Redmi Note 15 Special vs Vivo iQOO 16
The Redmi Note 15 Special (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, while the Vivo iQOO 16 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads — 89/100 vs 54/100 (a 35-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 16 has the bigger battery (8400 mAh vs 5800); the Vivo iQOO 16 is faster in AnTuTu (5,498,720 vs 840,353); the Vivo iQOO 16 has NFC for contactless payments, the Redmi Note 15 Special doesn't; the Redmi Note 15 Special is noticeably lighter (178g vs 223g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Redmi Note 15 Special
Vivo iQOO 16
What makes Redmi Note 15 Special better?
- Lighter: 178g vs 223g
- Better portability (79/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Vivo iQOO 16 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5498720 vs 840353
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 3000
- Bigger battery: 8400 vs 5800 mAh
- Faster charging: 100W vs 45W
- Higher refresh rate: 165Hz vs 120Hz
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 55/100)
- Better camera (78/100 vs 34/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 55/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 79/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Redmi Note 15 Special vs the Vivo iQOO 16, the Vivo iQOO 16 scores 35 points higher (89/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (100/100 vs 55/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (78/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 leads (90/100 vs 55/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (100/100 vs 55/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (99/100 vs 79/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (78/100 vs 34/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (90/100 vs 55/100). In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (79/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Vivo iQOO 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 840353 | 5498720 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1013 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3000 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2392 | 1440x3168 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz | |
| Battery | 5800 mAh | 8400 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 40W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 20 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, HyperOS 3 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3200 nits | 6000 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | IP66 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 164.0×75.4×7.4 mm | 163.8×76.9×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 178 g | 223 g | |
| Launch price | — | $840 |
Camera comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Front: 20MP
Vivo iQOO 16
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2392
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Vivo iQOO 16
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3168
- Refresh rate: 165 Hz
Battery and charging
Redmi Note 15 Special
- 5800 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- No wireless charging
Vivo iQOO 16
- 8400 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 40W
Overall performance score
We compared Redmi Note 15 Special and Vivo iQOO 16, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 16 leads Redmi Note 15 Special by 84.7% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Redmi Note 15 Special
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (100/100 vs 55/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 notably outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (99/100 vs 79/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (78/100 vs 34/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special (90/100 vs 55/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Redmi Note 15 Special significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 16 (79/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 15 Special by 35 points (89/100 vs 54/100).
What is the rating of the Redmi Note 15 Special and the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Redmi Note 15 Special has a MobileRank rating of 54/100, the Vivo iQOO 16 — 89/100.
Which has the better camera: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on camera score (78/100 vs 34/100).
Which is more powerful: the Redmi Note 15 Special or the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 leads on performance (100/100 vs 55/100).
Should you choose the Redmi Note 15 Special over the Vivo iQOO 16?
The Vivo iQOO 16 is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.