Last year, OnePlus claimed that combining a 2K display with a 165Hz refresh rate was simply not possible. OnePlus China President Li Jie explained that no display manufacturer had yet managed to produce a 2K OLED screen capable of sustaining 165Hz, and that 1.5K was the only feasible option.
The OnePlus 15 launched with that compromise. It has a 1.5K panel at 165Hz, and the company called it the industry’s best available solution at the time.
But iQOO might change that narrative entirely.
iQOO Neo 12 could be world’s first to debut 2K 165Hz screen
Reliable Chinese tech leaker Digital Chat Station now claims that the upcoming Neo 12 is confirmed to feature a 2K display running at 165Hz. Even more, the device could pair 2K resolution with an 185Hz refresh rate.
To understand why this is such a big deal, a little context helps. Right now, the best mass-produced 2K screens on the market max out at 144Hz. Anything higher comes at the cost of resolution, which is exactly the trade-off OnePlus made.
OnePlus stated that “due to limitations in luminescent materials and circuit technology, the industry is currently unable to achieve the 165Hz + 2K specifications simultaneously.”
However, iQOO seems to have the engineering to back it up now.
According to the leak, the Neo 12’s R&D team is not just targeting 165Hz. They’re reportedly experimenting with an even more extreme 185Hz tuning mode. Not that it would be the first 185Hz phone. Asus’ 2024 ROG Phone 9 Pro has an 185Hz refresh rate, but it only has a 1080p resolution.
iQOO pairing 185Hz and 2K will be the screen benchmark, at least for gaming phones, of 2026. In fast-paced titles like tactical shooters, a higher refresh rate means smoother aiming, cleaner enemy tracking, and a tear-free screen even during rapid movement.
On the hardware side, the Neo 12 is expected to come powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. An official launch is expected in the second half of 2025.
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