The Motorola Nio is shaping up to be the Lenovo-owned brand's next flagship, and the latest leaks suggest it could ship with an unusual 105Hz peak refresh rate. That number stands out because display refresh rates usually arrive in multiples of 24 and 30 frames per second, making the rumoured spec a genuine talking point ahead of launch.
Motorola already sells the Edge and Edge+ flagships with 90Hz displays, so even a modest bump would mark a change of direction. Here is what the current leaks and tips reveal about the device.
What the Motorola Nio leaks reveal
According to Mishaal Rahman of XDA Developers, posting on Twitter, the rumoured Motorola Nio will have its default peak refresh rate set at 105Hz. Rahman noted how unusual that figure is, since panel refresh rates typically land on multiples of 24 and 30fps.
There is precedent for experimenting with odd numbers. Asus reportedly tested a 160Hz refresh rate mode on its ROG Phone 3, although that mode was never offered to the public.
Adam Conway of XDA Developers estimated that Motorola is testing the 105Hz mode during development and will likely set it to 90Hz at official launch. The thinking is that the company may use a higher rate for scrolling in interfaces and apps, while keeping the more common 90Hz for video playback.
Motorola Nio specifications (expected)
Earlier leaks of the phone's main specifications point to a Snapdragon 865 chipset, up to 12GB of RAM and a dual selfie camera. The handset is expected to run Android 11 out of the box.
The reported configurations and camera details break down as follows:
- Display: full-HD+ panel at 1080x2520 pixels
- Variants: 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
- Rear cameras: triple setup led by a 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64B primary sensor
- Front cameras: dual setup with a 16-megapixel primary and an 8-megapixel secondary sensor
| Specification | Expected detail |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 865 |
| Display | Full-HD+ (1080x2520 pixels) |
| Peak refresh rate | 105Hz (rumoured), likely 90Hz at launch |
| RAM and storage | 8GB + 128GB or 12GB + 256GB |
| Rear camera | Triple, 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64B primary |
| Front camera | Dual, 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel |
| Software | Android 11 |
When could it launch?
The Motorola Nio is rumoured to arrive in the first quarter of next year. As with any pre-launch leak, the final specifications could shift before the phone becomes official. For more on the company's lineup, see Motorola.
