OnePlus May Be Testing a 165Hz Phone With Dimensity 9500, Possibly the Ace 6 Ultra

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-Kabir Jain

Published: Friday, January 9, 2026, 11:54 [IST]

OnePlus’ recent launch cycle has been fairly Snapdragon-heavy. Over the past few months in China, the company has introduced phones like the OnePlus 15, Ace 6T, Turbo 6, and Turbo 6V, all leaning on Qualcomm chips at different performance tiers. That consistency is exactly why a new leak around a Dimensity-powered phone stands out.

Instead of adding another Snapdragon variant, OnePlus now appears to be revisiting MediaTek for a high-end, performance-focused device. And if the leak is accurate, this won’t be a mid-range experiment.

A Signal That MediaTek Isn’t Just a Backup Option

According to tipster Digital Chat Station, OnePlus is testing a phone powered by the Dimensity 9500, currently in the engineering phase. While the device isn’t named outright, the positioning is telling. OnePlus has historically used MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity chips only when it wanted to push raw performance and battery efficiency, usually under the Ace Ultra branding.

Performance First, Design Second

The leaked prototype specs reinforce that idea. A 6.78-inch flat OLED display, 1.5K resolution, and a 165Hz refresh rate point clearly toward gamers and heavy users. This isn’t chasing curved glass aesthetics or ultra-thin builds. It’s prioritising responsiveness and thermal stability.

An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor also hints that this phone is being positioned closer to flagship territory rather than as a value-focused Ace model.

The Battery Arms Race Continues

Perhaps the most interesting part of the leak isn’t the chipset or display, but the battery. Digital Chat Station suggests OnePlus is testing a battery that starts with an “8”, with internal targets pushing it toward a 9,000mAh-class capacity, similar to the Turbo 6 series that launched yesterday.

No Dimensity 9500 Plus Changes the Equation

Another subtle but important detail from the leak is that MediaTek isn’t planning a Dimensity 9500 Plus this year. Last year’s Ace 5 Ultra relied on the Dimensity 9400 Plus, which gave OnePlus a marketing and performance bump through higher clock speeds.

Where This Leaves the Ace Series

If this device does turn out to be the Ace 6 Ultra, it fits neatly into OnePlus’ broader lineup. Timing-wise, a mid-year launch wouldn’t be surprising. The Ace 5 Ultra arrived in May 2025, and OnePlus often sticks to predictable cycles for its China-first devices.

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