5 reasons why the OnePlus 15 could be the Android star of 2025
We’re now nearing the end of 2025, but there’s still at least one big smartphone hitter to come, as the OnePlus 15 will be revealed on October 27.
This launch is only for China, but a global launch is expected to follow and could also happen before the end of the year.
If so, this could be the surprise star of 2025 when it comes to Android phones, because between the leaks and early reveals, we can see the phone gearing up to possibly beat even the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Below, we’ve listed five reasons why this could be the best Android phone of the year.
1. It will have a massive battery
OnePlus has a habit of revealing details about its phones before the full announcement, and the OnePlus 15 is no exception, so we already know a lot about it.
One of the most exciting things is that it will have a 7,300 mAh battery, which is much more capacity than any Samsung, Apple or Google phone.
For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has a 5,200 mAh battery, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max has either a 5,088 mAh battery (if you buy an eSIM-only model) or a 4,823 mAh battery otherwise.
This will likely mean that the OnePlus 15 will also be able to last longer between charges, although the efficiency of the chipset and software, as well as the phone’s ability to handle heat (more on that below), may also impact this.
However, it’s not just the capacity that’s impressive: the OnePlus 15 will also be capable of charging at up to 120W, or up to 50W if you use wireless charging, which, again, beats most of its competitors by a wide margin. So even with such a massive cell, it should be able to regenerate quickly.
2. It will be extremely powerful
Another thing that OnePlus has confirmed is that the OnePlus 15 will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
This is a brand new chipset, and it’s the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite used by companies like the Samsung Galaxy S25 series. So it should outperform the chipsets of almost all current Android phones, except for the few that already have their own Gen 5.
This performance advantage might be short-lived, as we expect at least some models of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series to feature the same chipset early next year, but by 2025, the OnePlus 15 could rank at or near the top of the pack in terms of power.
3. It will have a high refresh rate
We don’t know the full display specifications of the OnePlus 15 yet, but the company has confirmed that it will have a 165Hz refresh rate.
While it’s not completely unheard of, it’s usually reserved for gaming phones, with mainstream flagships typically having a 120Hz refresh rate.
This should make movements – like when scrolling through menus or playing games that can make the most of it – seem smoother, so it’s a desirable feature, and one you won’t find on a Samsung Galaxy phone or iPhone.
4. It should have competitive cameras
In a post on Weibo (via NotebookCheck), OnePlus also shared some details about its next phone’s cameras, and while these don’t necessarily seem to blow away the competition, they’ll likely be at least competitive.
The OnePlus 15 will then have a 50 MP triple-lens camera, including a 3.5x telephoto lens, equivalent to a focal length of 85 mm. It will also support Dolby Vision 4K 120fps.
So the snappers look promising, and given that the OnePlus 13’s cameras were already one of its strong points, any improvements here should ensure that it ranks among the best camera phones.
5. It must be able to stay cool under pressure
Finally, OnePlus once again took to Weibo (via GSMArena) to reveal that the OnePlus 15 will feature the company’s most advanced cooling system to date.
Specifically, it will feature what the company calls a Glacier cooling system, which will feature a larger vapor chamber with a “double-layer capillary structure” that improves heat dissipation.
This will be paired with Glacier supercritical airgel, which should help the phone stay cool to the touch, even when playing demanding games.
These cooling mechanisms should help the OnePlus 15 maintain peak performance for more extended periods, and they’ll likely benefit battery life as well.
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