A 240Hz show? The newest OnePlus 16 leak reeks of desperation

OnePlus has been having a tricky few months, with its merchandise reputedly on a downward development and with rumors across the corporate being close down solely in want of OPPO (a rumor OP expectedly disregarded). However it sort of feels like OnePlus desires to make a last-ditch effort at survival — one that can make it glance so much determined given the way it’s enjoying with its personal identification.

OnePlus has introduced a mid-ranger in China that objectives to be a gaming telephone with out absolutely embracing a gaming character. In parallel, the rumor mill round its upcoming flagship — the OnePlus 16 — is rife, indicating some attention-grabbing possible choices … the sort that smells of deep desperation.

Again within the day, when 60Hz was once nonetheless the norm and 120Hz simplest gave the impression on flagships, it felt like an enormous improve, person who was once in fact noticeable to maximum customers. As we pass up the refresh charge ladder, the visible distinction begins to decrease. Going from 90Hz to 120Hz received’t look like that massive of an improve in comparison to switching from 60Hz to one thing upper.

I’ve heard now not a unmarried soul whinge about now not having sufficient hertz on their telephone that already refreshes at 120Hz. Even so, devoted gaming telephones are already pushing the restrict by way of going as much as 144 and 165Hz, which already feels overkill. On the other hand, OnePlus concept that also wasn’t sufficient and is because of release its subsequent flagship with a 240Hz show. That quantity obviously isn’t for the good thing about real-world customers — it’s there simply to make the spec sheet glance cooler.

There are simplest a handful of Android video games these days that may hit 120fps, whilst maximum titles accept a nonetheless good-looking 60fps. The ones area of interest video games are already hitting the present 120Hz ceiling and simply can’t employ any additional hertz. And although video games attempt to push previous that body charge, it might have the sort of critical have an effect on at the telephone’s thermal efficiency and battery lifestyles that it wouldn’t even make sense to run video games on a cell phone with out lively cooling.

OnePlus is just looking to remedy an issue that doesn’t even exist.

It seems like OnePlus is truly following the philosophy of going large or going house. However I feel there’s a silver lining right here, too.

Amongst different rumors, the OnePlus 16 is about to move a notch upper than the OnePlus 15 and space a mammoth 9,000mAh battery. It’s like a dream coming true, since we’ve all been inquiring for an increasing number of battery capability on our telephones so we don’t need to lug round energy banks and keep in mind to rate our telephones each unmarried morning. I will be able to get in the back of the theory of such humongous batteries in telephones, so long as they don’t make the telephone too heavy to be a ache at the wrist or too thick to be a brick.

And I feel this may be the place OnePlus’s long-standing superfast charging capacity will shine. Whilst conventional 4,000-5,000mAh batteries can juice up in about 30–40 mins with OnePlus’s proprietary 100W (or extra) charging pace, having a 9,000mAh battery simplest is smart in case you aren’t spending a complete day charging it. If the telephone lasts two days directly with an hour or so of plug-in time, I’d name {that a} win.

Secondly, OnePlus appears to be doing one thing very attention-grabbing with its digicam. Whilst Samsung makes use of a 200MP sensor for its number one digicam at the Galaxy S26 Extremely, OnePlus is rumored to make use of the sort of excessive decision for its periscope telephoto digicam. If it really works as anticipated, that high-resolution sensor will lend a hand support element while you zoom in past the telephone’s optical zoom restrict. I to find the means very attention-grabbing, and I would possibly use the telephone’s telephoto digicam a lot more if it could possibly seize that a lot more element on far off topics.

However in spite of those being helpful additions, it nonetheless appears like OnePlus is pushing extremes simply to face out.

Regardless of the OnePlus 16 seems to be in response to those leaks, it indisputably doesn’t really feel like a balanced product. OnePlus is pushing each unmarried facet of the telephone to its limits — to some extent the place it has long gone from being considerate to feeling like a number of headline options. That’s now not a just right symbol to undertaking for a flagship smartphone; a emblem that is making an attempt too arduous to provoke reeks of desperation.

Again within the day, you could select up a OnePlus telephone for top-notch efficiency and a instrument enjoy that discovered a steadiness between the simplicity of a Pixel and the feature-filled nature of Samsung, whilst the whole lot else was once simply just right sufficient. However OnePlus broke that symbol way back. And at the moment, it’s looking to chase too many stuff all of sudden simply to get your consideration.

Seeking to get forward within the spec race has driven OnePlus to flirt with gaming telephones to the intense. And obviously, the OnePlus 16 isn’t going to be one, so who’s it looking to cater to with its tremendous excessive refresh charge display screen that has no real-world implications in comparison to actually every other telephone in the marketplace?

For so long as I will be able to keep in mind, the tech group has slammed OnePlus for providing satisfactory cameras somewhat than going complete throttle. Even its dad or mum corporate’s flagships have right kind flagship-class symbol efficiency, however OnePlus has at all times fallen quick.

As a substitute of addressing such comments (with a bit of luck the OnePlus 16 makes up for it), the shift to a spec sheet that earns OnePlus bragging rights presentations why it’s falling in the back of on this smartphone race. From the appearance of it, I doubt anything else goes to switch this 12 months, too.