OnePlus 8 Pro went on sale in India with a disabled Color Filter camera. The said camera was designed to enable a Photochrom filter for enhanced image results. However, it was later highlighted that it provides visibility to scan certain objects. Hence, OnePlus first disabled the Color Filter camera for the OnePlus 8 Pro users in China and then in India. Now, with the new update, the company is re-enabling the sensor in for Indian users.
OnePlus has started rolling out OxygenOS 10.5.11.IN11DA update for the OnePlus 8 Pro users in India. It is of 154MB in size. It also brings the June 2020 Android security patch. Further, it adds the file disk section in the File manager on OnePlus 8 Pro. It will allow users to upload and store files on OnePlus Cloud “conveniently.”
The OnePlus 8 is also receiving the OxygenOS 10.5.9.IN21DA through an over-the-air (OTA) update. It is of 155MB in size. It optimizes touch and interaction experience, power consumption, and high-temperature warning. Further, the battery problem on OnePlus 8 where it failed to attain full charge after 90 percent has also been fixed.
As is clearly evident from the name, this Android 11 beta build for the OnePlus 8 duo is targeted at developers. So, if you have little to no experience with software development or flashing ROMs, you better wait for the public beta to arrive. As expected, there are a few bugs and limitations with this build, such as:
Face unlock is unavailable
Google Assistant (“OK Google”) does not work
Video calling does not work
Certain UI screens look less than desirable
Some apps may not function as expected
System stability issues
Also, T-Mobile and Verizon locked units of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are not compatible with this Android 11 developer preview build. With all the warnings and shortcomings having been described, proceed to the official OnePlus community forum announcement page to get the download files on your OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro (NA, IN, and EU version).
OnePlus 8 is all set to go on sale in India again. It will be made available via Amazon.in and OnePlus India website at 12 noon. The OnePlus 8 price in India starts at Rs 41,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. The 8GB + 128GB model costs Rs 44,999, whereas the 12GB + 256GB option is listed for Rs 49,999.
To recall, the OnePlus 8 series was scheduled to go on sale in India on May 28. But OnePlus announced the postponement of sale date due to unforeseen circumstances. However, the OnePlus 8 will be up for grabs today.
Launch offers include Rs 2,000 off for SBI EMI customers. Plus, there is a no-cost EMI option of up to 12 months from most major banks. Both Amazon and OnePlus are offering Jio benefits worth Rs 6,000 on the purchase of OnePlus 8.
OnePlus 8 series was scheduled to go on sale in India on May 28. But OnePlus announced the postponement of sale date due to unforeseen circumstances. However, the OnePlus 8 went on sale recently, on May 29. Now, it is scheduled to be made available again.
The OnePlus 8 will go on sale in India on June 8 at 12 noon. It will be made available through Amazon India and OnePlus.in. The phone’s price in India starts at Rs 41,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. The 8GB + 128GB model costs Rs 44,999, whereas the 12GB + 256GB option is listed for Rs 49,999.
Launch offers include Rs 2,000 off for SBI EMI customers, an additional Rs 1,000 Amazon Pay cashback for pre-booked users. Plus, there is a no-cost EMI option of up to 12 months from most major banks. Both Amazon and OnePlus are offering Jio benefits worth Rs 6,000 on the purchase of OnePlus 8.
In this comparison we look at two widely available phones that have different philosophies regarding the everyday Android experience. On the one hand, the long standing pedigree of Samsung up against the upstart that has made more waves recently than ever in OnePlus. This is our Samsung Galaxy S20 vs the OnePlus 8 video.
Easy to grasp
You’ll notice that we’re talking about the lower tiers of both lines in this comparison. The OnePlus 8 also has the big brother Pro model, which gets a lot of the attention — however, it’s important to remember that the OnePlus 8 is the one available in carrier stores and across many online platforms, making it one of the most accessible OnePlus devices in the company’s history. It’s a move that brings it closer to the kind of proliferation Samsung has had for years — the Galaxy S20 is the smallest of the S20 lineup, with the S20+ and the S20 Ultra rounding out the high premium tiers.
And right off the bat, I’m already a fan of the handling on both sides. These are smaller phones, after all, with the S20 finding itself a little undersized in comparison. The S20+ is more up to size against the OnePlus 8. That said, the OnePlus 8 feels like a great middle ground for people that want a good amount of screen without sacrificing ergonomics. It’s also the flashiest current OnePlus device, with this Interstellar Glow colorway that is not found in the Pro models. Contrast that to the baby blues of my Galaxy S20 and S20+, which still look pretty good. On the topic of the backings, the camera modules are in line with either company’s existing design language — the OnePlus 8 keeps the triple camera setup right in the middle while the Galaxy S20 has the now infamous rectangle over on the top corner.
Going around the devices, the main difference between both thin phones is an extra input for the OnePlus 8 — the Alert Slider. I appreciate tactile options of any kind and OnePlus has done well to make this toggle synonymous with their brand. Other than that, many of the differences are only skin deep, as both phones bring high end specifications to a design that is really easy to grasp and understand: for those who want good quality of life in their everyday smartphone usage, both phones immediately fulfill that criteria once they’re in your hand.
And as premium offerings from both companies, the specifications really do line up — the Snapdragon 865 is the processor throughout with 8GB of RAM and 128 of onboard storage. For biometrics, in-display fingerprint readers and face unlock capabilities are found throughout. Both features are pretty reliable for both phones, but Samsung keeps sticking to an Ultrasonic reader that feels just a tad bit slower. I tend to opt for face unlock, but obviously that is something a little harder to use these days.
These differences in fingerprint scanner technology mean that you can’t protect the Galaxy S20 with just any screen protector. Actually, the list of options available is VERY limited and quite expensive.
Discrepancies in the hardware list might sway you one way or another depending on your needs. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a sizeable battery at 4300mAh, splitting the difference between the S20’s 4000 and the S20+ with its 4500mAh battery. No matter how you slice it, that’s quite a bit of battery for phones that are delightfully thin. Battery life in either case is more than enough for a full day of work and play, but the Galaxy S20 has 15W wireless charging while the OnePlus 8 didn’t get any at all — fast wireless Warp Charging was saved for the OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus also provides a higher tier configuration with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage for a higher price, but the Galaxy S20 has a microSD card slot to cover that base. It might sound like I’m just running through the spec sheet but I did want to ensure that the details get out there before I dive into the real crux of this comparison — how both companies leverage such hardware to make two unique takes on Android.
Speed, two ways
And that’s because OnePlus’ claim of “The Speed You Need” deserves to be a focal point: from their display down to the software in Oxygen OS, this phone is a breeze to use. The screen of the OnePlus 8 is a Full HD+ AMOLED panel that tops out at 90hz, potentially bringing a higher refresh rate to more people and showing them how anything above 60hz really makes smartphones feel a bit more futuristic. OnePlus did a great job of tuning their software and the display to provide a smooth and pleasing experience in Oxygen OS.
And if there’s one thing OnePlus fans swear by the most, it’s Oxygen OS — a smooth, speedy, and minimalistic take on Android that has a great aesthetic, to boot. Customization is still abundant, right down to OnePlus’ own font; and there are some extra features that are delightfully practical, like the Reading Mode to make your OnePlus device more comfortable to read like a Kindle. And it’s not like OnePlus forgets that speed can be applied in other situations: enhancements like the gaming and even more powerful Fnatic Mode help make mobile gaming a high performance endeavor, as well.
One of the reasons why the OnePlus 8 line might strike users as faster and smoother is because it doesn’t have too many Android alternatives — OnePlus Switch and OnePlus’ own gallery apps are here, but otherwise, many of the trappings of stock Android are the default. Contrast that to the Samsung philosophy, which dives into an ecosystem riddled with Samsung’s many alternatives. It’s important to note that even with all of these first party apps and settings that might overwhelm users, the Galaxy S20 doesn’t fall behind in terms of speed. Its Quad HD Super AMOLED display can do 120hz if the resolution is brought down to Full HD, making it look faster than the OnePlus 8. However, differences between 90hz and 120hz are up to your perception and how useful it is for your usage.
Now, in terms of this comparison, I get to bring back a phrase I coined long ago — Galaxy Syndrome. It’s a term I use to describe a problem I see many Galaxy users face; in having a phone with so many features and apps Samsung has developed, people tend to find that at least half of them never get used. It’s different for everyone — you might not use Bixby because Google Assistant is already there, Samsung DeX is probably a great way of expanding the phone’s usage but it just collects dust, and Samsung’s many other preinstalled applications are nice to have but end up sitting in that Samsung folder out of sight. Some features do prove useful, like the Edge Panel. But in the end, none of these extras slow down the S20’s overall experience, which means Samsung gets credit for saturating their phones with features without sacrificing speed. Perhaps the best way to put it is that the Samsung ecosystem is trying its hardest to be the way you get things done, while the OnePlus ecosystem is just trying to make systems that already exist easier. If you are entrenched in the Galaxy ecosystem by now, sticking to it is a no-brainer. But they also ask you to pay a premium to stay in it.
Go wide or go long?
So where does Samsung direct the value of their phones? For the S20 line, the tag was “The Phone that will Change Photography.” Obviously this was meant mostly for the S20 Ultra with its 100x zoom, but the S20 has its own way of prioritizing far reaching photography. 12MP main and ultrawide sensors accompany the 64MP telephoto sensor, the Samsung built BRIGHT sensor that is actually almost as wide in focal length as the 12MP main. With zoom as a priority here, this 64MP lens is cropping in to provide what is essentially a lossless quality at the same final resolution as the other sensors. This high powered shooter also provides 8K recording in video.
OnePlus, on the other hand, stuck to a camera package we’re pretty used to seeing: a 48MP main sensor with a 16MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro lens. Perhaps the main misstep for some people here will be the macro lens — that’s not a knock on macro photography, just a commentary on how these 2MP results don’t do it much justice. Based on the spec alone, the OnePlus 8 might fall behind because it doesn’t prioritize zoom, but that’s obviously up to you to decide. I don’t really use zoom too often, so having ultrawide cameras on both of these already satisfies me.
But in terms of sheer quality, it’s hard to go up against the already established tuning of Samsung’s hardware and software. But OnePlus was up to the task. The main sensors show that the OnePlus 8’s pixel binning 48MP camera can go toe to toe with the Galaxy S10’s main at 12MP. Wide angle pictures have similar results, though the shooter on the Galaxy S20 is a little wider. And finally in terms of zoom, the OnePlus 8 finds itself outdone because the 64MP sensor telephoto BRIGHT sensor helps achieve far reach with diminishing returns outside of 10x zoom. In night situations, the night modes do a good job of getting a more usable shot, but the Galaxy S20 actually goes into the 3 to 10 second exposure times so its results are often better.
Video looks pretty good from both phones unless you get into the zoom levels because the diminishing returns are far more obvious on the OnePlus 8. And if you are a big selfie taker, the front facing cameras, the OnePlus 8 does have the higher megapixel count with 16 over the 10 of the S20. However, it’s the S20 that can shoot videos at 4K for the front as well as add in some more finetuned beauty effects and live focus video.
It’s clear that while OnePlus wants you to have a good time with its cameras and a better time using the smartphone as your daily communication tool, Samsung is always trying to even the feature lists between the various parts of the smartphone. Just like with the software, Samsung is inundating the user with tools that might mean speedy and smooth experiences on the daily, as long as you get used to going through all the things in front of you.
Paying for it
And as you might expect, the Galaxy S20 does bring a ton of features and capabilities to to the table but it asks more of your wallet. Quite literally everything in the S20 is done right, but it might be too much for some of you — and the price of $999 for this, the smallest of the lineup, might be too much, as well. Don’t get me wrong, I do think Samsung has come far enough to be one of the most reliable smartphones you can get during any given season. But their steps forward are starting to feel like grasping for straws when the price doesn’t seem to fit what makes the store shelves.
On the other hand, people think the OnePlus philosophy has been led astray — paying upwards of $699 feels like a gut punch to those who remember the days of flagship level sub-$400 OnePlus devices. I can understand that frustration, but when putting this phone up against the $1000 S20, I find myself still thinking that OnePlus is holding steady to their Never Settle axiom. No, it doesn’t do everything the S20 does — but if you don’t need it too, then you’re getting you’re money’s worth, because OnePlus has continued to close the gap.
I still think that if you were to walk into a carrier store and see the Galaxy S20 and the OnePlus 8, you’d see the shine of the OnePlus 8 first and get intrigued — and then you’d probably end up noticing that the phone that changes photography might not be as practical than the speed you need.
OnePlus 8 series was scheduled to go on sale in India on May 28. But a couple of days ago, OnePlus announced that the sale date has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. However, you can purchase the OnePlus 8 in India today.
OnePlus 8 price in India starts at Rs 41,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. The 8GB + 128GB model costs Rs 44,999, whereas the 12GB + 256GB option is listed for Rs 49,999. The latter comes in Glacial Greem, Onyx Black, and Interstellar Glow options.
The OnePlus 8 is going on special limited sale in India today at 12 noon. It will be made available through Amazon India and OnePlus.in. Launch offers include Rs 2,000 off for SBI EMI customers, an additional Rs 1,000 Amazon Pay cashback for pre-booked users. Plus there is no-cost EMI option of up to 12 months from most major banks, and Jio benefits worth Rs 6,000.
Purchasers will also get six free bonus audiobooks with Audible membership. Further, those who pre-booked the device can purchase it as and when the stocks are available.
OnePlus has announced that it partnered with Epic Games to allow 90FPS gameplay for Fortnite on the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. In doing so, the OnePlus 8 series phones have become the only two smartphones that can play the hit game at 90FPS, up from the 60FPS standard you’ll experience on other flagships out there.
The only other device to eclipse that figure is the iPad Pro, which can run Fortnite at 120FPS. In theory, playing Fortnite at 90FPS on the OnePlus 8 series phones will provide the smoothest experience you’ll get on any phone, and even consoles such as Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4, on which the game is locked at 60FPS.
But there is one trade-off. While playing Fortnite at 90FPS on the OnePlus 8 or its Pro sibling, the graphics are scaled down to ‘low’ settings, but the resolution remains the same at the native 2400×1080. However, if you don’t want to make the compromise, you can still choose to play the game at ‘Epic’ graphics settings, but at a still respectable 60FPS frame rate, notes GameSpot.
If you have a T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 8, you can go to your phone’s settings, and check the latest T-Mobile software update is available for your device.
T-Mobile is sensing OTA software updates to the OnePlus 8 devices on its network. This new update includes 5G support with two new bands. You won’t be using these bands right away, but at least your device will be ready when they become available. The update includes support for 5G bands 2 and 66, in addition to the bands 5, 41, and 71 that were supported at launch.
T-Mobile’s 5G network works on the 600MHz band 71, it’s working to support more bands in the near future, which would also include the just added band 2 which is the 1900MHz and band 66 which is 1700/2100Mhz.
You can go to the device’s Settings > System > System Update > Check for update, and see if this software is already available for your device.
OnePlus has finally announced the sale date of the OnePlus 8 series in India through its Red Cable Club. The OnePlus 8, 8 Pro can be purchased in India from May 29 onwards across all channels.
Further, the pop-up bundle will open up for an exclusive sale for Red Cable Club members on May 28, starting at Rs 45,999.
Moreover, you will be able to purchase the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro for Rs 39,999 (~ $530) and Rs 51,999 (~ $690) respectively after applying the SBI credit card offer.
You can avail Rs 3000 instant discount on OnePlus 8 Pro and Rs 2000 instant discount on OnePlus 8 on purchase using SBI credit cards. So starting price: OP 8 – ₹39,999 OP 8 Pro – 51,999 Compelling, no?
INR 3000/- instant discount on OnePlus 8 Pro 5G and INR 2000 instant discount on OnePlus 8 5G on purchase using SBI credit cards.
Up to 12 months, no-cost EMI across Oneplus.in and Amazon.in on purchase using popular bank debit and credit cards. Additionally, users can avail up to 12 months of no-cost EMI across all online and offline channels on purchase using SBI credit cards.
With Bajaj Finance, users can now purchase the devices at one-third of the total value, while paying the remaining amount at low monthly installments over the course of 12 months.
Benefits worth INR 6000/- including INR 150/- off on 40 prepaid recharges of INR 349/- with Jio.
Red Cable Club members get flat 10% off on the screen protection plan on the purchase of OnePlus 8 series 5G.
I hesitated to review the OnePlus 8 on embargo because the phone just didn’t feel ready. If you watch my comparison against the 8 Pro, the camera was not even living up to the 7T. But you know what they say: good things come to those who wait, and right after that video was done we received an update the next day addressing the camera, and right after my comparison against the iPhone 11, we received another, and then I got another software update last night. It’s time for our full review of the OnePlus 8.
For those of you new to OnePlus, I’d like to call this one of the brands responsible less expensive iPhones. Fight me all you want on that premise, but come on, Apple decided to announce the iPhone SE the day after this OnePlus 8 became official, and it’s really a no-brainer as to why. OnePlus has been selling flagship specs at midrange prices for years, so all it took was a couple of US launches, plus an extra carrier deal for brands to wake up.
The biggest question is, should you care? Even if brands are noticing, in the past recommending OnePlus was easy because of the price gap. The OnePlus 8 by contrast sees the biggest jump in price difference from its predecessor at $100, meaning the exact same $699 that you can pay for an iPhone 11, and even the Galaxy S10. My short answer is that you care, because the value proposition is substantially different. Let me start this video by telling you what I like most about this phone, which focuses on that.
Like
Visually you’d say there’s really not much different, but I’d disagree. Some of my favorite devices of 2019 were the Galaxy S10 and Note 10, and its as if OnePlus used them for inspiration. If you see it from the front and with the screen of, you’d swear it’s an S10. And the smudge-heavy compact disk look of the Note 10 can be seen on this Interstellar Glow back. Now, for me the S10 was more about how impossibly light such a large phone felt, and that permeates to the OnePlus 8. Somehow this phone is about the same height of the 7T, but is then 2mm narrower and a hair thinner, all while being 10 grams lighter, and also including a battery that’s 12% larger.
I mean, if we wanna keep talking efficiency, let’s discuss the main reason for the price hike. The main reason why the OnePlus 8 shouldn’t even be compared to anything from 2019, is because this is a 5G phone. And sure, I know some of us reviewers like to downplay the importance of 5G today, but that won’t last long. It’s picking up fairly quickly, and I know most consumers don’t upgrade phones every year. When given a choice between investing in the technology of the future vs the technology of the past for the same $699, the value proposition is entirely different. The OnePlus 8 supports sub-6 on T-Mobile, and is also the smallest phone that I know of that’s capable of mmWave if you go Verizon. Call it overkill today all you want, but you’ll thank me later.
Another value benefit of going OnePlus is that the rest of the internals are hard to compete with. We have the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, enough of the fastest flavor of RAM and storage in the industry, the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Standard, Dual SIM capabilities if you go unlocked, and a wired charging technology that’ll take you from zero to 50% in 22 minutes included in the box.
§Flip to the front, and can I just say this is the first time I’ve truly loved a OnePlus display. In the past they were good, but not great. Either too dim, or the colors were just not right. Obviously if you want QuadHD+ or 120hz you’ll have to get the Pro variant, but Full HD+ and 90hz won’t be easy to find in this price range. At 6.55 inches and 20:9 aspect ratio, this Fluid AMOLED follows a nearly identical footprint to the 7T, but pushes screen to body ratio a bit further to create this bezel less impression. I know some won’t be fans of the curves but because this phone is not what I’d call too large to hold, I haven’t had much of a need for palm rejection techniques. Colors are vibrant, it pushes beyond 1000 nits so you’ll be fine in direct sunlight, and the content consumption experience is fantastic thanks to dual firing speakers.
And then last but not least, there’s the software powering the show. Android is plagued with the Cliche that stock Android is better than anything else, which I wish were reflected by sales figures on the Google Pixel. OxygenOS is what I’d like to call “more than stock” because it shares the visual elements, while adding a ton of usual elements.
The first thing you’ll notice is just how fluid it is, which is a blend of the company’s legacy approach, and the 90hz refresh rate in action, so long if you choose to enable it, because yeah, this is the UI of choices. If you like the new Android gestures, they’re here. If you prefer the old three button navigations, they’re here. If you like the Google Assistant it’s here natively, but you can also choose Amazon’s Alexa for a blend of both, where you can set one to the gesture and the other to the power button. Want gestures to launch specific apps or control your music while the screen is off, that’s also here. Want facial recognition or a fingerprint scanner on the display, or both.. they’re here, and I now love how notifications are only visible on the lock screen if your face is detected. Those fans of the three-way mute slider can even pick what each of these modes does to tailor more specific behavior.
And then there are the added perks that are unique to OnePlus like ZenMode to keep you off your phone for a bit, Gaming features for those that don’t want to be interrupted and want a boost in performance, and my favorite: Reading Mode, which is self explanatory.
I’d call OxygenOS the most complete and thought-out version of how stock Android should behave, not just because of its UI, but also because of endurance. Generation after generation, OnePlus has not disappointed in providing you with all day battery performance, with or without a large battery pack. If you’re worried that this is the smaller version of the 8 Pro, don’t. This phone is just as much of a champ.
Mixed
By now I’m sure you’re asking, well what’s the catch? And of course there is. This is still far from being the perfect phone, and corners are usually cut to make this such an affordable 5G phone.
There are a few things I’m mixed about and the first is water resistance, but there’s a huge asterisk on this section. My review unit is unlocked, so I do know there is no IP rating, meaning the most I can tell you is the usual OnePlus jargon that it’s splash proof, but if you dig through a spec sheet on T-Mobile or Verizon, you’ll notice those variants are IP68. I already confirmed with OnePlus that this is the case, so if a certification is important to you, get a carrier variant.
Second is wireless charging. At a time when even the $399 iPhone SE includes the feature, it’s really hard to justify why a phone this expensive doesn’t include it. Even if it didn’t bring the fast standard of the Pro variant, some sort of option would be welcomed.
Third is the camera performance. If you watch the progression of how this set of cameras has behaved between my last two comparisons, you’ll understand why I decided to delay this review. It first started as being ok for the price, to good enough to compete with the iPhone 11 in certain elements, to fine, now I like it.
My biggest complaint is all the promise on the spec sheet. You hear numbers like 48 megapixels on the primary with a crop approach to the 2X telephoto, a 16 megapixel ultrawide and a 2 megapixel macro and you’re like.. wow, it’s gotta be great, but in real world performance it’s more of an A-, which is far better than the B I would’ve given it weeks ago.
During the day you’ll notice far more consistency than on my first couple of videos. Colors are not as warm as your typical iPhone, but I’d call these more consistent to what my eye is seeing on this hazy day. Having an ultra-wide is always an added bonus for a more epic shot, and I’d call the 2X digital crop from the primary to be good enough for lossless street photography at least during the day. Just don’t try zooming in any further from it as the results start getting choppy and washed out.
Sadly, the claims for a triple camera system are sadly to laugh about with this macro. It’s not the same to add macro capabilities to a standard lens like on the 7t, than to pretend that you’ll get decent results with a 2 megapixel shooter. There is no detail, colors are washed out, like absolutely everything about it is just unusable, and this motto of overpromising and under delivering extends to other features.
For example, let’s talk nightscape. This phone claims to have night capabilities from the ultra-wide, which not even the iPhone 11 Pro claims, but the results are no better than not using it at all. Why offer something you won’t do well? Just stick to the primary camera and you’ll like the results, where results are very detailed if a tad cool for my taste.
Oddly I prefer the portrait photos from this phone over the Pro because I find them to be more natural. Most phones create this odd fake separation between subjects, where the 8 is so basic it actually passes as something a real camera would do.
What I’m sadly not a fan of are selfies and selfie portraits. Once again, it makes me wonder why this company claims so many megapixels from the sensor if the results are so washed out. I mean dynamic range is fairly decent, but the lack of detail just gets to me.
And then when we jump to video, I’d give this phone more of a B- or worse if it wasn’t for the fact that most Android phones will perform nearly the same. This phone is capable of 4K at 60 fps from the primary camera with some really fantastic stabilization, but it comes at a cost. Android just can’t seem to shake off the warping and moire produced by the codec, and this phone is no exception. You can switch focal lengths and dynamic range is fairly decent, but nothing I would trust to use in any of my videos as a b-camera.
And then it’s just unfortunate that OnePlus phones still can’t provide selfie video at 4K resolution. The chip supports it, the megapixels are here, and yet we get these washed out results matched with a crop that almost seems like if they just ported the feature from the OnePlus 6 and never really improved any code on it.
Conclusion
To conclude let me just say that I’m really happy I waited to do this review. I spent the first few days being so underwhelmed, and now it seems like there’s more of a cohesive story behind this phone. The OnePlus 8 is not designed to be a flagship, there’s the OnePlus 8 Pro for those of you looking for an uncompromising set of features, and a price tag to match.
The OnePlus 8 speaks more to the mainstream consumer that’s looking for a phone that’s too good for the price, or as we’d like to call, a flagship killer. Those debating that it’s priced like, say an iPhone 11, have it all wrong. You have to stop living in the past. Every 2020 flagship has 5G, and the reason why the OnePlus 8 matters is because it’s giving you a future-proof phone, for those same $699. Maybe a little analogy would be that if you were told today that every car next year has to go electric, then would you buy a gas car today if you’re not used to upgrading every year?
The OnePlus 8 has proven to not just be a great smartphone for the present, but also a good investment for the future. The start was a bit rocky, but if three software updates in less than a month are any indication, it’s only proof that OnePlus is really invested in improving this product for the long run. I have no problem recommending it as one of the best 5G solutions for those of you looking for an inexpensive way to jump onboard.
The Verizon variant of OnePlus 8 is the only one that offers mmWave 5G support and also has a different internal name – OnePlus 8 5G UW. (Yuck). But that added dash of 5G speed also ensures that a regular OnePlus 8 case won’t on a Verizon variant of the phone due to a slightly different positioning of the volume rocker.
The anomaly was first reported by a OnePlus 8 user on Reddit who purchased the device from Verizon and later discovered that a case purchased from a different outlet won’t fit on the phone. The volume rocker on the OnePlus 8’s Verizon variant is placed slightly lower compared to a regular OnePlus 8 purchased from another carrier or store.
An analysis of the US FCC documents by PhoneArena reveals that the mmWave supporting OnePlus 8 sold by Verizon has an extra modem fitted near the volume button, which is why the button had to be moved slightly lower. So, if you purchased your OnePlus 8 from Verizon, you’ll have to buy the compatible case from Big Red, which users report are either out of stock, expensive, or plain ugly.
OnePlus' new phones have caused a stir with their high cost and price disparity between the US and India, but Apple has played that game for many years now.
At the time fo this comparison, buying a OnePlus 8 almost feels like if you're investing in the future, and not the past. This is OnePlus 8 VS iPhone 11!
