Samsung Galaxy M15 5G smartphone review – AMOLED, a wide-angle camera and a huge battery for under US$200

Please note: We have updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.

Samsung's Galaxy M series is exclusively available online and it seems to have been neglected a little by the manufacturer as on some Samsung sites, such as in the US, the latest devices aren't even listed. You can at least order them from various other online retailers and they are certainly worth taking a look at—this includes the Galaxy M 15 5G which we will be discussing today. If you are expecting a carbon copy of the Galaxy A15 5G, then you've got the wrong idea—even if there are, of course, some similarities.

The phone features the exact same width and length, whereas the Samsung Galaxy M15 5G is a little thicker because it is fitted with a larger battery. This also adds a little bit of extra weight—at 217 grams, this is the heaviest phone within the comparison field. Even so, it still feels comfortable to hold.

Its edges are nicely rounded and its design looks great. You can get the back and frame in the colors light blue, dark blue and gray. The back is smooth but there is a pattern underneath the transparent top layer that refracts the light and is reminiscent of a disco ball.

The case isn't protected against water and dust. Still, it has been constructed well, you can't twist it using a normal amount of force and it doesn't make any creaking noises. You can, however, feel the material transition between the back and the frame ever so slightly

There are two versions of the phone available: one with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage and another with 6 GB RAM. NFC is on board, which lets you use the smartphone for mobile payment processes. If you enjoy using analogue headphones, then you can look forward to its 3.5-mm jack.

Unfortunately, it doesn't support eSIMs and if you'd like to insert a microSD card, then you'll have to give up one of the two SIM card slots. The microSD card reader achieved class-average speeds in our test using the Angelbird V60 as a reference card. Data transfers are therefore possible at a decent speed.

The Samsung Galaxy M15 5G comes with WiFi 5 and during our test with the Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000 reference router, it achieved very stable data throughput rates that are usual for the technology: We noted values around 350 MBit/s. Although this isn't quite enough to make use of a gigabit internet line, you can still transfer data pretty quickly.

The Galaxy M15 is a 5G phone and it also supports quite a few frequencies of the fastest current mobile communications standard. This means you should be able to connect to the 5G or 4G network in many countries. However, the Galaxy M15 is not a true world phone, so you should research this before you travel if you want to use mobile internet locally.

Samsung's OneUI 6.1 is preinstalled as an operating system, which is based on Android 14. The manufacturer has taken its own route in many areas, so users used to stock Android may take a while to get used to it. All-in-all, the operating system is super modern and easy to use. We like that the manufacturer has promised 4 years of new operating system versions and up to 5 years of security patches. This also had a positive effect on our sustainability rating.

Speaking of sustainability: Samsung states that the CO2 equivalents generated during the phone's production are 33.9 kg, which is a relatively low and, as a result, good value. As no charger is included, the packaging is smaller and lighter, so fewer emissions are produced during transportation. The box is printed using soy ink and Samsung no longer uses plastic for its packaging.

Thanks to its 90 Hz screen, the phone responds very quickly to inputs and the touchscreen is very sensitive right into the corners and along the edges. If you want to unlock your smartphone using your fingerprint, then you need to place your finger on the standby button, as this is where the sensor is hidden. The phone is unlocked very quickly and reliably once prints have been saved. It can also be unlocked using facial recognition, which works just as reliably. In dark environments, the brightness of the screen is usually sufficient to enable recognition.

Thanks to Xiaomi and Samsung, OLED displays can now also be found in the relatively cheap smartphone classes. The Galaxy M15 5G is no exception to this, but its 6.5-inch AMOLED display is a little smaller than on phones made by other manufacturers. During our test, we measured a maximum brightness of 680 cd/m² when depicting a full white screen. When showing smaller areas, we noted up to 768 cd/m², which about corresponds to the maximum value indicated by the manufacturer 

It is a 90-Hz display which can be throttled to 60 Hz if lower power consumption is required—but fewer frames per second are not possible. During our measurements with the spectral photometer and the CalMAN software, we noted a relatively precise color reproduction and differences compared to the color space's reference value can't be seen by the naked eye.

We measured PWM flickering at about 360 Hz with an amplitude of approximately 15 %. As a result, you should try out the display before purchasing the device if you have reacted sensitively to flickering displays in the past.

Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings

Samsung has made use of an SoC that is commonly seen within this price class, namely the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+, and it delivers comparatively good performance. Even so, you won't be able to avoid the odd dropped frame or long waiting times during simple, everyday use.

You also shouldn't expect too much from its graphics performance. However, if you lower the detail settings, then most mobile games should run okay. When it comes to AI calculations, you should probably reach for a different SoC, as the Dimensity 6100+ only offers basic capabilities and is not all that fast.

Although you can feel its case heat up under permanent load—we measured up to 43.8°C—this isn't problematic. We didn't note any throttling during the long-term benchmarks of 3DMark.

The mono speaker on the bottom edge offers clear vocal reproduction and a decent volume. The speaker doesn't distort sound even at high volumes. Nevertheless, music and movie sound always sound a little weak-chested due to its lack of low mids and bass. For those who prefer to connect headphones or speakers, there is a 3.5 mm jack connection or Bluetooth 5.3. Only the bare minimum in terms of audio codecs are supported for wireless playback: Samsung's own SSC, as well as SBC, aptX, LDAC and AAC.

With its 6,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy M15 5G features around 1,000 mAh more than is usual for this price range. This enabled runtimes of 19:04 hours in our WLAN test and even 2 days of normal use shouldn't be a problem for the phone. Its powerful battery can be charged at up to 25 watts, which takes a maximum of 2:45 hours.

At the time of writing, the Samsung Galaxy M15 5G is not yet available to purchase in the United States. Its MRSP is just under US$200.

Please note: We have updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.