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OnePlus redefines flagship killers with the new Ace 5 Ultra and Ace 5 Racing Edition

The newest additions to the OnePlus Ace family are phenomenally well-equipped, insanely affordable, and alas, exclusive to China.

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: May 28, 2025, 2:39 AM

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Android OnePlus

If you thought the OnePlus 13R was remarkably well-equipped for its US starting price of $600, wait until you see what the brand's two new high-end phones offer and especially how much little they cost.

As promised last week, OnePlus has just added another two members to the already impressive Ace family in China, and their bang-for-buck factors are guaranteed... to make you jealous that you don't live in the world's most populous country.

Ultra power, ultra battery, ultra affordability

6.83-inch AMOLED display with 2800 x 1272 pixel resolution and 144Hz refresh rate technology;
MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor;
256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage variants;
12 and 16GB RAM options;
Android 15 with ColorOS 15.0 software;
50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization;
8MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
16MP front-facing camera with f/2.4 aperture;
6,700mAh battery;
100W charging support;
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC connectivity;
IP65 water and dust resistance;
163.41 x 77.04 x 8.1mm dimensions;
206 grams weight;
Breeze Blue, Phantom Black, and Titanium color options.

You've guessed it, the above specs belong to the OnePlus Ace 5 Ultra, which seems to also go by the even more bombastic Ace 5 Supreme Edition name. That's perhaps not completely fitting for a handset that's clearly not as advanced as the OnePlus 13 or Ace 5 Pro from at least a few major standpoints.

The dual camera system on the back of the Ace 5 Ultra, for instance, is not quite up to the latest Android flagship standards, while the Dimensity 9400 Plus SoC is generally viewed as slightly weaker than Qualcomm's towering Snapdragon 8 Elite. Then again, that battery size and the charging speeds make this bad boy well worth the effort of paying... the equivalent of $345 and up.

Wait, what?! It's true, the OnePlus Ace 5 Ultra/Supreme starts at a measly 2,499 yuan in China, with a top-of-the-line configuration pairing 16GB RAM with a full terabyte of internal storage space going for CNY 3,799, which converts to a remarkably affordable $525 or so. That is an absolutely bonkers value proposition, even for the world's largest smartphone market.

The Ace 5 Racing is even cheaper with an even bigger battery in tow

6.77-inch AMOLED display with 2392 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate capabilities;
MediaTek Dimensity 9400e processor;
256 and 512GB storage variants;
12 and 16GB RAM options;
Android 15 with ColorOS 15.0;
50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture and OIS;
2MP secondary depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture;
16MP front-facing camera with f/2.4 aperture;
7,100mAh battery;
80W charging technology;
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC;
IP64 water and dust resistance;
163.58 x 76.02 x 8.2mm dimensions;
200 grams weight;
White, black, and green color options.

Why is this device called OnePlus Ace 5 Racing Edition? To be perfectly honest, I have no idea, but I know I want it. I also don't know how OnePlus was able to fit that gigantic 7,100mAh cell into a 200-gram body measuring just 8.2mm in thickness, but I'm about to find myself a plane ticket to Beijing and check this bad boy out for myself.

Did I mention its retail pricing starts at only 1,799 yuan, or $250? And that a 512GB storage configuration with a hefty 16 gigs of memory also on deck costs less than $350 (or CNY 2,499)? Obviously, the Dimensity 9400e chipset is inferior to the Dimensity 9400+ powering the Ace 5 Ultra, but by no means we're looking at a pushover here. Not with at least 12GB RAM in tow, and with the risk of repeating myself, a positively insane 7,100mAh battery.

Too bad the Ace 5 Ultra and Ace 5 Racing are unlikely to ever make it to the US or Europe, although that doesn't mean some of these specs will not be found on some of the company's future "international" flagships and flagship killers. I'm talking about the OnePlus 14 and 14R, of course, as well as perhaps a OnePlus 14T and/or OnePlus 14s.

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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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