It’s being rumored OnePlus has not finished with new releases for 2025. While the global release of the OnePlus 15 is still to come, it may have a new line in store for us too. It’s being referred to as the OnePlus Turbo, and it may be a gaming phone.
The dedicated gaming phone is an odd duck. Unless a brand goes all in on special features designed specifically for those who play games for hours each day, the device ends up being just another high-end flagship phone, with nothing much to differentiate it from the crowd.
What is OnePlus expected to bring to the table?
It’s all about the battery and chip
The OnePlus Turbo’s headline feature will be an 8,000mAh capacity battery according to a rumor published by Smartprix, quoting an anonymous industry insider.
This isn’t the first time the OnePlus Turbo has been rumored, but previously it had been linked to a 7,650mAh battery. However, the newly launched OnePlus Ace 6 has a 7,800mAh battery, which would make the Turbo less impressive than the mid-range Ace 6, making it less likely.
The other key spec being rumored is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. That’s right, not the 8 Elite Gen 5 in the OnePlus 15, but the other chip Qualcomm launched in September. OnePlus has already said it will be the first manufacturer to make a phone with the chip, and the Turbo may be it.
There’s more, right?
What else will OnePlus do to make the OnePlus Turbo appeal to gamers? It’s not clear, but well-known insider Digital Chat Station has indicated the phone will have a 165Hz refresh rate screen, and a fancy internal cooling system is also being talked about.
This is where we start to see where OnePlus may lose the gaming audience, as smartphones with big batteries and powerful processors aren’t exactly rare. Gaming phones that go a step further are already available too.
The Asus ROG Phone series is the top gaming phone choice, with its customizable shoulder buttons, dual charging ports, extensive software enhancements, unique design, and true gaming heritage.
RedMagic is about to launch the RedMagic 11 Pro, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 7,500mAh battery, and a visible cooling system for a fun design. The brand has considerable experience in gaming phones too.
Will the Turbo be for you?
If the OnePlus Turbo is designed for mobile gamers, will the massive battery and slightly left-field choice of processor be enough to pull them away from the OnePlus 15, ROG Phone 9 Pro, RedMagic 11 Pro, or any other flagship phone?
If OnePlus is only going to rely on marketing to push the Turbo as a gaming phone, it’s likely to face a serious challenge. If it’s not a gaming phone at all, it’ll be interesting to see how it’s positioned alongside the OnePlus 15, any OnePlus 15R, the Nord, and the Ace phones.
The OnePlus Turbo is apparently already being tested, and the phone may launch before the end of 2025.
