OnePlus 7 Pro review: almost perfect
A TEST REPORT from David Haydl 
on August 12, 2019, 10:00 p.m. | 🔥 popular | Write a comment
With the OnePlus 7 Pro OnePlus launched the first real premium smartphone. What this has to offer in addition to a higher price, I was able to find out in the last few weeks.
For the first time OnePlus made two smartphones for two price ranges before. On the one hand we have the OnePlus 7, which is the direct successor to the OnePlus 6T and for which a test report should appear in a few weeks. Today, however, we are talking about the OnePlus 7 Pro. The smartphone that should show other premium devices where to go – at a comparatively low price. I'll explain what this price is all about at the end.
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Unboxing and initial setup
Although the OnePlus 7 Pro is the company's first premium smartphone, it was decided not to introduce a new design to the packaging. Means that OnePlus continues to rely on cardboard packaging with red and white tones with several logos and writings. At the beginning of the box, the smartphone is on top, wrapped in a plastic film. Underneath is a red case containing a SIM tool and a transparent silicone case for the smartphone. You don't actually know that from high-end devices. You will also find the Warp Charge power supply in the packaging. I'll explain what Warp Charge is in more detail later.
You can find that in the packaging. (Picture: TechnikNews)
There are no big surprises when setting up the device for the first time, you should already have everything from the setupProzess from other smartphones. Means that you enter the language and the region at the beginning. This is followed by the login to Google before setting up the preferred unlocking method. Finally, some declarations of consent follow, then you can start using it. Overall, the procedure should take no more than 20 minutes.
Design and workmanship
The OnePlus 7 Pro is not for small hands. Not only did I notice that immediately when unpacking, my girlfriend also noticed it pretty quickly. the 7th Pro is definitely not a compact smartphone with dimensions of 162,6 millimeters in length, 75,9 millimeters in width and 8,8 millimeters. At 206 grams, it's not particularly light either. In the end it didn't bother me with my slightly larger hands, but I still think that for some this will be a counter-argument for the purchase.
OnePlus sells that Pro in three different colors: Mirror Gray, Nebula Blue and Almond. Mirror Gray is slightly lighter than the previously known Mirror Black and shimmers differently depending on the incidence of light. Nebula Blue is the color of my test device - it is a very dark blue. This also looks different depending on the incidence of light. Almond (translated: almond nut) looks more cream than almond and always looks similar even in different sun exposures.
The back looks very nice in Nebula Blue. (Image: TechnikNews)
The back of the OnePlus 7 Pro consists of glass. With other smartphones, one would think that the back attracts fingerprints like nothing else. This is not the case with OnePlus, however. The back has a special coating that looks a little like that of the Google Pixel 3 XL feels. This comes with a second plus point: the back is very scratch-resistant. Although the device unfortunately fell to the ground once, I could only find two small micro-scratches. Otherwise you can find a silver OnePlus logo and the triple camera on the back - more on that later in the camera section.
We continue with the frame of the OnePlus 7 Pro. A USB-C connector, a slot for two nano SIM cards and a first speaker grill are installed on the underside. The second serves as an earpiece. More on the sound quality of these in a few moments. On the left you will find the volume controls and on the right the OnePlus-typical alert slider and the power button. With the Alert Slider you can switch between Loud, Quiet and Vibration modes.
The alert slider is a very useful feature. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Apropos Vibration: For this, OnePlus built in a completely new motor, as already mentioned disclosed in advance. I have already heard from some quarters that this is world class, but to be honest I do not notice much difference to other high-end smartphones. But as I said, it is apparently due to myself and my own feelings. And now a word about the speakers, which are really phenomenal. That's because they work with Dolby Atmos. They are particularly suitable for enjoying films or series. In the settings you can find various equalizers on top.
Last but not least: is the case waterproof? Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. The manufacturer shows in one own videothat one the smartphone procan throw water into a bucket without any problem, but there is no official IP certification. You should bathe with the OnePlus 7 Pro so don't go.
Display
If we now look a little at the front, we only find the display, which more or less covers the entire front. One would like to think that the OnePlus 7 Pro has the best palm recognition on the market. But unfortunately that is not the case. Not only I, but also my girlfriend and other family members, often made incorrect entries due to the non-existent suppression of the palms of the hands. It's a shame when the smartphone is already so big.
For the first time OnePlus is selling a smartphone with a QHD resolution, which means that the resolution in numbers is 3.120 x 1.440 pixels. But that's not even the most exciting feature of the OLED touchscreen. It's the frame rate, which is around 90 Hertz. What does that mean in everyday life? Smooth scrolling and navigation through the operating system. That may sound pretty harmless, but in reality all other smartphones with typical 60 Hertz displays appear slow and jerky. In combination with the very good colors, the display is a real dream to use. It can also be VERY, really VERY, get bright. So bright that white lettering and surfaces begin to shine, which can be very practical on sunny days like now. The screen diagonal is 6,67 inches. Also worth mentioning: You can optionally change the refresh rate and the resolution in the settings.
I liked the display very much. (Picture: TechnikNews)
As many should have noticed by now, there is nowhere to be seen a fingerprint sensor. This is because it is under the display. If you want to unlock the smartphone, the display above the sensor becomes brighter than the rest of the areas so that the imprint can be read easily. So an image of the finger is “recorded” - a kind of photo, so to speak. After a few milliseconds, the smartphone is unlocked. What I like most about here is the futuristic animation, which other people don't like at all.
By the way: Phantom inputs I could never experience it. You can find more information about this in the linked article.
Where is the front camera?
Another thing that hasn't been seen until now is the front camera. This is because it only appears when it is needed. Then it is extended in seconds using a slider. The whole thing works so quickly that Face Unlock is only slightly slower than the fingerprint sensor and that the camera disappears quickly if the device falls. The selfie camera cannot be pushed in by force, even in such a situation it says goodbye automatically and at lightning speed. Canceling the camera is probably also not possible, like a another OnePlus promotional video should show.
This is what the retractable front camera looks like. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Then OnePlus has solved that perfectly, hasn't it? Edge-to-edge display and still a good front camera? Well, I think there are still two major weaknesses in the design. First weak point: dust. If I didn't use the front camera for a long time, a small film of dust always accumulated. My concern here is that this will break the slider over time. Second point of criticism: Cases for the OnePlus 7 Pro look a little strange due to the cut-out. But that's more of a matter of taste.
https://youtu.be/eMhnbJ5q8aw
We will come to the image quality of the lens later.
Specifications
Like every other top smartphone in 2019, the OnePlus 7 is at work Pro the Snapdragon 855 from Qualcomm (seven nanometers) with eight cores and a clock frequency of 2,84 gigahertz in turbo boost. There is also the Adreno 640 for graphic tasks and six, eight or twelve gigabytes of RAM - it depends on the selected equipment. On top of that, OnePlus adds either 128 gigabytes or 256 gigabytes of UFS-3 storage. This is an extra-fast type of memory that, to my knowledge, has only been available in the 7th generation so far Pro is used. My test device has eight gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of storage. For the number-hungry readers among you, I also picked out a few benchmark results (via Trusted Reviews):
- antutu: 374.564 points
- Geekbench 4: 3.497 points (single core) and 11.102 points (multi-score)
- 3D Mark - Sling Shot: 7.460 points
And what do these numbers mean for everyday use? In short: a buttery smooth performance, no matter what you do with the device. Starting up alone takes just a few seconds, until it is then completely ready for use, it takes a maximum of one more second. Apps start in no time and there are no stutters. This is how it has to be in 2019, OnePlus really did everything right here. If you open games like Asphalt 9, the whole thing doesn't look any different. The Game Boost is also used here, which frees up more RAM for the current game.
Now a few words about the component that ensures that in the OnePlus 7 Pro something can work: the battery. This holds 4.000 mAh and can be COMPLETELY (yes, I mean really) within an hour thanks to Warp Charge COMPLETELY, and yes, that charge within an hour). I've never seen anything like this before and I don't want to give it up anymore. It's just so practical to quickly plug in your smartphone in the morning and go outside with a full battery. Nice bonus: The device or the power supply does not even get uncomfortably warm. In addition, you only have to charge the battery very rarely. With frequent use, there was usually a standby time of one day, with sporadic use even a whole weekend. The screen on time was always between 4,5 hours and 6 hours. Now that's not as much as on my Honor 8X, but also not as little as on the Pixel 3 XL. There is no wireless charging.
Software
In my opinion, the operating system is also decisive for good performance. OnePlus opted for Android Pie with its own OxygenOS user interface. There is already the current security update for August 2019. Praise at this point.
OxygenOS is an interface that is very similar to stock Android, which we know from the Pixel 3 (XL), for example. That means that you get a light and fast operating system. In the case of OnePlus, there are a few useful extras on top of that, but they don't slow down use. These extras include a reading mode, various customization options for the look of the UI, various navigation methods and also an inactivity display. I really liked the customization options for the UI, as I was able to set my favorite color orange as an accent to OnePlus' own dark mode. Every smartphone should have something like this.
All in all, I have nothing to complain about with the software. OnePlus strikes a good balance between stock Android without any frills and useful features.
Camera
Before coming to the conclusion and the prices of the OnePlus 7 Pro goes, I want to go into the cameras. Of these there is the 7th Pro three pieces on the back. We have a main shooter that has a resolution of 48 megapixels and an aperture of f/1.6, an eight-megapixel telephoto lens at f/2.4 and an ultra wide-angle camera that has a resolution of 16 megapixels, a 117-degree field-of-view angle and an aperture of f/2.2. This achieves 111 points in the DxO camera benchmark, which puts the smartphone on a par with the Honor 20 Pro and a point behind the Galaxy S10 5G and the Huawei P30 Pro lies.
In my opinion, the OnePlus 7 Pro more than deserves second place. Photos I took in good light have a lot of detail and noise is only visible when you zoom in very far. If you unpack the camera later in the day, when the light is no longer so good, you still get usable results, but you can see the noise a lot more. And speaking of later times of the day: a special night mode artificially brightens the images when they are taken. Looks pretty good, but in the end I didn't use it that often. A portrait mode is also on board, which - in short - keeps what it promises in good light. The angle camera pretty much blew my mind. I once took two pictures of my garden from the same point as a test - one with and one without the wide angle. With wide angle, I suddenly got so much more in one photo, even though I didn't move. I think this is also a great advantage for group photos and landscape photographs.
Videos can be in 4K with 30 or 60 frames pro second or in 1080p with the same number of frames. Then OnePlus implemented a Super Slow Motion, the moving images in 1080p with 240 frames pro second or 720p with 480 frames pro second. I always liked the results here very much, nothing is blurred and everything is very sharp and detailed.
The front camera has a 16-megapixel resolution and an f / 2.0 aperture. In DxO, it then gets significantly fewer points than the Galaxy S10 5G, only 86 points instead of 97 points. But here you have to add that the comparison smartphone has three lenses on the front, the OnePlus only one. With the selfie camera, I was able to experience that good results come out in good light - as you are used to from OnePlus - but unfortunately nothing works in bad light. On the other hand, I can positively mention that the front camera also has a portrait mode, which not every smartphone has.
Prices and availability
The cheapest version of the OnePlus 7 Pro costs 699 euros in the Manufacturer's store. This gives you six gigabytes of RAM and 128 gigabytes of internal storage. The most expensive version costs 819 euros, but you get the OnePlus in Nebula Blue with 12 gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of storage. Alternatively, the smartphone can be bought from Amazon.
Picture: TechnikNews
OnePlus 7 Pro: Conclusion
For a starting price of 699 euros you get the OnePlus 7 Pro a lot of smartphone for comparatively little money. It can be used with the premium smartphones, which are significantly more expensive, proeasily keep up and still only costs as much as a very well-equipped mid-range smartphone. For the money, you get a fast and well-built device that handles everyday tasks with flying colors. Even gaming is never a Problem, usable photos makes the 7 Pro also at any time. The battery life could be a bit better, but is usually sufficient.
For the next generation, I would like OnePlus to install wireless charging, above all, and to receive IP certification, which proves that no water or dust can penetrate the device. Then I would like to see some kind of seal built into the front camera so that no more dust can get in. And speaking of the front camera: The night shots can also be a little better for my taste.
Bottom line, I recommend the OnePlus 7 Pro everyone who wants a premium smartphone for little money.
Thank you TradingShenzhen for providing the OnePlus 7 Pro.
