As October draws to a close， most flagship models from various brands have been released， and even some mid-range devices are starting to generate buzz. OnePlus， however， has taken a more deliberate approach， finally unveiling the flagship OnePlus 15 and the popular performance-oriented Ace 6 together.
To my surprise， the launch event began with a price drop from OnePlus:
Last year， the OnePlus 13 started at 4499 Yuan， while this year the OnePlus 15 debuts at 3999 Yuan. Of course， this price reduction comes with trade-offs: the absence of a 2K display， replaced by a 1.5K 165Hz screen， and the discontinuation of the Hasselblad co-branding in favor of OnePlus’s self-developed LUMO imaging system and a Master Pro mode.
The OnePlus Ace 6， while maintaining its predecessor’s positioning， adopts the same screen as the OnePlus 15.
What’s going on? While other sub-brands are aggressively aiming higher in price， OnePlus appears to be moving in the opposite direction. In this review， with early access to the OnePlus 15 and Ace 6， I’ll discuss the changes we’re seeing from OnePlus this year.
Putting aside other aspects for a moment， the moment I held these two devices， I was struck by the significant， and indeed pleasant， change in design. The familiar camera module design that has been a staple from the OnePlus 11 to the OnePlus 13 has finally been retired. Those who disliked the “toilet lid” aesthetic can rejoice!
In its place is a clean， sharp， and rectangular camera deco， reminiscent of the OnePlus 13T. The back of the phone， apart from the camera module， features only the distinct OnePlus logo. The overall aesthetic is highly appealing， much like the design we praised on the OnePlus 13T.
This redesign also signifies the absence of the familiar Hasselblad branding on the OnePlus 15. Instead， it integrates OPPO’s self-developed LUMO imaging system – a point worth noting， which we will elaborate on later.
Beyond the camera module， another classic OnePlus feature that has been removed is the iconic three-stage mute switch. It has been replaced by a standalone button， similar to the one found on the OPPO Find X8/X9 series.
This new button closely resembles the iPhone’s Action Button. By default， it functions as an AI key but can be reassigned to the mute function.
The remaining design elements retain the signature OnePlus feel. The OnePlus 15 is available in “Natural Dune，” a color characterized by a delicate， almost stone-like texture on its frame. The back panel utilizes popular glass fiber material this year.
In addition to “Natural Dune，” the OnePlus 15 comes in two other color options: “Absolute Black” and “Mist Purple.” Each color features a distinct finishing technique. “Absolute Black” employs OnePlus’s renowned AG frosted glass， while “Mist Purple” incorporates a technology called “Dual Dimensional Flowing Light.”
The practice of offering different finishes for different colors is a long-standing OnePlus tradition. Personally， I lean towards “Absolute Black，” although “Natural Dune” is also visually striking and aligns well with OnePlus’s brand identity.
The OnePlus Ace 6， despite its lower tier， maintains a premium feel with its metal frame and AG frosted glass back. However， its dimensions are slightly larger than the OnePlus 15， making it feel a bit more substantial in hand.
Turning to the front， the subtle four-micro-curve display of the OnePlus 13 is absent， replaced by a traditional flat screen. In an era where flat displays are increasingly common， this is an understandable choice， offering the benefit of easier screen protector application.
One noteworthy detail is that the OnePlus 15 achieves impressively uniform bezels across all four sides， measuring just 1.15mm – a feature typically reserved for flagship devices. In contrast， the bezels on the OnePlus Ace 6 appear noticeably wider.
While the 1.15mm equal bezels are a clear win， the display itself might elicit mixed reactions. The OnePlus 15’s screen is a case of compromise and advancement. The resolution has been reduced from 2K to 1.5K， but the refresh rate has been boosted from 120Hz to 165Hz. The OnePlus Ace 6 retains the 1.5K resolution and also features the new 165Hz refresh rate that OnePlus is pushing this year.
The increase from 120Hz to 165Hz offers a noticeable improvement in smoothness， a 37.5% jump. This is especially apparent in demanding games. For instance， in the popular title “Delta Force，” the 165Hz option is now available， meaning any shortcomings in gameplay can no longer be blamed on the phone’s display refresh rate.
Similarly， the OnePlus Ace 6 also sports this 165Hz display， though it utilizes LTPS technology instead of LTPO found in the OnePlus 15. While LTPS generally consumes more power at lower refresh rates， and many manufacturers forgo full-screen Always On Display (AOD) on LTPS panels， OnePlus has included a full-screen AOD option on the Ace 6， demonstrating confidence in its power management.
The 165Hz refresh rate undoubtedly offers the smoothest visual experience. However， this fluidity is primarily noticeable in specific games. In everyday usage， the display typically operates at a maximum of 120Hz， likely a deliberate design choice to manage power consumption， as higher rendering resolutions translate to increased battery drain.
OnePlus claims that their 165Hz display achieves power consumption comparable to previous 120Hz panels during normal use. I will be conducting further tests on battery life to verify this claim.
This move by OnePlus mirrors their past role as a pioneer. Just as the OnePlus 7 Pro was instrumental in popularizing 90Hz displays， leading to wider adoption in apps and games， OnePlus aims to lead the charge in the widespread adoption of 165Hz refresh rates.
Whether this push for 165Hz will be successful remains to be seen. While the jump from 60Hz to 90Hz was readily apparent to the human eye， the difference between 120Hz and 165Hz is far less perceptible to the average user. It’s possible that only highly skilled esports professionals will truly appreciate the advantage. However， technology is constantly evolving. Consider gaming laptops， where refresh rates have climbed from 120Hz years ago to 240Hz and even 300Hz. It’s likely that smartphone refresh rates will follow a similar upward trend.
Furthermore， I understand that more devices priced above 2000 Yuan will feature 165Hz displays in the near future， not just from OnePlus.
A high refresh rate is meaningless without corresponding performance. As expected from a OnePlus flagship， the OnePlus 15 is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The OnePlus Ace 8， on the other hand， uses the previous generation flagship chip， the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Most users are familiar with the detailed specifications， so I will focus on the actual performance of these devices.
CPU and GPU test results are presented in the image. The benchmarks indicate that the OnePlus 15 performs above average.
Let’s delve into gaming performance.
First， the classic benchmark: a run through Sumeru City in Genshin Impact. According to Perfdog monitoring， both devices comfortably maintain a stable 60fps throughout the test.
OnePlus 15 – Genshin Impact Sumeru City
OnePlus Ace 6 – Genshin Impact Sumeru City
Next， a more demanding 30-minute test: running through The Xianzhou Luofu in Honkai: Star Rail. The performance of the OnePlus 15 and Ace 6 is comparable， but upon closer inspection of the stutter index， the OnePlus 15 exhibits slightly better consistency.
OnePlus 15 – Honkai: Star Rail – The Golden Hour
OnePlus Ace 6 – Honkai: Star Rail – The Golden Hour
To test the 165Hz high refresh rate display， I also ran a session of “Delta Force.” In a large-scale battlefield match， the average frame rate was 161fps， with occasional drops during respawns， but generally maintained a stable 165fps. This is evident from the median frame rate of 164.9fps.
The OnePlus Ace 6， with its previous-generation flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite， also delivers impressive performance. A large-scale battlefield match in “Delta Force” ran just as smoothly at 165fps.
This demonstrates that both current and previous-generation flagship processors are capable of fully utilizing the 165Hz display. Gamers can simply enjoy the experience without worrying about performance limitations.
Furthermore， the OnePlus 15 is equipped with a substantial 7300mAh battery， ensuring ample endurance despite the higher refresh rate. Even more impressively， the OnePlus Ace 6 boasts a massive 7800mAh battery， seemingly anticipating extended gaming sessions.
To assess battery life， I conducted my usual three-hour endurance test， but this time I used “Delta Force” (which supports 165Hz) instead of “Honor of Kings.” After three hours， the OnePlus 15 had 71% battery remaining， while the OnePlus Ace 6 had 74%.
Considering the higher load of “Delta Force” compared to “Honor of Kings，” these results are quite commendable.
Hardware is only one part of the equation; software also plays a crucial role. I’ve previously detailed ColorOS 16 in my review of the OPPO Find X9， so I won’t repeat that here.
One notable point is that since the OnePlus 13T transitioned from a three-stage mute switch to a dedicated button， the AI features within ColorOS， such as Xiaobu Memory and Xiaobu Screen Recognition， can now be triggered via this button.
Swipe from left to right
Finally， I want to discuss the OnePlus 15’s self-developed imaging system – LUMO Lumina Imaging. Those familiar with OPPO’s phone reviews may find the name familiar. Indeed， LUMO is the imaging brand name OPPO announced alongside the Find X8 Ultra last year.
According to OnePlus representatives， while the OnePlus 15 has dropped the Hasselblad co-branding， it has gained access to the same imaging algorithms as the Find X8 Ultra at the software level. This is particularly interesting， as the OnePlus 15’s main camera hasn’t seen significant upgrades compared to the OnePlus 13. We decided to conduct a comparative test with the Hasselblad-branded OnePlus 13 to see if the algorithmic improvements translate into tangible benefits.
Let’s look at the specifications. The OnePlus 15’s main camera remains the Sony IMX 906， with a slightly reduced aperture of f/1.8. However， the actual image quality is quite similar to the OnePlus 13.
Swipe left or right (device model in watermark)
The telephoto lens uses the Samsung JN5， which has similar specifications， but the actual visual differences are quite pronounced.
The ultra-wide angle lens presents a contrasting scenario， with the OnePlus 15 appearing more “overcast” in its shots.
During testing， I discovered something surprising: despite the lack of Hasselblad co-branding， the OnePlus 15 includes a built-in Master Mode.
Yes， you read that correctly. Even without the Hasselblad name， the Master Mode is present. For those familiar with OPPO， this might raise some eyebrows. OPPO has a tradition where phones without Hasselblad co-branding are limited to a “Pro Mode.” However， with Hasselblad co-branding， the professional mode is elevated to “Master Mode.”
Master Mode typically combines the functionality of professional mode with the distinct color toning and imaging quality of Hasselblad cameras. The fact that the OnePlus 15 retains “Master Mode” despite the absence of Hasselblad co-branding is genuinely surprising and likely a testament to the OnePlus team’s efforts.
From left to right: default and Master modes
This confirms OnePlus’s statement that they have secured the same imaging algorithms as the Find X8 Ultra at the software level. One can only hope that future OnePlus flagships will continue to feature this capability.
The OnePlus Ace 6， due to its product positioning， features a more balanced camera setup: a 50MP main sensor paired with an 8MP ultra-wide lens. In comparison to its peers like the Redmi K90 and Realme GT8， it notably omits a telephoto lens.
Furthermore， the Master Mode that the OnePlus 15 managed to secure is not available on the Ace 6. Its professional mode is just that – a professional mode， lacking the Hasselblad color toning. Given that Master Mode is typically exclusive to OnePlus’s numbered series， this is understandable.
Regardless， the OnePlus 15 at 3999 Yuan represents a significant departure from its predecessor， the OnePlus 13.
On one hand， this is due to internal factors. With OPPO， the parent company， embracing Hasselblad， the OnePlus 15 has transitioned to the LUMO self-developed imaging system.
On the other hand， this change is also influenced by the evolving market landscape. If all sub-brands are pushing for premium offerings， who will fill the void in the more accessible segments?
OnePlus’s bold attempt at reinvention with the OnePlus 15 is something I find quite commendable.
The OnePlus Ace 6， starting at 2599 Yuan， feels more specialized. It’s not a uniformly balanced device like other mid-range phones， but rather a device with very distinct strengths and weaknesses. This approach seems designed to compete through differentiation at its price point.
Finally， I’ve included the configuration table for your reference.
In any case， I believe this year marks a “return to its roots” for OnePlus. Through the OnePlus 15 and Ace 6， OnePlus is embarking on the path to popularize 165Hz displays. After a long hiatus， OnePlus seems to have rediscovered its original vision and the spirit of “Never Settle，” reclaiming its distinctive quality.
However， in today’s intensely competitive mobile market， can OnePlus truly afford to “Never Settle Again”?
