Oneplus 9 and 9 Pro: Technical sheet, design, price ... All features revealed
Oneplus 9 and 9 Pro
The Chinese manufacturer OnePlus has just lifted the veil on its new OnePlus 9 Series range. On the menu, two new Android smartphones, with ambitious specifications.It is now a tradition for OnePlus, which is taking advantage of the start of the year to launch a new range of smartphones which will likely be expanded with new models over time. In the immediate future, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are making their debut today, with an immediate opening of pre-orders today, and a concrete sale on March 31 for the OnePlus 9 Pro, and the 26 April for the OnePlus 9.
The OnePlus 9 in detail
Let's start first with the standard model, namely the OnePlus 9. It is an Android terminal 11 and Oxygen OS 11.2.1.1.LE25BA of 6.55 inches, enjoying a refresh rate of 120 Hz, maximum brightness of 1100 nits and HDR10 + certification. The definition displayed is Full HD +.Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, an Adreno 660 GPU, 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage space depending on the model chosen. Note that the storage is not expandable. Its 4500 mAh battery is compatible with Warp Charge 65T technology, including 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
On the photo side, there is an associated 48 megapixel Sony IMX689 main sensor on the back to a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 ultra-wide-angle, as well as a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor. On the front, a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor is offered.
Finally, on the connectivity side, there is obviously 5G via an X60 Chipset, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. A USB 3.1 port is available for charging the terminal.
Price and availability of OnePlus 9
The OnePlus 9 is offered at a price of 719 euros in its 8 GB + 128 GB version, and 819 euros in its 12 GB + 256 GB version , all in three different colors: Winter Mist, Arctic Sky and Astral Black. The pre-order of one of these references allows you to be offered a pair of OnePlus Buds Z wireless headphones. It will be available for sale on April 26.Zoom on the OnePlus 9 Pro
The OnePlus 9 Pro is the top-of-the-range model announced today. On the program, a 6.7-inch screen with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 Hz to 120 Hz, a maximum brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10 + certification and QHD + definition. Here too, Android 11 is equipped with the Oxygen OS overlay in its version 11.2.1.1.LE15BA.The bowels of the smartphone include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, an Adreno 660 GPU, 8 or 12 GB of RAM LPDDR5 and 128 or 256 GB of non-expandable storage space. In short, on this side, nothing different compared to the OnePlus 9. On the battery side, there is a capacity of 4500 mAh, which supports both the Warp Charge 65T (65W wired charge) and the Warp Charge 50 Wireless (50W wireless charging).
Its photo part is almost identical to that of the OnePlus 9, so there is a main camera with a Sony IMX689 main sensor of 48 megapixels, an ultra large Sony IMX766 angle of 50 megapixels and a monochrome sensor of 2 megapixels, but also a telephoto lens of 8 megapixels. The 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor is also there for selfies.
The connection is identical: a USB 3.1 port is present for charging, as well as WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and 5G thanks to an X60 Chipset.
Price and availability of OnePlus 9 Pro
Price side, count 919 euros for the 8 GB + 128 version and 999 euros for the 12 GB + 256 GB model. Three colors are available: Morning Mist, Pin Green and Stellar Black. Pre-ordering the OnePlus 9 Pro entitles you to either a free pair of OnePlus Buds Z or a OnePlus Warp Charge 50 wireless charger as a gift. This can be purchased separately for 69.95 euros on the brand's website. The OnePlus 9 Pro will be available for sale on March 31.OnePlus 9 Pro vs. OnePlus 9 review: Comparing 2021’s most impressive Androids
It goes without saying that 2020 was a bizarre year for everyone reading this right now. Because of the pandemic, our lives were changed in countless ways and we continue to feel the sting now, in early 2021. But for me personally, 2020 was bizarre in one way that had nothing to do with the pandemic.
After having penned hundreds of reviews over the course of more than a decade in this industry, 2020 was my first year in the business without writing a single smartphone review.
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The pandemic did cause a few delayed releases last year, but plenty of new smartphones still hit the market over the course of 2020. Most notably, perhaps, Apple released its first redesigned iPhone models since the iPhone X debuted back in 2017. Samsung released new Galaxy S and Note phones as well as a pair of foldable flagships and plenty of mid-range devices. Other smartphone makers also launched new wares, with China-based phone makers having had a particularly busy year.
I wrote plenty of reviews last year, but none covering smartphones despite all the new releases. Why not? Sadly, the answer is quite jaded: I was bored because smartphones are boring.
Before you lose your mind, hear me out.
Smartphones are as essential now as they have ever been, and there are so many great options out there. In fact, smartphones have come so far in recent years that it’s almost impossible to pick a bad one. At the high end, every phone has become so fast and powerful that you can’t go wrong with any of them. Mid-range and entry-level handsets have also seen dramatic improvements over the past 18 to 24 months, to the point where there are literally dozens of excellent choices.
The problem — if you can even call it a “problem” — is that flagship smartphones are basically all the same these days. And I simply got tired of finding new ways to say the same thing.
When it comes to iPhones, Apple fans are all too familiar with iterative upgrades. Apple has basically been working in four-year cycles lately that overlapped in 2017. The iPhone 6 was re-released three times with various feature additions and performance bumps. And Apple’s new iPhone 12 series might have flat metal sides instead of round ones, but it’s really just another iteration of the iPhone X that debuted three years earlier.
Over on the Android side of the fence, things aren’t much better. Remember back in 2018 when every single Android phone was an embarrassingly shameless iPhone X copycat? Well, we’re pretty much in the same place now, only they all copy the design Samsung and a few Chinese phone makers first introduced back in 2019. Seriously… they all look the same. Even most of the foldable smartphones out there have the same basic design once you flip them open.
The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro also follow the same formula as practically every other flagship Android phone we’ve seen hit store shelves over the past 18+ months. They feature sleek glass and metal designs, stunning hole-punch screens, and eye-popping specs — just like every other Android flagship. They also sport fancy multi-lens camera systems and cutting-edge mobile processors, which is also just like every other Android flagship.
There is no question that the new OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro have plenty in common with other high-end Android phones out there. But these two phones — namely, the Pro model — are the first phones in a long time that have piqued my interest. The simple fact of the matter is that the new OnePlus 9 series smartphones are the best of the best, offering everything you might want from a modern Android flagship in a truly gorgeous package. In a market where so many smartphones are the same, the new OnePlus 9 series represents the best of the best in every area that matters.
I won’t dive too deep into the basics in this review. After all, it’s like I said: these days, an Android flagship is an Android flagship. Instead, I’ll cover a few specific things I really love about these sleek new smartphones. Then, I’ll also compare the two new models and discuss exactly what sets the OnePlus 9 Pro apart from the OnePlus 9.
OnePlus recently announced its big new deal with legendary camera brand Hasselblad. The OnePlus series is the first to include what OnePlus calls “Hasselblad Camera for Mobile.” This exclusive tech will be available only on OnePlus phones, and there are a few key benefits that end-users will notice right away.
First and foremost, OnePlus and Hasselblad joined forces to develop new color processing tech for the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. It’s called Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad, and it’s quite impressive. OnePlus says the new tech “aims to bring more perceptually accurate colors to photos,” and it absolutely succeeded in my testing. Colors in photos captured by the new OnePlus 9 are also remarkably vivid, but there’s a reason beyond just the cameras that colors really pop…
The AMOLED screens on the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are unreal.
The OnePlus 9 uses the same 6.55″ Fluid AMOLED display as the OnePlus 8T that was released late last year. The decision undoubtedly helped OnePlus keep its cost down a bit, but it’s definitely not a compromise. If you’ve ever held the OnePlus 8T in your hand, you know that it packs one of the best smartphone screens of all time. Characterized by brilliant colors and impossibly deep blacks, I’m hard-pressed to think of a smartphone with a better screen. At least I was hard-pressed to think of one until I powered on the OnePlus 9 Pro for the first time.
While the OnePlus 9 uses the same hole-punch screen as last year’s OnePlus 8T, the premium OnePlus 9 Pro features a next-generation display that is somehow even better. OnePlus calls it Fluid Display 2.0, and has this to say about it:
For generations of OnePlus flagship smartphones, we have focused on delivering leading-edge mobile displays. With the OnePlus 9 Pro’s display, we have taken yet another major step forward with Fluid Display 2.0, a new generation of advanced mobile displays integrating LTPO technology and lightning-fast touch response for gaming.
Behind the OnePlus 9 Pro’s ultra-smooth responsiveness, low-temperature polycrystalline oxide – or LTPO for short – represents the most advanced backplane technology used in high-end OLED displays. Compared to standard LTPS displays, LTPO technology cuts the OnePlus 9 Pro display’s power consumption by up to 50% thanks to our Smart 120 Hz feature, which automatically matches the refresh rate to the current user scenario.
Take a moment to consider how impressive that is. The OnePlus 9 Pro doesn’t just have what is perhaps the most stunning and responsive screen I have ever seen on a smartphone. It also packs smart new display features that cut down on power consumption by as much as 50%. Fifty percent!
Now, let’s dive a bit deeper into the differences between the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 displays, as well as all the other key areas where the two new phones diverge:
DisplayThe OnePlus 9 has a 120Hz Fluid Display AMOLED that’s 6.55 inches and flat. The resolution comes in at 2400 x 1080 pixels, with a pixel density of 402 ppi.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 9 Pro has a 120Hz Fluid Display 2.0 AMOLED screen with new LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) tech. It measures 6.7 inches diagonally and it’s curved on the sides. Resolution is 1440 x 3216 and pixel density is 525 ppi. The new Smart 120Hz feature cuts power consumption by up to 50% by automatically adjusting the refresh rate based on what the user is doing. For example, it will use 1Hz for viewing photos and reading text, 24Hz for watching videos, and 120Hz for scrolling. The OnePlus 9 Pro also features Hyper Touch tech, with touch response up to 360Hz when gaming.
Other noteworthy OnePlus 9 Pro display specs include “QHD+, up to 1,300 nits of peak brightness, native 10-bit color depth, E4 emitting material, HDR10+, MEMC, automatic color temperature adjustment, front and back ambient light sensing and more.”
Cameras
Image source: OnePlusBoth have the same front-facing camera and they share three of the same rear cameras as well. Both models also offer neat features like tilt-shift and the new Hasselblad Pro Mode, which is a camera UI that gives the user pro-level controls over things like exposure, white balance, and so on.
The OnePlus 9 Pro adds an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3.3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom, and OIS. Down below, we’ll cover the three other rear cameras that both phones have in common.
PowerBoth phones have 4500 mAh batteries (split between two cells) with Warp Charge 65T that “delivers a day’s power in just 15 minutes – and can charge from 1-100% in just 29 minutes.”
The OnePlus 9 has 15W Qi wireless charging while the OnePlus 9 Pro has a new Warp Charge 50 Wireless feature that charges both battery cells wirelessly at 25W to go from “1-100% in just 43 minutes.” You’ll need OnePlus’s new $60 wireless charger to take full advantage.
Design and colorsThe OnePlus 9 has a flat front and a curved back, along with a “fiberglass-reinforced polymer frame, which features a newly developed metallization process that adds a glossy and premium look.” It comes in three colorways including Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, and Astral Black.
The OnePlus 9 Pro has curves on the sides of both the front and back, with a 2.2mm thin aluminum frame. It comes in Morning Mist, Pine Green, and Stellar Black.
The OnePlus 9 Pro also has IP68 water- and dust-resistance.
Release Date and pricingWhen it comes to pricing, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that OnePlus’s latest flagship phones are still priced under most comparable options from rival companies. The bad news is that the gap has narrowed considerably over the past few years. You’re still getting plenty of bang for your buck, but it costs a lot more buck than it used to. Here’s how the pricing breaks down:
Preorders open this Friday, March 26th, and the OnePlus 9 release date is scheduled for April 2nd, one week later. The new Warp 50 Wireless Charger will cost $59.99 and will be released on the same day.
All new OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro models will be sold unlocked directly by OnePlus on the company’s website, and T-Mobile will also sell the new models directly. Interestingly, OnePlus has the following to say about Verizon network compatibility:
At launch, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro will be compatible with Verizon’s 4G LTE network. OnePlus continues to work with Verizon to certify both the 9 and 9 Pro on its 5G network.
Also worth noting is the fact that OnePlus’s very first smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch, will be released on April 14th for $159.
Specs highlights for both phonesFront camera
Main rear camera
Ultra-wide rear camera
Monochrome rear camera
Telephoto rear camera (OnePlus 9 Pro only)
Video
Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.
