Wednesday, October 22, 2025
HomeReviewOnePlus 15: Everything you need to know so far

OnePlus 15: Everything you need to know so far

OnePlus was once renowned for its ‘flagship killer’ smartphones, but in recent years, the firm has demonstrated that it can also produce superb high-end handsets.

Its most recent attempt, the OnePlus 13, gave a remarkable competition with excellent performance, long battery life, and a smooth, AI-infused software experience. As our guide to the greatest phones you can buy demonstrates, it’s unquestionably one of the best cellphones available.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 13R is a solid mid-range handset that offers a shockingly high-end experience at a lower price.

However, emphasis has swiftly turned to the next generation. Because the number 4 is considered unlucky in OnePlus’ home country of China, the business skipped right to 15.

From everything we’ve seen so far, the OnePlus 15 has the potential to be one of the best phones of the year, but we won’t know for sure until we get our hands on one and put it to the test. Before that day arrives, here’s what we know so far about OnePlus’ next major phone.

When will the OnePlus 15 be released?

Based on prior generations, the OnePlus 15 series is expected to appear in China first, followed by a global launch a few months later.

That appears to be the case, but we now know that the OnePlus 15 will be unveiled on October 27th, according to the company’s Weibo announcement.

Because the announcement was kept to Weibo and is thus entirely written in Mandarin, it appears that the October date will only apply to the Chinese launch of the phone, with no official word yet on when OnePlus fans in the West can expect to get their hands on the new device.

For background, the OnePlus 13 was released in China on November 1, 2024, before making its way to Western shores in January 2025.

If OnePlus follows a similar release approach, the OnePlus 15 may not be available in the UK, US, or Europe until 2026, but there are indications that this will alter for this generation.

There are three colorways available for the launch: Original Sand Dune, Absolute Black, and the more fashionable Misty Purple. All three have a tone that is extremely different from what we’ve seen from OnePlus in the past, which helps to convey the sense that the OnePlus 15 is intended to take the brand in a new path.

OnePlus also revealed that the OnePlus Ace 6 would be released with the OnePlus 15, serving as a more inexpensive flagship option. If the Ace 6 ever reaches it over here, it will most likely be known as the OnePlus 15R.

How much will the OnePlus 15 cost?

In summary

No pricing rumours yet
OnePlus 13 started at £899/$899, while 13R was from £679/$599.99
Likely to be similar this time around

At this time, no clear data about the OnePlus 15’s price are available. However, the current phone prices in the UK and US serve as a handy guide:
  • OnePlus 13, 256GB storage – £899/$899
  • OnePlus 13, 512GB storage – £999/$999
  • OnePlus 13R, 256GB storage – £679/$599.99

Unless there are wholesale changes, it’s likely to remain around the same, but that’s only speculation at this stage. Make no mistake, we’re looking at premium phones here.

What specs and features will the OnePlus 15 have?

The OnePlus 15 series is not likely to be available in the UK or the United States for several months. However, with a Chinese launch coming far sooner, some critical specifications and features have leaked. Here’s what we expect from the flagship phone.

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset
  • 6.8-inch, 1.5K flat OLED display with 165Hz refresh rate
  • 50Mp triple rear cameras, including 3x periscope telephoto
  • 7300mAh battery
  • Potentially 120W charging
  • New rear camera design
  • 211-215g weight
  • Original Sand Dune, Absolute Black and Misty Purple models

There is lots to talk about. The OnePlus 15 has been revealed as one of the first phones to receive Qualcomm’s new flagship chipset, behind only the Xiaomi 17 series so far.

If the reports are real, the phone will have a little smaller display than the 13 (6.82 inches), a lower resolution than 1440p, and a flat rather than curved design. Whether this is an improvement or a degradation will depend on the individual.

However, OnePlus has now announced that the display will have a 165Hz refresh rate, up from 120Hz. It will be the joint-highest number we’ve ever seen on a phone.

The phone’s rear could also appear drastically different, with the 13’s huge circular camera module being replaced by “a small square matrix in the upper left corner”. The first leaked photos of the OnePlus 15 seem to confirm this:

Absolute Black, Mist Purple, and Dune are purportedly the colours revealed from left to right. The latter is the only one with a titanium frame, which should make it 211g – 4g lighter than the other two models.

However, OnePlus itself has already released the rear design, which appears slightly different:

We also know that the rumored Dune model is called Sand Storm, and OnePlus describes it as “the first smartphone in the industry to bring aerospace-grade Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) to the middle frame of the smartphone and camera deco.”

This is said to increase the phone’s hardness by 3.4 times when compared to raw aluminum and 1.3 times that of titanium. The back of the phone has a ‘feather-light’ fibre-glass panel with a smooth feel.

While the 50Mp main, 50Mp ultrawide, and 32Mp selfie cameras may remain intact, the 50Mp 3x telephoto is expected to include an updated periscope lens, which could increase zoom performance. However, OnePlus has ended its relationship with Hasselblad in favor of developing its own unique camera system known as the ‘DetailMax Engine’.

The President of OnePlus China has announced that the 15 will have a triple 50Mp camera system with “LUMO Condensed Light Imaging,” for “pursuing not just clarity, but the depth of light and shadow, the vitality of color.”

He also mentioned that the telephoto camera will have a 3.5x optical zoom, equivalent to an 85mm prime lens. Other camera specifications and features include a ‘Super Perception Imaging Engine’, Pro XDR compatibility, full-focus HD output, 4K/120fps Dolby Vision, and live photos.

And how much better could battery life become? The OnePlus 13’s 6000mAh battery already lasts a long time, but a report says that its successor could raise it to 7300mAh, at least in China. Charging could potentially go from 100W to 120W.

Plenty has also been rumoured regarding the OnePlus 15R:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset (confirmed)
  • 1.5K flat OLED display with 165Hz refresh rate
  • Triple rear cameras (main, ultrawide, telephoto – unclear if upgraded)
  • Battery 7000mAh or higher
  • Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor
  • IP68/IP69 rating (possible)
  • Metal frame (possible)

Moving to what will soon be the previous-generation Qualcomm flagship chip is a wise decision that almost ensures outstanding performance. There will also be an updated and thinner Glacier cooling system with a larger vapour chamber and tearable steel walls for heat dispersion.

The 13R’s 6000mAh battery is great enough, but increasing it to 7000mAh might take it to the next level.

Bumping the refresh rate from 120 to 165Hz and replacing the optical under-display fingerprint sensor with a better ultrasonic one are also good improvements.

OnePlus 15

However, there is a lot of ambiguity about the cameras on both phones, especially since OnePlus has acknowledged that its Hasselblad cooperation has terminated. It’s been a standard feature of flagship OnePlus phones since the OnePlus 9 in 2021, thus it’s unclear how this would influence overall camera performance.

OnePlus claims that the ‘DetailMax Engine’ that will replace it will be capable of “delivering unmatched depth and realism,” with CEO Pete Lau stating that it will provide the “clearest and most real photos on a smartphone.”

While no sources have confirmed it, the OnePlus 15 series phones are expected to launch with OxygenOS 16, which is based on Android 16. Will OnePlus improve on its promise of four years of OS upgrades and six years of security patches, though? It remains to be seen.

 

Achraf Grini
Achraf Grini
Hello This is AG. I am a Tech lover and I have long been a promoter and editor for a shopping company, I have followed smartphones and headphones and others. I covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.
RELATED ARTICLES

Leave A Reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Recent Comments