OnePlus has started revealing details about its upcoming flagship smartphone ahead of its expected October launch. The OnePlus 16 is being developed with a strong focus on performance, design and day-to-day comfort, and the company has now given us a closer look at what the phone will look like.
OnePlus China President Li Jie Louis has shared details about the design approach behind the new flagship, while the official pre-order listing has revealed its colour options and storage configurations. The company is also highlighting a new customizable shortcut key and a redesigned camera area.
Here is everything known about the OnePlus 16 so far.
OnePlus 16 Design Details
The OnePlus 16 will feature a flat display with extremely narrow bezels on all four sides. The slim bezels are designed to give the front a cleaner appearance while making the screen feel more immersive.
Instead of using sharp corners, OnePlus has opted for larger-radius rounded corners. According to Li Jie Louis, this approach is intended to retain the look of a flat-screen phone while making the device more comfortable to hold.
The rounded design could be particularly useful during longer periods of use, such as scrolling through apps or holding the phone horizontally while gaming.
Metal Frame and Camera Design
The premium design continues around the sides and rear of the phone. The OnePlus 16 will feature a metal middle frame, along with a metal camera deco.
At the back, the phone uses a square-shaped metal camera island. The large camera module gives the rear a distinctive appearance while housing the phone’s triple-camera setup.
The overall design combines the flat front panel, rounded corners and metal construction to give the OnePlus 16 a more refined flagship look.
Customizable Shortcut Key
One of the more interesting design additions is a dedicated customizable shortcut key placed on the left side of the phone.
OnePlus says the key can be configured for up to nine different functions. Users will be able to assign actions they frequently use, including muting the phone, switching on the flashlight or starting a recording.
The idea is fairly straightforward: instead of opening an app or moving through multiple menus, users can access selected functions directly through the physical key.
OnePlus 16 Color Options
The official pre-order listing has revealed three color options for the OnePlus 16:
- Tomorrow Starlight
- Dark Forest
- Martian Masterpiece
Among these, Tomorrow Starlight is the most unusual variant. It features an interactive breathing light built into the rear panel. The lighting effect illuminates the OnePlus branding and celestial coordinates, giving this version a more distinctive appearance.
The three finishes give buyers different design choices, ranging from the more subtle Dark Forest to the visually distinctive Tomorrow Starlight edition.
OnePlus 16 RAM and Storage Options
The pre-order listing also reveals several memory and storage configurations. The OnePlus 16 is expected to be available in the following combinations:
| RAM | Storage |
|---|---|
| 12GB | 256GB |
| 12GB | 512GB |
| 16GB | 512GB |
| 16GB | 1TB |
The availability of a 16GB + 1TB configuration suggests that OnePlus is targeting users who want plenty of onboard storage alongside high memory capacity.
OnePlus 16 Display and Performance
Earlier reports suggest that the OnePlus 16 will use a BOE X4 flat OLED display with support for a system-wide 165Hz refresh rate.
For optimized gaming scenarios, the refresh rate is reportedly capable of reaching 185Hz. If implemented as reported, this would put the OnePlus 16 among the smartphones targeting an especially smooth gaming experience.
The phone is also expected to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro flagship chipset. Software duties are reportedly handled by ColorOS 17 based on Android 17.
OnePlus has previously confirmed that the flagship will debut with ColorOS 17, while the global version is expected to retain the high-refresh-rate display experience.
9,000mAh Battery and Fast Charging
Battery capacity could be another major highlight of the OnePlus 16. The phone is reportedly equipped with a 9,000mAh battery, which would give it a substantial power reserve for everyday use.
The battery system is paired with Oppo’s energy-management silicon, designed to improve efficiency through low-voltage power management.
For charging, the OnePlus 16 is expected to support:
- 100W wired charging
- 50W wireless charging
This combination would give users both high-speed wired charging and the convenience of wireless charging.
OnePlus 16 Camera Specifications
The OnePlus 16 is expected to feature a triple rear camera setup.
The main camera is reportedly a 200-megapixel sensor with a 1/1.4-inch sensor size. It will be joined by a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera for wider scenes.
The third camera is expected to be a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto sensor with a reported 1/1.95-inch sensor size.
This setup suggests that OnePlus is aiming to provide more versatility across standard photography, ultrawide shots and zoom photography.
OnePlus 16: What OnePlus Has Confirmed So Far
The company has officially revealed several aspects of the OnePlus 16’s design, including its narrow-bezel flat display, rounded corners, metal frame, metal camera deco and customizable shortcut key.
The official pre-order listing has also confirmed the three colour options and multiple RAM and storage configurations. Some of the other specifications, including the processor, battery, charging system and camera hardware, are based on recent reports and should be treated accordingly until OnePlus confirms them.
OnePlus 16 Expected Launch
OnePlus has started its official teaser campaign for the upcoming flagship, with the phone expected to make its debut around October. The company is gradually revealing more information ahead of the launch.
For now, the OnePlus 16 stands out for its combination of a slim-bezel flat display, customizable shortcut key, metal construction and distinctive colour options. More details about its pricing, availability and remaining specifications should become clear as OnePlus moves closer to the official launch.
Note: Product details, pricing, and availability may change over time. While we try to keep information accurate, please verify details from the official website before purchasing. Some content may be assisted by AI tools like ChatGPT, and some articles may contain affiliate links that may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Reviews, opinions, and feature highlights are based on official specifications and publicly available information at the time of writing.
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