OnePlus 5T
The £449 OnePlus 5T is an upgrade on the five-month-old OnePlus 5 in the same way the 3T was to the 3 a year ago. In eighteen months, there have been four flagship devices from a company that had previously only made two (the mid-range OnePlus X being its other device).
The new OnePlus 5T is excellent – a huge, crisp screen and screaming performance – but it’s coming from a company that is dangerously close to annoying its fans and appearing like it has run out of ideas, even though it hasn’t.
We’ve been using the OnePlus 5T for a few days prior to its launch event on 16 November. We’ll update these initial impressions to a full review with score and verdict in the coming days.
The standout feature of the 5T is its screen. It's a 6in, 1,080 x 2,160 AMOLED display with a pixel density of 401ppi, which, at least on face value, is beautifully sharp and vibrant. It also uses a default theme that is a mix of sunset oranges, pinks and blues, which produce a pleasing effect that's immediately eye-catching. The effect covers almost the entirety of the front face of the phone, as the display stretches almost entirely to the left and right edges while leaving only half a centimetre of bezel at the top and bottom.
The most obvious change is a major slimming down of the phone’s bezel. Almost all of the phone’s front is now occupied by screen as a result, meaning you’ll now enjoy a large 6.01-inch Full Optic AMOLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.
The counter is that a 1080p screen won’t make the processor work as hard as a Quad HD panel, which should result in the former exhibiting better battery life by comparison. The debate will continue onward, but with most mid-tier smartphones now featuring 1080p resolution displays, OnePlus might do well to open up to Quad HD.
The rear snapper, manufactured in collaboration with DxO Labs, incorporates one 16-megapixel, f/1.7 main camera and another, 20-megapixel f/2.6 telephoto camera right beside it. Both work hand in hand to produce fantastic-quality snaps and some of the best I’ve seen on a device at this price point.
The front-facing camera has seen a boost to 16-megapixels, with a f/2.0 aperture - perfect for your Instagram-worthy vanity shots. Video quality is very good as well. Not only is the camera able to capture detail-rich 4K footage, it benefits from ultra-smooth electronic image stabilisation (EIS), making it look like the phone is sitting on a proper Steadicam rig.
As you can see in my test footage against the OnePlus 5 before the update, the EIS does a phenomenal job.
This feature wasn't in the original software release for the phone, only added a couple of months after release, but improvements and additions such as this demonstrate OnePlus' commitment to keeping the phone's software up to date and current, and bode well for the immediate future. Let's hope for a move to Android O sometime soon as well.
Thankfully, the OnePlus 5T’s changes are backed up by the same internals that made the OnePlus 5 an all-around solid performer. We’re looking at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 paired with either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, with either 64 GB or 128 GB of native storage. Remember that there is no microSD card slot, so choose your storage configuration wisely.
The changes to stock Android are thoughtful and unobtrusive. The swipe up for apps is better than an app tray, while the notification shade is familiar but excellently customisable. Unlike previous OnePlus phones, the navigation buttons are now exclusively software features as the bottom bezel can no longer accommodate capacitive buttons either side of a fingerprint sensor.
The top bezel still has room for a camera though, and that’s how you can set up face unlock. It’s less secure than the fingerprint sensor or a simple PIN, but it is the fastest face unlock we’ve ever seen on a phone. Along with Google, Nokia and Motorola, OnePlus ships a clean, uncomplicated version of Android that’s all the better for it.
If you like a bit of Samsung style flash on your phone though it might not be for you – the 5T is blindingly fast but partly because of its lack of animations. Everything is very austere and clean cut in order to get a process done as fast as possible.
Another key feature, and a first for OnePlus, is the inclusion of face recognition tech as the fledgling brand attempts to ride the coattails of the iPhone X.
The OnePlus 5T comes with a 3,300mAh battery which the firm claims will last a full day on a single charge – a claim we'll be sure to put to the test during our in-depth review process.
It also features OnePlus’ Dash Charge technology, which is claimed to give you 'a day's power in half an hour’, which in reality means just under 60% in 30 minutes. There's no wireless charging though.
The in-house developed Dash Charge charging system helps your OnePlus 5's battery charge up incredibly fast. But because of the way the charger has to interact with the phone to perform the fast charging without generating much heat, it requires a special charger and cable. You must use a OnePlus-made Dash Charge charger and cable, or it just won't work. OnePlus includes the correct charger and cable in the OnePlus 5's box, and also offers extra wall chargers and car chargers on its website.
The only frustrating part about Dash Charge is that it isn't cross-compatible with other fast charging systems, like the widely used Qualcomm Quick Charge or the more generic USB-C Power Delivery spec. That means if you plug into another charger (or use another cable) it will likely top out at about 5V/2.4A — which is pretty fast, but not nearly as fast as Dash Charge is.
The OnePlus 5T will start at $529 (£449) for the 64GB model, rising to $583(£499) for the 128GB model.
You’ll be able to order the OnePlus 5T from November 21
Verdict
As with all smartphones, the success of the OnePlus 5 rests on its asking price. With the cost rising from £399 to £449, the OnePlus 5 is in danger of losing its best mid-range smartphone tag, especially now the far more capable Samsung Galaxy S8 has fallen in price.
The OnePlus 5 remains the best value smartphone on the market, then, but it's not quite the outright bargain its predecessors were.
Yet for all these points, the OnePlus 5T is really quite good. It is at least £100 cheaper than similar handsets, and sometimes close to £300 less. If you buy into the design (without waterproofing and wireless charging) and price but can accept it’ll probably be superseded in six months, then it’s a great choice.
The OnePlus 5 just got Bigger ,Ultra-Slim Bezel, Dual Lens Camer and Better
The OnePlus 5 is the most expensive phone the company has ever made, and subsequently has the highest expectations. The base plan to meet those expectations is to double down on the formula that has at least got OnePlus this far: high-end specs, solid hardware and super-fast software. Then there's the extra bit of marketing thrown behind its camera setup, which is the first substantial change to the formula of previous OnePlus phones.
Making a mark on the smartphone market is hard enough. Muscling in to compete in the same arena – if not at the top step – doesn’t happen often. OnePlus has bucked this trend over the last three years with its phones of high specs and low prices.
Times change though. You may have needed an invitation to buy the OnePlus One in 2014, but the clamour was justified when the phone cost just £229 at a time when the then-flagship iPhone 5s sold for £549 and could compete on specs.
Times change though. You may have needed an invitation to buy the OnePlus One in 2014, but the clamour was justified when the phone cost just £229 at a time when the then-flagship iPhone 5s sold for £549 and could compete on specs.
The new OnePlus 5T is excellent – a huge, crisp screen and screaming performance – but it’s coming from a company that is dangerously close to annoying its fans and appearing like it has run out of ideas, even though it hasn’t.
We’ve been using the OnePlus 5T for a few days prior to its launch event on 16 November. We’ll update these initial impressions to a full review with score and verdict in the coming days.
OnePlus 5T Deisgn
While the change is certainly effective, the 5T essentially uses the same chassis as the OnePlus 5, only with its physical home button snipped off. The 5T is fractionally taller and wider than the 5, but it features the same rounded edges and same button placements as its younger sibling.
The changes are even more discrete on the back of the device, as the camera, flash, the OnePlus logo, and even the antenna bands are identically placed to those on the OnePlus 5, although the dual camera housing does stick out slightly further. The only obvious difference is the presence of a circular fingerprint scanner just above the OnePlus logo, which was evicted from the front of the phone when OnePlus ditched the physical home button.
The changes are even more discrete on the back of the device, as the camera, flash, the OnePlus logo, and even the antenna bands are identically placed to those on the OnePlus 5, although the dual camera housing does stick out slightly further. The only obvious difference is the presence of a circular fingerprint scanner just above the OnePlus logo, which was evicted from the front of the phone when OnePlus ditched the physical home button.
OnePlus has also decided to keep the headphone port once again. With the use of USB-C for charging the phone, the temptation is to follow the likes of Apple and ditch the headphone port for an all-in-one slot, yet it's nice to see that giving customers more options is still something OnePlus believes in, at least for this generation.
It's also worth mentioning that OnePlus has opted for a Midnight Black colour for the 5T. Apparently, the back panel of the phone undergoes two lots of sandblasting before receiving an anti-fingerprint layer. Whatever OnePlus had done to create the finish, we wholeheartedly approve of it - the smoothed surface on the back of the phone is a joy to hold, and that anti-fingerprint layer works like a charm.
It's also worth mentioning that OnePlus has opted for a Midnight Black colour for the 5T. Apparently, the back panel of the phone undergoes two lots of sandblasting before receiving an anti-fingerprint layer. Whatever OnePlus had done to create the finish, we wholeheartedly approve of it - the smoothed surface on the back of the phone is a joy to hold, and that anti-fingerprint layer works like a charm.
OnePlus 5T Display
the OnePlus 5T has a 6-inch screen and it has a resolution of 1080X2160 pixels. But then numbers don't define the quality of screen. The quality of the display panel and how that is used does.
The OnePlus 5T has an OLED panel that shows extremely punchy colours. It is also very bright with how contrast that makes text legible on it even in bright sunlight. I still believe that the some other ultra high-end phones - the iPhone X may be - could have screens that some people prefer over what OnePlus 5T packs in but for all practical purposes, my quick impression of the OnePlus 5T screen is that it is right up there with the best. The fact that it also looks striking because of very thin bezels and the large size only makes it even more welcome.
The OnePlus 5T has an OLED panel that shows extremely punchy colours. It is also very bright with how contrast that makes text legible on it even in bright sunlight. I still believe that the some other ultra high-end phones - the iPhone X may be - could have screens that some people prefer over what OnePlus 5T packs in but for all practical purposes, my quick impression of the OnePlus 5T screen is that it is right up there with the best. The fact that it also looks striking because of very thin bezels and the large size only makes it even more welcome.
OnePlus 5T Camera
That 16-megapixel camera is your main snapper, but just like with the iPhone 7 Plus, the 20-megapixel camera works as a 2X zoom for getting closer to objects in the distance. It'll also help with producing an iPhone-like Bokeh effect, blurring the background without sacrificing subject quality.
One of the features OnePlus made most of at the launch is its HDR algorithm improvements, although there's little evidence of that in my test shots. Not only are the effects of HDR basically non-existent, in some shots colours looked completely off. One of my tests shots below highlights this well: the no-smoking sign should be red, rather than the grey it seems to be showing.
Don't let that put you off, though: the OnePlus 5 still produces some wonderfully detail-rich and perfectly exposed shots in regular mode. While low light snaps seemed to suffer a little from over sharpening and a touch of unnatural processing, the results were incredibly crisp, still looking remarkable compared to the Pixel's top-quality snapper.
One of the features OnePlus made most of at the launch is its HDR algorithm improvements, although there's little evidence of that in my test shots. Not only are the effects of HDR basically non-existent, in some shots colours looked completely off. One of my tests shots below highlights this well: the no-smoking sign should be red, rather than the grey it seems to be showing.
Don't let that put you off, though: the OnePlus 5 still produces some wonderfully detail-rich and perfectly exposed shots in regular mode. While low light snaps seemed to suffer a little from over sharpening and a touch of unnatural processing, the results were incredibly crisp, still looking remarkable compared to the Pixel's top-quality snapper.
As you can see in my test footage against the OnePlus 5 before the update, the EIS does a phenomenal job.
This feature wasn't in the original software release for the phone, only added a couple of months after release, but improvements and additions such as this demonstrate OnePlus' commitment to keeping the phone's software up to date and current, and bode well for the immediate future. Let's hope for a move to Android O sometime soon as well.
OnePlus 5T Performance
OnePlus has retained the headphone jack for the OnePlus 5T, as well as the company’s proprietary Dash Charge technology that allows the phone to charge up the 3,300 mAh battery in a relatively short amount of time.
OnePlus 5T OS
It's a disappointment that the 5T doesn't ship with Android Oreo. It's on Nougat 7.1.1 but we're hopeful for 8.0 Oreo in the coming months. Oxygen OS, the firms interface, continues to improve. OnePlus pushes you on set up to use its new font ‘OnePlus Slate’ which is toying with a comic sans vibe at times. We still prefer the other option, ‘Roboto’, Google’s preferred font.
The changes to stock Android are thoughtful and unobtrusive. The swipe up for apps is better than an app tray, while the notification shade is familiar but excellently customisable. Unlike previous OnePlus phones, the navigation buttons are now exclusively software features as the bottom bezel can no longer accommodate capacitive buttons either side of a fingerprint sensor.
The top bezel still has room for a camera though, and that’s how you can set up face unlock. It’s less secure than the fingerprint sensor or a simple PIN, but it is the fastest face unlock we’ve ever seen on a phone. Along with Google, Nokia and Motorola, OnePlus ships a clean, uncomplicated version of Android that’s all the better for it.
If you like a bit of Samsung style flash on your phone though it might not be for you – the 5T is blindingly fast but partly because of its lack of animations. Everything is very austere and clean cut in order to get a process done as fast as possible.
OnePlus 5T Face Recoginition
Face recognition on the OnePlus 5T isn't as advanced as Apple’s offering, but it's still surprisingly good, using over 100 facial identifiers to check it's you. It's used only for unlocking the handset, and you'll need to double-tap the screen or press the power key to ultilize it. It's incredibly fast, with almost no delay between you tapping the screen or button and your home screen appearing before you.
We also found that it works at some impressive angles, which means you don't have to hold the OnePlus 5T directly in front of you face for it to work. Something it can't do, but which the iPhone X can, is see you in the dark. That's because, unlike Apple, OnePlus hasn't used an infrared camera to spy you in the dark. It requires a light source – street lights at night are enough, but the screen brightness itself isn't – to check your face.
We're yet to attempt to try to fool it with siblings, photos, glasses and hats, but we'll be putting it through its paces for our full review.
In the future OnePlus plans to expand the use of face recognition to enable you to log in to apps and verify purchases, but for now it's using the OnePlus 5T as a test bed for the technology to make sure it's secure.
We also found that it works at some impressive angles, which means you don't have to hold the OnePlus 5T directly in front of you face for it to work. Something it can't do, but which the iPhone X can, is see you in the dark. That's because, unlike Apple, OnePlus hasn't used an infrared camera to spy you in the dark. It requires a light source – street lights at night are enough, but the screen brightness itself isn't – to check your face.
We're yet to attempt to try to fool it with siblings, photos, glasses and hats, but we'll be putting it through its paces for our full review.
In the future OnePlus plans to expand the use of face recognition to enable you to log in to apps and verify purchases, but for now it's using the OnePlus 5T as a test bed for the technology to make sure it's secure.
OnePlus 5T Battery
It also features OnePlus’ Dash Charge technology, which is claimed to give you 'a day's power in half an hour’, which in reality means just under 60% in 30 minutes. There's no wireless charging though.
The in-house developed Dash Charge charging system helps your OnePlus 5's battery charge up incredibly fast. But because of the way the charger has to interact with the phone to perform the fast charging without generating much heat, it requires a special charger and cable. You must use a OnePlus-made Dash Charge charger and cable, or it just won't work. OnePlus includes the correct charger and cable in the OnePlus 5's box, and also offers extra wall chargers and car chargers on its website.
The only frustrating part about Dash Charge is that it isn't cross-compatible with other fast charging systems, like the widely used Qualcomm Quick Charge or the more generic USB-C Power Delivery spec. That means if you plug into another charger (or use another cable) it will likely top out at about 5V/2.4A — which is pretty fast, but not nearly as fast as Dash Charge is.
OnePlus 5T Price and Release Date
The OnePlus 5T will start at $529 (£449) for the 64GB model, rising to $583(£499) for the 128GB model.
You’ll be able to order the OnePlus 5T from November 21
Verdict
OnePlus has a solid flagship killer with its OnePlus 5. This is the best smartphone the firm has ever produced, and I’m thoroughly impressed with what the Chinese firm has been up to since its predecessor's launch.
As with all smartphones, the success of the OnePlus 5 rests on its asking price. With the cost rising from £399 to £449, the OnePlus 5 is in danger of losing its best mid-range smartphone tag, especially now the far more capable Samsung Galaxy S8 has fallen in price.
The OnePlus 5 remains the best value smartphone on the market, then, but it's not quite the outright bargain its predecessors were.
Yet for all these points, the OnePlus 5T is really quite good. It is at least £100 cheaper than similar handsets, and sometimes close to £300 less. If you buy into the design (without waterproofing and wireless charging) and price but can accept it’ll probably be superseded in six months, then it’s a great choice.
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