OnePlus 16 will make the predecessor’s 165 Hz display look slow

Just two months after the first rumors suggesting a possible generational leap for the panels used by OnePlus, it seems the project is moving ahead at a brisk pace.

The news comes directly on the first day of 2026, when the OnePlus Club account on the X platform shared a short but unequivocal message.

Although it is an unofficial channel, its historical reliability in predicting the Chinese brand’s moves lends considerable weight to the anticipation: OnePlus will have a display with an ultra-high refresh rate of 240 Hz.

OnePlus, a race for performance like never before

Although the leak does not explicitly mention the model in question, all clues point toward the company’s next crown jewel: the OnePlus 16.

The predecessor, OnePlus 15, already boasts a 165 Hz display, a spec that far exceeds the 120 Hz industry standard.

If the rumors prove correct, the new flagship would not simply surpass the competition, but would distance it embarrassingly. Even the recent series Honor WIN, with its 185 Hz, would pale in comparison to the smoothness promised by the new OnePlus device.

The contrast becomes even more pronounced when looking at the broader smartphone market landscape. While OnePlus pushes the accelerator on extreme hardware, in Cupertino the atmosphere is quite different: it has been just three months since the base iPhone model finally surpassed the historic 60 Hz barrier, a move that today seems almost timid in the face of the aggressiveness of Asian competitors.

Real utility or marketing?

Despite the impressive spec, public reception to this novelty appears surprisingly tepid. When the possibility of a panel at 240 Hz was discussed for the first time, the reaction of the community was far from enthusiastic.

The prevailing sentiment on social media reflects a clear demand: users would prefer that resources invested in such extreme refresh rates be redirected to the camera department.

This skepticism has well-defined technical roots. Each increase in refresh rate brings benefits but also compromises significant.

The jump from traditional 60 Hz to 120 Hz represented a tangible revolution, making scrolling and animations visibly more fluid without excessively sacrificing autonomy. However, going further, toward 165 Hz or 185 Hz, offers marginal benefits perceivable almost exclusively in competitive gaming, while in everyday use the difference becomes almost imperceptible.

The adoption of 240 Hz represents the extreme of this curve. Although it guarantees absolute responsiveness and fluidity, the price to pay in terms of energy consumption could be high.

Unless OnePlus has a revolutionary technology in store for efficiency management, for the average user this upgrade could translate into a battery that drains faster without offering real added value in everyday use.

It remains to be seen whether the OnePlus 16 will manage to convince the market that pure speed is worth the sacrifice.