OnePlus 15R reportedly skipping Snapdragon 8 Elite in favor of newer chipset

The OnePlus 15 was released globally earlier this month. During its launch event, the company also confirmed that it will launch the OnePlus 15R later. It will be a more affordable alternative to the flagship OnePlus 15. The company has started teasing the 15R in various markets, including Europe and India. However, OnePlus has not revealed any specifications for the upcoming device.

The OnePlus 15R was previously expected to be a rebranded version of the OnePlus Ace 6 that launched in China. However, a new leak suggests that this might not be the case. According to tipster @GadgetsData on X, the OnePlus 15R will not use the Snapdragon 8 Elite as previously suspected. Instead, it will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

It is not to be confused with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which powers the OnePlus 15. The 8 Elite Gen 5 is a flagship chipset, while the 8 Gen 5 is positioned as a sub-flagship. It is scheduled to be released on November 26, and the OnePlus Ace 6T will be the first smartphone to use it. Hence, the 15R is likely to be a rebrand of the Ace 6T instead of the standard Ace 6.

As for the performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a previous AnTuTu V11 listing of the Ace 6T suggested a score of more than 3.5 million points. For comparison, the OnePlus 13 with Snapdragon 8 Elite scores around 2.6 million points. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 15 with 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset exceeds 4 million points. Additionally, the tipster suggests that the 8 Gen 5 will offer better efficiency than the 8 Elite.

If the OnePlus 15R is indeed a rebrand of the Ace 6T, it could feature a 165Hz display and a battery larger than 8,000mAh with 100W charging support. The tipster suggests it could feature a 50MP dual rear camera setup, likely without a telephoto lens. The release of the 15R is expected to take place sometime in December.