If you have a relatively modern OnePlus phone and you like to play games, you've probably heard of Fnatic mode and high-performance modeBoth are designed to get the most out of the phone's hardware when it's time to play a few games, but each one acts differently and appeared at different times in the brand's history.
Over the past few years, OnePlus has been refining its approach to mobile gaming, first with the agreement with the well-known eSports club FnaticAnd later, with its own "Pro Gaming Mode" and options like high-performance mode and CPU, GPU, and RAM upgrades. Let's take a detailed look, without missing a thing, at how all this works, what it offers, and how you can get the most out of it.
What is Fnatic Mode on OnePlus and how did it come about?
The call Fnatic Mode first arrived with the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro as one of the major new features aimed at mobile gamers. OnePlus, which sponsored the legendary European eSports team Fnatic, took advantage of that collaboration to name its advanced gaming mode, differentiating it from other performance profiles that already existed in OxygenOS.
Initially, this function was exclusive to the latest flagshipsThat is, from the OnePlus 7 family. However, from the outset, the company made it clear that its objective was Bring Fnatic Mode to older models as wellprovided the hardware allowed it. And so it was: over time, and thanks to the beta versions of OxygenOS, the feature began to roll out to the OnePlus 5, 5T, 6, and 6T.
As could be seen in communities like XDA Developers and media outlets like GizChina, the Latest OxygenOS beta for those classic OnePlus models It incorporated Fnatic Mode along with other important new features such as Digital Wellbeing and the June 2019 security patch. The update package was in size about 328MBTherefore, the brand itself recommended always downloading it while connected to the WiFi network to avoid surprises with the data plan.
The update was distributed as OTA (Over The Air) in stagesTherefore, some users received it before others. In the case of the OnePlus 5 and 5T, betas numbered 34 and 32 could be downloaded and installed manually in .zip format. However, for the OnePlus 6 and 6T, betas 12 and 20 were not yet available as downloadable files, so users had to wait for the OTA update to reach their devices.
What exactly does Fnatic Mode do?
Beyond the name, Fnatic Mode is a aggressive playing profile that reconfigures the system to prioritize performance in demanding games. Its behavior focuses on three main areas: notifications, network, and background process management.
On one hand, Fnatic Mode It blocks virtually all notifications While you're playing, only very specific exceptions are allowed, such as alarms or low battery alerts, so you don't have balloons, banners, or pop-ups distracting you in the middle of a game. The goal is for the phone to become a kind of "portable console" for the duration of the gaming session.
In addition, the system gives total priority to the game at the network resource levelThis means that data connections (whether Wi-Fi or mobile network) are prioritized to maintain the lowest possible latency and adequate stability for competitive online games. Applications that are downloading files in the background or consuming bandwidth are limited to allow the game to run smoothly.
Finally, Fnatic Mode limits the background activity of many apps This frees up CPU, GPU, and RAM. The idea is to reserve the phone's power for game-related processes, thus reducing lag, FPS drops, and loading times. All of this helps OnePlus devices run demanding and visually challenging games more smoothly.
Digital Wellbeing and other associated functions
Interestingly, the OxygenOS beta that introduced Fnatic Mode in the OnePlus 5, 5T, 6 and 6T It also added a tool with an almost opposite focus: Digital Wellbeing. This is Google's initiative to monitor and reduce the time we spend on our mobile phones, showing usage statistics and setting limits if necessary.
With Digital Wellbeing you can see how much time do you spend using each apphow many times you unlock your phone or how many notifications you receive, and from there configure settings to curb the habit a bit. Among the most striking features is "Wind Down," similar to Zen mode on the OnePlus 6which turns the screen into grayscale so that the mobile phone is less visually appealing when bedtime approaches, helping to disconnect.
It is also possible set usage timers For certain apps, once the configured daily time limit is reached, the system blocks them from opening until the next day. While this might sound contradictory when discussing extreme gaming performance, it makes perfect sense for OnePlus to offer both Tools to play better and tools to rest and control the number of hours we spend in front of the screen.
From Fnatic Mode to Pro Gaming Mode: a new stage
Over time, OnePlus decided to change its approach and Rename Fnatic Mode as "Pro Gaming Mode"The reason was not technical, but commercial: the collaboration agreement between the brand and the eSports team Fnatic came to an end, and with it also the possibility of continuing to use that name in the system.
Fnatic Mode was originally introduced with the OnePlus 7, although it quickly moved backward in the catalog until reaching, for example, the OnePlus 5. However, the name change to Pro Gaming Mode hasn't been applied so retroactively. As discussed in the XDA Developers community, the The transition to the new name would occur with the official arrival of OxygenOS 11, which at the time was in Beta 3 phase.
According to the company itself, the name "Fnatic" would be replaced by "Pro Gaming Mode" on phones that received OxygenOS 11This excludes, for example, the OnePlus 5, which didn't reach that version of the system and therefore retains its old name if it already had one. However, Models like the OnePlus 6 are included in the upgrade plan, along with more recent devices like the OnePlus 9, where the advanced gaming mode is already known by the new name.
In terms of features, OnePlus hasn't provided many details. Internal changes in the transition from Fnatic Mode to Pro Gaming ModeThe core principles remain the same: the philosophy of offering a specific performance profile for competitive gaming, with resource prioritization, ad blocking, and background task limitations. The reason for the change is primarily the expiration of the commercial agreement with Fnatic, not a revolution in how the system optimizes games.
The collaboration between Fnatic and OnePlus: more than just a name
The story of Fnatic Mode isn't limited to OxygenOS software. Fnatic itself, one of the most recognized eSports organizations in Europe London-based, announced the renewal of its global agreement with OnePlus to continue working together to give more visibility to mobile games and players who compete from their smartphones.
Since the collaboration was made public in 2019, The OnePlus logo took center stage on the Fnatic players' jerseysreplacing the club's own name. It was an important symbolic move for both parties, a "historic milestone" for both the mobile brand and the esports organization, demonstrating the extent to which mobile gaming was beginning to gain traction within the industry.
With this alliance, the goal was not only to use the Fnatic name for a game mode, but launch joint initiatives to find talent in Europe and North AmericaFnatic and OnePlus set out to find promising mobile gamers, give them visibility, and help the mobile eSports sector continue to grow worldwide.
Fnatic itself points out that it is a Pioneering collaboration between a smartphone manufacturer and a professional eSports clubThis marks the beginning of a new era for mobile gaming. The constant increase in the power of phones and the growth of the mobile gaming audience make it increasingly logical to invest in competitions and projects focused exclusively on these devices.
How Fnatic Mode transforms the gaming experience on OnePlus
One of the pillars of this collaboration is precisely the Fnatic Mode as a tool to take OnePlus to a higher level of gamingAccording to the organization and the brand itself, this mode further optimizes the CPU, GPU, and RAM, putting all available resources at the player's disposal when running a demanding game.
This mode not only blocks notifications, calls, and other interruptions, but also It optimizes how the phone manages energy and internal resources.This means that, during a game, the system prioritizes maintaining the refresh rate, connection stability, and overall smoothness, even at the cost of increased battery consumption. It's the classic "performance above all else" approach sought after by competitive gamers.
At the time the agreement was launched, the Fnatic mode was exclusive to the OnePlus 7 Pro, the top-of-the-line model at the time. However, over time OnePlus integrated it into more devices through its "OnePlus Game Space" app, thus reaching the the OnePlus 8 family and other models such as the OnePlus 7T Pro, 7T, 7, 6T, 6, 5T and 5In this way, a wide range of users were able to start enjoying that extra performance without needing to immediately upgrade their device.
Sam Mathews, CEO and founder of Fnatic, explained that the club's objective is find and improve the level of players across the globeAnd that having OnePlus as a partner helps them reach and engage with a huge community of mobile gamers. It was also highlighted that OnePlus not only boosts the visibility of their teams, but also provides them with The best devices for gaming while traveling, training, or simply wanting to stay connected with your followers.
From OnePlus, Eric Gass, global director of Brand Partnerships, insisted that the brand, as benchmark in performance and hardwareOnePlus is committed to the Fnatic community and its players, offering smartphones designed with mobile gaming in mind. They maintain that mobile gaming is the future and that, thanks to the renewed collaboration, OnePlus will take another step towards equipping gamers worldwide with the best possible experience. tools that add real value to your games.
Fnatic, mobile esports and the future of gaming
Fnatic doesn't just compete on PC or console: the organization has 9 professional teams and 7 eSports titles in different disciplinesand continuously studies the evolution of the sector to identify new opportunities. The rise of live online gaming has skyrocketed viewership, with increases reaching nearly 600% and almost 100 million hours of viewing in just one year.
In this context, Fnatic is clear that it wants strengthen its presence in the mobile gaming sectorTo demonstrate this, the club made the leap into PUBG Mobile by acquiring the Indian team XSpark, and is preparing for new projects focused on mobile platforms. The collaboration with OnePlus fits perfectly into this strategy, as it offers devices specifically optimized for smartphone gaming.
In the months following the renewal of the agreement, Fnatic and OnePlus planned launch a first joint project in North America Dedicated to finding top-tier content creators and players. The idea is to prepare the ground for major events like the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship, where device performance and connection stability are absolutely crucial.
Patrik Sättermon, CGO of Fnatic, stressed that the Mobile games are the future of eSportsBecause smartphones are becoming increasingly powerful and offering outstanding performance, this is driving the creation of dedicated mobile gaming competitions worldwideAnd, in this sense, OnePlus has proven to be at the forefront with terminals optimized for playing at the highest level.
High-performance mode on OnePlus: another way to get the most out of your phone
In addition to Fnatic Mode or Pro Gaming Mode, OnePlus phones include a high-performance mode accessible from the battery settingsThis option is designed for those who, at a given moment, prefer that the device deliver absolutely everything without worrying about saving energy, something that is especially noticeable in apps and games with high graphical load.
When you activate high-performance mode, the system It automatically disables most power-saving options.This includes limitations such as background processes, CPU frequency reductions, or overly conservative algorithms. The device then delivers its maximum available performance, which means higher battery consumption but also faster response times for animations, loading times, and running demanding tasks.
This mode is complemented by Other OxygenOS performance optimizationsFeatures such as RAM expansion or advanced management allow you to keep more applications running in the background without them closing, or to relaunch them faster when you return to them. For those who play intensive games or work with professional apps, combining High Performance Mode with Pro Gaming Mode offers pushing the OnePlus hardware to its limits.
How do all these modes integrate into everyday experience?
Although each function has its own name and history, the underlying idea is that the user can adapt the performance of the OnePlus to what it is doing at any given momentIf you're going to play competitive titles like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile, it makes sense to activate Fnatic Mode or Pro Gaming Mode along with high performance mode to prioritize maximum smoothness and stability.
On the other hand, if you're having a quieter day or want to control usage time and rest your eyesYou can take advantage of Digital Wellbeing and features like Wind Down to slow down your phone and yourself. Ultimately, OnePlus offers both "turbo" for intense gaming sessions and "the brake" to disconnect when needed, and this combination makes for a more balanced experience.
For many users, the great advantage is that this layer of options integrates relatively easily, whether through quick settings, game menus like Game Space, or dedicated sections in the battery settingsYou don't need to be an expert to activate these modes: you just need to know what they do and in what situations it's worth using them.
Currently, with the gradual transition from Fnatic Mode to Pro Gaming Mode on devices receiving OxygenOS 11 and later, and with the OnePlus's established presence in the mobile eSports ecosystemThe brand's users have a fairly complete range of tools to play seriously from their mobile phones.
Notification blocking, aggressive CPU, GPU and RAM management, network prioritization and high-performance modes allow the devices to reach their full potential when the game gets intense, without forgetting that it is also necessary to rest and take care of how we use the device. Share the information so that more users know about the topic.