The OnePlus 13 Android could keep you gaming for longer with this new feature

The OnePlus 13 launch is right around the corner, and we’ve just learned a lot more about the upcoming phone’s display, thanks to an event held in China by display supplier BOE. As you might expect, the specifications are top-notch, but there’s a surprise addition that could work wonders for battery life.

OnePlus shared a post on its Weibo account that says the OnePlus 13 display supports local high refresh rates, meaning different areas of the screen can run at different refresh rates. It’s the first example of this technology in a smartphone, though we have seen some of the devices on our list of the best gaming phones benefit from adaptive refresh rates, such as the OnePlus 12R and RedMagic 9S Pro.

There aren’t many specific details at the moment; we’ll need to wait for the official launch for that, but it’s easy to imagine the applications. For instance, if you’re running a fast-paced game with static UI elements, you could lower the refresh rate of those UI elements while boosting the gameplay to 120Hz. Or if you’re watching YouTube, you could stream the video content at 60Hz while the comment section displays at a lower refresh rate. In theory, it could make your battery last much longer without compromising speed and smoothness.

OnePlus is also doubling down on its weather-proof touch experience. The OnePlus 12 already worked better than most phones in rainy conditions, but the brand has teased that the new display will work better in the wind, snow, and sun. The latter situation promises to deliver more accurate colors and better visibility in direct sunlight, while the other improvements remain a mystery. Still, this is exciting news for anyone who enjoys playing the best mobile games in sunnier climates.

Elsewhere, the OnePlus 13 reportedly houses an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, a brand-new super-efficient Qualcomm chip, and a massive 6,000 mAh battery. It seems to be aiming to deliver the best battery life of any flagship device, and with this new screen tech on its side, that goal seems to be within reach. There’s stiff competition, though, especially from Apple, with our picks for the best gaming iPhones giving OnePlus and other Android brands a run for their money.