ONEPLUS 8T REVIEW: LOWER PRICE AND IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERYTHING

2020 is an atypical year in many ways. OnePlus is not exempt from these turbulent changes and we saw it just a few days ago with the unexpected departure of co-founder Carl Pei .

Furthermore, this year there is only one model of the T series, or OnePlus 8T, which is sold in Italy at 599 euros for the 8 / 128GB variant and at 699 euros for the model that we have had the opportunity to test properly in the last weeks, or the 12 / 256GB one. Pre-orders are already open on the official OnePlus website , with availability from 20 October 2020.

In short, the prices are lower than those of the OnePlus 8 released in the first half of 2020. In any case, there is no 8T Pro variant, as the Chinese company considers OnePlus 8 Pro still at the top of its category.

Design and unboxing

The T-series models have often been used by OnePlus to refine the range released six months earlier. Last year the 7T series had been criticized for being too close to the "original range", while the OnePlus 6T was a great device that improved various aspects without revolution. The philosophy remains the same, but this year the feeling we had trying the OnePlus 8T was different. The first important improvements compared to OnePlus 8 can be seen already from the package, which includes a USB Type-C / USB Type-C cable, a silicone cover with "Never Settle" writing, various manuals (there is no lack of SAR values and stickers) and above all a 65W charger .

The OnePlus 8 had a 30W one in the box, so the jump in charging speed is important, as we'll see in more detail below. There are no headphones and we would also have preferred the presence of a USB Type-C to audio jack adapter, but all in all the equipment is good. For completeness of information, in the Media Kit we received for the test there were also two additional covers, which you can see in the cover image. The latter are sold separately.

As you may have guessed from our previous statement, OnePlus 8T does not have the audio jack for headphones, a lack that is not surprising now, given the path taken by the company with other devices. In any case, at the top we find a microphone, while in the lower part of the device the speaker, second microphone, USB Type-C 3.1 port (both video output and OTG function are present) and trolley for the SIM (two nanoSIMs are supported, but there is no memory expansion).

On the left side there is the volume rocker, while on the right we find the power button and the physical slider to silence the smartphone. The unlocking methods include a fingerprint sensor integrated into the display, which during our test was always responsive, and the convenient Face Unlock, which we preferred for speed.

The front design is intriguing, as it peeks out a small-sized camera hole display at the top left. In our view, this is an excellent solution, as it allows you to maintain a high screen-to-body ratio without affecting too much the vision of multimedia content.

Turning, instead, to the back of the device, we had the opportunity to try the splendid Aquamarine Green color, capable of giving life to excellent plays of light and making the backcover "lively". For those who have different tastes from those of the writer, there is instead the Lunar Silver variant.

 

 

The build quality is what the most demanding users expect from OnePlus: the materials used are aluminum for the frame and glass for the back . Always remaining in this part of the smartphone, at the top left we find the camera module, which includes four sensors and Dual LED flash.

The protrusion of the cameras is there and OnePlus 8T "dances" a bit if placed on a flat surface, but in reality we are on much lower levels than other devices. For the rest, the grip is good, the smartphone holds well in the hand and the backcover does not hold fingerprints too much.

The dimensions of the device are equal to 160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm, for a weight of 188 grams. We are certainly not facing a revolution, but the fact that OnePlus has managed to keep the smartphone light all in all is very interesting, as many competitors have now gone further. Coming from a heavier device, we immediately felt the increased convenience offered by the OnePlus 8T. In short, we are faced with a smartphone that convinces in all respects in terms of design . Sure, the headphone audio jack is missing, but we wouldn't have expected otherwise.

Technical features

Design is certainly important, but we know how "hard and pure" enthusiasts point to the data sheet. OnePlus 8T does not disappoint even from this point of view, given that we find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor operating at the maximum frequency of 2.84 GHz (1 x 2.84 GHz + 3 x 2.42 GHz + 4 x 1, 8 GHz), flanked by an Adreno 650 GPU, 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal memory (not expandable). A flagship configuration of 2020, which we have also seen mounted by other devices and we know how much it is able to run practically all the applications on the Play Store as it should.

Here, however, two issues come into play: someone might argue that OnePlus 8 already had a similar sector, also on the market there is also the Plus variant of the Snapdragon 865, while here we have the "standard" one. However, it must be said that focusing on the Plus would probably have raised costs, while here OnePlus has lowered them.

Furthermore, the leap forward in terms of internal memory, which passes from the UFS 3.0 standard to the UFS 3.1, should not be underestimated. In practice, this translates into faster uploads and transfers.

Arriving at the display, we find a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED panel with Full HD + resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), aspect ratio 20: 9, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 120Hz refresh rate and hole for the camera placed at the top of left. We are talking about a flat screen, an aspect that will delight the detractors of the curved edges.

The maximum brightness is quite high, as it reaches the levels of even more expensive devices, and the color balance is excellent. There is also the possibility to watch Full HD content on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, thanks to the presence of DRM Widevine L1.

At the software level, the Always On Display is finally present, introduced by the OxygenOS 11, based on Android 11. This is a highly requested feature by users, which was still missing in the OnePlus ecosystem. For the uninitiated, the AOD is that feature that always keeps the screen active, showing date, time, notifications, remaining charge and more. The Chinese company has decided to stand out from the others by implementing various styles: the most iconic is certainly the one created in collaboration with the students of the Parsons School of Design, which highlights the use of the smartphone, showing how many unlocks have been made and how much the sessions lasted throughout the day. A nice and original solution, which we liked a lot and which allows you to keep your "digital life" well framed.

For the rest, the various apps are practically all reproduced in full screen and the small hole positioned at the top left is well "hidden". Of course, some software that fails to cover the part in front of the hole is still there, but these are trifles. For the rest, compared to OnePlus 8, here we have a refresh rate increased to 120Hz, which guarantees that flicker of fluidity more than the previous 90Hz. In any case, the screen mounted by OnePlus 8T is excellent, as is the introduction of the AOD (which has also arrived on OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro anyway ). Note the fact that the device comes with a pre-applied film, which we removed to better test the goodness of the panel.

The front camera is 16MP (f / 2.4, Sony IMX471), while on the back we find a quad rear camera from 48MP (f / 1.7, Sony IMX586) + 16MP (f / 2.2, ultra-wide, 123 degrees, Sony IMX481) + 5MP (f / 2.4, for macros) + 2MP (f / 2.4, mono). The rear sensors can record video in 4K / 60fps, but by default they are captured in 1080 / 30fps. For a high-level stabilization, the most demanding users will certainly focus on the latter resolution or at most on 4K / 30fps, depending on the needs and contexts. The possibility of capturing videos in Portrait mode, with the classic bokeh effect, should not be underestimated. The front camera instead comes in at 1080p / 30fps.

The Camera app includes, among other features, Slow Motion (up to 480 fps in 720p), Panorama, Time-Lapse, Portrait, Night Scene, Super Macro and Pro.

To take advantage of the mono sensor, which was absent on OnePlus 8, you need to set the appropriate filter. This is certainly an interesting addition, but it is not the "selling point" that can move many users. Also excellent is the presence of a macro sensor with a higher resolution than usual, which always manages to guarantee good satisfaction for lovers of this type of photo.

The photos taken during the day are excellent: the colors are well balanced and the rooms work well, without ever distorting the various contexts too much. So far there was little doubt, but the previous model had been criticized especially for night photos. In this case, however, OnePlus 8T managed to convince us, thanks to detailed shots even in low light contexts and to the Night mode that can further improve the situation.

We are not at the level of the top cameraphone, but the Chinese company has worked well. The maximum zoom that can be reached is 10x, but it is better not to go beyond 2x, which in fact is quickly accessible using the appropriate button. The shots of the front camera also convince, which are in line with what is seen with other solutions sold at this price.

Wide angle photos come out well, without too many distortions even in the most difficult contexts. In short, the photographic sector of OnePlus 8T convinced us. Exceptional no, but good yes. If you wants to learn more, you can find uncompressed photos in our Drive folder dedicated to OnePlus 8T

Progress has also been made in terms of battery. In fact, the smartphone mounts a 4500 mAh unit (against the 4300 mAh of the previous model). Given the presence of the 120Hz refresh rate, some might think that there are lower results on the autonomy side. In reality, the refresh rate is set dynamically according to various contexts.

We have always reached the end of the day even with intense use, in some cases even maintaining a good residual charge. We are also sure that the average user can reach the two days.

Obviously, there is the possibility to go down to 60Hz to save battery. Put simply, autonomy is good. Also not to be underestimate is the presence of a fast charge at 65W, which allows you to get hours of use in the face of a few minutes of charging. Going from 0 to 100% takes about 40 minutes, while 50% is reached in about 15 minutes. This is also possible thanks to an intelligent charging system, which simultaneously charges two batteries to 30W. In short, OnePlus did a great job.

For the rest, as you can imagine, there is no IP certification, but the company claims that the device withstands the classic everyday contexts without too many problems. There is also no supports for wireless charging, but otherwise there is everything, from 5G to Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac / ax (Wi-Fi 6), passing through NFC and for Bluetooth 5.1. The audio sector is excellent, which is stereo and has a maximum volume higher than that of many other devices (our tests showed 81.2 dBA). As for the SAR values, they are 0.94 W / kg for the head and 1.4 W / kg for the body (10g).

Software

We have already mentioned previously to one of the main software innovations introduced by the OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 , present as a base on OnePlus 8T, or the Always On Display. However, OnePlus has improved various other aspects with this major update. To mention the most interesting features, we find an excellent Dark Mode, which can be activated automatically at customized times and has the possibility of being "forced" on some third-party apps (but some important software are not supported).

There is also a revised Zen Mode, now in its 2.0 version, which also introduces five new themes. At the interface level, everything has been designed with one-handed use in mind, making an experience of this type much more pleasant. OnePlus has really done a great job: the OxygenOS 11 manages to give that extra touch that was missing from the previous customization.

To make you understand the level of detail to which you go down, OnePlus is collaborating with Snapchat to show the user's Bitmoji, or the virtual avatar, on the Always On Display screen. Obviously, Bitmoji will change its "state" according to daily activities. A nice gimmick.

As for the fluidity of the system, the latter is excellent and the high refresh rate of 120Hz certainly does not hurt.

Performance and benchmarks

OnePlus 8T is a top of the range of 2020 in terms of performance. Recall that under the body beats a Snapdragon 865 SoC, able to provide an excellent user experience both on a daily level and putting the smartphone under stress.

To provide you with concrete information, OnePlus 8T has reached a total of 590828 points on AnTuTu Benchmark . On Geekbench, however, it recorded 886 points in single-core and 3144 points in multi-core. In short, the numbers are quite positive.

To better contextualize the product, it is good to take a look at other devices in this price range, such as Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, which during our test recorded a total of 576039 points on AnTuTu. Samsung Galaxy Note 20, which has a higher cost, scored 531081 points on AnTuTu. In short, in terms of performance we are there and the lack of the Plus variant of the Snapdragon 865 does not make itself felt.

It must be said that the performance leap from OnePlus 8 is not that marked, as it achieved similar results, but here we have a 120Hz screen, capable of providing an extra touch in terms of fluidity. In short, it is difficult to criticize the Chinese company even from this point of view.

Gaming

OnePlus smartphones have always been well regarded also by the community of mobile gamers, given their brute strength and the price often lower than that of other solutions, not to mention the features dedicated to this specific use of the device. Starting from the features of the software, there is also a game mode that is activated automatically. It allows, among other things, to deactivate the automatic brightness, prevent accidental touches, optimize the visual sector (for example, shadows) and intelligently manage the Internet connection.

There is also the classic Fnatic mode, which optimizes game performance and blocks notifications and calls. Also not to be underestimated is Game Space, which acts as a hub for installed titles and keeps track of statistics, from playing time to the most used titles. In short, the OnePlus proposal on the software side is always complete and very interesting.

The in-game panel

We have chosen to test the smartphone mainly with three games: Call of Duty Mobile, ARK: Survival Evolved and Fortnite.

Call of Duty Mobile runs smoothly with details on "Very High" and FPS set to "Max" . You can also activate the various secondary options, from depth of field to shadows in real time. Put simply, COD Mobile runs at its best on the OnePlus 8T.

Arriving at ARK: Survival Evolved, one of the most resource-hungry titles, the game also runs well at "Epic", but for an even smoother experience it is good to go down to "High". A very interesting result, considering that this title is able to give a hard time even to some top of the range.

Fortnite also runs very well, operating at its best with the preset automatically set to "Epic".

We also remember that for OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro the Chinese company had entered into a partnership to run the game at 90 fps. It is not clear whether this possibility will return here, but it cannot be ruled out. For the rest, the renewed cooling system based on vapor chamber and graphite is to be praised, able to keep temperatures always at good values.

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