13 January, 2026 | 15:53 IST
Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Redmi, recently introduced the Redmi 15C 5G, positioned in the entry-level category, featuring a large display, long battery life, and reliable performance. It is also a promising device for users looking to upgrade from older 4G devices, prioritising essential features and durability with fast 5G-ready connectivity. On paper, this budget smartphone has plenty going for it. But how well do these hardware perks translate into real-world usage? Let’s find that out in our detailed review of the Redmi 15C 5G.
Redmi 15C 5G: Display and design
With its large 6.9-inch display, the Redmi 15C is very well-suited for media consumption. Watching movies, streaming shows, and scrolling through YouTube videos feels comfortable thanks to the generous screen size. The phone’s volume booster mode also helps deliver surprisingly loud output from the single bottom-firing speaker. However, the panel's HD+ resolution and lower brightness under direct sunlight remind you of its budget positioning.
Thankfully, the inclusion of a 120Hz refresh rate support ensures smooth scrolling with faster animations, which overall makes the experience satisfactory. Hence, if your priority is to watch content or just want to use the screen as much as possible, the Redmi 15C 5G makes sense. However, the lower text sharpness and outdoor visibility are definitely some of its shortcomings.
Redmi 15C
At around 211 grams, the phone is definitely not light. However, the weight distribution is quite adequate, and the 8.2mm thickness makes the phone feel less bulky in the hand. Moreover, the square-rounded camera module keeps things clean and minimalistic at the back, and the phone feels more expensive than it actually is. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor embedded in the lock button. It’s also nice to see a proper 3.5mm headphone jack, which is rare to find these days.
The back has a smooth, glass-like finish and shines courtesy of the sparkle design, making the device stand out. However, because of its glossy panel, it attracts a lot of fingerprints and smudges when used without a cover. The Redmi 15C 5G is also built to survive water splashes and light rain with its IP64 rating, a big improvement over the IP53 certification on its predecessor.
Redmi 15C 5G: Performance
The Redmi 15C 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, which is also found in other competing budget smartphones. On Geekbench, the phone scored close to 725 points in single-core and 1,950 points in multi-core tests. Meanwhile, on AnTuTu, the phone managed to get a score of 6 lakh points, which is in line with most phones powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300.
The phone has UFS 2.2 storage support, which ensures that the apps installed open fairly quickly, and multitasking is also handy enough. However, for those who like to do a bit of gaming, the phone certainly disappoints here, with the Redmi 15C 5G struggling to even reach 30fps in BGMI. Thankfully, the temperatures are well under control even if you game for more than 30 minutes or close to an hour. Overall, for daily use, the phone can be used without any issues. However, for heavy tasks and gaming, there are certainly better alternatives in this price range.
Redmi 15C 5G: Camera
The Redmi 15C 5G gets a single 50MP camera, which does a fine job, especially during daylight. The phone can deliver some good shots with bright colour output. However, the images mostly appear to be a bit more saturated and look closer to natural, compared to other competing devices. The Dynamic range is also limited, and low-light photography quickly exposes the sensor's weaknesses, with hazy or noisy output. Thankfully, with the Night mode enabled, the Redmi 15C 5G manages to bring out better detail.
Redmi 15C
If we talk about the 8MP front camera, the edge detection in Portrait mode is good enough for a budget phone, but the images appear too sharp sometimes. At night, the skin tones are inconsistent, and the phone does a decent job of controlling background light flares. Video recording from both cameras is restricted to 1080p (Full HD) at 30fps. Sadly, there is no OIS support, and the recorded footage mostly appears shaky if the hands are not stable.
Redmi 15C 5G: Battery and OS
The Redmi 15C 5G packs a large 6,000mAh battery, which can comfortably last a full day with daily activities such as video streaming, gaming, and social media browsing. The handset might last over a day, too, if you are a light user. The phone ships with a 33W charger in the box, which can charge the phone from 20 to 100% in about an hour. The phone also has support for reverse wired charging at 10W, allowing you to top up your accessories or even another phone.
If we talk about its software, the built-in HyperOS 2, based on Android 15, comes with lots of customisation options alongside some nifty AI features. Redmi promises 2 years of OS updates and 4 years of security patches, which means the phone will get multiple updates in the near future. However, the phone comes preinstalled with over a dozen third-party apps, which take some time to uninstall, while booting up.
Redmi 15C 5G: Verdict
The Redmi 15C 5G is a promising budget device if you want a phone with a good battery life for long hours of social media or content consumption. Its large 6.9-inch display, smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and the big 6,000 mAh battery make it an ideal option for media consumption and all-day usage. Performance is also adequate for everyday tasks, and the design looks more premium than its competitors.
However, it also has a few compromises. The HD+ LCD display feels dated compared to other phones in this price range, which come with an AMOLED screen. The cameras are also serviceable, but struggle especially in low light. The software experience is also cluttered with unnecessary notifications, ruining the overall experience. Overall, the Redmi 15C 5G is a sensible smartphone for users who prioritise screen size and battery life in this budget category of sub-Rs 15,000.
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