OnePlus 7 Pro: 5 reasons to still buy this out-and-out flagship [Video]

The OnePlus 7 Pro shouldn’t need an introduction, it’s arguably one of the best phones you can buy right now — and we have 5 reasons why it should be your next smartphone.

While the OnePlus 7T has leaked and the OnePlus 7T Pro might be around the corner, it’s unclear what the follow-up will bring that can truly exceed the current top-tier OnePlus phone — save a slightly bumped chipset.

Moving into the premium segment of the smartphone sector was, naturally, a big gamble for OnePlus but it appears to have paid off so far. The entire package is a triumph from a company known for disrupting the more “affordable” end of the market.

The design, spec sheet, and pricing also make it incredibly hard to recommend another smartphone even with the onrush of fall 2019 releases on the horizon. If you are in the market for a new smartphone, then the OnePlus 7 Pro is still the best complete package you can buy for under $800.

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Display

The display is definitely the true showstopping portion of the OnePlus 7 Pro. The superb 90Hz refresh rate changes the entire experience of using this massive smartphone — and by extension any you use afterwards.

And it’s not just the refresh rate. The curved display is uninterrupted and completely devoid of any cutouts or notches. That makes it just a joy to use every single day. Because the OnePlus 7 Pro has no display notch, the selfie camera placement solution is pretty novel.

Having a pop-up selfie camera also means an uninhibited display with a massive 89% screen-to-body ratio. For videos and gaming, the fast, fluid, and unhindered display means that you get the arguably best Android experience possible today.

Software

Stock Android may not exist in the traditional sense, but the closest software experience to the Pixel and Android One phones is most definitely Oxygen OS. The OnePlus 7 Pro comes with the Android Pie version of the skin as standard and it is the best flavor to date.

Oxygen OS actually manages to improve upon the Pixel software experience in a number of key ways by adding neat exclusive features. The dedicated gaming mode, a more robust theme editor, and App Locker are just a few of these added features. While alone they don’t feel too impressive, combined in with a slimline Android build they are exceptional extras.

OnePlus also manages to keep devices updated longer than most OEMs. Frequent updates and tidbits are shared regularly with full release notes and timeframes over on the official OnePlus forums so that you know just when your phone is getting vital OTA downloads. It’s not just the frequency of these that is commendable. The Android 10 beta is already available for the OnePlus 7 Pro, which means we’re expecting a full release shortly after Pixel phones get updated. Not many phones will be so lucky.

Speed

No OnePlus phone could ever really be considered ‘slow’ prior to the OnePlus 7 Pro. But with a combination of the powerhouse internals, you can expect top-tier performance. The Snapdragon 855 chipset, a minimum of 6GB of RAM, and that 90Hz refresh rate display means the entire experience elicits a sense of speed that no other smartphone is able to match.

It also helps that the UFS 3.0 storage makes apps load instantly and having plenty of RAM means multitasking is a dream. This combo of impressive hardware and superfast internal memory also means the OnePlus 7 Pro should feel just as fast in a year as it does today. Add in the bonus of lightweight software and you get arguably the fastest smartphone experience you can buy at this point in 2019.

Camera

This is the outright best camera system on any OnePlus phone to date. It includes a wide-angle, telephoto zoom lens, and a main 48-megapixel sensor — which proves to be a decent overall selection. The step-up in quality is immediately clear when you compare directly to last years OnePlus 6T.

Having a triple camera setup is superb and you get just enough flexibility to take excellent pictures in a variety of situations and settings. OnePlus phones have always excelled with auto-focus, and there are even big improvements in low-light performance. There is no doubt that the Nightscape 2.0 mode has made great strides in under a year.

I was worried about the quality of the pop-up selfie camera initially but it turns out to be crystal clear and I like that it hides away when you don’t want to take selfies — I’m in love with that aspect of the selfie camera and would be happy to see more manufacturers follow suit. Being able to take full 48-megapixel images in the dedicated Pro mode is also great for the experimental mobile photographer. There is no doubt about it, the OnePlus 7 Pro has one of the most versatile smartphone camera systems on the market.

Battery

Since launch, the OnePlus 7 Pro has had quite a few software updates to help improve the already solid battery life. It needs solid longevity due to the large, power-hungry 90Hz display. Luckily, the large 4,000mAh battery keeps you going all day. I’ve regularly seen my screen on time reach the 7+ hour mark since the Oxygen OS 9.5.9 OTA update. It will improve over time thanks to more battery and display optimizations.

While the lack of wireless charging might be disappointing, the inclusion of 30W Warp Charging should more than makes up for its omission. Being able to go from a dead or almost dead to a full battery in under an hour is simply awesome and it genuinely changes your charging habits. You can stick the charger in for just 15 minutes and get nearly a day of power without worrying about low battery indicators.

Conclusion

There is no doubt about it, the OnePlus 7 Pro is probably the best all-around smartphone that you can buy at this point of the year — alongside the Samsung Galaxy S10+. It offers a little of everything that most people look for in a smartphone in 2019. The best thing though is that it costs less than the competition.

Where can I buy the OnePlus 7 Pro?

Now available for a little while, you can pick up the OnePlus 7 Pro from a number of places. Your first port of call should definitely be the official OnePlus site, the phone can be bought directly starting at $669.

Alternatively, you can now pick up the device from Amazon or even from T-Mobile starting at just $29 per month.