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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The OnePlus 15 is launching in China soon, and most specs may carry over to the US.
• Rumors point to a much larger battery, a smoother display, and improved cameras.
• A potential global launch may happen shortly after, with mid-November being the expected date.

The OnePlus 13 was already one of the most underrated and best value-for-money flagships of this year. 

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, it is all set to launch in China next week. 

Also: I test dozens of Android phones every year: How the Google Pixel 10 Pro stacks up

Ahead of the launch, the company has confirmed several specifications, which look promising. If we are to go by what we know so far, the OnePlus 15 could put other flagship phones to shame.

OnePlus 15 will feature an all-new design

While it’s been a trend lately, the upcoming OnePlus phone will likely not look like its predecessor. From a redesigned camera module to a new finish on the back, it won’t be anything like the OnePlus 13. So far, OnePlus has shared multiple 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 publicly shared images suggest that its sand storm variant will feature a textured finish for improved grip. I loved OnePlus 13’s faux leather back and was hoping for the company to stick to it, but the new version looks great, too. I just hope it has a fingerprint-resistant coating to some capacity.

Also: The best value flagship phone of 2025 is getting a sequel – but without an iconic partnership

OnePlus has also confirmed that the upcoming model will sport a fiberglass back, housed in a ceramic-coated metal frame. It is said to be tougher than either 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 a similar place as the Action Button on an iPhone, allowing users to set quick-press shortcuts.

The smoothest display yet?

The OnePlus 13 already sports 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, slimmer bezels, and a more immersive content consumption experience.

According to the teasers shared by the company, OnePlus 15 will feature 1.15mm thin symmetrical bezel on all four sides — that’s slimmer than even the iPhone 17 Pro. It is confirmed to sport a 165Hz refresh rate — a feature we have seen on LCD-equipped smartphones. However, this would be one of the first mainstream flagship phones to feature a 165Hz OLED panel.

Also: 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 deliver 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 provide a 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 TÜV Rheinland Smart Eye Protection 5.0 Gold. It remains to be seen if these numbers will translate to a real-life advantage, but the display specs seem promising.

These battery numbers are getting wild

The OnePlus 15 will be powered by Qualcomm’s most powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, which promises improved video performance, efficiency gains, and improved on-device personalized AI features. This processor is claimed to offer up to a 25% increase in single-core workloads and up to 20% in multi-core scenarios. 

While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is touted to be more efficient than before, OnePlus is also pairing it with a huge battery on its next flagship phone. The OnePlus 15 will likely sport a 7,300mAh battery with support for 120W Super Flash Charging and a 50W Wireless Flash Charging. 

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These battery and fast charging numbers are industry-leading. For reference, the Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a mere 5,000mAh battery while the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL comes equipped with a 5,200mAh capacity. If the rumored numbers are true, the OnePlus 15 is very 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 the OnePlus camera, the partnership ended this September. In its place, the OnePlus 15 will be replaced by the OnePlus DetailMax Engine, “designed not just to capture the world but to reveal it in entirely real and clear 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 real photos on a smartphone, it harnesses the full potential of computational imaging to present scenes as they truly are, without over-beautification or distortion.” On his Weibo post, he added, “The moment you zoom in on a photo, you’ll understand why I’m confident you’ll love the results.”

When will the OnePlus 15 be launched?

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 p.m. Beijing Time (7 a.m. ET). There is no word on the global launch and availability yet, but leaks suggest the OnePlus 15 could arrive in international markets as soon as mid-November — two months earlier than OnePlus 13. Stay tuned to ZDNET for the latest updates there.