OnePlus 8T in 2021: For better or for worse?
Author: Adhvaidh’s Tech
With the OnePlus 9 release right around the corner, how is the 8T holding up?
Every fall, OnePlus launches its “T” phone, thought by many to be the most unique phone in OnePlus’s lineup for that year. It tends to fit in between the regular and “pro” model. It’s been just around four months since the launch of this phone. After two months of using this phone myself, I want to discuss whether it’s worth it in 2021. Before we start, I’ll tell you one thing: this phone is remarkably capable, but it’s certainly not perfect.
Design and Build
Starting things off on a good note, I believe OnePlus really nailed the design for this phone. A combination of three things makes the phone feel well built and premium.
Number one is the overall build. It’s safe to say OnePlus probably took a long time to perfect the design of this phone, and I love how the overall structure makes it very easy to hold. This is often overlooked by manufacturers - so I give props to OnePlus for the attention to detail!
Secondly, the super-sleek design. From the matte finish on the back to the signature OnePlus alert slider, the materials and structure of this phone feel - and look - high end.
And finally, we have the color. The “Lunar Silver” model which I am reviewing is right in line with some of the best finishes on a smartphone to date.
The phone also comes in an “Aquamarine Green.” From my short look at it in-store, I feel it’s the less premium finish that you can get on this phone, but definitely colorful.
Screen
Personally, my favorite aspect of the 8T is the display. While not industry-leading, the screen flawlessly ties together the phone’s experience. To start, the 8T’s display is fairly large, it’s a 6.55” AMOLED display, which would be closest to the screen size of a “max” or “plus” model with Apple or Samsung.
Then, you have the famous 120Hz refresh rate. You’ve probably heard this a million times, but a high-refresh-rate display really does make a phone’s screen liquid-smooth. It’s definitely a huge jump over 60Hz, but it’s not something to go crazy over. The average consumer probably wouldn't notice it. But still, it’s a very nice touch!
Where the display falls short is the 1080p resolution. I find this disappointing, as I’m used to higher-end smartphones. But the screen does produce some impressively accurate colors, and that might allow you to overlook the lower resolution.
Software
Like a lot of new OnePlus devices, the software is a controversial aspect of the 8T. OnePlus’s Oxygen OS 11 is at the center of this dispute.
Let me preface this by saying that I’ve always liked OxygenOS. And, while version 11 has changed a number of things, I actually like it more. I like the new fonts, and how the animations add to the smoothness of the device.
This is, of course, subjective, and consumers will have differing opinions.
Price
When this phone was initially released, it was sold for around $750 USD. Now, you can find it as low as $600 USD. I believe this is an amazing value!
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Ram/Storage
If you take a dive under the screen, the US variant of this phone has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Considering this is a mid-range smartphone, these specs are impressive. The RAM handles tasks well, and multitasking or extreme gaming is a breeze.
At a mediocre, non-expandable 256GB, storage isn’t incredible. If you're someone who loves to fill up your phone’s memory with photos, files, and apps, this likely isn’t the phone for you.
When it comes to processing power, this phone has the Snapdragon 865 - a flagship-level processor! That’s a great inclusion considering the 8T’s placement as a mid-range smartphone. And, it’s right in line with OnePlus’s original goal: to create flagship killers…even though they are slowly moving away from that goal, but that’s a story for another day.
Cameras
OnePlus doesn’t have a great history with top-notch cameras. But, the 8T isn’t bad.
First off, credit goes to OnePlus. They really try to step up their overall camera game every year, and you can definitely see the difference from not-so-great cameras on past phones. But, this doesn’t excuse the 8T from camera criticism.
Personally, I take a lot of pictures on my phone. Using Pro mode, I can control the settings to take some amazing pictures. But, the average user won’t find the camera much more than ordinary. The stock camera app gives you some pretty decent images. It’s no Google Pixel or high-end Samsung, but this phone gives some great colors, good contrast and the dynamic range is about right.
I do feel it struggles more with indoor shots, where areas of the image can be oversaturated. But for me, my real issues come when I try to edit photos taken on the 8T.
When I want to edit colors or brightness on any of the photos taken on a OnePlus phone, everything starts to fall apart. So, it’s a really weird experience. You have to be willing to live with the photos you take. The night and portrait mode are acceptable at best.
So, the cameras are decent, but that’s talking about the two lenses you’ll use the majority of the time - the 48 MP main camera, and 12 MP ultrawide. There are four lenses in total, but the remaining two - a macro and monochrome filter lens - are of little value. The OnePlus 8T would have been better off with a telephoto lens instead. But, credit still goes to OnePlus for improving every year. Let's hope they learn from these missteps.
Battery Life
In the battery department, there are some shortcomings that frankly have me torn. First of all, this phone has some pretty amazing battery life. It gets me through a full day of use, with nearly nine and a half hours of screen on time, even while at 120Hz, and doing mildly-intensive tasks.
And just as exciting is the incredible Warp Charge-65. The Warp Charge is just so, so quick. The OP 8T is the first time I have experienced such quick charging. What a great feeling!
But, here comes the disappointment in the battery department - wireless charging. In some of my past YouTube videos, I have said that wireless charging is not that important, especially with fast charging. But now, this technology is starting to become less of an “extra feature” and more of a standard. I now believe all phones, especially in the mid-range category, should have wireless charging.
The Other Stuff
Finally, there is no water-resistant rating on this phone. Note that it may be slightly resistant. OnePlus tends to waterproof their phones but not pay for the rating to cut down on the price. I chose not to send my phone for a swim to test this out.
Outside of the main features, the 8T also lacks a headphone jack. But, what phone has that fossil anymore?
Conclusion
In short, I believe the OnePlus 8T is very capable, but definitely has its shortcomings depending on the user. If you can ignore a mediocre camera, lack of wireless charging, and aren’t bothered by a slightly lower resolution screen, you're getting an amazing phone for around $600.