Monday, June 15, 2020

OnePlus 8 review: Meaningful innovations elevate experience, justify price


Where does OnePlus 8 stand in 2020, with all its upgrades - and one downgrade? Let's find out.


Smartphone makers now bring at least two models of each of their premium smartphones – one that maxes out on everything to show the maker’s innovation competence, and second that does not compromise on flagship specifications and features but cuts corners on some lesser features to keep the price low and reach the masses. The OnePlus 8 belongs to the latter category of premium smartphones.

A successor to the OnePlus 7T, the OnePlus 8 brings seasonal upgrades like Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip, big-capacity battery, new design and a screen with a punch hole for front camera. However, the company has downgraded the rear camera set-up of the OnePlus 7T by taking away the 2x optical zoom telephoto sensor.

So, where does the OnePlus 8 in 2020 with all its upgrades, and a downgrade? Let’s find out:

Design
The OnePlus 8 has a minimalistic design and premium build. It retains the glass-metal sandwich design of its predecessor but brings new colour options like the ‘Interstellar Glow’ and ‘Onyx Black’, adding some flavour to an otherwise bland design. An issue with the glass body is that it attracts fingerprints. The OnePlus 8’s body does not behave any differently – it is susceptible to smudges and gets fingerprints. Thankfully, the phone comes with a redesigned TPU cover, which protects the phone’s body from accidental scratches and unwanted smudges. A caveat, it adds to the weight and dimensions of the phone.

On the back, the phone has a vertically aligned elongated pill-shaped camera module. It protrudes from the body and makes phone wobble when kept on flat surfaces like tabletops. But it is no eyesore, unlike the big circular rear camera module of the OnePlus 7T. The phone feels comfortable in hand while holding and operating, thanks to its lightweight build (180 g) and balanced weight distribution.

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