The latter half of the year usually brings the latest phones from several manufacturers, such as Apple, Samsung, Oppo, and more. But OnePlus looks set to blow past much of the competition around the same time with its upcoming flagship. Despite releasing its latest flagship, the OnePlus 13, earlier this year, the Chinese maker is already planning its successor with some huge upgrades that could set the standard for Android gaming phones in 2026.
According to tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the OnePlus 15 could allegedly ship with a 165Hz display, complete with the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip and a bigger 7000mAh battery. These three upgrades could be a big deal for gamers, and OnePlus seemingly knows it.
The phone is reportedly also coming with a performance engine designed to run games at 165 frames per second (FPS), resulting in an ultra-smooth experience for games that may not natively support the higher frames. This means some of the best Android games that still run at 60 FPS could be upgraded to 165 FPS when running on the OnePlus 15.
If true, it's an impressive feat from the company, as it would cement the OnePlus 15 as the best OnePlus phone for games for those wanting to play their favorite titles at the highest framerate available. It would also beat the rumored spec of the entire iPhone 17 line, set to be revealed next month, which will come with a 120Hz ProMotion display for every model.
It's also interesting that the upcoming phone is rumored to be called the OnePlus 15 instead of 14, but this is apparently due to the number 4 being unlucky in China.
With other rumors that OnePlus is also preparing a tablet that's focused on gamers, too, it seems that the company is looking to cement a niche that others like Ayaneo, Anbernic, and more have been doing with their Android gaming handhelds. Right now, you can own devices that run on Android but are only meant to play games. In addition, these manufacturers focus more on the design and the feel of their handhelds.
It looks like OnePlus wants to cater to these customers with a flagship phone and tablet that can run as many games as possible with the best possible framerate. For gamers, it could be a tempting proposition if these rumors turn out to be true.
Until we hear what OnePlus has planned, check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming iPhones if you want something else. Or, if you want something more nostalgic to carry in your back pocket, take a look at our list of the best retro handhelds.