OnePlus has never shied away from making bold claims, but with the upcoming OnePlus 15, the company seems determined to turn refresh rate into its headline act. Li Jie, President of OnePlus China, confirmed that the device will feature a 165Hz display, a move that pushes it ahead of almost every mainstream flagship currently on the market. For context, the iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra, and even the OnePlus 13 all max out at 120Hz. This information is also featured on 9to9trends’ YouTube channel, so be sure to check it out.
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That difference—165Hz versus 120Hz—translates into roughly 37% more frames per second. Technically, this means smoother animations, snappier scrolling, and a noticeable boost for mobile gamers. But the bigger question is whether this spec jump is truly revolutionary or simply OnePlus recycling what gaming phones like the ASUS ROG series have already been doing for years. It’s worth remembering that this is not innovation from scratch, but rather a mainstream adaptation of a feature that has existed for a while, just dressed up as the next big thing.
The Resolution Downgrade Nobody Wanted
Of course, every flashy feature comes with a catch, and in this case, it’s the screen resolution. Instead of delivering a full 2K panel, OnePlus has opted for 1.5K. For a company claiming to lead us into what they call the “Ultra-High Refresh Era,” this feels like an odd step backward. The justification is predictable: running 165Hz on a 2K display would drain the battery in no time and generate significant heat. By dropping the resolution, OnePlus hopes to balance performance with efficiency.
And while at 6.78 inches, the difference between 1.5K and 2K may not be glaring to the naked eye, it still feels like an intentional compromise. Rather than solving the technical challenge of combining both high refresh and high resolution, OnePlus has taken the easier path—giving you one but holding back the other. For a supposed flagship, that’s hardly the level of refinement consumers expect.
The Suspiciously Convenient “Pro” Strategy
If this all sounds like a setup for another model, that’s because it probably is. OnePlus has already confirmed that one of its upcoming devices will feature a staggering 265Hz display. Now, let’s be clear: 265Hz on a smartphone is absurd. It’s a number that sounds impressive in press releases but offers little practical benefit for everyday use. Nobody asked for it, and very few will actually notice it. The most logical explanation is that this extreme refresh rate belongs to a Pro or gaming-oriented variant of the OnePlus 15.
This fits perfectly into the company’s usual playbook—release a standard model with one headline feature, then follow it up months later with a Pro model that fixes all the compromises. If history repeats itself, expect the OnePlus 15 Pro to appear within three to six months of the standard version, equipped with 2K resolution, better cameras, and premium build quality. In other words, the regular OnePlus 15 is already being positioned as a stepping stone, not the final destination.
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Déjà Vu of the OnePlus 7 Pro
To understand why this strategy feels less exciting than OnePlus wants you to believe, it’s worth looking back at the OnePlus 7 Pro. That device was groundbreaking in its time because it introduced a 90Hz display to mainstream buyers. It was a genuine leap that made scrolling and navigation feel significantly smoother. But now, with the OnePlus 15 pushing 165Hz, the excitement feels recycled.
Yes, it is technically smoother, but the real-world impact is diminishing. Consumers are not clamoring for higher and higher refresh rates—they are asking for better cameras, stronger battery life, and balanced all-around performance. Instead, OnePlus seems stuck chasing numbers that look great in marketing slides but fail to deliver meaningful progress where it really matters.
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OnePlus 15 Battery and Heat: The Hidden Weaknesses
Even though OnePlus claims that 1.5K resolution is the solution to battery and heating issues, this explanation raises further doubts. Shouldn’t a premium phone in 2026 be capable of handling 2K resolution at high refresh rates without compromise? Other flagship makers manage to balance resolution, brightness, and efficiency without sacrificing the fundamentals.
Apple and Samsung may be sticking to 120Hz, but they do so while offering consistently strong cameras, long-term software support, and premium designs. By comparison, OnePlus’s strategy feels like cutting corners and dressing it up as forward-thinking. A phone that burns through its battery or overheats under load is not innovative—it’s unfinished. And instead of fixing these problems, OnePlus is simply lowering the resolution and calling it a feature.
Marketing Over Substance
The obsession with refresh rate highlights a broader issue with OnePlus’s current direction: marketing hype over genuine innovation. It is easy to say “165Hz is smoother than 120Hz” and use that as the headline. But what about the things that define a complete flagship experience? Where are the camera improvements that could compete with Apple’s photonic engine or Samsung’s periscope zoom? Where are the software refinements that would extend device life beyond just specs? Instead of addressing these, OnePlus is banking on one flashy number to carry the conversation.
And if the rumors of a OnePlus 15 Pro model with 2K and premium materials are true, then it becomes obvious that the company is holding back intentionally. Consumers are essentially being asked to settle for less now, only to pay more later for what should have been included in the first place.
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Release Timeline and OnePlus 15 Price
For those still interested despite the compromises, the release timeline is already set. The OnePlus 15 is expected to launch in China this October, with a global release likely in January 2026. Pricing leaks suggest it will be positioned surprisingly low for a flagship, which makes sense—OnePlus needs an attractive price to justify its compromises.
But even a lower price does not erase the fact that the company is playing a familiar game: lure buyers in with one flashy feature, then push them toward a pricier Pro model later. At best, the OnePlus 15 is a temporary thrill with an impressive number on the spec sheet. At worst, it is another reminder that the OnePlus 15 is more focused on chasing attention than delivering a truly balanced flagship.
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Last update on 2026-02-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
