If recent leaks hold water, the OnePlus 15 could be staging a return to form with sharper hardware choices and a price tag that doesn’t sting.
OnePlus 15 could land with a more affordable price
Rumors point to a strategy shift. OnePlus might ditch high-end components in favor of a performance-first design, dropping the price in the process. According to OnePlus Club, the company may cut costs by building its own camera system now that its deal with Hasselblad is off the table. The result? No more licensing fees, and possibly, no more luxury pricing.
That’s not just speculation. Earlier leaks hinted at a smaller, lower-res screen with a faster refresh rate and flat edges. All of these tweaks line up with the idea that OnePlus is trimming the fat to hit a better value mark.
Honor Magic 8 Pro will be the only Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phone with 3D Face ID and a 200MP periscope lens, set to launch in October.
New OnePlus 15 camera may push zoom even further
Details from Digital Chat Station suggest the phone could feature a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with an 85mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture. This setup may deliver 3.5x to 3.7x optical zoom, depending on the main sensor’s focal length.
To compare, the OnePlus 13 had a 73mm periscope camera at f/2.6. So while the zoom range may improve, the slightly narrower aperture could make low-light shots more of a challenge.
What makes it worth watching
Specs-wise, it’s stacking up to be a beast:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip (possibly labeled “Elite 2”)
- Up to 16GB RAM
- Up to 1TB of storage
- 6.78-inch 1.5K OLED screen at 165Hz
- Massive 7,000 mAh battery
- 120W wired charging
If even half of that list turns out accurate, this device won’t just be fast, it’ll be monstrous.
Other flagships aren’t cutting prices, but OnePlus might
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 and Apple’s iPhone 17 series don’t show any signs of going easy on your wallet. Leaks so far haven’t mentioned lower prices. If OnePlus actually follows through with this rumored strategy, it may be the lone flagship in the US market dropping its launch price.
OnePlus 15 might finally revive the flagship killer label
A cheaper, faster phone with big specs and sharper focus? That’s vintage OnePlus. If the OnePlus 15 lives up to its leaks, it won’t just undercut rivals; it might finally force them to rethink how they price their flagships. After years of inflated costs, that shift would be long overdue.
