OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini review: A thoughtful compact with familiar trade-offs

After using the OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini for a week, one thing becomes clear: this phone is aimed at users who are done with oversized slabs. What genuinely surprised us, however, was OPPO’s decision to introduce a smaller form factor under the Reno name rather than its flagship line. Over the past year, we’ve seen a clear industry trend of brands experimenting with compact “flagship-like” devices such as the OnePlus 13S and Vivo’s X300, which also happens to be our Compact Smartphone of the Year 2025.

Given that Reno is, in our view, OPPO’s most successful IP, it makes sense for the company to test a Mini variant within this lineup. That context is also why we specifically asked to review the Reno15 Pro Mini instead of the larger Reno15 Pro. The real question now isn’t whether the phone is capable, but whether the trade-offs inherent to a smaller design hold up at this price point.

Price and Availability

The OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini is available in India in two variants:
12GB + 256GB at ₹59,999
12GB + 512GB at ₹64,999
It’s available via OPPO’s online store, offline retail, and major e-commerce platforms.

Design & Display

This is where the Reno15 Pro Mini immediately stands out. Its compact form factor makes one-handed use effortless, typing more controlled, and long usage far less tiring than most phones in this segment. At 187 grams, it strikes a good balance—feeling solid in the hand without tipping into heft.

The benefits of a compact smartphone translate well here. The phone fits comfortably in the palm, feels secure to hold, and the weight distribution is noticeably better than on larger devices, which adds to overall comfort during prolonged use. That said, there are trade-offs. If you’re coming from a bigger screen and have chunkier fingers, as I do, typing can feel slightly cramped at first, and you may notice a dip in typing speed. With some time, however, muscle memory adjusts and the experience improves. This is a transition challenge that will primarily affect users downsizing from larger phones.Build quality is a strong point. The aluminium frame paired with Gorilla Glass 7i on both the front and back gives the Reno15 Pro Mini a premium in-hand feel. OPPO has also leaned heavily into durability, equipping the phone with IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings—protection levels that remain rare even among full-fledged flagships. The HoloFusion back design is visually striking and does draw attention, although the ribbon-style pattern may not appeal to everyone.

Up front, the 6.32-inch 1.5K AMOLED display is sharp, bright, and easy on the eyes. Outdoor visibility is solid, bezels are slim and uniform, and the high-frequency PWM dimming helps during extended night-time use. If you consume a lot of video content on your phone, the smaller screen size will feel underwhelming as expected. However, the panel largely makes up for this with its overall quality. Screen size, after all, is a conscious compromise buyers opt into when choosing a compact device.

There are a few caveats. This isn’t an LTPO panel, which is disappointing at this price point, and the phone doesn’t default to full 1.5K resolution out of the box, requiring a manual switch in settings. That said, for everyday use, the display holds up well. The in-display fingerprint sensor is also quick and reliable, adding to the phone’s overall usability.

Software & Performance

The Reno15 Pro Mini runs ColorOS 16, and the experience feels much closer to OPPO’s flagship software than a toned-down alternative. Animations are smooth, the interface is polished, and overall stability is excellent. Lock screen and home screen customisation options are among the best on Android right now, offering a level of control that power users will appreciate.
That said, while ColorOS has clearly matured and provides extensive customisation, it’s still difficult to completely ignore the number of ads and prompts that surface across the system. Yes, most of these can be disabled with some effort, but on a device positioned at this price point, their presence can feel like an eyesore and may be discouraging for new users.

AI features are deeply integrated throughout the experience from Circle to Search and AI Call Summaries to practical photo tools like AI Eraser and Reflection Remover. While some of these feel situational, others genuinely enhance day-to-day usability rather than existing purely as feature checkboxes. Bloatware is present out of the box, though the majority of it can be removed or disabled.

Performance is handled by the MediaTek Dimensity 8450 paired with 12GB of RAM. Day-to-day usage is smooth, multitasking is reliable, and app launches are consistently quick. Gaming performance is also good, especially considering the compact form factor. Titles like BGMI run comfortably at high frame rates, and even more demanding games such as Genshin Impact remain stable with manageable thermals. That said, given the smaller screen size, it wouldn’t be surprising if many users don’t turn to this phone as their primary gaming device. Still, when needed, it can game without issue.
Battery life is undoubtedly one of the phone’s strengths. Despite the smaller footprint, endurance is solid and reliable, comfortably getting through a full day of usage without anxiety.

Finally, OPPO’s promise of five major Android updates and six years of security patches adds meaningful long-term confidence, reinforcing the Reno15 Pro Mini’s appeal beyond just its compact size.

Camera

One of the most welcome surprises with the Reno15 Pro Mini is that OPPO hasn’t compromised on camera hardware compared to the regular Reno15 Pro. The Mini carries over the same setup, which immediately makes it far more interesting than the typical “smaller phone with cuts in the camera department.” In fact, for someone who wants a capable, carry-along camera-focused phone without dealing with a bulky device, this is easy to recommend.

On paper, the setup looks strong: a 200MP main sensor, a 3.5X telephoto, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a very capable 50MP front camera. In real-world use, the output is largely very good, occasionally impressive, and at times held back more by software than hardware.

The main camera consistently delivers sharp images with good detail and reliable dynamic range, especially when shooting in the 25MP mode. Low-light performance is solid, though consistency across lenses could be better. Portrait mode is a clear highlight here—edge detection is clean, background separation looks natural, and the ability to zoom smoothly up to 3.5X adds flexibility that most phones in this size category simply don’t offer.

The telephoto lens works well for portraits and mid-range zoom, but the lack of a tele-macro mode feels like a missed opportunity. Colour matching between lenses isn’t always perfectly consistent either. The ultra-wide camera performs decently in daylight, but it does struggle with HDR in high-contrast scenes.

Where the camera system falls short is video. For a phone at this price, the limitations are noticeable there’s no Pro Video mode, no LOG recording, and no RAW photo support. These omissions prevent the hardware from being pushed to its full potential, which is disappointing given how capable the sensors themselves are.

Verdict

The OPPO Reno15 Pro Mini gets the fundamentals right excellent build quality, a genuinely comfortable compact design, strong battery life, and no compromises on camera hardware compared to the regular Pro. Performance is dependable, the display is high quality despite its size, and long-term software support adds confidence. However, the lack of LTPO, limited video capabilities, and the presence of system ads feel hard to justify at this price. If you want a compact, camera-first phone that’s easy to live with day to day, the Reno15 Pro Mini makes a strong case. Just be aware that it asks you to accept a few flagship omissions in return for its size.