We’re closing in on the end of 2025 now, but there’s still at least one big smartphone hitter left to come, as the OnePlus 15 will be unveiled on October 27.

That launch is just for China, but a global launch is expected to follow, and may well also happen before the end of the year.

If it does, then this could be the surprise star of 2025 as far as Android phones go, because between leaks and early revelations, we can see the phone shaping up to possibly beat even the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Below, we’ve listed five reasons why this might be the best Android phone of the year.

1. It will have a massive battery

OnePlus has a habit of revealing details of its phones ahead of the full announcement, and the OnePlus 15 is no exception, so we already know a lot of things about it.

Among the most exciting of those things is that it will have a 7,300mAh battery, which is a far higher capacity than any Samsung, Apple, or Google phone has.

For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has a 5,200mAh battery, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max has either a 5,088mAh battery (if you buy an eSIM-only model) or a 4,823mAh battery otherwise.

This will likely mean the OnePlus 15 can also last longer between charges, though how efficient the chipset and software are, and how well the phone can manage heat (more on which further down), can also impact that.

Still, it’s not just the capacity that’s impressive – the OnePlus 15 will also be able to charge at up to 120W, or up to 50W if using wireless charging, which again beats most rivals by a long way. So even with such a massive cell it should be able to juice up quickly.

2. It will be extremely powerful

Another thing OnePlus has confirmed is that the OnePlus 15 will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.

That’s a brand-new chipset, and it’s the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite used by the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series. So it should outperform the chipsets in almost every current Android phone – aside from the few that already have a Gen 5 of their own.

This performance advantage might be short-lived, as we’re expecting at least some models in the Samsung Galaxy S26 series to be equipped with the same chipset early next year, but as far as 2025 goes, the OnePlus 15 could rank at or near the top of the pack for power.

3. It will have a high refresh rate

We don’t yet know all of the OnePlus 15’s display specs, but one thing the company has confirmed is that it will have a 165Hz refresh rate.

While that’s not totally unheard of, it’s usually reserved for gaming phones, with mainstream flagships typically having a 120Hz refresh rate.

That should make motion – such as when scrolling through menus or playing games that can make the most of it – appear smoother, so it’s a desirable feature to have, and one you won’t find on a Samsung Galaxy phone or an iPhone.

4. It should have competitive cameras

In a Weibo post (via NotebookCheck) OnePlus has also shared some details of its upcoming phone’s cameras, and while these don’t necessarily sound like they’ll blow the competition out of the water, they are likely to at least be competitive.

The OnePlus 15 then will have a 50MP triple-lens camera, including a 3.5x telephoto snapper, equivalent to an 85mm focal length. It will also support 4K 120fps Dolby Vision.

So the snappers sound promising, and given that the cameras on the OnePlus 13 were already one of its highlights, any improvements here should ensure this ranks among the best camera phones.

5. It should be able to keep cool under pressure

Finally, OnePlus has again taken to Weibo (via GSMArena) to reveal that the OnePlus 15 will have the company’s most advanced cooling system yet.

Specifically, it will have what the company is calling a Glacier Cooling System, and this will include a larger vapor chamber with a “double-layer capillary structure” that improves heat dissipation.

This will be paired with a Glacier Supercritical Aerogel, which should help the phone feel cool to the touch, even when playing demanding games.

These cooling mechanisms should help the OnePlus 15 maintain peak performance for more sustained periods, and they’re likely to also benefit battery life.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.