With the official India launch of the OnePlus 15R just days away, excitement is building among smartphone enthusiasts. Scheduled for December 17, the upcoming model is positioned as a refined yet more affordable alternative to the flagship OnePlus 15. Since the device has already debuted in China as the OnePlus Ace 6T, its features are mostly known — but the Indian pricing remains the biggest mystery.

In China, the OnePlus Ace 6T starts at CNY 2,599 (around ₹33,000) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. For comparison, its predecessor — the OnePlus Ace 5, sold in India as the OnePlus 13R — launched in China at CNY 2,299 (about ₹26,830). This indicates a noticeable price increase generation-over-generation, a trend OnePlus might carry forward in the Indian market.

However, local pricing often shifts due to factors like import duties, taxes, and market segmentation. The OnePlus 13R entered the Indian market at ₹42,999, and experts believe the 15R will likely stay below ₹50,000. There’s a strategic reason for this: OnePlus is currently selling the OnePlus 13s at ₹54,999, a device still fresh in its lineup. Pricing the 15R too close to the 13s may cause internal competition — something the company typically avoids.

The OnePlus 15R will reportedly run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a toned-down sibling of the high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that powers the flagship OnePlus 15. For context, the OnePlus 13s features last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, making the 15R an intriguing option for buyers prioritizing current-generation performance at a more accessible price point.

The differences between the Elite and non-Elite Gen 5 chips mainly lie in clock speeds and memory capabilities. The standard 8 Gen 5 features 2x 3.8GHz + 6x 3.32GHz cores, whereas the Elite model boosts this to 2x 4.61GHz + 6x 3.63GHz. Although both variants come with the Adreno 840 GPU, real-world performance may differ. The regular Gen 5 chip also lacks High-Performance Memory, an 18MB dedicated memory block that enhances bandwidth and lowers latency.

Given these factors, analysts expect OnePlus to price the 15R carefully to maintain the R series’ reputation for delivering strong performance without stepping fully into flagship territory. Still, with prices increasing year over year, the brand will need to strike the right balance to keep loyal buyers engaged — especially with rival companies offering aggressively priced performance phones.

While no solid leaks have confirmed the final Indian pricing, fans would certainly welcome a repeat of the ₹42,999 price tag from the OnePlus 13R. But until OnePlus makes an official announcement, pricing predictions should be taken with caution.

As the countdown to December 17 continues, OnePlus fans can look forward to more updates and official details soon. Stay tuned to India Today Tech for the latest developments.