OnePlus has officially unveiled the OnePlus 15 in China, featuring Android’s best chip, a 165Hz screen, and a big battery. It’s also the first OnePlus phone in years to move past the Hasselblad camera partnership. Instead, the company is introducing its own LUMO Imaging technology.
The OnePlus 15 is a spec-heavy device in most areas, but the display is clearly the star of the show. At the launch event, OnePlus spent most of its time talking about the screen — and it’s easy to see why.
A world first
OnePlus claims the 15 is the first phone in the world with a 165Hz refresh rate. To be specific, 165Hz with 1.5K resolution. And the claims are that it improves response time by 10 milliseconds and display speed by 27%.
The company is leaning into gaming to make full use of this ultra-high refresh rate. The screen supports native 165fps gameplay for popular esports titles like Call of Duty Mobile, League of Legends Mobile, and Naruto Mobile, while it is also compatible with 144Hz and 120Hz modes.
The display itself is the third-generation “Oriental Screen ” from BOE built on OnePlus’ self-developed production line. OnePlus says its display metrics surpass DisplayMate A++ standards, with hardware-level low blue light, a 1-nit true dark mode, and industry-low flicker (SVM < 0.12) for improved eye comfort. It’s also the first display to receive the new “Little Gold Label” eye-protection certification in China.
Under the Hood
The OnePlus 15 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. According to OnePlus, the SoC delivers 20% higher CPU performance, 35% lower CPU power draw, and 23% better GPU performance, all while consuming 20% less energy.
To make use of that power, OnePlus introduced what it calls a “Fengchi Gaming Core (in Chinese),” a system-level gaming optimization engine that enables sustained 165fps gameplay. The company also says it’s the first Android phone with touch-display synchronization for improved touch accuracy and consistency during long gaming sessions.
Networking performance also gets a boost from the new G2 esports network chip, which reduces latency by up to 65%, speeds up game updates by 71%, and improves video upload speeds by 42% under network congestion.
Of course, this level of performance generates heat. To manage that, the OnePlus 15 uses a “Glacier Cooling System” featuring an ultra-thin steel vapor chamber that increases liquid cooling space by 43% and doubles capillary water absorption efficiency. It also incorporates aerospace-grade supercritical aerogel to keep the phone cool to the touch.
Powering everything is a 7,300mAh battery with 120W wired and 50W wireless charging. OnePlus says a 5-minute charge gives up to 6 hours of video playback, while 13 minutes can refill 5,000mAh.
In real-world testing, the company claims the OnePlus 15 can run large FPS games at 165fps for up to 7.6 hours, stream short videos for 19 hours, or handle navigation for 12 hours straight.
The OnePlus 15 borrows a page from console gaming as it has a gyroscope of the same specifications used in the PS5 controller. Its 200Hz sampling rate improves aiming accuracy by 77% and cuts latency by 11%, claims OnePlus.
Cameras
For imaging, the OnePlus 15 debuts the LUMO Imaging System, pairing a 50MP Sony sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 3.5x optical periscope telephoto lens of the same megapixel count. The camera supports 4K 120fps Dolby video recording. There is a 32MP sensor on the front for selfies.
On the software side, it ships with ColorOS 16, offering AI tools such as automatic video summaries, AI mind mapping, and quick bill recording. The phone also supports multi-device mirroring across Mac, iPhone, smartwatch, and PC. Other features include an IP69K rating, USB 3.2 Gen 1, and dual stereo speakers.
Price and Availability
The OnePlus 15 starts at 3,999 yuan (around $560) in China and is set to go on sale beginning on October 28.
Here’s the full pricing breakdown:
- 12GB + 256GB: 3,999 CNY (~Rs 49,530 | ~$560)
- 12GB + 512GB: 4,299 CNY (~Rs 53,250 | ~$600)
- 16GB + 256GB: 4,599 CNY (~Rs 56,970 | ~$645)
- 16GB + 512GB: 4,899 CNY (~Rs 60,680 | ~$690)
- 16GB + 1TB: 5,399 CNY (~Rs 66,890 | ~$760)
The phone comes in Mist Purple, Sand Storm, and Absolute Black.
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