OnePlus' next budget flagship could be a spiritual successor to an OPPO phone
Sister companies OPPO and OnePlus are now more intertwined than ever, be it closer collaboration on software development or using the same base hardware for their offerings. OnePlus is now apparently all set to revive a brand that OPPO no longer seems interested in: Ace.
OPPO has released two Ace phones so far: the Reno Ace in 2019 and the Ace2 in 2020. The next Ace phone could come from OnePlus, if a couple of new leaks are to be believed (via 91Mobiles).
Popular Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station says that the OnePlus Ace will be powered by the Dimensity 8100, MediaTek's mid-range chip that is said to be as fast as Qualcomm's last year's flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 888.
Machine translated version of the Weibo post about OnePlus Ace
The OnePlus Ace will allegedly be a gaming-centric device and is expected to offer 150w fast charging. The handset's main camera will apparently be the 50MP Sony IMX 766 sensor that also supports optical image stabilization (OIS).
Like many other gaming phones, the Ace is also expected to have a textured back.
The rumor about the Ace has been supplemented by another leak that comes from Chinese leaker WHYLAB. They add that the phone is known by the model number PGKM10 and will sport a 6.7-inches OLED display with a resolution of 2412×1080 pixels and a centered punch-hole front camera. The phone will pack a 4,500mAh battery.
If the specs sound familiar, it's because the rumored Nord 3 is also expected to offer these same specs, so it's possible that they are the same devices. If that's indeed the case, the Ace/Nord 3 may also feature 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and a high refresh rate of 120Hz for smoother scrolling. The 50MP main camera will presumably be accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide module and a 2MP monochrome unit.
Whether these specs will make it the best budget flagship of the year remains to be seen. If a leaked timeline is to be believed, the Ace/Nord 3 will be here in July.
WHYLAB has also shared some alleged Ace images, and though it's shrouded in a cover, its flat display and pinhole cutout can clearly be seen.
Leaked OnePlus Ace image
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