OnePlus 8 Review: Reliable, But Not Compelling
OnePlus 8 Review: A good phone that needs a killer feature
"The OnePlus 8 does everything you want and is a great daily partner, but it doesn't provide an excellent reason to buy."
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Nice design
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Excellent software
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Long battery life and quick charging
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Good everyday camera
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No wireless charging
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Not IP68 waterproof
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No outstanding camera function
The $ 600 OnePlus 7T was an easy-to-recommend phone, but will the story repeat itself with the OnePlus 8 Pro? You'll have to spend an additional $ 100 on last year's phone to get one, since it now starts at $ 700. To justify an increase, the OnePlus 8 needs to significantly improve its game, as it has to compete with many other high-performance phones.
My time with OnePlus 8 shows that doing this is difficult because the addition of 5G is not yet widespread to be called a must.
design
The OnePlus 8 looks almost identical to the OnePlus 8 Pro – only a little smaller, a little thinner and a little lighter. This makes a big difference in carrying the phone around and using it with one hand. Unlike the choice of the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro over the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max, the compromise between screen size isn't that big. The 6.55-inch fluid AMOLED screen of the OnePlus 8 is not a compromise compared to the 6.78-inch OnePlus 8 Pro.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
At 180 grams, the OnePlus 8 is light for a modern smartphone. I like the aspect ratio of 20: 9 in combination with the 8 mm thick body because I can easily stretch my thumb over the screen. The side buttons on the OnePlus 8 are also easier to reach and press than on the 8 Pro. There is a fingerprint sensor under the screen. Even though it's lightning fast, the face unlock usually unlocked the screen before I got there.
I like the feel of the matte gorilla glass finish, which feels cool and doesn't take too many fingerprints, but still captures the light neatly – especially in the stunning green color shown above. Yes, it is green, but in different lighting conditions it turns to a beautiful aquamarine blue, as you can see in our photos below. Due to the curved corners and the low weight, it sits comfortably in the palm of your hand. However, the edges of the body are still very tapered, so fatigue appears when holding the phone.
OnePlus 8 Pro (from left) and OnePlus 8 Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
The back of the camera is not overly pronounced, and fewer sensors mean that it also looks less overloaded. The decision to use a punch-hole selfie camera instead of a complicated and heavy motorized selfie camera has a similar result on the front, keeping it neat and functional. The OnePlus 8 is sleek and chic, with no unnecessary bulk, but doesn't ignore the need for a large screen. It is exactly right.
Screen and software
While the OnePlus 8 performs better in design and size than the OnePlus 8 Pro, the story isn't that easy when we look at the technology inside, starting with the screen. The OnePlus 8 has a Fluid AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz, but does not use the motion smoothing function. If you put them side by side, there is a subtle difference: The OnePlus 8 Pro looks a little sharper, smoother and more attractive.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
However, it's not that the OnePlus 8 looks bad – far from it. Play a 1080p HDR10 movie and it is still excellent, while the video is entertaining and impressive. This is supported by the two speakers and the support of Dolby Atmos. Worried about the lack of motion smoothing? Do not be so. While it is sometimes effective to artificially reduce blurring when watching videos, the effect is not always desirable. I didn't miss it. The OnePlus 8 also had fewer problems with touch sensitivity.
The lower resolution means a lower pixel density. The PPI rating (402 pixels per inch) of the OnePlus 8 is significantly lower than that of the 513 PPI of the OnePlus 8 Pro, the 525 PPI of the Galaxy S20 Plus and the 458 PPI of the smaller iPhone 11 Pro. It is not as impressive to look at as one of these phones and is therefore not considered to be of high quality or premium. Here the OnePlus 8 Pro really stands out, and here the cost reduction has had an impact on the OnePlus 8. It's good, but not a reason to buy, as is the case with the OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus 8 Pro (from left) and OnePlus 8 Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
I'm pleased to say that the OnePlus 8 software experience, which has its own OxygenOS 10.5 user interface based on Android 10, is identical to the OnePlus 8 Pro. It's excellent, with a nifty design, lots of speed and little annoyance. I'll take a closer look at this in my test of the OnePlus 8 Pro.
camera
The cost reduction continues with the camera. Gone are the new Sony IMX689 sensors as headliners for the OnePlus 8 Pro. It is replaced by the proven IMX586 sensor, which we have seen many times, with an aperture of 1: 1.75, optical and electronic image stabilization and the ability to record 4K videos at 60 frames per second. There is also a 16-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro camera.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
It makes very pleasant pictures, but it will not amaze with incredible, eye-catching pictures. My gallery ended up with solid, reliably decent photos, but nothing that I was particularly proud of. The IMX586 needs good software optimization to get the most out of it. Here OnePlus is at the top of its game. The colors pop, the dynamic range is strong and the HDR is effective. Portrait mode has good edge detection, but takes a few moments to capture the subject.
Use the OnePlus 8's camera to take regular everyday shots and you will be happy with the results. The 16 megapixel selfie camera is good, but not as good as the competition. The macro camera lacks color and definition, the night mode is not particularly good in very poor lighting conditions and there is no optical zoom function. You don't get a bizarre color filter lens with the OnePlus 8 Pro that inverts the colors of your photos for a really weird look, but that's not a bad thing.
OnePlus 8 wide angle Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
OnePlus 8 standard Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
OnePlus 8 2x Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
Finally, the OnePlus 8's camera is not noticeable. There is no major new innovation, be it a successful software-controlled improvement like Samsung's single take mode or Apple's excellent Deep Fusion technology, or 8K video recording or a periscope zoom like the Huawei P40 Pro.
Power and battery
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor controls the OnePlus 8. It has a 5G modem and either 8 GB or 12 GB RAM. The chip and 5G modem are probably the main reason the price of the phone has gone up, but 5G isn't available in many places, which means you pay more for something you can't use. This will change over time. However, it is currently difficult to recommend most people to buy a 5G phone. I tested the 12 GB version and the benchmark results are as follows:
- 3DMark: 6,695 (volcano)
- Geekbench 5: 3,314 multi-core / 910 single-core
The performance corresponds to that of the OnePlus 8 Pro and therefore also surpasses the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Oppo Find X2 Pro. The calls were clear and reliable, although I couldn't test the 5G connection. I played a lot of the 1945 vertical scrolling shooter, which has a high frame rate and uses the 90 Hz screen refresh rate, and I really liked it. DariusBurst has to be played in a smaller window due to the 20: 9 aspect ratio screen, but that doesn't matter as the gameplay is still exciting. Playing on the OnePlus 8 is similar to playing on the Galaxy S20 Plus, with the right weight and comfort in hand for longer gaming sessions.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
The battery in the OnePlus 8 has a capacity of 4,300 mAh and is supported by Warp Charge 30T quick charge. In contrast to the OnePlus 8 Pro, wireless charging is not possible. Wired charging from Warp Charge is very fast and results in the battery being fully charged in about 20 minutes and in my tests in just over an hour.
In this time of social distancing, OnePlus 8 spent most of the time connecting to Wi-Fi, making video and voice calls, and using it for games, social networking, and video. It easily took a whole day even under heavy use. However, try this activity, which is connected to a 5G network, and the battery will suffer. One feature that I liked was the new intelligent charging optimization, in which the phone learns your charging routine and optimizes the charging around it.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
Like many people, I charge the phone when I go to sleep and then pull it out of the socket in the morning. Even after a few days, the OnePlus 8 brought the battery up to 80% in the first hour and only charged it about an hour before waking up. According to OnePlus, the battery stays charged longer so that you can charge it safely. The optimization can be deactivated if your daily hours are not set.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com
The battery and the software already mentioned are two of the most important reasons to buy the OnePlus 8.
Price, guarantee and availability
The OnePlus 8 shown here with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage costs $ 800 or $ 700 if you choose the 8 GB / 128 GB version. In the UK, the OnePlus 8 costs £ 600 for the 8GB / 128GB model and £ 700 for the 12GB 256GB version. OnePlus grants a one-year warranty on its phones that covers manufacturing defects. OnePlus 8 is expected to be available on the OnePlus website and carriers in April.
Our opinion
The OnePlus 8 is a good smartphone. It has an attractive screen, a decent camera, great software, and long battery life. I love the design, the matte glass and the green color. Nevertheless, every function that distinguishes it is missing. This didn't matter with the OnePlus 7T, as it only cost $ 600 – which makes the price a standout feature. At $ 700 or $ 800, the OnePlus 8 has no other function that could take its place. The OnePlus 8 has left the value segment and needs to improve its game.
Is there a better alternative?
The price increase means that the OnePlus 8 worth $ 700 / $ 800 is now available with the Samsung Galaxy S20 worth $ 1,000, the Google Pixel 4 worth $ 800 and the iPhone 11 im Worth $ 700 is struggling. though strong in most areas.
You can pay less and get a good phone. Last year's $ 600 iPhone XR is still a good buy, as is the Asus Zenfone 6 $ 500, and if you find one, the Realme X2 Pro is still a surprisingly good value for around $ 450 .
How long it will take?
OnePlus has not given the OnePlus 8 an IP68 degree of protection, so it is splash-proof and that's all. The body is made of glass and can break if it falls. It is best to put it in a case. OnePlus is good at providing software updates and the phone has enough power, which means it has been in use for at least two years. It's great to have 5G on board to keep it going longer.
Should you buy one?
The $ 100 increase over the OnePlus 7T may not sound like much, but the limited appeal of 5G isn't enough to justify the extra. Therefore, we do not recommend buying the OnePlus 8, even though it is a decent modern smartphone. There are better options at higher and lower prices.
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