OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Review, Pros and Cons – OnePlus smartphone is the flagship in every department and costs almost half the price of other premium devices. The company focuses on producing value-added devices that give users more features at a more affordable price. The recent OnePlus 9 and One Plus 9 Pro smartphones are also a great example of this.
Both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro phones include fascinating camera capability that is suppressing the achievements of its previous models. But what makes them so amazing would be their cutting-edge features and the unique Hasselblad camera. So without further ado, let’s get to the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro review.
Table of Contents
OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Review
Highlights
- The advanced level AMOLED display panel arrives in the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, except the Pro version, which has a curved panel.
- You can experience high-level performance through the Snapdragon 888 5g chipset.
- Under the hood, each powered by a Li-Po 4500 mAh battery with a 65W charging stand with a wireless charging stand.
- In the camera section, a triple camera island on the OnePlus 9 and a quad-camera setup present on the One Plus 9 Pro.
- Software rendering takes place through the Android 11 based OxygenOS 11.2.6.6 interface.
Design and Display
Compared to last year’s OnePlus model phones, the quality of the tone option and the design factor have been improved in several folds. It shows off the design of the camera board while the branding in the center of the back panel looks premium as usual. But what’s most interesting is the layout and the curved shape makes everything look great. In terms of appearance, both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro smartphones have an elegant feel.
Also, the dimensions are relatively different on the OnePlus 9 phone variant as you will have an 8.1mm thick body for India/China model. In contrast, the European model has an 8.7mm body. Although the difference is minimal, it is noticeable to some extent. On the other hand, the OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone appears with a slim and light design as a basic variant. In addition, you will get an IP 68 rating dust/water resistance on these devices.
Upfront, the company ditches Victus Glass and instead puts Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection in place. Though everything has happened to keep the price as low as possible. But, that doesn’t mean the company downgrades the screen section. You’ll get 6.55 inches Fluid AMOLED screen in the OnePlus 9, while the OnePlus 9 Pro on the other hand has a curved 6.7 inches LTPO Fluid 2 AMOLED display with more color saturation and vividness.
The viewing experience on these panels is extraordinary and you can see avant-garde sharpness and vibrant colors in every frame. Plus, the 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR 10+ certification work perfectly. However, these things have become mandatory in flagship phones. In addition, the fingerprint reader on the quick reaction display and the facial unlock work quite satisfactorily.
Memory and Internal
After experiencing the 5nm Snapdragon 888 chipset experience, you will feel like you are living under a rock, as the powers of this chip are quite exceptional. Whether it’s AI software or anything related to processing, you won’t be disappointed. Hardware may not have the highest clock speed, but it is the best overall choice.
The twist of 5G networks lets you stream content without worrying about internet speed and lets you push the limits. Furthermore, the processing speed is more than enough to ensure that both models work accurately and smoothly in all situations. As for the game factor, the visuals are enhanced through the Adreno 660 graphics unit on both models. From there, you’ll have perfectly fluid gameplay while the cutting-edge refresh rate works behind the scenes.
More than that, the phones can easily outperform the Samsung S21+ in performance benchmarks, not just once, but three times. The first thing that comes to mind is the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra smartphone which can suppress scores. Besides, there aren’t any. Either way, the software is the core layer that lays the foundation for the mesmerizing user experience. Users must give credit to the OxygenOS UI, which offers innovative yet simple features.
With that, the latest version of Android 11 OS adds a special touch. Also, the personalization features can match with the Asus Zenphone 8 smartphone and even more. Additional support comes through ample storage and RAM, the UFS 3.1 memory type lives up to the brands and provides subtle support. The basic OnePlus 9 variant starts with 8GB of RAM that goes up to 12GB internal storage. In comparison, internal storage holds up to 128GB to 256GB. As for the OnePlus Pro, you will receive an additional 12GB RAM with a 256GB storage variant.
Camera
The camera technology may not be as good as that of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, but as the main standard, you won’t be disappointed. Although, in early reports, users have found that they cannot use the native camera app for more than five minutes, and the OnePlus 9 phone may experience heat issues. At the same time, recording videos in 8K becomes even more complicated. Although, with recent software updates, everything is working perfectly.
As a flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 9 smartphone has a 48 MP primary camera that delivers stunning photographic quality in every shot, whether portrait or low light, you’ll get exceptional results. Hasselblad Color Calibration blending adds additional charm in professional mode. Typically, the result will provide realistic colors and tones so that they don’t look like the smoothness of fake AI. On the other side of the dashboard, the 16 MP selfie camera offers a fantastic photographic experience.
The ultrawide look is compatible with the leading 50MP camera while there’s also a 2MP monochrome lens. But that doesn’t mean the phones don’t have camera technology, you’ll get ample support and sharp photos in every session. However, the zoom aspect lags a bit behind the competition. However, you can get photos and videos with HDR effects.
In terms of the OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone, you’ll have all three cameras, except it also has an advanced 8MP telephoto camera with better optical image stabilization. The camera’s features are as good as the Oppo Find X3 series and even great in some image processing sections. Fortunately, you can record up to 8K, 4K, 1080p videos without any problem. Furthermore, image stabilization works to its outstanding potential. So you can capture the moments of your life accurately in each photo.
Battery and Others
Battery drain through the Li-Po 4500 mAh battery cells is less than expected. You can easily eliminate more than 6 to 7 hours of screen time for playing games, streaming videos, and surfing the Internet. Even so, you’ll notice that a small piece of the battery remains. But, when you use all max configurations and features, there will be a drastic drop in battery life. It is possible to accumulate in exchange for exceptional performance.
But, the point is that you didn’t need high performance all the time. In this case, the adaptive refresh rate is turned on, allowing for a slow battery drain. Inside the box, the presence of an ultrafast 65W charger ensures its excellent charging speed. With this block, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro smartphones can fill up in less than 28 minutes. Also, you can use 50W wireless charging on the OnePlus 9 Pro. Also, both models charge via the Type-C 3.1 port.
On the other hand, you can choose the basic version of the OnePlus 9 phone for $599 (Rs 49,999) approx. At the same price, you can look for the high-end version of the OnePlus 9R. However, on the other hand, the starting price goes up to $879 (Rs 64,999) approx for the OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone. As you get a better screen, more lenses, and wireless charging. The price could go up even more with the extra storage and RAM package.
OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro smartphone.
| Specifications | OnePlus 9 Pro | OnePlus 9 |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G 5G | Same |
| Announced | March 2021 | Same |
| SIM | Dual SIM | Same |
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm | 160 x 74.2 x 8.7 mm (EU/NA) 160 x 73.9 x 8.1 mm (IN/CN) |
| Weight | 197 g | Same |
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.55 inches |
| Display | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED Always-on display 1B colors 120Hz HDR10+ 1300 nits brightness 20:9 ratio ~525 PPI density | Fluid AMOLED 120Hz HDR10+ 1100 nits brightness 20:9 ratio ~402 ppi density |
| Protection | IP68 dust/water resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Same |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3216 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| OS | Android 11, OxygenOS 11.2.6.6 | Same |
| Chipset | 5nm – Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G | Same |
| CPU | Octa-core 1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680 | Same |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Same |
| Card slot | No | Same |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB | Same |
| Internal | 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.1 | Same |
| Camera | 48 MP (wide), omnidirectional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 8 MP (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP (ultrawide), AF 2 MP (monochrome) Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, gyro-EIS Max – 8K@30fps | 48 MP (wide), omnidirectional PDAF 50 MP (ultrawide), AF 2 MP (monochrome) Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, gyro-EIS Max – 8K@30fps |
| Selfie | 16 MP Auto-HDR, gyro-EIS Max – 1080p@30fps | Same |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Same |
| 3.5mm jack | No 24-bit/192kHz audio | Same |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot | Same |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | Same |
| GPS | Yes, with dual-band A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, SBAS | Same |
| NFC | Yes | Same |
| Infrared port | No | Same |
| Radio | No | Same |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, USB On-The-Go | Same |
| Sensors | under display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum | Same |
| Battery | Li-Po 4500 mAh Fast charging 65W Fast wireless charging 50W USB Power Delivery | Li-Po 4500 mAh Fast charging 65W Fast wireless charging 15W (EU/NA) USB Power Delivery |
| Colors | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black | Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, Astral Black |
| Expected Price | $879 (Rs 64,999) approx. | $599 (Rs 49,999) approx. |
OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Pros and Cons
Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro smartphones.
Pros
- Hasselblad color calibration camera.
- 120 Hz refresh rate display.
- Amazing photo in daylight and also in low light.
- The impressive Fluid AMOLED screen for OnePlus 9 and LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED for 9 Pro.
- Robust Snapdragon 888 Chipset.
- Long-lasting battery life.
- Realistic and vivid colors in photos and videos.
- Record video up to 8K with gyro-EIS.
- 65W Ultrafast charging and wireless.
- There’s no problem with intense graphical gameplay.
- Elegant sound quality.
- 3.3x optical zoom for Oneplus 9 Pro.
- Gorilla Glass 5 protection and dust/water resistance.
- NFC and 5g support.
Cons
- Lack of secondary storage.
- Optical zoom is missing in OnePlus 9.
- Support less fast wireless charging on OnePlus 9.
- Battery capacity is a little low.
- Without reverse charging.
- Only single stereo speakers.
Conclusion
Every year OnePlus makes history with its premium yet affordable-looking flagship devices. Unlike last year, the company needs to improve camera technology and provide some top-notch specs. In terms of specs, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro phones are awesome in performance. The combination of colors makes them even more attractive and from the performance to the battery section, you won’t be dissatisfied.
If you want to buy a fully developed flagship phone, the OnePlus 9 is an overall attractive choice. But for more features, you can also choose the OnePlus 9 Pro. But it seems a bit general for the price segment that OnePlus smartphones are generally known for. Likewise, there’s always room for alternatives, so in that case, take a look at the Find X3 Pro smartphone.
