OnePlus has pulled off a rare industry first, beating every major Android manufacturer to market with a phone powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. The company has officially revealed the OnePlus 15R, the first Android device to feature the non-Elite version of Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip.
The 15R creates what OnePlus calls a dual flagship strategy, sitting just below the fully loaded OnePlus 15, which launched earlier this year with the premium Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. While the 15R is expected to be the more affordable option, it still carries flagship-class performance thanks to Qualcomm’s newest architecture. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features two prime cores and six performance cores, mirroring the Elite variant but running at slightly lower clock speeds.
The 15R arrives ahead of its full unveiling on 17 December, but OnePlus has already confirmed several key features. The phone will support up to a 165 Hz refresh rate, matching the top-tier OnePlus 15 and offering a strong selling point for mobile gamers. It also retains robust durability with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. According to OnePlus, no other Android phone currently carries this combination of certifications.
The camera system will differ from the main flagship, with early images suggesting the 15R drops the dedicated zoom lens found on the OnePlus 15. This is expected to help keep costs down while still offering capable everyday photography. Battery and charging details remain unconfirmed, and it is unclear whether the new device will inherit the impressive battery performance of the 15.
The software experience, however, will be familiar. The OnePlus 15R will ship with Oxygen 16, built on Android 16 and featuring the company’s Plus Mind AI suite. This continues OnePlus’s push into device-level artificial intelligence, which it has increasingly emphasized across its product line.
The timing of the 15R’s debut is notable. Qualcomm only recently revealed that it would produce a non-Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a step below the ultra-premium chip reserved for top flagship phones. OnePlus becoming the first to ship a device with this processor signals both a close partnership with Qualcomm and a strategic play to capture early market attention before Samsung, Xiaomi, and other major players launch their next-generation models.
Pricing and regional availability will be revealed at the 17 December event, though OnePlus has already opened early sign-ups for pre-order discounts. With the arrival of the 15R, OnePlus appears intent on anchoring both sides of the premium Android market, offering two high-end devices built on the latest Qualcomm hardware.