Sorry Apple, the iPhone 17e is slick but the OnePlus 15R is a bigger bargain

Date:
Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Description:
The iPhone 17e is Apple's most compelling mid-range phone yet, but it's still leagues behind Android rivals like the OnePlus 15R.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter The iPhone 17e has earned plaudits for being a great-value option among the best iPhones , and as someone who reviews phones for a living (and as something of an Apple obsessive), I completely understand why. But if youre thinking about picking the iPhone 17e any time soon, I urge you to at least consider the alternative options.

Now, admittedly, the iPhone 17e is exactly what last years iPhone 16e should have been a genuine mid-range alternative for the Apple crowd that doesnt leave you wanting for too much. The addition of MagSafe is a big win, as is the jump to having 256GB storage as standard, and if your entire family
and/or social circle uses iPhone, then sure, it makes perfect sense as an upgrade. Youll have a smoother time with access to Find My, the ability to easily share files via AirDrop, and slick integration with Apple products
like the AirPods Pro 3 and the Apple Watch Series 11 . It sounds daft, but
one of the main things keeping me in Apples ecosystem is access to the Notes app, where my wife and I have a shared shopping list. Its small features like these that add up, but over the last week, Ive been using the OnePlus 15R,
and its reminded me how much more you can get for your money elsewhere. Article continues below You may like Why the iPhone 17e has been overshadowed by the Nothing Phone (4a) iPhone 17e looks like a good deal, but the Google Pixel 10a might still have it beat iPhone 17e vs Google Pixel 10a What more could you ask for? The OnePlus 15R in Mint Green (Image credit: Future) For those who dont know, the OnePlus 15R is OnePlus' key mid-range phone for
2026, sitting below the flagship (and quite excellent) OnePlus 15 and above the recently unveiled OnePlus Nord 6. Priced at $699 / 649 / AU$899, the OnePlus 15R is at the upper end of the mid-range scale, but it offers a
litany of flagship-adjacent features that put the iPhone 17e to shame.

The most obvious boon of the bunch is the absurd battery OnePlus has crammed into this phone. With a 7,400mAh cell under the hood, Ive regularly been able to get two days of use out of the OnePlus 15R before needing to top it up.
Ive honestly become so used to toggling Low Power Mode on my iPhone 16 to get through more demanding days that its been a relief not to have to worry about battery life at all.

The OnePlus 15R offers a litany of flagship-adjacent features that put the iPhone 17e to shame Mind you, before I even got a chance to test out the phone's battery life, I was already enamoured with the design of the OnePlus 15R.

Granted, the iPhone 17e also feels like a premium phone in the hand, but the Mint Green variant of OnePlus mid-ranger is so tasty to look at that I
wouldnt dare put a case anywhere near it (not that it really needs one with IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K durability certifications). Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

There are plenty of other OnePlus 15R features worthy of praise, including
its 165Hz refresh rate, massive 6.83-inch display, and OnePlus easy-to-navigate OxygenOS. But what really solidifies its value for me is the performance of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. Even though its a step below the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 , at no point have I felt like I'm missing out on power.

With the OnePlus 15R, I can jump quickly between apps, have them open in side-by-side multitasking mode, and enjoy gaming without any visual hiccups. Quite simply, this phone is brilliant value for money. The rise of the all-rounders The OnePlus 15R's 6.83-inch display (Image credit: Future) Although Ill have a more detailed take in my upcoming review of the phone, I can say that the OnePlus 15R has been an excellent all-rounder in my time
with it so far. But its not the only Android phone Ive used that fits that description. What to read next iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: which should you buy? Apple announces the iPhone 17e here's what's new The best cheap phones
2026

Last year, I got my hands on the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE , and was surprised that it didnt leave me wanting for very much. It uses the same Exynos 2400 chipset that powered the once-flagship Samsung Galaxy S24 , and while not quite as much of a battery beast as the OnePlus 15R, it still got me to the end of many long days without cause for concern. The vibrant 6.7-inch display was great for catching up on a bit of Netflix, too.

I felt a similar sense of appreciation for the recently released Nothing
Phone (4a) Pro , after getting to test it out ahead of its launch. It boasts
a design that makes most flagship phones seem boring by comparison , and Nothings operating system is just as thoughtfully constructed as its
hardware. The OnePlus 15R's rear camera module (Image credit: Future) Admittedly, while using that particular phone, I could see where the limitations of its Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset lay, but that was only as a result of having just used some of the best phones money can buy. The (4a)
Pro even packs a 3.5x telephoto lens as part of its triple-camera array, and yet it costs $100 /100 / AU$50 less than the iPhone 17e, which only has a single camera on the back.

Again, as someone who remains an iPhone devotee despite (and quite
thankfully, I might add) having his pick of the litter when it comes to the best Android phones , I completely get the allure of iOS it works brilliantly, and in owning both AirPods and AirTags , not to mention subscribing to Apple News+, my fate in the Apple ecosystem was sealed a long time ago. But if youre at the juncture of upgrading your phone to a mid-range model, I urge you to think twice about what you can get for your money. Today's best OnePlus 15R deals OnePlus 15R 649 506.10 View Deal See all
prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source
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