The OnePlus 15's slightly lower-end and lower-cost brother hasn't been a secret in a long time, but its single biggest selling point is only now etched in stone, promising to blow a lot of minds... while failing to impress those familiar with the company's recently unveiled Ace 6T powerhouse.
In China, however, the aforementioned OnePlus Ace 6T packs an even more mind-blowing 8,300mAh battery. A "standard" Ace 6 was also released in the world's largest smartphone market a little over a month ago with a then-remarkable 7,800mAh ticker that's obviously become slightly less impressive in the meantime, nonetheless towering over the 15R's newly confirmed cell size.
The sad thing about all of this is that everyone expected the OnePlus 15R to essentially be the Ace 6T's global equivalent, which is of course still true for other specifications (that I'll get into in a minute).
A 7,400mAh battery is by no means and by no current industry standard modest, however, narrowly beating the 7,300mAh cell size of the OnePlus 15 super-flagship while absolutely crushing what the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra, Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL have to offer in the same department.
The upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra is also unlikely to come close to the 6,000mAh mark (let alone 7,000 or 7,400mAh), but before you get too excited about the OnePlus 15R, it's important to remember that real-life battery endurance figures don't always line up as neatly as you'd expect with a cell's theoretical size.
Is the OnePlus 15R battery big enough to keep you excited?
Absolutely
57.14%
No, I expected more
42.86%
It's good enough... as long as the price is right
0%
It's good enough... as long as all the other specs are right
0%
The number one example that comes to mind is the OnePlus 13R, which performed reasonably well in our battery life tests, but ultimately failed to crack even the top 50 among phones reviewed in the past two years despite packing a larger 6,000mAh juicer than the vast majority of devices on that list.
These are all the other confirmed specs and features
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor;
165Hz display;
IP66/68/69/69K certifications;
OxygenOS 16 software out the box.
Obviously, that's only a small part of the oft-rumored recent OnePlus 15R puzzle. But after the 8,300mAh battery expectation fell through, perhaps it's wise to wait for official confirmation regarding things like the 50 + 8MP dual rear-facing camera system, single 16MP selfie snapper, 100W charging support, up to 16GB RAM, and 6.83-inch screen diagonal as well.
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How could you not be excited about an affordable Android high-ender with a 165Hz refresh rate-capable screen? | Image Credit -- OnePlus
Instead of thinking too much about all that, we should probably focus more on the awesome stuff we already know, like those IP ratings guaranteeing a level of protection against the elements that very few of the best phones out there today can match. Or the fact that the OnePlus 15R is set to be (one of) the world's first devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset under its hood.
That's not to be confused with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 inside the OnePlus 15, mind you, but it's still a very competent processor for what we all expect to be a pretty affordable Android high-ender. Oh, and the 165Hz refresh rate support of the otherwise mysterious 15R screen is also quite impressive, improving on the 120Hz capabilities of the early 2025-released OnePlus 13R.
Should you hold out for the OnePlus 15R?
Well, if you haven't ordered the OnePlus 15 yet (either because you couldn't or didn't want to), what's another two weeks or so at this point? Yes, the 15R is scheduled for an official December 17 launch both in countries like India and across Europe, at which point you'll naturally be able to make af fully informed decision.
If you ask me, this thing might have all it needs to become an instant global phenomenon, although that clearly depends greatly on just how affordable it will be. And in countries like the US, on exactly when (or rather if) it will arrive, of course.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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