Last year was a watershed for OnePlus. The OnePlus 6 blazed sales records almost at the same pace that it sailed through speed tests. It prompted its loyal legion of fans and industry observers to pop the question – ‘What next’. If you’ve been following all the leaks over the last few weeks – that are worse than friends on your timeline with GOT spoilers, you probably know the answer to that question. Just like most leaks these days, they got most of it right. Yes, it’s two devices and all the attention is on the OnePlus 7 Pro. With its feature set and price tag, the term flagship killer suddenly seems like a distant memory. This is 2019 and OnePlus would like us to believe that it’s ready to play in the same league as the big boys, so let’s dive straight in.
We know that OnePlus devices are insanely fast, so it came as no surprise that the OnePlus 7 Pro scored 376625 on our AnTuTu Benchmark test. If that number doesn’t make sense to you; google the scores of the other devices and you’ll see that this is seriously fast. It should come as no surprise given that our review device was the top end variant with 12GB of RAM that teams up with Qualcomm’s best of breed Snapdragon 855 processor. But that’s a given, we all know that OnePlus devices are faster than we actually need for even our most intense gaming and multitasking requirements. This one’s more than just a speed demon; it’s why OnePlus has unveiled the 7 Pro with the tag line ‘Beyond Speed’.
It all begins with the form factor. This one’s got premium stamped all over it – all glass and the Nebula Blue (that we tested) looks truly gorgeous under any light. The display; this is where OnePlus truly ups its game. It’s massive – 6.67 inches, and packs a whopping 516 Pixels per inch (1440 x 3120 pixels / 19.5:9 aspect ratio). It stretches the screen: body ratio to 93%. That’s staggering. There’s no notch or cut-out, the selfie cam takes the pop-up route. Bottom line – there’s nothing that stands between you and all that action from GOT.
The massive screen and the heavy-duty battery (4000 mAh) also add to the heft of this device. At 206 gms it is no lightweight and a good 30 gms heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S10+ that also boasts of the same stunning display albeit with a cut-out for the selfie cam. The other thing we dig about the 7 Pro is the 90Hz refresh rate that brings a rare fluidity to your device whether your scrolling through your images or browsing the web.
The camera is one area where OnePlus hasn’t quite been in the same league as pricier flagships. It’s one of the big improvements in the 7 Pro. The 16MP selfie cam isn’t just cleverly designed but also shoots sharp selfies. It’s the triple rear cam that is the big story. It combines a 48MP primary lens (f/1.6) with a 16MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. It’s a big step up from last year’s OnePlus 6 and 6T. The ultra-wide lens offers a 117-degree field of view, this lens has now become a standard feature for flagship devices. OnePlus’ lowlight solution – Night Scape, gives the camera an extra edge but it didn’t quite beat the Night Sight on the Pixel 3a (or the 3) in our tests. The OnePlus 7 Pro offers a formidable camera package, but it doesn’t better the Huawei P30 Pro, the S10+ or the Pixel 3. But then those devices cost significantly more than the 7 Pro. If you’re looking at a cheaper device with a solid camera, then the Pixel 3a XL is a great bet. But that doesn’t have the stellar display or speed of this device.
OnePlus opts to omit wireless charging and you can’t dunk this device into the pool – it’s not water proof. Neither of these features are deal breakers for most consumers although we still think that wireless charging is soon becoming a must-have. So, bottom-line? The OnePlus 7 Pro is one of the best-looking devices out there and along with the S10+ is the display to beat. It has the battery to back up your binging sessions – the 4000 mAh battery aced our tests. It’s unsurprisingly fast and features a formidable camera package. It’s heavy though and misses some nice to have features like wireless charging. It lands in an interesting price band (Rs 48,999 to Rs 57,999) that’s lower than premium flagships and higher than flagship killers in the Rs 35,000 – 40,000 price bracket that includes the new OnePlus 7. But more on that device later, it’s the OnePlus 7 Pro that will hog the limelight for the next few weeks.
The OnePlus 7 Pro comes in three variants – Rs 48,999 (6GB/128GB), Rs 52,999 (8GB/256GB) and Rs 57,999 (12GB/256GB).
