iQOO 15 Ultra Confirmed for February 4 Launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

iQOO has announced that the iQOO 15 Ultra will be released in China on February 4. This is the first time that the company has used the “Ultra” moniker. This is important because it’s not just a variant of the iQOO 15 with more storage. It looks like a completely different strategy altogether.

Based on the information that has been shared so far, it looks like the iQOO 15 Ultra is more focused on performance, particularly gaming, rather than being thin, having a camera with a big brand name, or having a design that is more lifestyle-oriented. This is unusual for a flagship device in a market where even high-performance devices tend to prioritize design over thermal performance.

iQOO launching an “Ultra” model

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Over the last two years, the best Android chips have gotten faster and, more importantly, much more difficult to cool. Looking back at our previous launches, most phones that deliver record-breaking performance in benchmarks tend to struggle to keep that pace as the temperatures rise during gaming or prolonged camera use.

The iQOO 15 Ultra seems to be an answer to this issue. Rather than focusing on making a slimmer device, it seems that iQOO is working on a flagship that is willing to sacrifice a thicker design in favor of performance that doesn’t degrade under heavy usage.

This is a change of philosophy, not just a new flagship series.

Design

The design of the iQOO 15 Ultra makes its priorities clear. The back of the phone has a honeycomb pattern, a large square camera housing, and a horizontal light strip that emphasizes the gaming aspect. It is more of a gaming phone than a regular flagship, but not as extreme as a true ROG or RedMagic design.

One corner of the back of the phone conceals an air intake for an active cooling fan. This is becoming more common in high-performance phones, but still a rarity in near-mainstream flagships. The compromise, naturally, is thickness and dust ingress, although details on durability are not yet available.

Active cooling

Active cooling is not about reaching higher benchmark scores. It’s about maintaining frame rates.

Most smartphones are capable of running graphically intensive games at 120fps for a few minutes. Not many can do this for 40-60 minutes without throttling. If the cooling system is properly optimized, the iQOO 15 Ultra may be able to provide better gaming performance for longer periods of time, which is what most mobile gamers are concerned about.

This is one area where real-world testing will be more important than specifications.

Chipset

The iQOO 15 Ultra is set to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, accompanied by the iQOO Q3 gaming chip. This combination of two processors is not new to flagship smartphones, where the secondary processor is responsible for handling tasks such as frame interpolation, touch response optimization, or display optimization.

In terms of gaming, this could translate to lower latency, improved frame rates, and better heat management. The company has also teased AnTuTu scores of over 4.5 million, but the actual performance is more important than the highest scores achieved.

Gaming hardware

It is here that the iQOO 15 Ultra differentiates itself from the regular flagship.

It is expected to come with pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons that have a 600Hz sampling rate, dual symmetrical speakers, a large vibration motor, and the aforementioned cooling fan. These are typically found on gaming phones.

The thing about this is that iQOO is providing these without going all out on a gaming phone design. This might appeal to consumers who want the benefits of gaming on their phone without looking like a gaming phone.

Display

As per tipster Digital Chat Station, the phone will come with a 6.85-inch flat LTPO Samsung display with a 2K resolution. Flat displays are slowly making a comeback in the gaming world because they do not register accidental touches and are easier to handle with triggers.

LTPO technology also assists with battery life by reducing the refresh rate when displaying static content. This could be a big plus on a large screen like this one.

Cameras

The camera configuration seems to be more about functionality than any sort of ambition. The iQOO 15 Ultra is rumored to come with three 50MP cameras on the back, including a 3x periscope telephoto camera, and a 32MP camera on the front.

Of course, this should be more than adequate for most users, but it is evident that cameras are not the priority here. Those who want the best in computational photography or are interested in camera branding may still want to look at Samsung, Vivo, or Xiaomi’s camera-centric flagships.

Battery and charging

The fact that the battery is over 7,000mAh is a big deal, even for 2025. With 100W fast charging and wireless charging, the iQOO 15 Ultra is clearly intended for extended gaming or streaming sessions.

Based on our experience, phones that combine large batteries with cooling systems tend to feel more stable during extended use simply because battery and heat issues are more manageable.

Where does it fit in the market?

The iQOO 15 Ultra is likely to fall in between the mainstream flagships such as Samsung Galaxy S series or Xiaomi’s flagship offerings, and the gaming flagships such as ASUS ROG or RedMagic.

This positioning is quite tricky but also quite exciting. This is for those who value performance over the camera, but also do not want a bulky device that is only meant for gaming.

For Indian consumers, this could be an exciting option if iQOO decides to launch it in India at an aggressive price point. iQOO’s previous approach to the Indian market indicates that they are likely to price it aggressively, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

If you are interested in a device that can perform well for an extended period of time, you should keep an eye on the iQOO 15 Ultra. This device appears to be designed for those who like to play intense games, multitask, or simply have a device that doesn’t slow down after 20 minutes of intense usage.

If camera capabilities and a slim form factor are of higher importance to you, this may not be the “Ultra” you are looking for. This device is clearly designed for a different type of flagship consumer. At the moment, the device has been announced for the Chinese market only. If iQOO decides to launch the device in India, it will be interesting to see if this device becomes a niche product or a viable alternative to the mainstream flagships.