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. It is capable for daily tasks but is not in the same performance tier as the Dimensity chip.
The gap widens further in the battery department. OnePlus packs a massive 7,100mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC fast charging, promising exceptional battery life. Redmi counters with a respectable 5,520mAh battery and 45W charging support, which is good but falls short of OnePlus's offering.
Camera & Software: Megapixels vs Experience
The camera specifications tell different stories. The Redmi Note 15 5G leads the megapixel race with a 108MP primary camera with OIS, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide lens. It also has a 20MP front camera. The OnePlus Nord CE 5 uses a 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor (with OIS) and an 8MP ultra-wide lens, with a 16MP selfie shooter.
While Redmi's numbers are higher, real-world camera performance depends heavily on software processing, where OnePlus has a strong reputation. The software experience is another differentiator. OnePlus's OxygenOS 15 is known for being relatively clean with minimal bloatware, while Xiaomi's HyperOS 2 has been critiqued for including advertisements within the interface.
Both companies promise 4 years of major OS updates and 6 years of security updates. However, the Nord CE 5 is already slated for an upgrade to OxygenOS 16 (Android 16), while Redmi Note 15 users may have to wait longer for the same Android version.
Verdict: Which Phone Should You Choose?
The choice ultimately depends on your priorities. If you value top-tier performance, unparalleled battery life, and a cleaner software experience, the OnePlus Nord CE 5 5G remains the more complete and powerful package at ₹22,999. It is a device built for power users and gamers.
The Redmi Note 15 5G, on the other hand, presents a compelling case with its higher-resolution 108MP camera, incredibly bright display, and the trusted Redmi Note series value proposition. It is an excellent all-rounder for users whose focus is on content consumption and photography, provided they can overlook the performance gap and software ads.
With this intense competition, Indian consumers are the real winners, getting flagship-level features like high-refresh-rate AMOLED displays and long software support at an accessible price point.
