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The New OnePlus 9 Phones Are Beautiful Beasts
Elegant smartphones for a more civilized age
By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 5, 2021 12:44PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Phones Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
The latest phones from OnePlus can compete with Apple’s flagship iPhone 12 Pro Max. The OnePlus 9 Pro and its less expensive sibling, the standard OnePlus 9, offer blazing speed, terrific screens, and elegant design. The cameras on the OnePlus 9 Pro are excellent, thanks to a partnership with famed pro camera manufacturer Hasselblad. Sascha Brodsky / Lifewire I’ve been using Apple’s flagship iPhone 12 Pro Max recently, and have been so impressed with its performance that I was sure the latest phones from OnePlus wouldn’t be able to measure up. But I was so wrong. The OnePlus 9 Pro, starting at $970, and its less-expensive sibling, the standard OnePlus 9, offer incredible speed, eye-pleasingly-good screens, and beautiful designs. The screens were the first thing to catch my eye. The colors are far more vivid than on the iPhone, and the screen seemed brighter, as well. “I was impressed with the photos the OnePlus 9 Pro took, and I’d be happy to use it as my shooter anytime.” Refreshingly Different Screens
I didn’t think the 120 HZ refresh rate would make much of a difference because I don’t play many games, and watching videos on the phone seems ridiculous with such a small screen. The higher refresh rate is supposed to make everything look smoother. In reality, I was dazzled by the high refresh rate on the phones that the manufacturer provided for review. It’s a hard effect to explain, but suddenly, the screen seemed more alive than before. Even scrolling through websites that I had looked at many times before was more fun. Google Stadia games looked superb with the high refresh rate. I enjoyed watching movies on this tiny screen far more than I thought I would, thanks to the great colors and crystal-clear display. The 9 Pro is ridiculously fast. To get technical, it’s got a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 888 processor, along with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. In practice, I never thought I’d say this, but the 9 Pro is almost too fast. OnePlus Applications popped open before I had time to think about it. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is no slouch when it comes to speed, but the OnePlus phones seemed much faster in actual use. The standard OnePlus 9 felt just as speedy in day-to-day use. I can’t say that the extra speed boost over the iPhone 12 Pro Max would make a difference in real life. But the speed was nice to have, particularly if future Android OS updates place extra burdens on the processor. Batteries That Last All Day
Despite the powerful screen and processor, the OnePlus 9 Pro had more-than-decent battery life thanks to its 4,500mAh dual batteries. I could use the phone for a full day of web browsing, chatting, and watching a movie on a single charge. Call quality was crystal clear, as you would expect for a phone at this price point. The OnePlus 9 Pro is slightly lighter and thinner than previous models at 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.34 inches and 7 ounces. There are also dual speakers, a microSIM slot next to the Warp Charge-compatible USB-C port, and one of their alert sliders above the power button to switch between silent, vibrate, and full volume modes, and a frame that claims to be water and dust resistance. Sascha Brodsky / Lifewire Perhaps the most noticeable thing about this year’s OnePlus flagship is its improved cameras. The company boasts that it partnered with famed pro camera manufacturer Hasselblad to ensure color reproduction is as accurate as possible. There’s a subtle Hasselblad logo engraved on the back of the OnePlus. In general, I was impressed with the photos the OnePlus 9 Pro took, and I’d be happy to use it as my shooter anytime. The 48-megapixel primary camera uses a custom-made Sony sensor, and I found the colors to be true to life. Experienced photographers will like the pro-level software that lets you use a histogram, change color profiles, and switch on focus peaking. Videographers aren’t left out. The 9 Pro lets you shoot at resolutions as high as 8K at 30fps. The short videos I took with the phone were dramatic and convincing. I’ve long been an Apple devotee, but after using the latest OnePlus phones, I’m seriously tempted to switch to Android. The combination of speed and great photos was just that good. If only the Apple Watch Series 6 played well with Google’s OS, I’d be ready to take the jump. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire OnePlus 10: News, Price, Release Date Estimate, Features, and Rumors The 7 Best Gaming Phones, Tested by Lifewire Which iPhone Should You Buy? iPhone 13: Release Date, Specs, Price, and News Where to Download iPhone Manuals for Every Model OnePlus 9 Review: The Math Still Comes Up Short iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Which Phone is Right for You? OnePlus Buds Z Review: Bangin’ Budget Buds The 9 Best Smartphones of 2022 How to Customize a OnePlus 9 Phone Expert Tested: The 9 Best Smartphone Cameras of 2022 Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Review: Bigger Can Be Better OnePlus Nord N10 5G Review: Don’t Ignore This Nord Apple iPhone 12 mini Review: Big Things Come in Small Packages Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review: Android’s Top Option OnePlus 8T Review: Spotty Cameras Hold Back This Speedy Beast Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies