OnePlus 17 Could Feature a Wider Display for Better Gaming, Joining a New Flagship Trend

OnePlus 17 is reportedly being developed with a wider display, potentially offering more screen space for gaming as OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi and Vivo explore a new smartphone design trend.

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It seems like OnePlus is considering a big modification in its flagship smartphone's display design. Based on the latest leak from China, it is said that the upcoming OnePlus 17 would come with a wider screen and become one of many flagship smartphones that will feature this unusual screen design next year. This move can suggest a trend in the smartphone market where manufacturers look into using wider screens for their smartphones to boost gaming experience and overall user-friendliness without having foldable phones.

The above-mentioned leak was made by the Chinese tipster Smart Pikachu, who revealed on his Weibo account that the OnePlus 17 would be one of five wide-screen flagship smartphones next year. While he did not reveal what kind of screen size or aspect ratio OnePlus 17 will use, it is evident that OnePlus is taking into consideration the use of a wider panel for its upcoming flagship phone. Another tipster from China named Digital Chat Station (DCS) had previously revealed that OnePlus is considering developing a smartphone with a wider screen panel. It may even act as an alternative to the successor of OnePlus 15T.

Wider display could become particularly appealing for the mobile gaming community. Traditionally, most smartphones have a taller and narrow display, which can make gaming controls a little inconvenient at times in landscape mode. Wider display could allow developers to place gaming controls in a better position and give players more immersive experience. Additionally, a wider display could help improve the visual experience while playing videos and using some applications.

OnePlus had demonstrated its interest in making top-performing displays with their flagship smartphones recently. OnePlus 16, which was unveiled in October, comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display capable of reaching up to 185Hz in compatible games. OnePlus 16 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset along with a 200MP main camera and 9,000mAh battery. If latest rumors turn out to be true, OnePlus 17 could keep the same trend but with a rather different display format.

The earlier reports indicated that OnePlus was developing a screen with the refresh rate of up to 240Hz. It is still unclear whether the company is planning to implement this feature in its next model. The wide screen combined with the extremely high refresh rate might turn out to be one of the key features that will make OnePlus 17 appealing to the competitive mobile gamers. It is noteworthy, however, that there is no official information about display characteristics of the future smartphone.

In this regard, OnePlus will not be the only producer considering this approach, as OPPO is developing a regular smartphone with the screen ratio of 16:9 or 16:10, and the representatives of Xiaomi and Vivo are expected to create wide-screen flagships as well.

This idea is gradually receiving popularity in the market of folding smartphones. Examples of such smartphones include the Huawei Pura X Max, Xiaomi 18 Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and even iPhone Duo from Apple – all these smartphones are known to have relatively large dimensions compared to the usual book-like folding devices. The company Huawei tried to implement this idea in normal smartphones by creating Pura X View. Still, a wide screen on a standard smartphone would have been more interesting, as a person would receive extra horizontal screen without unfolding a device.

Nevertheless, there are a number of potential problems which may emerge when implementing the idea of wider smartphones. Wider dimensions can create difficulties in using the device with one hand for those who like small smartphones. Thus, the manufacturers should consider the balance of screen ratio, overall dimensions, and ease of handling of the device.

For now, the OnePlus 17 remains a long way from its expected launch, and the company has not officially confirmed any details about its next flagship. The reported wider display should therefore be treated as an early rumour rather than a confirmed specification. Nevertheless, if OnePlus and other major smartphone brands move forward with this design, next year's flagship smartphone market could see an interesting shift towards wider screens, particularly for users who prioritise gaming and multimedia experiences.