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But raising the bar now comes at a much higher cost. Sure, there are some things that annoy me, like the lack of IP water and dust resistance and wireless charging. But they're not a deal breaker. These prices seem expensive, but compare them to other flagship smartphones and they're suddenly a bargain.
Both of these phones also have smaller screens, fewer rear cameras, and less RAM. I'm aware it's not a complete apples to apples comparison — the iPhone XR runs iOS and the Galaxy S10e has features like a headphone jack and a capacitive fingerprint reader — but if we're going strictly on pricing, the OnePlus 7 Pro's features beat the pants off other phones. I've enjoyed watching the brand's phones evolve from thick bezels and grippy sandstone rears to smooth and sleek glass-and-metal bodies with small notches.
However, looking at the OnePlus 7 Pro, I can't help but feel like the phone's on the generic side. The frame is still made of durable metal and the rear from glass, but the new 6.
It also doesn't help that Huawei's Mate and P-series phones also sport screens with sides that curve into the frame. I don't dislike the design, but I wish OnePlus had given the OnePlus 7 Pro a more original look that would've stood out in a crowd of phones. A distinct design isn't too much to ask for, is it? My review unit was the "Nebula Blue" version and I really like the way it shimmered at different angles, but there's also a "Mirror Gray" model at launch if you prefer a less flashy aesthetic.
A gold-ish "Almond" version will also be available shortly after launch. Borrowed design aside, the OnePlus 7 does at least feel really good in the hand.
The phone is a bit thicker than the OnePlus 6T, but it's not too heavy. The metal and glass body is solid and there's zero flex if you try to bend it. All of the buttons are high-quality and easily reachable, too. On the right side, there's a power button and OnePlus' signature alert slider. The slider was just a little bit too high to comfortably reach on the OnePlus 6T if you didn't have big hands or long fingers, but the position is just right on the OnePlus 7 Pro. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the volume rocker on the left side of the phone — it's positioned higher up on the metal frame than on the OnePlus 6T and not as easy to press.
My only other complaint about the OnePlus 7 Pro's physical design is the placement of the three cameras on the back. The three cameras are grouped together in a rather elongated pill-like protrusion and, naturally, my index finger keeps rubbing up against the bottom lens. This was never an issue on the OnePlus 6T because the dual camera's pill-shaped bump was smaller. On the OnePlus 6, there was a capacitive fingerprint reader in that spot.
Samsung's Galaxy S10 and Huawei's P30 Pro don't have this problem because the camera modules are positioned higher or off to the side.
I know, it's still heartbreaking for a lot of people because dongles suck, but it's and pretty much all flagship phones with the exception of Samsung's Galaxy S10 have ditched the port and embraced wireless headphones. I used them during two flights across country and they sound great for the money with deeper bass and more dynamic range than the first generation wireless buds.
The Bullets Wireless 2 battery is good for up to 14 hours of listening time; a single charge got me through both of my 6-hour flights with juice to spare. The OnePlus 7 Pro's thicker and heavier than previous OnePlus phones, but still manages to feel solid in the hand. Once again, the OnePlus 7 Pro doesn't come with any IP water or dust resistance, though the body is splash-resistant and the pop-up selfie camera is moisture and dust-proof.
OnePlus's justification for not including IP certification is simple: It would've been an added cost. I get that, but if they're gonna be so transparent, how much more would adding an IP rating have really added to the OnePlus 7 Pro's price?
I'm torn on how I feel about this. On the other hand, how many people really need IP certification? Yes, it's nice to have protection for your device's inside parts, but in all my years of owning IP-rated phones, I can't say it's ever saved my device from damage. Maybe I'm more careful by not bringing my phone in the the bathroom or using it at the beach, but I'd say splash-resistance is good enough.
The OnePlus 7 Pro has a 6. It's basically all screen. The 6. And in addition to the screen getting super bright, it also gets dimmer than before to make using it in the dark more comfortable. But maybe the best new feature is the display's zippy and super smooth 90Hz refresh rate. Most phone screens have a refresh rate of 60Hz.
Nothing wrong with 60Hz — it's a perfectly usable refresh rate and most people could care less that increasing it makes everything look better and feel faster.
But once you use a screen this smooth, it's hard going back to one that's slower and less responsive. At 90Hz, scrolling and swiping is smoother and less jittery than on screens that operate at 60Hz.
It's especially noticeable on text-heavy websites and apps like Twitter — text is just more readable at 90Hz. Photos are also less blurry when swiping through an Instagram feed. It's impossible for me to show you how much nicer a 90Hz refresh rate is in photos or video, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Scrolling on a website or through an Instagram feed is far smoother at 90Hz on the OnePlus 7 Pro than at 60Hz on other phones. While the 90Hz refresh rate is low-key my favorite new screen feature, most people will probably care more that it doesn't have a notch or hole-punch cutout. Where the heck is the selfie camera, you might ask? For example, the camera pops up when you're taking selfies or have Face Unlock turned on. To eliminate the notch, OnePlus had to move the selfie camera into a module that extends and retracts from the top of the phone.
It's a very clever design that helps do away with the notch and increase the screen-to-body ratio, but like the pop-up cameras on other Chinese phones, its durability is questionable. OnePlus says the pop-up camera has been tested to work for over , movements up or down.
At uses a day, the pop-up camera should last about 5. That's pretty long! But what happens if you drop the OnePlus 7 Pro while the camera is extended, say, off your desk or bed?
Like the Oppo Find X , the phone's gyroscope can detect that and automatically retract the camera before it hits the ground. There's no promise the camera will retract in time, though. It really depends on the height from which the phone falls from a greater height will ensure it has time to do so. The last thing I want to highlight about the OnePlus 7 Pro's display is the in-display fingerprint reader. These biometric sensors embedded under screens have been quite controversial because they're slower and less responsive than capacitive fingerprint readers.
I even went as far to say that they're ruining a lot of new phones.
But on Android phones, they are the future. And like it or not, they're probably here to stay. As such, OnePlus has greatly improved the speed and responsiveness of the optical in-display fingerprint reader on the OnePlus 7 Pro. With a 36 percent larger sensor surface area underneath the screen, OnePlus says the OnePlus 7 Pro's reader is less likely to fail to recognize your fingerprint. Also, the larger sensor is faster, unlocking in 0.
After registering several of my fingerprints, I gave the sensor a whirl and it's indeed speedier and more accurate than any in-display fingerprint readers I've used on other phones. The new reader is a big improvement over the old one and I had fewer failures for sure, but it's still far from perfect. As I learned, you still need to press and hold your finger pretty much dead-on the fingerprint symbol or it won't work. With a little practice it becomes easier to bullseye, but there's still a learning curve.
OnePlus phones have always been known for their top-notch performance and the OnePlus 7 Pro is no different. But remember, the RAM's not just for today, but to accommodate software updates years down the line. Also, look! No notch!