The smartphone world is abuzz as the highly anticipated OnePlus 15 makes its official debut in global markets. Positioned as one of the very first devices outside of China to be powered by the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, the phone promises a new era of flagship performance. Early impressions praised its solid build, vibrant display, and capable speakers. However, a new, in-depth video review has surfaced, revealing a potential chink in the armor: the device struggled significantly in a continuous stress test, leading to overheating and a system crash.
The revealing footage comes from the popular YouTube channel Max Tech, which is known for its rigorous and often brutal performance comparisons. In their latest video, they pit the new OnePlus 15 against Apple’s current champion, the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
A Strong First Impression, But the Real Test is Sustainability
The initial outlook for the OnePlus 15 was positive. The host noted that in terms of general feel and initial synthetic benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset held its ground admirably. The phone was described as a "solid flagship" with no immediate red flags, setting the stage for a tight competition.
The turning point came during the sustained performance stress test, a crucial metric for power users and gamers who push their devices for extended periods. The OnePlus 15 was put through the wringer with 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, a benchmark designed to push the GPU to its limits over a longer duration.
The result was clear and concerning: the OnePlus 15 overheated and crashed, failing to complete the test.
In a telling contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, powered by Apple's latest A-series chip, completed the same grueling test without any hiccups. The video shows that to manage the escalating temperatures, the OnePlus 15’s software took drastic measures, automatically disabling non-essential features like the mobile hotspot and camera flashlight to prevent a further temperature rise.
Thermal Imaging Reveals the Core of the Problem
To visually demonstrate the issue, Max Tech used a thermal camera. The readings were stark. The OnePlus 15 reached a scorching peak temperature of 52° C (125° F). The thermal footage also highlighted another problem: poor heat distribution. The heat was concentrated in a specific "hotspot" on the device instead of being spread evenly across its body, which can lead to an uncomfortable user experience.
For comparison, the thermal camera showed the iPhone 17 Pro Max peaking at a much lower 40° C (104° F), and its chassis did a far better job of dissipating the heat uniformly.
Of course, it's important to view this in context. This level of overheating was specific to an extreme, continuous benchmark. In other parts of the test, such as standard gaming sessions, the OnePlus 15 performed well and maintained more reasonable temperatures. This suggests that for typical, intermittent use, the phone's performance is likely to be perfectly fine for most users.
You can see the entire dramatic stress test and performance deep-dive in the full video from Max Tech right here.
What This Means for Potential OnePlus 15 Buyers
This revelation presents a nuanced picture for consumers. The OnePlus 15 is undoubtedly a powerful phone that brings the latest Snapdragon silicon to a global audience. For everyday tasks, social media, photography, and even most gaming sessions, it will likely excel.
However, for the power user—the hardcore mobile gamer, the 8K video editor, or anyone who demands peak performance for prolonged periods—this thermal throttling issue is a significant caveat. It indicates that the current cooling solution in the OnePlus 15 may not be fully optimized to handle the sustained peak output of the mighty Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.
Some enthusiasts might even look towards external cooling solutions, like the popular Black Shark FunCooler 5 Neo (currently available on Amazon), to mitigate such issues during intense gaming marathons.
The global launch of the OnePlus 15 is a major event, but as with any new technology, the real-world performance can be complex. It boasts incredible peak power but seems to trade blows with the competition when it comes to long-term stamina. For now, it stands as a powerful, yet potentially hot-blooded, new contender in the flagship arena.