The OnePlus 8 is the new affordable flagship to beat
OnePlus practices the sort of obsessively faithful usually reserved for Apple zealots. This can clarify Twitter’s uproar and feedback on “RIP,” which hit its new flagship. It wasn’t planning or needing the spected-up, budget-conscious smartphone followers. But this latest OnePlus 8 is. On board, the core’s OnePlus. But is it good? Here’s the analysis.
Who’s it for?
It’s simpler to tell which isn’t the OnePlus 8. It’s not for anyone who thinks their smartphone’s be-all and end-all camera. So it’s not for those trying to mess with tons of techniques so different apps. But for literally everyone else, this is a great buy without real complaints.
Design
This looks and feels more like a Samsung Galaxy than ever, with a small punch hole in the top left of the screen – goodbye pop-up camera – and a curved display. The OnePlus isn’t as light as the S20 at 180 g, but being a tall, narrow 20:9 phone, it’s surprisingly easy to hold. Because there’s no telephoto lens here, the camera bump on the back isn’t as elevated as the 8 Pro.
We reviewed the glacial green edition, and the matte glass finish is good, in reality we compare it to Huawei’s significant handset graphical efforts in recent years. It’s a fingerprint trap, however. The curved monitor may be a bone of contention for those who are either worried with incorrect contact sensations – as with Samsung – or quite fussy regarding picture quality. Yet it seems elegant, not disturbing any men.
Living with it
Using OnePlus 8 as my key screen, it’s hard to find fault. The in-display fingerprint sensor is accurate and quick enough not to worry about it. Strong call consistency. The big, bright 6.55 in 90Hz panel, though not the 8 Pro’s 120Hz, is satisfying and making it impossible to revert to the 60Hz bog-standard later. And since OxygenOS is such a light touch, no UI niggles are too frequently seen on even luxury Android phones.
The camera
Every year, the system OnePlus images get stronger, so that’s where you’re saving those hundreds of pounds. This doesn’t mean it’s a good camera rig, however. Yeah, the macro lens and portrait mode aren’t exceptional and there’s no telephoto zoom lens here, however between the main 48MP and the ultra-wide 16MP lens that’s perfect outdoors (remember outdoors?), you’re ready for a ton of scenarios.
Using the main sensor, the OnePlus 8 defaults to 12MP images that we will recommend sticking to unless you find you need the resolution or want to ‘slice’ your pictures. If we’re picky alongside even a Samsung, you can still see some mild white balance problems and less specified surface textures. A mid-range pixel could be a safe choice if the image is your focus.
Killer feature
It’s a match between OxygenOS 10.5 and the outstanding battery life. We prefer OxygenOS, not for any unique updates for 2020 (as there’s barely any), but because it’s a delight to use everyday. Re the battery, the huge 4,300mAh model, greater than the 4,000mAh of the Samsung Galaxy S20, seems to last a decent day to a day and a half, even at the fast refresh rate (we haven’t checked 5 G usage yet). Plus the bundled WarpCharge 30 T quick charger had our 8-50% in under half an hour. There’s no easy wireless charging like 8 Pro, but you can do without it.
Fix this next time
Address this next time The OnePlus 8 has the 8 Pro’s IP68 water and dust resistance. The official line is it has some water resistance, and we’ve handled it carefully. Essentially, it can go for a fast dip, but nothing more – our machine was splashed in the kitchen and lasted.
It may not be a dealbreaker, but since Pete Lau calculated a few years ago that the research cost around per product, it’s definitely time to bite the bullet and attach it to next year’s simple versions.
Why, why …
Of course, we have had time to plan so, of course, we have wireless earbuds now, but the loss of headphone jack always hurts a bit. It’s nice that it’s there. Google backpedaled on the mid-range Pixel 3a, but optimism remains.
Breakdown
This phone’s really no 4 G version; it’s 5 G or none. But the fact that it’s not costly, high, or battery liability is a point in the favor of OnePlus relative to some of the phones we saw last year. Well performed to all concerned.
ual stereo speakers are still pretty darn nice showing that the phone maker remedies its slight shortcomings through its products. And OnePlus claims its facial detection now works for cats and dogs: we couldn’t try it out, so if you do, please tweet us.
So, will I buy?
Yeah, maybe. It’s a good Rs.41,999 Android phone and more a practical option for others than other flagships. If the latest iPhone SE catches your attention. It’s smaller, with no 5 G and lacking on certain computer and camera features, but it’s in the same type as the OnePlus 8: fuss-free but stylish.
