OnePlus 15R and Pixel 10 Series See New Price Cuts in UK Deals

The UK mobile market is seeing a fresh wave of price adjustments, with two flagship contenders making moves that could influence your next purchase decision. The OnePlus 15R, which only recently launched, is already seeing its price drop further, while Google's Pixel 10 series is now available with a significant £100 discount applied at checkout. These aren't just simple markdowns; they shift the competitive landscape, pitting value-focused hardware against ecosystem-specific strengths.

OnePlus 15R vs. Poco F8 Ultra: A Battle of Compromises

Just last week, the OnePlus 15R 512GB model received a £100 discount, making it more affordable than the 256GB version at its original price. Now, an additional £20 off at checkout sweetens the deal further. With this combined discount, the 15R is now £40 cheaper than the Poco F8 Ultra, a phone that shares a similar market position but with a different set of priorities.

The choice between these two boils down to what you value most: raw processing power and camera versatility, or battery endurance and a cleaner software experience.

Poco F8 Ultra Advantages:

• Chipset: Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it holds a performance edge over the OnePlus 15R's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. In practical terms, this means better gaming performance and more headroom for intensive tasks.
• Camera System: The Poco boasts a superior setup. It features a larger 50MP main sensor (1/1.31") compared to the OnePlus's 1/1.56" sensor, a higher-resolution 50MP ultra-wide (vs. 8MP), and a dedicated 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens. The OnePlus 15R, by contrast, lacks a dedicated telephoto camera entirely.

OnePlus 15R Advantages:

• Battery Life: The 15R packs a massive 7,400mAh battery, significantly larger than the Poco's 6,550mAh unit. In our testing, this translated to a longer Active Use Score of 21 hours and 49 minutes versus the Poco's respectable 18 hours and 52 minutes.
• Charging & Software: While the Poco charges faster (39 minutes to full vs. 54 minutes for the OnePlus) and offers 50W wireless charging, the OnePlus provides a more streamlined, bloatware-free OxygenOS experience that many enthusiasts prefer.

Pricing:

• OnePlus 15R (12/512GB): £610 at Amazon UK
• Poco F8 Ultra (16/512GB): £650 at Amazon UK

The Budget Tier: Poco M8 Series vs. Redmi Note 15

Poco also launched its M8 and M8 Pro models, which follow a familiar strategy: offering variants of Xiaomi's Redmi Note series with different branding and minor spec adjustments.

The Poco M8 is essentially a Redmi Note 15 without its 108MP camera. It pairs a 6.77" 12-bit OLED display with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset and a 5,520mAh battery. While it includes £30 of Amazon Credit, the Redmi Note 15 itself is only £200 on Amazon UK, making it a more straightforward value proposition.

The Poco M8 Pro is a Redmi Note 15 Pro+ variant. It swaps the 200MP camera for a 50MP sensor, but gains IP68 water resistance (vs. IP65 on the standard M8), a more powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, and a larger 6,500mAh battery with 100W charging. Again, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ is only £50 more, offering the full original spec sheet.

Pricing:

• Poco M8 (8/256GB): £230 | (8/512GB): £260
• Poco M8 Pro (8/256GB): £300 | (12/512GB): £350

Google Pixel 10 Series: The Ecosystem Play Gets Cheaper

The entire Google Pixel 10 lineup—standard, Pro, and Pro XL—now features a £100 discount applied directly at checkout. This makes the Tensor G5-powered devices more accessible, though the value proposition varies significantly across the range.

Pixel 10 Pro & 10 Pro XL: Both share the same camera system: a 50MP main (1/1.31"), a 48MP 5x periscope telephoto, and a 48MP ultra-wide. The choice is between size and battery. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a larger 6.8" display, a 5,200mAh battery, and faster charging (45W wired/25W wireless) compared to the 6.3" screen, 4,870mAh battery, and 30W/15W charging of the standard Pixel 10 Pro.

Pixel 10 (Standard): This model is a more significant compromise. It shares the Tensor G5 chip and 6.3" size with the Pro but uses a lower-resolution 1080p+ non-LTPO display. The camera system is where it diverges: it gets a 10.8MP 5x telephoto for the first year (a cost-saving measure), but the main sensor is a smaller 48MP 1/2" unit, and the ultra-wide is a 13MP sensor. The battery is slightly larger at 4,970mAh, but charging speeds are the same as the Pro.

The Pixel 9 Conundrum: Even with the £100 discount, the new Pixel 10 is £200 more expensive than the Pixel 9. The older model comes with a free 45W charger. While its Tensor G4 is slower than the G5, neither chip is a performance powerhouse. More importantly, the Pixel 9 has a proper 50MP 1/1.31" main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide, though it lacks a dedicated telephoto lens. Surprisingly, the older model also has better battery life (13:05h vs. 12:08h Active Use Score), despite a smaller 4,700mAh battery, likely due to software optimization and the less demanding G4 chip.

Pricing (after £100 discount at checkout):

• Pixel 10 Pro (16/128GB): £750 | (16/256GB): £850 | (16/512GB): £1,090
• Pixel 10 Pro XL (16/256GB): £965 | (16/512GB): £1,120
• Pixel 10 (12/128GB): £600 | (12/256GB): £700
• Pixel 9 (12/128GB): £400

The Verdict: Where Does Your Money Go?

These deals highlight a classic tech purchasing dilemma: buying the latest model with incremental improvements versus opting for a previous generation or a competitor with different strengths.

• For the Power User: The Poco F8 Ultra remains the performance and camera king, but the OnePlus 15R is now a compelling, cheaper alternative with superior battery life.
• For the Budget-Conscious: The Redmi Note 15 series offers better value than the rebranded Poco M8 models, providing similar hardware for less money.
• For the Google Loyalist: The Pixel 10 Pro is the most balanced new device, but the Pixel 9 at £400 with a free charger is a smarter buy for most, offering a better camera and longer battery life for significantly less money. The Tensor G5's main advantage—advanced AI features—may not justify the premium for everyone.

Ultimately, these price drops make the market more competitive, forcing buyers to look beyond the spec sheet and consider real-world performance, battery endurance, and the long-term value of software support and ecosystem integration.

All prices and deals are accurate as of the publication date and are subject to change. Check the links for the most current information.