The OnePlus 15R may be shaping up to be one of the most exciting budget-performance smartphones of 2026. Fresh leaks have surfaced online, giving us an early look at what could become the go-to mid-range device next year and the details make it clear that OnePlus isn’t holding back.
From flagship-grade design elements to a monster battery, the leaked OnePlus 15R looks less like a budget phone and more like a streamlined version of the company’s top-end flagships. Here’s everything we know so far.
A familiar but premium design
Evan Blass, a reliable leaker, posted high-res leaks on X. The leaked images confirm the design, which looks heavily similar to the OnePlus 15R. The phone features a flat frame, clean edges, and a bold visual identity that OnePlus has been refining over the last few years. The rear panel is fitted with a square camera module, inside which sits a pill-shaped camera arrangement, a departure from the circular modules we’ve seen in some older OnePlus models.
One interesting detail is the presence of the “Plus” key on the left side of the frame, a feature introduced in recent OnePlus flagships. OG users would have appreciated the iconic alert slider because that was the pathbreaking feature for OnePlus.
A flagship display in a mid-range phone
OnePlus 15 was a bit disappointing in terms of display this year and all because of the downgrade. OnePlus 15R might sport the same 6.7-inch 1.5k OLED panel. However, the display didn’t feel like a downgrade in terms of quality at all. The surprising element is the 165Hz refresh rate, which will be a great upgrade for gamers.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 power under the hood
Performance is where the OnePlus 15R looks particularly interesting. Under the hood, OnePlus 15R will have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a flagship chipset which will offer 20 per cent better performance than OnePlus 15R.
For a phone positioned in the mid-range category, this is huge. It means users can expect flagship-like speed, smoother multitasking, reliable gaming performance, and improved AI capabilities without paying flagship prices.
Massive battery and fast charging
Perhaps the most eye-catching spec we’ve seen so far is the battery. Reports indicate the OnePlus 15R might pack a gigantic 8,000mAh battery. Pair that with 100W wired fast charging, and you’ve got a device that could easily redefine battery endurance in its segment. If all of this turns out to be true, OnePlus 15 can become the king in the premium mid-range segment.
What we still don’t know
OnePlus 15R is most likely to sport a similar camera setup to OnePlus 13R; however, given OnePlus’s recent focus on computational photography, there will be some interesting changes. At the end, these are just leaks and they should be taken with a pinch of salt and wait for the launch.
