Summary
- OnePlus 15 was recently unveiled with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a 165Hz display. The launch in China is expected in October.
- OnePlus has now revealed a new color for the OnePlus 15 called sand dune, and shared a bunch of high-resolution photos of the phone.
- The phone’s chassis uses an aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal, claimed to be lighter than titanium with better heat dissipation.
After months of leaks and rumors, OnePlus officially revealed its next flagship phone, the OnePlus 15, at a Qualcomm event in China last week. The tech giant also confirmed that the OnePlus 15 will be among the first phones powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and feature a 165Hz refresh rate display.
During the Qualcomm event, OnePlus unveiled a black version of the OnePlus 15, which bears a resemblance to the design of the OnePlus 13s. Now, just days after the event, on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, OnePlus has shared several new photos and details about its upcoming flagship, expected to launch in October in China, with a confirmed global release likely sometime after.
OnePlus introduced a new color option called “sand dune” for the OnePlus 15, which the company described as radiating “grandeur and unparalleled quality.” In addition to this new color, the latest images provide our first detailed look at the OnePlus 15, and it appears the leaks about the phone were quite accurate. The design features a flat front, back, and frame, along with a new square camera layout, moving away from the circular setup seen on the OnePlus 13. On the right side of the phone, you can see the power button and volume rockers. On the left side, there’s the new customizable Quick Key.
The OnePlus 15 could be extremely durable
The phone’s chassis is made from a new material that is said to be stronger and lighter than titanium
In addition to releasing photos of the OnePlus 15’s design, the company also shared some interesting details about its build quality. OnePlus claims the phone’s chassis is made of an “aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal,” which the company says is “stronger than titanium” and has better heat dissipation (translated via Google Translate).
According to Android Headlines, OnePlus stated that the new metal material is 26 percent lighter than titanium, has 134 percent higher wear resistance, and offers 26.6 times better heat dissipation compared to titanium. Given all the advantages this new aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal apparently has, I’m very excited to hold the OnePlus 15 and see how it feels in my hands, considering it is supposedly lighter than titanium.
OnePlus also shared that the OnePlus 15 will feature “ultra-narrow bezels,” measuring just 1.15mm. Given how the bezels appear in the shared images, they seem almost invisible, which reminds me of the iPhone 17 Pro.
Additionally, if you’re wondering what happened to the OnePlus 14, given that the OnePlus 13 was the last OnePlus flagship released, don’t worry — you didn’t miss it. OnePlus is reportedly skipping 14 because the number four is considered unlucky in Chinese culture.
OnePlus will reveal more about the OnePlus 15 in October, which is also when the phone is expected to launch in China. Of course, the burning question is when the phone will be released globally and in the US. Last year, the OnePlus 13 didn’t arrive until the new year, so it’s possible that the OnePlus 15 could follow a similar release schedule. However, here’s hoping OnePlus releases it earlier, before the holidays.
I’ll admit, I was critical of the OnePlus 15’s design when leaks about it emerged, but after seeing the new sand dune color and the design in more detail, it’s starting to grow on me. However, I’ll reserve my final judgment until the phone actually launches. Given that OnePlus ended its camera partnership with Hasselblad, a design shake-up was inevitable.
