OnePlus 15 Rumors: Everything We Know About the Upcoming Flagship

The OnePlus 15 is rapidly approaching its debut, and anticipation is building as October looms closer. If the company sticks to its tradition, the phone will first launch in China before making its way to international markets in early 2026. As with previous flagships, the appeal lies not only in cutting-edge features but also in competitive pricing – rumors suggest a starting price of around $899, which places it well below many rival flagships like Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the seven biggest rumors surrounding the OnePlus 15. Some are promising, others might be divisive, but together they paint a picture of one of the most intriguing smartphones of the coming year. Whether you’re planning your next upgrade or simply keeping an eye on the smartphone race, here’s what’s circulating about the OnePlus 15.

A Massive 7,000 mAh Battery With Lightning-Fast Charging

Battery life has always been a key talking point for OnePlus devices, and the OnePlus 15 is rumored to take things to a whole new level. While the OnePlus 13 packed a 6,000 mAh battery, reports suggest its successor will include a staggering 7,000 mAh cell. Some insiders claim that OnePlus could have gone as far as 8,000 mAh but opted for 7,000 to keep the device slim and ergonomic. To achieve this balance, the brand is expected to employ high-density silicon-carbon technology, a method it already utilized in the OnePlus 13.

As for charging speeds, the company isn’t holding back. The OnePlus 15 is expected to continue supporting blistering 120W wired charging alongside 50W wireless charging. For context, charging at these speeds could provide an additional day’s worth of use in mere minutes – a feature that easily outpaces many competitors. While some may argue that such speeds push battery longevity concerns, enthusiasts remain thrilled at the convenience this delivers.

Display Shake-Up: Higher Refresh Rate, Lower Resolution

Perhaps the most controversial rumor involves the display. The OnePlus 13 impressed with its 6.82-inch 2K AMOLED screen at 120Hz, but the OnePlus 15 might pivot to a slightly smaller 6.78-inch display with 1.5K resolution. In return, the refresh rate could be boosted to 165Hz, a first for the brand. Gamers in particular may find this enticing, especially since OnePlus is reportedly developing a specialized performance engine to let titles run at a full 165 frames per second, fully tapping into the new panel’s capabilities.

However, not everyone may welcome the resolution downgrade. For everyday users, the visual difference between 2K and 1.5K is noticeable when consuming media or browsing. Still, the compromise could help with battery life and heat management, making the change more practical than disappointing. Ultimately, whether this decision is celebrated or criticized will depend on how well the higher refresh rate is perceived in daily use.

Farewell to the Signature Alert Slider?

One of the hallmarks of OnePlus design has been its three-way alert slider, a simple switch that lets users toggle between silent, vibrate, and ring modes. But if leaks hold true, the OnePlus 15 might replace this fan-favorite feature with a customizable action button. The change reflects broader industry trends, with companies like Apple also moving toward reprogrammable buttons instead of fixed hardware toggles.

That said, early impressions from Oppo’s similar system suggest the new method is slower and less intuitive, requiring long presses or multiple cycles through menus instead of a quick flick. While customization is valuable, longtime fans of the OnePlus slider may see this as a loss of identity. CEO Pete Lau has framed the move as a way to give users more control, but it’s clear the transition could spark debate.

Raw Performance With Snapdragon 8 Elite 2

No flagship is complete without a powerhouse processor, and the OnePlus 15 is shaping up to impress. Rumors suggest it will debut with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (also known as Snapdragon 8 Gen 5). Built on TSMC’s 3nm process, this chip introduces the Oryon CPU architecture and is expected to deliver performance leaps of around 30% over its predecessor.

Benchmarks indicate single-core scores exceeding 4,000 and multi-core results above 11,000, which firmly positions it among the fastest mobile processors to date. GPU improvements are also notable: the Adreno 840 is said to hit clock speeds up to 1.35 GHz, promising smoother gaming and improved rendering. The chip reportedly uses a 2+6 layout, with some cores capable of pushing as high as 5.3 GHz, further cementing its credentials as a serious performance beast.

Redesigned Camera Module: From Circular to Rectangular

Design-wise, the OnePlus 15 may bring one of the most significant visual changes in years. Instead of the familiar circular camera island, the new flagship could adopt a rectangular camera block with rounded edges, situated in the top-left corner. This aligns with the rumored designs of the OnePlus 13T and 13s, but the OnePlus 15 is expected to sport a larger, more pronounced module – suggesting a stronger emphasis on photography hardware.

Beyond aesthetics, the shift reflects a broader industry movement, as many premium phones now adopt rectangular modules to accommodate increasingly complex camera arrays. While some fans will miss the distinctive circular design, others may welcome the sleeker, modern look.

The End of Hasselblad Partnership – Enter DetailMax Engine

Since the OnePlus 9, the brand’s collaboration with Hasselblad brought advanced color science and improved image consistency to its cameras. However, that partnership appears to have ended. Oppo has extended its agreement with Hasselblad through mid-2025, but OnePlus is charting its own path. For the OnePlus 15, the company is introducing what it calls the DetailMax Engine – a proprietary imaging system focused on delivering sharper textures, truer-to-life tones, and natural colors with less aggressive processing.

This marks both a risk and an opportunity. Without Hasselblad’s branding, OnePlus must prove it can maintain its competitive edge in mobile photography. On the flip side, the independence allows the company to tailor its imaging approach without constraints. Enthusiasts will be watching closely to see how DetailMax stacks up against both its predecessors and rival systems.

Rumored Telephoto Camera Upgrade

Zoom photography may also see an upgrade. Leaks suggest the OnePlus 15 could feature a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with an 85mm focal length equivalent and an f/2.8 aperture. That translates to around 3.5x to 3.7x optical zoom – an improvement over the OnePlus 13’s 73mm, f/2.6 setup that offered 3x optical zoom.

While this change may slightly affect low-light performance due to the narrower aperture, a larger sensor could mitigate the trade-off. If true, this upgrade would bring OnePlus closer to the zoom capabilities of premium rivals, potentially satisfying mobile photographers who want more reach without resorting to digital zoom.

Final Thoughts

The OnePlus 15 is shaping up to be a bold step forward, blending power, endurance, and fresh design choices. Its rumored price of $899 ensures it remains in the sweet spot between value and flagship luxury, undercutting the likes of Samsung and Apple while still packing top-tier specs. But not all changes may please everyone – the possible downgrade in resolution, loss of the beloved alert slider, and departure from Hasselblad will undoubtedly stir mixed reactions.

Still, with a mammoth battery, record-breaking charging speeds, and Qualcomm’s latest processor, the OnePlus 15 looks set to be one of the most talked-about smartphones of 2026. Whether it lives up to the hype will depend on how these rumors materialize, but one thing is clear: OnePlus is unafraid to take risks, and that makes the upcoming launch all the more exciting.