The OnePlus 15, which debuted last year, is the only flagship smartphone to feature an OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. Reports suggest that the OnePlus 16, which is expected to arrive later this year, could push the refresh rate even higher to 185Hz. Now, a new Weibo post from tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that OnePlus may already be considering an even more ambitious display upgrade for future devices.
OnePlus continues to prioritize ultra-high refresh rates
According to the tipster’s post, OnePlus is expected to continue using 1.5K displays across its next-generation flagship smartphone lineup. The company is reportedly prioritizing ultra-high refresh rates, with plans to move from 165Hz to 185Hz and potentially up to 240Hz in future devices.
The tipster added that if 2K panels become capable of supporting such extremely high refresh rates without major compromises in power efficiency, performance or display quality, OnePlus could consider returning to 2K displays in future flagship models.
So far, 2K OLED panels on smartphones have generally topped out at 144Hz refresh rates. While the OnePlus 16 is expected to offer a 1.5K resolution and 185Hz refresh rate combination, it remains to be seen whether the OnePlus 17, which could arrive in 2027, may introduce a 2K + 185Hz or even a 2K + 240Hz display.
While such high refresh rates sound impressive on paper, they could be overkill for many users. In everyday tasks such as browsing, social media, video streaming and messaging, most people are unlikely to notice a significant difference compared to a standard 120Hz display.
However, the benefits could become more apparent in high-end gaming, where supported titles may deliver smoother animations, lower perceived input latency and more responsive gameplay, especially in fast-paced competitive genres such as first-person shooters and racing games.
As far as rival brands are concerned, OnePlus 16 competitors such as the Redmi K100 Pro series and iQOO 16 arriving later this year are also expected to feature refresh rates of up to 185Hz. With smartphone makers increasingly focusing on gaming and display performance, the race for higher refresh rates appears far from over.
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories! 💡
Comments