OnePlus 15: Top-tier variant has a 'hidden' RAM speed boost

The OnePlus 15 recently arrived on the global stage, attracting attention with its massive battery and top-tier specifications. A recent tough battery test offered more details about the endurance of the device. However, an interesting detail about the phone's memory options might have gone overlooked: while the OnePlus 15 offers both 12GB and 16GB RAM configurations, the speed of that RAM is not the same across both variants.

OnePlus subtly indicated this difference in its official specs. The 12GB RAM model uses what the company calls LPDDR5X Ultra memory, while the 16GB variant boasts LPDDR5X Ultra+ (Plus). But what does a marketing suffix like "Ultra+" actually mean for performance?

Understanding the OnePlus 15's "secret" RAM speed difference

The difference comes down to raw speed. The 12GB RAM version of the OnePlus 15 offers a data transfer rate of up to 9,600Mbps. In contrast, the 16GB variant achieves a significant speed boost, capable of reaching up to 10,667Mbps. For reference, this latest memory generation offers a noticeable step up from the previous OnePlus 13, which capped its LPDDR5X at 8,533Mbps.

It is important to understand that both specifications are still technically LPDDR5X. The "Ultra" and "Ultra+" monikers are simply OnePlus's marketing strategy to highlight improved speeds derived from different generations of Samsung RAM chips. Vivo has previously used the Ultra+ label for a similar speed boost in devices like the Vivo X300 Pro Satellite Communication Edition. Memory providers like Samsung do not use such labels, simply promoting them all as improved versions of LPDDR5X.

While the 16GB model already pushes LPDDR5X technology to its limit, the next major leap in mobile memory will be the LPDDR6 standard. Initial LPDDR6 modules will start at the same 10,667Mbps speed, but the true upgrade will focus on efficiency, promising up to 21% less power consumption than LPDDR5X. Furthermore, LPDDR6 has the potential to reach blistering speeds of 14,400Mbps in the future, setting the stage for the next wave of flagship performance.