OnePlus 9 Review:

OnePlus 9 won our editors’ choice award, but with strong competition. Should you still consider it now?

The brand new OnePlus 10 Pro has just been released in China. But we don’t know much about their next line of phones slated for 2022. But if you’re considering buying the OnePlus 9. Know that despite its lower specifications than other phones in the range, it’s still a great deal and has all of the important features. If you’re on a tight budget, this is your best option. And even though the OnePlus 9’s Android 12 rollout was delayed in December, it has now gotten OxygenOS 12. It is based on Google’s newest operating system. That balance of features and price has earned it a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. Our updated revision to our rankings reflects this new information.

I said the OnePlus 9 was one of the best, affordable phones you can buy when I reviewed it last year. Its excellent performance, long-lasting battery life, good camera, and fast charging make it a better value than its more expensive OnePlus Pro 9 sibling. It’s why the CNET editors gave it their coveted CNET Editors’ Choice Award.

But since then we’ve seen the launch of phones like the Google Pixel 6, which also earned a glowing review thanks to its great camera, slick Android 12 interface, and good overall performance. And at $599, the Pixel 6 is the same price as The Pixel is OnePlus’ biggest competitor. It’s worth it if you want the new Android 12 features and a better camera.

Google’s Tensor processor is promising, but we haven’t seen any of the AI improvements yet. The Snapdragon 855 on the OnePlus 9 is a powerhouse. And it still has a better battery life and fast charging than other similar phones. The Pixel 6 is more visually appealing and will survive a sudden rainstorm better than the OnePlus 9 because it has an IP68 rating. As a result, the Pixel doubles as a great phone for outdoor use.

Also Read: Google Pixel 5A review

One of the latest Samsung phones is the Galaxy Mega 21. It offers a lot of features that help it stand out in a market dominated by Apple and Samsung. It’s a high-end phone at a low price. OnePlus 9 offers more to buyers in need of saving. And don’t forget about the Galaxy S22!, which is expected sometime in February. They’re unlikely to reveal the price just yet, but it will probably cost more than the OnePlus 9. Don’t waste your time waiting for an update on this phone- it might not be worth the price.

The OnePlus 9 is an exceptional phone that delivers lightning-fast performance, excellent battery life, and solid features. It’s perfect for everyday use. it might not be the best at the latest. Glitzy features because it’s at a more affordable price. It will still serve you well for things like social media. Which is what you’re probably going to be using most of the time.

LIKE

• Supercharged processor
• Awesome battery life
• Incredible fast charging
• Affordable price

DON’T LIKE

• No official waterproofing
• Camera is good for the money, but not great

Buy ON AMAZON

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Here are five reasons to buy this OnePlus phone

1. Better battery life

It is more than obvious why the OnePlus 9 has better battery life. This is because of the screen. At 6.55 inches and 2,400×1,080 pixels, it’s slightly smaller and lower resolution than the 9 Pro. That means fewer pixels to light up so there’s less of a drain on the battery. On our rundown tests, it kept going for an impressive 23 hours. Which is on par with the S21 Ultra, and laughs in the face of the 15 hours the 9 Pro achieved.

2. These are the best-looking OnePlus phones yet. It doesn’t just hold for design, either, as it also has many cool features. Such as dual cameras and an excellent camera sensor.

And don’t worry about that lower resolution. I can’t tell much of a difference, and it’s not like it’s something you’d notice.

3. Incredible fast charging

The OnePlus 9 charges just as quickly as the iPhone Pro. Giving you 90 minutes of talk on just 10 minutes on a charge. It’s also one of the best options available for those times. When you’re short of time and need to top up your battery ASAP.

An even better thing is that a 65-watt charger comes in the box. So, there’s no need to search for a 3rd-party compatible one on Amazon. The P20 Pro also supports wireless charging, but not the faster 50-watt wireless charging of the 9 Pro. That’s not a big deal to me personally, but I wanted to mention it.

Also Read: Google Pixel 5A review

4. Massive power

I expected the OnePlus 9 to have a lower-end processor than the Pro, but no, it’s packing the same Snapdragon 888 chip that features in other high-end smartphones. This is an absolute powerhouse for gaming, photo editing, and video streaming don’t want to say much other than your app is impressive. Whether I throw large models at it, play video games, or torture it with endless repetitive tasks – it just takes everything in stride and doesn’t miss a beat.

This device works well on a day-to-day basis. The 120Hz screen refresh rate and the new Android 11 software make this one of the best mobile devices you can buy. Buy it now if you’re looking for an affordable flagship product.

5. Decent camera

The OnePlus 9 is a great camera, but when compared to other phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, it doesn’t quite match up. The same is true with its pricing, in my opinion.

However, the Pro version has a few compromises. For example, it does not have optical zoom and the battery life is shorter. so you’ll be using the standard and super-wide lenses, and the main camera has a physically smaller sensor. Most shots will probably come out looking great with even exposures and a wide variety of other appealing qualities. The OnePlus 9’s camera doesn’t have the same vibrant colors as a flagship phone, but it does have a few built-in filters to give your photos an artistic flair.

The outdoor scene is bright and packed with detail.

And it’s the same story with this sweeping waterfront in Edinburgh.

Switching to the super-wide lens, it’s clear that it’s captured a lot more of the scene, but it still has great control of the exposure, with a well-balanced sky and plenty of detail in the shadows.

Shot with the standard lens, this scene has lovely, natural-looking colors and lots of detail in both the bright highlights of the sky and in the more shadowy areas.

Also Read: Google Pixel 5A review

Rich, warm tones in this leafy scene.

A new panorama mode simulates Hasselblad’s X-Pan wide format film cameras. It’s a fun feature, although it essentially just crops your images across the middle, which you could do yourself in apps like Snap seed. 

The night mode is fine, though certainly not stellar. I’ve seen better results from similarly priced phones, such as the Pixel 5. It’s good enough, but if nighttime photography is your priority, look elsewhere.

You can take night mode photos in the super-wide lens too, although the results are not great. 

The night mode works well (in the standard zoom, anyway) and selfies from the front camera are sharp and well exposed, too. All in all, it’s a great camera for all of your everyday snaps, but if you do want the best images around, you’ll need to look further up the range. 

6. Attractive design

I like the 9 Pro’s classy design, and the standard OnePlus 9 has much of the same visual appeal. There’s the glossy back and metallic edging, the neat camera unit — and I like the purple-bluey tones on my review model, too. Its screen doesn’t curve nicely at the edges like the Pro and overall it feels more midrange than high-end, but is that a reason to spend the extra? For me, it’s a perfectly good trade-off.

It also doesn’t have any official waterproofing, and while OnePlus reckons it can still shrug off a spilled drink or two, it’s best to be extra careful next time you’re around clumsy friends carrying beer.

It’s one of the very few compromises you’ll need to consider when debating the OnePlus 9 versus the OnePlus 9 Pro. This thing is cheaper, it’s just as powerful, it has a decent camera for most of your daily snaps and it has a battery that puts up more of a fight.

In short, it’s a superb do-it-all phone that won’t break the bank. That’s why I think it’s the best OnePlus phone to buy right now.