A Just-Launched 1,199 Yuan Smartphone Clearly Targeting Redmi

September was expected to be Apple’s spotlight, but challengers refuse to back down. Yesterday Meizu 22 grabbed attention right on the heels of Xiaomi 17’s launch, and today it’s Realme’s turn. The brand has just unveiled its brand-new Realme 15 series, aimed squarely at the competitive mid-range market. This generation comes in three models: Realme 15T, Realme 15, and Realme 15 Pro. While Realme had built its reputation in recent years with “periscope zoom at a thousand yuan,” this lineup introduces a number of notable changes. Launch prices are set at ¥1,199 for the 15T, ¥1,699 for the 15, and ¥1,999 for the 15 Pro. The Realme 15 Pro departs from its signature centered circular camera Deco, opting instead for a left-aligned rectangular module reminiscent of the iPhone Pro series. The camera housing is covered with a seamless transparent glass panel and retains Realme’s signature “Awakening Halo” flash. It comes in two finishes: Flowing White with a gradient shimmer pattern (each unit unique in texture), and Twilight Green with a soft-touch velvet-like coating. Impressively slim at 7.79mm and just 187g, the device feels refined in hand. On the front, the Pro adopts a deeply curved 6.8-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel (BOE Sky Screen) with 144Hz refresh rate, 6,500 nits peak brightness, and 4,608Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. Camera-wise, Realme has removed the hallmark periscope telephoto. Instead, the phone carries a 50MP IMX896 main sensor + ultra-wide dual-camera setup, alongside an upgraded 50MP selfie camera. Thanks to joint tuning with Qualcomm, all three cameras now support 4K60fps video recording, a standout improvement. Performance is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, paired with UFS 3.1 storage + LPDDR4X RAM. Benchmark scores surpass the 7s Gen 4 but trail the 7+ Gen 3. Despite the slim profile, Realme packed in a massive 7,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging. Other highlights include triple-certified IP66/IP68/IP69 water resistance, Crystal Armor glass protection, and full-featured NFC. The Pro comes in two variants: 12GB+256GB at ¥1,999 and 16GB+512GB at ¥2,699. The standard Realme 15 retains much of the Pro’s design but switches to a flat 6.77-inch 1.5K display with 144Hz refresh rate, 3,840Hz PWM dimming, and 4,500 nits peak brightness. It swaps the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 for a Dimensity 7300+ processor, but compensates with a dedicated gaming GPU chip. The ultra-wide camera steps down to 8MP, while the main camera remains robust. It shares the Pro’s 7,000mAh battery + 80W charging and triple-grade water resistance. Prices are ¥1,699 for 8GB+256GB and ¥1,999 for 16GB+256GB. Finally, the Realme 15T, positioned as the entry-level option, might just be the most attractive of the lineup. With a design strongly reminiscent of the iPhone, it features a 6.57-inch flat display with 120Hz refresh rate and 1,000 nits brightness. It runs on the Dimensity 6400 Max, houses the same 7,000mAh battery with 60W fast charging, and features a 50MP main camera. It also retains the IP66/IP68/IP69 water resistance, with a premium metal-finished Deco. Prices start at ¥1,199 for 8GB+128GB, ¥1,499 for 8GB+256GB, ¥1,599 for 12GB+256GB, and ¥1,799 for 12GB+512GB. As the last player to enter this wave of mid-range releases, Realme has reshuffled its strategy. While the 15T clearly delivers strong value, the 15 and 15 Pro appear less aggressive compared to rivals like Honor X70 or Redmi Note 15 Pro. At launch, Realme isn’t quite the “price butcher” it used to be—but with Double 11 sales around the corner, these devices may soon become a much stronger proposition for value seekers.