The wait is finally over as OnePlus is finally here with its latest flagships. Touted as the best in the business, the users eagerly wait to see whether the brand has actually lived up to the hype that it has been creating recently.
The OnePlus 9 Pro has been flaunted as the finest phone yet from the OnePlus stable and you are sure to find features to rave about, once you go through its features. It has all the features of its sibling, the OnePlus 9, but is a pricier version. There is an area where we could have expected some improvement, but let’s deal with that later on.
A thorough review will give you the idea if the pricier version of the immensely popular OnePlus 9 is worth a try. Believe us, it is what every flagship product should be, and it scores high at places where it should count. Only the selfie camera could do with some improvement.
The OnePlus 9 Pro might not share the flamboyant features of the iPhone 12 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. But with a starting price of $729, you have in your hands a product that promises to be massively popular.
It offers more premium features than ever and if you are on the search for something that stands there with the best, there is every chance that here is a success story.
It should begin going out starting March 26 and you also get your set of OnePlus Buds Z if you preorder. There has been no price declared for Australia as yet but it should be around AU$1,125 when converted from UK prices.
There is also the OnePlus Watch, besides the two new releases and it is set for preorder this April 14.
The OnePlus 9 Pro Packs A Mean Battery
Like its younger sibling, the OnePlus 9 comes with an identical big battery but seems much more powerful. One of the reasons could be the screen which has a tad lower resolution of 2,400×1,080 pixels and is smaller at 6.55 inches. That is not something that the human eye can easily discern so that shouldn’t be much of a concern. But that translates to a lower drain of the battery. It lasted for an imposing 23 hours under test conditions, and that holds up to the vaunted S21 Ultra and is streets ahead of their latest offering.
If ever you run the phone at a scorching pace and find that you have drained it before half the day is through, the OnePlus 9 Pro charges just as fast as its older cousin and is soon back on its feet.
The phone revs from 0 to full charge in the space of 30 minutes. That’s unbelievably fast and just right if you find that your Pro is low on juice just before you take off for a long haul. Half an hour and you are done for the rest of the day.
And here is the best part of your charger. The 65-watt super performer is part of the box and you do not have to ransack the web looking for a compatible one. You also get wireless charging though the OnePlus 9 Pro scores better on that count, with its 50-watt charging. The difference is slight but is worth noting.
The OnePlus 9 Pro Is Massively Powerful
Both have the identical super performing Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and that is a surprise. Speak of an application, photo editing, gaming, video streaming, and the high-end processor comes out top for both the OnePlus 9 Pro and its sibling. Not even a clink could be detected in either’s armor.
This massive power also makes life easier for more prosaic stuff. It is in part due to its 120Hz refresh rate of the screen plus the neat as a button Android 11-based software. These features are part of both models.
The OnePlus 9 Pro packs the best camera when compared to the previous models following their tie-up with Hasselblad. But let’s be honest. The OnePlus 9 Pro is not competing with the stratosphere. The iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Galaxy 21 Ultra are the front-runners when it is about the camera but the one on the OnePlus 9 Pro is really good.
The Pro has 4 camera lenses at the rear with a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 48-mp main camera, an 8 mp telephoto one with 3.3x optical zoom, and finally a 2 mp monochrome camera. The main sensor is larger than found on the most high-end phone camera. That should help it capture more light with reduced noise.
But there appears to have been a bit of a compromise with the Pro version. The optical zoom isn’t there so you are left with using the super-wide and standard lenses. Its main camera also has a smaller sensor. It makes discerning between shots a little difficult, as the pic quality is definitely gorgeous if the exposure is even, and with lots of detail.
The OnePlus 9 Pro scores better with regard to color as the OnePlus 9 colors can seem muted at times. But the inbuilt color filters can make things a lot livelier.
In standard zoom settings, the night mode delivers well. Here the front and selfie cameras both deliver well-exposed and sharp pictures. The ultra-wide and telephoto lenses make it great for lovely night videos at up to 8k resolution. It can also take raw images on 12-bit which gives a better dynamic range. So you can be sure of a good camera for your everyday use. Though if you want the very best image possible, you may have to delve a bit deeper.
The Alluring Design Of The OnePlus 9 Pro
Both the OnePlus versions have a charming design but the OnePlus 9 Pro scores on this count. The back is glossy and the metallic edging stands out. The camera unit is neatly placed. The pink blue tone on the review model was lovely. The OnePlus 9 Pro curves more nicely along the edges and that gives it a high-end feel.
There is not much by way of waterproofing and you could do your best to stay away from taking a selfie at the edge of the pool.
But this is one area where you will need to tread the middle ground regarding the OnePlus 9 Pro. It is lesser than the high-end elites but delivers when it matters most. The camera is decent for both day and night snaps, plus it packs a mean battery to boot. So it should count as a magnificent performer that will not set you back by much. All in all, you have a classy phone in your hand that has a good camera and will last you through the day even at top gear.
