
What you need to know
- OnePlus may push refresh rates to 240Hz on a future phone, aiming for ultra-smooth motion.
- Future models like OnePlus 16 or 17 could feature this rumored 240Hz dynamic refresh rate.
- Trade-offs include higher power consumption and reduced battery life, raising concerns over prioritizing refresh rate over camera or battery improvements.
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Smartphone specs have become pretty predictable in recent years, but OnePlus could shake things up with a future release. According to a new rumor, the company is working on a phone with a 240Hz refresh rate.
Launched in China last month, the OnePlus 15 features a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1.5K display, which is a noticeable change from the previous model’s 2K, 120Hz screen. As a result, the phone is getting attention for its strong performance and reasonable price, although some fans view the lower resolution as a downgrade. It is said that OnePlus may have reduced the resolution to make motion smoother.
The discussion heats up after the OnePlus Club account on X claimed the company wants to find a “perfect balance” between high resolution and a 240Hz dynamic refresh rate in future phones.
There’s no official word yet on which model will get this high-refresh screen, but rumors suggest it could be the OnePlus 16 or 17.
The idea of a 240Hz refresh rate is getting mixed reactions online, as indicated by the responses to OnePlus Club’s X post. Some people wonder if it’s really the upgrade users need at the moment, since most apps and videos won’t use it, while others think it could make gaming and scrolling much smoother than ever before.
The inevitable compromise
There are trade-offs, of course, if this idea becomes a reality. A 240Hz display would most likely use more power and reduce battery life, even if it makes motion look smoother. Some critics say OnePlus should focus on better cameras or longer battery life instead of just increasing the refresh rate, and this is echoed by people on Reddit who’ve found the OnePlus 15 camera lacking in many ways.
On the other hand, our own Nicholas Sutrich liked the phone's shooters in his first impression, noting that the new DetailMax Engine seems to fix the aggressive Hasselblad processing with the OnePlus 13.
Even so, the thought of almost instant response times for gaming, app use, and swiping is appealing, and it could set a new standard for high-performance phone screens.
It’s still unclear if people will like this feature or see it as an overkill. What’s certain is that OnePlus seems to be willing to try new things with display technology, even if it means rethinking usual priorities like resolution and battery life.