OnePlus 9 review: unboxing and first impression after four days of use

At the beginning of last year, OnePlus placed next to the 8 Pro also the regular OnePlus 8, which hardly generated any attention due to the rather unspectacular features and the high recommended retail price of 699 euros. Compared to OnePlus 7T There were hardly any notable innovations and the extra cost for the better Pro model was worth it. Now a year has passed and the Chinese manufacturer seems to have learned a thing or two with this year's OnePlus 9.

Compared to OnePlus 9 Pro Customers only have to make a few compromises on paper: The frame is only made of plastic, the resolution of the display is lower with FHD +, wireless charging is slower, you won't find a telecamera here and the main camera is a bit weaker, but still a significant improvement compared to its predecessor or the 8T. The recommended retail price is again 699 euros. Whether this price is justified or whether you tend not to get one OnePlus 8T, 8 Pro or 9 Pro, you will soon find out in my upcoming review. Now I'm unpacking the smartphone and reporting on my first impressions after four days of intensive use.

Unboxing

As is typical for OnePlus, the smartphone comes in a long red box, which gives a very high-quality impression. After you have removed the lid, a red box appears, in which you will find the usual paper, a SIM needle and a cover. Directly below is the OnePlus 9, which is still in a film to protect against scratches. Otherwise, a 65 watt power supply and a suitable cable from USB-C to UCB-C are also on board. While Samsung and especially Apple make themselves extremely ridiculous on this point, OnePlus not only offers customers extremely fast fast charging, but also includes the appropriate power supply unit.

OnePlus 9 in the first impression

Like the OnePlus 9 Pro, the smaller brother also made a very positive first impression. The display and performance in particular are the smartphone's greatest strengths. Compared to the Pro model, I hardly notice any difference in everyday use, which should come as no surprise given the performance, as the Snapdragon 888 from Qualcomm is also at work under the hood and thanks to the smooth refresh rate of 120 Hertz, animations appear beautifully fluid. Since the display resolution is slightly lower than its bigger brother, I initially assumed that I would notice this difference in everyday use, but that is not the case. In everyday use, the lower sharpness is not noticeable. You should only see a difference in a direct comparison.

In principle, I'm also a big fan of the design and the feel, if it weren't for the high-gloss plastic frame, which is extremely susceptible to fingerprints and, in my opinion, does not match the otherwise very beautiful and high-quality design. The cheaper OnePlus 8T still felt a bit higher quality, but the OnePlus 9 is by no means bad. A Galaxy A52 For example, it can't keep up with the feel, but of course it also costs less.

The main and ultra-wide-angle cameras have also been impressive across the board. I think it's a bit of a shame that the main sensor is not equipped with OIS, but the first shots taken in poor lighting conditions looked very promising. The highlight, however, is the 50 megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, which is a visible step ahead of the competition, especially in low light. Together with the OnePlus 9 Pro, OPPO Find X3 and X3 Pro has, in my opinion, currently the best ultra-wide-angle camera on the market.

These were my first impressions after four days of intensive everyday use. In my detailed review, we will take a close look at the camera, display, performance, battery life and much more and compare it with the OnePlus 8T, 8 Pro and of course the OnePlus 9 Pro.