Quick summary
OnePlus has announced its new flagship phone, the OnePlus 16, but you can’t buy it.
Withdrawing from the US and Europe, the new super flagship phone will only be available in China.
OnePlus made the shock announcement that it was withdrawing from Europe and the US in July, and its first affected flagship, the OnePlus 16, was launched in China.
The phone has been heavily speculated, but now we have all the details of this device, even if you can’t buy it. Instead, Oppo is increasing its efforts in Europe with the Find X10 Pro Max, which is currently going through a staggered release.
At a glance, these phones share a lot of their parents’ DNA, but while Oppo focuses on camera power, it seems that the OnePlus 16 is positioning itself for performance – and it’s a shame we won’t be able to get one.
The OnePlus 16 has a similar design to the OnePlus 15 (similar to the Oppo Find X9 and Find X10 devices), although it is Tomorrow’s Starlight version (a translation) that is interesting, because it has a section under the back that is illuminated.
The power comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, the top tier of the new hardware from Qualcomm, while there is an Oppo developed “E-Sport Triple Chip” designed to boost touch, graphics performance and network speed for an advantage in the game.
(Image credit: OnePlus)
There is a Glacier Cooling System with a 40% vapor chamber performance boost and 50% improvement in thermal gel, designed to keep the chip cool and ensure extended play. OnePlus says the cooling system also keeps heat away from your hands.
The display is capable of 185Hz across a number of titles – including PUBG, no surprises there – while it’s a BOE-supplied 6.78-inch f-OLED panel, with 2,000 nits brightness and support for HDR10 + and Dolby Vision.
Behind it all sits a 9,000mAh battery with 100W wireless charging and 50W wireless charging with a compatible charger. There’s bypass charging for use while gaming, of course, with the promise of over eight hours of hardcore gameplay from a single charge.
Finally, we have a 200-megapixel main camera with 1/1.4in sensor, a 50-megapixel 3x telephoto with 1/1.95in sensor and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera.
ColorOS 17 runs the whole thing on top of Android 17.
Prices start at CNY5,999, which is around £700 or $900, although as we said at the beginning, OnePlus has no plans to sell you this phone.