Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 4G Review: A Sub-€200 Smartphone Far From Ridiculous

Xiaomi has not released one, two, or three but four Redmi Note 15. A complete range that goes from 199 to 499 euros and which sometimes feature among the best smartphones on the market in their category.

• Redmi Note 15 4G
• Redmi Note 15 5G
• Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G
• Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus 5G

We have already tested the three more expensive ones; only the cheapest of them remained, the 4G model. Positioned just below the 200 euro mark, it differs sufficiently from the 5G model that it deserves a dedicated review, certainly shorter, but a review nonetheless.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 4G is the entry-level model in the new Redmi Note 15 generation, with a 4G-only modem and a focus on battery life.

Visually, we are on the same smartphone. In the hand, it seems a little heavier and thicker. Logical, the embedded battery is not the same. Here we have 6,000 mAh against 5,520 mAh on the 5G. And we will see, that does not change everything.

Build and Materials

The design still adopts a plastic back that remains of good workmanship. We do not have the feeling of having a cheap product in our hands. No, the rendering is good and I appreciate the handling improved by the curvature of the two sides. This "Dual curved" format is no longer reserved for Pro models and it makes its little effect.

Screen Protection and IP Rating

The only downside, we are confined to soft screen protections. In case of breakage, the price of the panel approaching 70 euros without labour, its change does not seem very profitable. The 4G model is certified IP64. This is one notch below the 5G, but much better also than the previous generation which was only IP54.

Advantage of this Xiaomi under €200, its panel is an AMOLED model. We are therefore assured of having a good multimedia experience with it.

Display Specifications

It is 6.77 inches, that is a touch larger than last year, but, curved, it occupies less space in width. However, several times I found myself triggering functions involuntarily, my finger being too close to the panel. The problem of curved screens that some manufacturers had eliminated with the detection of involuntary movements. An option that is not present here.

Calibration and Brightness

The panel is well calibrated overall. Its colorimetry is accurate and it offers a beautiful palette of colour shades. The brightness also climbs well for this price range with 1,300 nits almost in HDR.

Refresh Rate

It is pleasant to use and in addition it is 120 Hz compatible, enough to play comfortably... or not.

Yes, the cheaper, the less powerful. This is the case at the heart of the Redmi range. Here, we find a 4G SoC of course. It is a MediaTek Helio G100 Ultra. Difficult to take a comparison point with the competition. The models that are equipped with it — at least the G100 — are not marketed in France.

Benchmarks

And there, it is not very glorious, but we expected it. We are at the same level as its predecessor, the Note 14 4G. To have better, you have to lengthen the bill.

Real-World Performance

The theory is fine, but in use what does it give? Well, I have been playing with it for over a week and the experience is not exempt from criticism. I encounter some slowdowns in the interface. Nothing very nasty, but when a certain number of applications are launched in the background, it can slow down some animations.

If you are a gamer, this will probably not be the most adequate smartphone. On Genshin Impact, putting the best graphic settings, you do not exceed 24 fps with drops to 18 fps. It is hardly playable. However, you can completely lower the quality. In default mode, in very low quality, you oscillate between 30 and 45 fps. It is much less beautiful, but playable.

Thermal Management

On the other hand, the SoC not being very fast, it does not undergo throttling. The heat generated outside the shell is also very low with a hot spot recorded at 34.4°C.

Nothing changes from this point of view compared to the 5G model.

HyperOS 2.0 and Android 16

It runs on HyperOS 2.0 based on Android 16. Artificial intelligence is limited there: besides Gemini, only a few photo editing options (Sky, Bokeh) are present, productivity functions being reserved for premium models.

Update Support

Software support is correct for the range with 4 years of major updates and 6 years of security updates.

Ad Concerns

The black point remains the omnipresence of intrusive advertisements and preinstalled applications. These contents pollute the user experience, even in Xiaomi applications which almost all open on an advertisement. It is possible to get rid of them, but at the cost of many manipulations to find a clean system.

On the photo side, the Redmi Note 15 4G is less versatile than the 5G version. It loses the ultra wide-angle. Only its wide-angle sensor remains.

Main Camera Specifications

At 108 MP, it measures 1/1.67" and opens at f/1.75. Xiaomi relies on its large definition to use 9-in-1 pixel binning and thus capture more light and try "lossless" zoom.

It is supported by a 2 MP depth sensor for portraits and a 20 MP selfie sensor (f/2.2).

Daylight Photography

In practice, the main sensor produces flattering daytime images, marked by a vibrant colorimetry and solid central sharpness. The promise of optical quality zoom is complicated to keep. Up to 3x it passes on a small screen where the cropping in the 108 MP preserves enough details to remain qualitative.

Digital Zoom

As soon as you push the cursor beyond, the digital processing takes over. We then observe an aggressive smoothing that transforms complex textures into colour flats, losing the initial finesse of the optics.

Low-Light Performance

In dark scenes, this Redmi manages to climb very high in sensitivity (up to ISO 16,000 in tests). If digital noise is inevitable at these extreme levels, 9-in-1 binning allows saving the exposure of almost dark scenes.

Indoor and HDR

In interior or moderate low light, HDR does an honest job to balance direct light sources without too much blocking the blacks. The portrait mode, supported by a 2 MP depth sensor, offers a generally precise cut-out.

Selfie Camera

For the selfie sensor, it must have good brightness to perform.

6,000 mAh, with such a capacity we tell ourselves that we will have a very good battery life! Well, do not be mistaken, size does not do everything.

PCMark Score

On the PCMark test, we collect a battery life score of 12h51. It is not bad, but rather in the soft belly of the ranking.

Streaming and Gaming

Same for the playback of "All Quiet on the Western Front" on Netflix which consumes 11% of battery for 2h30 of film. In game, it is the same fate for an hour of Genshin Impact.

Real-World Usage

In real use, it lasts more than a day, but is not a champion of the sector.

Charging

On the charging side, we are limited to 33 W wired. Reverse charging is at 18 W.

The Redmi Note 15 4G was launched in December 2025. It is available in three versions:

• Note 15 4G 6/128 GB at €199
• Note 15 4G 8/128 GB at €229
• Note 15 4G 8/256 GB at €249

The 8/128 GB model is currently at €199. This 4G model is one of the cheapest smartphones tested.

Why 4G in 2026

4G should persist until at least 2030-2040, so the network is not a problem for those who do not need a very fast smartphone. Since indeed, performance goes hand in hand with the chip used which itself embeds the 4G or 5G modem.

But at this price, it is without real competition.