OnePlus confirms new Turbo lineup of smartphones, says it will be focussed on gaming

In a post on Chinese social media site Weibo, Lee said the OnePlus Turbo series would focus on performance, battery life, and gaming capability within a competitive price bracket. While OnePlus has yet to disclose exact pricing or positioning, the Turbo lineup can be expected to sit in the mid-range segment, going up against phones like Xiaomi’s Redmi Turbo series in China.

This pretty much sits within OnePlus’ recent product strategy, which has relied heavily on performance-led upgrades — from the high refresh rate display of the OnePlus 15 to the Ace 6T debuting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and the largest battery on a OnePlus phone. The Turbo series seems to double down on this for users looking for sustained gaming performance and endurance over camera or design priorities, which has been the case with brands like OPPO, Vivo and Realme with their upper mid-range and flagship phones.

No details on the phones have been confirmed by the brand but according to tipster Smart Pikachu, we might see two Turbo series smartphones from OnePlus in January 2026. Both these phones are said to pack big displays and batteries nearing the 9,000mAh threshold, which is quite a significant jump even by the current 7,000mAh standards (thanks Si-C tech). For context, the 8,300 mAh battery on the OnePlus Ace 6T is currently the biggest battery the company has shipped yet. If the claims are anything close to true, then the Turbo series may well become OnePlus’ most endurance-focused lineup.

Leaks have also hinted that one of the Turbo phones will use a modified version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, which suggests balance in flagship-level performance with power efficiency and cost control. This would align with the ‘Turbo’ branding, which seems to prioritise sustained performance rather than peak benchmark scores — something which the R-phones and numbered flagships are left to do.

Industry reports further indicate that the OnePlus Ace 6 Turbo could be the first phone under this new series. The device, internally codenamed ‘Macan,’ is said to feature a 6.7-inch display with 1.5K resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, keeping in line with OnePlus’ recent display upgrades. It is also rumoured to have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and run ColorOS 16 based on Android 16 in China.

Other expected features include an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, dual stereo speakers, NFC support, and an X-axis linear motor for improved vibration feedback – all features generally aimed at gamers and power users. However, other than the confirmation of the series, OnePlus hasn’t officially revealed any specifications, and these details should be treated as tentative for now.

For buyers, the Turbo series could shape up as a performance-first alternative for users who want long battery life and smooth gaming without stepping into flagship pricing territory. That said, it also needs mentioning that the OnePlus Turbo series is only confirmed to exist in the Chinese market so far, with no word on a global or India launch. Internationally, however, OnePlus is gearing up to launch the OnePlus 15R to appeal to performance-oriented users outside China. It remains to be seen if the Turbo branding will trickle to global markets eventually.

OnePlus took their focus on mobile gaming a step further with the OnePlus 15, which debuted a new suite of gaming enhancements designed to make play smoother and more responsive. The system, known as OnePlus Gaming Technology, combined hardware and software improvements to manage performance and optimise high-frame-rate gameplay. It is reasonable to speculate that the upcoming OnePlus Turbo series could adopt elements of this gaming-centric approach.