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ZDNET Highlights
- The OnePlus 15 is launching in China soon, and most of the specifications may be brought to the US.
- Rumors point to a much larger battery, better display, and better cameras.
- A possible global launch could happen soon, with a tentative date in mid-November.
The OnePlus 13 was already one of this year’s most underrated and best value for money flagships.
Its successor aims to continue the tradition by offering flagship performance at a more affordable price. While the OnePlus 15 is still a few weeks away from arriving, it is all set to launch in China next week.
Too: I test dozens of Android phones every year: How’s the Google Pixel 10 Pro
Ahead of the launch, the company has confirmed a number of specifications, which look promising. If we go by what we know so far, the OnePlus 15 could put other flagship phones to shame.
OnePlus 15 will have a completely new design
Although this has been a trend recently, upcoming OnePlus phones will likely No Look like its predecessor. From the redesigned camera module to the new finish on the back, this will be nothing like the OnePlus 13. So far, OnePlus has shared several images of its next flagship phone along with a new “Sand Storm” color variant.
The OnePlus 15 camera module will borrow design elements from the Asia-exclusive OnePlus 13T. While the publicly shared images suggest that its Sand Storm variant will feature a textured finish for better grip. I loved the faux leather back of the OnePlus 13 and was hoping the company would stick with it, but the new version looks great too. I just hope it has a fingerprint-resistant coating to some capacity.
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OnePlus has also confirmed that the upcoming model will have a fiberglass back, housed in a ceramic-coated metal frame. It’s said to be even tougher than aluminum or titanium, two materials commonly found in competing handsets. The upcoming OnePlus phone will also get a customizable Plus key, which will sit in the same spot as the action button on the iPhone, allowing users to set quick-press shortcuts.
Smoothest performance ever?
The OnePlus 13 already has one of my favorite smartphone screens, thanks to its high brightness levels and AquaTouch feature. Its successor is said to get an even higher refresh rate, thinner bezels, and a more immersive content consumption experience.
According to the teaser shared by the company, the OnePlus 15 will have 1.15mm thin symmetrical bezels all around – which is even thinner than the iPhone 17 Pro. It is confirmed to sport a 165Hz refresh rate – a feature we have seen on LCD-equipped smartphones. However, it will be one of the first mainstream flagship phones to feature a 165Hz OLED panel.
Too: The OnePlus 13 is at a new low price at Best Buy
OnePlus has co-developed a new X3 luminescent material with BOE, which is claimed to provide a 13% improvement in high brightness mode (HBM) and an 11.8% increase in color accuracy. It is also said to reduce power consumption by 10% and offer 30% longer lifespan compared to the previous generation.
The company is touting the OnePlus 15 as the first Android device to support true hardware-level 1-nit minimum brightness, certified by TUV Rhineland Smart Eye Protection 5.0 Gold. It remains to be seen whether these figures will pay off in real life, but the display specs look promising.
These battery numbers are going wild
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The OnePlus 15 will be powered by Qualcomm’s most powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, which promises better video performance, efficiency gains, and better on-device personalized AI features. This processor is claimed to provide up to 25% performance boost in single-core workloads and up to 20% performance in multi-core scenarios.
While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is said to be more efficient than before, OnePlus is also pairing it with a larger battery in its next flagship phone. The OnePlus 15 will likely pack a 7,300mAh battery that will support 120W Super Flash Charging and 50W Wireless Flash Charging.
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These battery and fast charging numbers are industry-leading. For reference, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a mere 5,000mAh battery while the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL comes equipped with a 5,200mAh capacity. If the rumors are true, the OnePlus 15 is likely to last more than a day on a single charge.
the biggest question mark
After years of partnering with Hasselblad to refine the color tuning of OnePlus cameras, the partnership ended this September. In its place, the OnePlus 15 will be replaced by the OnePlus DetailMax Engine, which is designed “not only to capture the world but to reveal it in completely realistic and vivid ways,” according to OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau.
The new OnePlus camera processing is said to be “designed from the ground up to deliver the clearest and most realistic photos on a smartphone, harnessing the full potential of computational imaging to render scenes as they truly are, without over-beautification or distortion.” “As soon as you zoom in on a photo, you’ll understand why I’m sure you’ll love the results,” he said on his Weibo post.
When will OnePlus 15 launch?
The OnePlus 15 is confirmed to launch in China on October 27 alongside the region-exclusive OnePlus Ace 6. It will be unveiled at an event starting at 7 pm Beijing time (7 am ET). There’s no word yet on a global launch and availability, but leaks suggest the OnePlus 15 could hit international markets in mid-November – two months before the OnePlus 13. Stay tuned to ZDNET for latest updates.
