OnePlus 8 equals buttery-smooth refresh rates, water and dust resistance, but an inflating price tag
(2020/04/15)
- Reference: 1586965506
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/15/oneplus_8_pro/
- Source link:
More of the same isn't always a bad thing, as demonstrated by the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. These devices follow the same path as their older siblings, offering an iterative improvement at a reasonable price.
The most obvious changes are skin deep. Instead of using notches or mechanical pop-ups, both phones rely on a hole-punch cutout to house the selfie camera. In both cases, this is oriented on the top left of the screen.
Solid-state devices are less fault-prone than those with mechanical components – even though the sight of a selfie camera rising from within the device looks cool. And I tend to find hole-punch selfie cameras less intrusive than those buried within a notch.
[1]
The OnePlus 8 Pro is the first device in its stable to pack an official IP68 rating, making it both water and dust-proof. Confusingly, the carrier versions of the bog-standard OnePlus 8 are also IP68 rated – but not the unlocked versions, even though they are effectively the same device.
The OnePlus 8 series also sees a measurable increase in power, thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 platform, paired with the X55 5G Modem. From what I can tell, there's going to be some variance when it comes to band support, with some carrier-branded models supporting mmWave in addition to sub-6GHz.
On the display front, the entry-level OnePlus 8 packs a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, with a 90Hz refresh rate and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. The Pro model ups the ante, with a slightly bigger 6.78-inch display and a 120Hz refresh rate. That ultra-responsive screen sounds impressive, but will likely turn out to be a power-guzzling white elephant.
Power specs
Speaking of which, let's talk about power. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a generous 4,510mAh battery, which supports both wireless and wired fast charging. The non-pro version comes with a slightly smaller 4,300mAh battery and lacks wireless charging.
Both models come with 8GB and 12GB RAM configurations (LPDDR5 on the OnePlus 8 Pro, LPDDR4X on the OnePlus 8), as well as a choice between 128GB and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. That's about what you'd expect from a device in its price point.
On the optics side, both models pack a 48MP sensor. The OnePlus 8 Pro augments this with a further 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 5MP colour filter. The non-pro version is a simple three-lens affair, with the primary shooter accompanied by a 2MP macro lens and an 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens.
As before, OnePlus has opted for middle-of-the-road pricing for its most basic models. The 8GB/128GB OnePlus starts at £599. Upgrade the RAM and storage to 12GB and 256GB respectively, and you're looking at £699.
The OnePlus 8 Pro model veers close to flagship pricing, with the 8GB/128GB model retailing at £799, going to £899 for 12GB/256GB. Both models will start shipping on 21 April. [2]Find specs here . ®
Sponsored: [3]How to Build Your Digital Experience Portfolio
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/04/15/cameras_oneplus8.jpg
[2] https://www.oneplus.com/uk/8-pro/specs
[3] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8578/how-to-build-your-digital-experience-portfolio?td=wptl1936
The most obvious changes are skin deep. Instead of using notches or mechanical pop-ups, both phones rely on a hole-punch cutout to house the selfie camera. In both cases, this is oriented on the top left of the screen.
Solid-state devices are less fault-prone than those with mechanical components – even though the sight of a selfie camera rising from within the device looks cool. And I tend to find hole-punch selfie cameras less intrusive than those buried within a notch.
[1]
The OnePlus 8 Pro is the first device in its stable to pack an official IP68 rating, making it both water and dust-proof. Confusingly, the carrier versions of the bog-standard OnePlus 8 are also IP68 rated – but not the unlocked versions, even though they are effectively the same device.
The OnePlus 8 series also sees a measurable increase in power, thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 platform, paired with the X55 5G Modem. From what I can tell, there's going to be some variance when it comes to band support, with some carrier-branded models supporting mmWave in addition to sub-6GHz.
On the display front, the entry-level OnePlus 8 packs a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, with a 90Hz refresh rate and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. The Pro model ups the ante, with a slightly bigger 6.78-inch display and a 120Hz refresh rate. That ultra-responsive screen sounds impressive, but will likely turn out to be a power-guzzling white elephant.
Power specs
Speaking of which, let's talk about power. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a generous 4,510mAh battery, which supports both wireless and wired fast charging. The non-pro version comes with a slightly smaller 4,300mAh battery and lacks wireless charging.
Both models come with 8GB and 12GB RAM configurations (LPDDR5 on the OnePlus 8 Pro, LPDDR4X on the OnePlus 8), as well as a choice between 128GB and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. That's about what you'd expect from a device in its price point.
On the optics side, both models pack a 48MP sensor. The OnePlus 8 Pro augments this with a further 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 5MP colour filter. The non-pro version is a simple three-lens affair, with the primary shooter accompanied by a 2MP macro lens and an 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens.
As before, OnePlus has opted for middle-of-the-road pricing for its most basic models. The 8GB/128GB OnePlus starts at £599. Upgrade the RAM and storage to 12GB and 256GB respectively, and you're looking at £699.
The OnePlus 8 Pro model veers close to flagship pricing, with the 8GB/128GB model retailing at £799, going to £899 for 12GB/256GB. Both models will start shipping on 21 April. [2]Find specs here . ®
Sponsored: [3]How to Build Your Digital Experience Portfolio
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/04/15/cameras_oneplus8.jpg
[2] https://www.oneplus.com/uk/8-pro/specs
[3] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8578/how-to-build-your-digital-experience-portfolio?td=wptl1936
Is it just me
Gordon 10
Who thinks any manufacturers that is outside of the 2-3 players that can command north of £500 dollar prices for a marginal improvement in specs is dreaming?
Surely we are at Peak Smartphone?
Re: Is it just me
Anonymous Coward
there are many ways to make a profit and many moves which make, on the surface, absolutely no business sense, yet they're made. Who knows, perhaps this is to launder some hot funds? :)
Good stuff
OnePlus are consistent, good value for money, and keep iterating. They're on to a good thing.