The OnePlus 15R is finally here, and it's a genuinely interesting device from OnePlus. The 15R is the world's first smartphone powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. While it's a slight step down from the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it still carries several similarities with the flagship OnePlus 15, including a great display, the same software features, and a massive battery.
One of the most intriguing things about the OnePlus 15R is its water and dust resistance ratings. OnePlus claims that the 15R carries a total of four IP ratings, including IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K, which is quite uncommon, especially at this price point.
What IP69K rating actually means and why a dishwasher made sense
Before we go ahead and tell you how we tested the OnePlus 15R's durability in a dishwasher, it's important to understand what an IP69K rating on a smartphone actually means.
In ratings like IP68 or IP69, the numbers indicate the level of protection you're getting. The first digit refers to dust resistance, and the highest possible rating here is 6, which remains the same across all these certifications for the OnePlus 15R.
The second digit refers to water resistance. IP68 is the rating given to most flagship smartphones, including the iPhone 17 Pro, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It typically covers full dust resistance and protection against immersion in water for a limited period. This has to be at a depth of at least 1 metre (about 3 feet 3 inches) but some manufacturers choose to test at a greater depth.
IP69 and IP69K take things a step further. These ratings mean the product, or the OnePlus 15R in this case, is tested against far more extreme conditions. This includes high-pressure water jets and, for IP69K specifically, high-temperature water sprayed at close range. It's not something you'd encounter in daily life, but it's still a strong indicator of a device's overall durability.
And this is exactly where the dishwasher idea came from. A dishwasher creates an environment that closely mirrors IP69K testing conditions: hot water and strong directional sprays that too in a confined space.
It's (absolutely) not a controlled lab test, and it's certainly not something OnePlus recommends doing, but as a stress scenario, it felt like a fair way to push the phone beyond basic splash and dunk tests.
How I put the OnePlus 15R through a real dishwasher test
Before I tell you about the results of the test, there are a few things you need to know about the condition of the device I tested.
The OnePlus 15R I used was in regular working condition. The phone had been in daily use for about two weeks, had no prior exposure to water, no case or accessories attached, and showed no signs of physical damage. Before going into the dishwasher, everything on the phone was working perfectly fine. This included the display, speakers, cameras, battery, and charging port, with no issues or inconsistencies.
As for the test itself, I placed the phone inside a standard domestic dishwasher and ran a normal wash cycle for around 15 minutes. The phone had no protective covering and was positioned in a way that ensured it would be directly exposed to water sprays throughout the cycle.
Just to be clear again, putting a phone inside a dishwasher goes far beyond anything most users would ever do, and it's absolutely not something we recommend trying yourself!
What actually happened to the phone after the wash
Once the dishwasher cycle ended, the first thing I checked was the obvious stuff. There was no visible damage to the phone's body or build, and the display turned on immediately after I took the OnePlus 15R out. There were no touch issues, flickering, or signs that any water had made its way under the panel.
The next thing I checked was the rear cameras, and those seemed to work normally too. There were no issues like fogging on the lenses (which would indicate water within the camera) or any visible wear. The only noticeable impact, however, was on the speakers.
I played a video to check the speakers since they were the most exposed to the water during the test, and it was clear there was some water trapped inside. The sound from the speakers was a bit muffled. Thankfully, the sound returned to normal within a few minutes as the water drained out on its own.
One area where I was expecting to face issues, especially after the test, was charging. Usually, whenever smartphones are exposed to water, charging can be disabled by the phone since it can detect foreign material trapped in the port.
However, I plugged the phone in about five or six minutes after taking it out. I shook it well to remove excess water and blew air into the port, and the OnePlus 15R started charging without any warnings or interruptions. It showed the SuperVOOC 80W charging screen and charged at full speed for around 10 minutes straight without any issues, which genuinely surprised me.
Why this test should (and should not) matter to most users
All things considered, what does this dishwasher test actually tell us about the OnePlus 15R's durability and its IP69K rating? For most of you out there, this kind of test isn't something you'll ever need to think about, let alone replicate.
You should never buy a smartphone to see if it can survive a dishwasher cycle, and durability ratings slapped on by brands should never be treated as challenges to test in real life.
That said, what this test does show is a level of confidence in how the OnePlus 15R is sealed and built. This isn't a flagship smartphone from OnePlus, and yet it appears noticeably more durable than many phones that sit around the same price point.
The fact that the phone continued to work normally after being exposed to high-pressure water sprays is a solid testament to its build quality. It should be reassuring for every OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R user out there, especially when you consider that most everyday scenarios are far less extreme than this.
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