With the launch of the OnePlus 9R
OnePlus delivered an intriguing surprise. I tell fascinating because it has some features that the OnePlus 9 lacks while being priced Rs 10,000 less. Its similarity to the OnePlus 8T, though, is not lost on us. In truth, the OnePlus 9R is essentially an OnePlus 8T with a slightly faster processor. So, what exactly is this new handset, and how does it equate to the 9 and the 8T? It’s time to take a look outside.
Design Comparison: OnePlus 9 vs OnePlus 9R vs OnePlus 8T
The front of all three phones is similar, with a thin chin and a selfie camera punch-hole in the top left corner. The 16-megapixel selfie camera sensor is almost identical, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Because of the color gradient and the odd orientation and the number of rear cameras, the OnePlus 9’s back looks a little strange. The 9R and 8T, on the other hand, look very similar from the back, both in terms of orientation and the number of rear cameras. The only distinction is that the 8T’s camera module has a black backdrop, while the 9R’s module has the same color as its rear (for the Lake Blue variant).
The OnePlus 9 has thinner edges than the other two, giving it a slimmer appearance. The brand, on the other hand, has replaced the metal frame used on most OnePlus phones with plastic. Interestingly, the OnePlus 9R, like the OnePlus 8T, has a metal base. It’s perplexing, but it’s not something I’d complain regarding. Both three phones weigh less than 190 grams, which is a positive thing. The OnePlus 9R’s Lake Blue color scheme is pleasing to the eye.
Display Comparison: OnePlus 9 vs. OnePlus 9R vs. OnePlus 8T
I can’t think about much that’s changed here, and to be honest, there wasn’t much of a need for it. Both the OnePlus 9 and 9R have a 6.55-inch fluid AMOLED touchscreen with a Full HD+ resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels and a 120 Hz refresh rate for a smooth, flicker-free experience, much like the OnePlus 8T. There is little to think about in terms of the screen’s sharpness and vibrancy. In principle, the OnePlus 9 monitor can reach 1100 nits of brightness and is HDR10+ compatible. A sheet of 3D Corning Gorilla Glass protects it. Although the peak brightness of the 9R’s screen has not been mentioned, it is HDR10+ compatible and covered by Gorilla Glass, much like the 8T’s.
OnePlus 9 vs. OnePlus 9R vs. OnePlus 8T: Hardware
This is when things start to get interesting. In the OnePlus 9, the company chose the fastest Qualcomm SoC available, the Snapdragon 888, as anticipated. The Snapdragon 870 in the OnePlus 9R is a marginally faster version of the Snapdragon 865 in the OnePlus 8T, and it lies in the middle of the two phones in terms of output. I used the term fascinating again since the OnePlus 9R is theoretically quicker than the OnePlus 8T while still being less expensive. All of the phones have 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM, as well as 128 or 256 GB of UFS3.1 storage. Although the OnePlus 9 outperforms the other phones in synthetic benchmarks, they aren’t far away. You won’t note the gap in results in day-to-day activities.
Camera Comparison: OnePlus 9 vs. OnePlus 9R vs. OnePlus 8T
Although the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro is all about Hasselblad cameras, the 9R has little to do with the famed camera brand. While it is advertised as a gaming handset, it features the same cameras as the OnePlus 8T, which are more than adequate. A 48-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 16-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera are included. Yes, OIS is accessible here and isn’t available on the OnePlus 9. Don’t question the logic of OnePlus!
Aside from Hasselblad’s color tuning, the OnePlus 9 camera setup is lacking the fantastic 50 MP ultra-wide camera with the Sony IMX766 sensor, which is arguably the best ultra-wide camera in phones under Rs 50,000. From as small as 4 cm, the camera could take some especially good macro images. On the 9R, however, OnePlus has returned to the dedicated 5MP macro camera used on the 8T.
Battery Comparison: OnePlus 9 vs. OnePlus 9R vs. OnePlus 8T
Each phone comes with a 4,500 mAh battery and a 65W Warp Charge power adapter that charges the phones extremely quickly. The OnePlus 9 takes 5 minutes less to charge than the OnePlus 9R and 8T, which require about 40 minutes to completely charge. Each phone has a battery life of about 30 hours when used moderately.
Pricing for the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9R, and OnePlus 8T
The 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage version of the OnePlus 9R costs Rs 39,999, while the 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant costs Rs 43,999. In contrast, for equivalent RAM and storage versions, the OnePlus 8T costs Rs 42,999 and Rs 45,999, respectively, while the OnePlus 9 costs Rs 49,999 and Rs 54,999, respectively. The OnePlus 9R price is even more reasonable, and I wouldn’t be shocked if it outperforms the OnePlus 9 while still making the OnePlus 8T redundant.
ONEPLUS 9 vs ONEPLUS 9R vs ONEPLUS 8T Full Specs Comparison
OnePlus 9 | OnePlus 9R | OnePlus 8T | |||
General | General | General | |||
Brand | OnePlus | Brand | OnePlus | Brand | OnePlus |
Model | 9 | Model | 9R | Model | 8T |
Price in India | ₹ 49,999 | Price in India | ₹ 39,999 | Price in India | ₹ 42,999 |
Release date | 23rd March 2021 | Release date | 23rd March 2021 | Release date | 14th October 2020 |
Launched in India | Yes | Launched in India | Yes | Launched in India | Yes |
Form factor | Touchscreen | Form factor | Touchscreen | Form factor | Touchscreen |
Dimensions (mm) | 160.00 x 73.90 x 8.10 | Dimensions (mm) | 161.00 x 74.10 x 8.40 | Dimensions (mm) | 160.70 x 74.10 x 8.40 |
Weight (g) | 183 | Weight (g) | 189 | Weight (g) | 188 |
Battery capacity (mAh) | 4500 | Battery capacity (mAh) | 4500 | Battery capacity (mAh) | 4500 |
Fast charging | Proprietary | Fast charging | Proprietary | Removable battery | No |
Colours | Arctic Sky, Winter Mist, Stellar Black | Colours | Carbon Black, Lake Blue | Fast charging | Proprietary |
Display | Display | Colours | Aquamarine Green, Lunar Silver | ||
Screen size (inches) | 6.55 | Screen size (inches) | 6.55 | Display | |
Touchscreen | Yes | Touchscreen | Yes | Screen size (inches) | 6.55 |
Resolution | 1080×2400 pixels | Resolution | 1080×2400 pixels | Touchscreen | Yes |
Protection type | Gorilla Glass | Protection type | Gorilla Glass | Resolution | 1080×2400 pixels |
Aspect ratio | 20.09 | Aspect ratio | 20.09 | Aspect ratio | 20.09 |
Pixels per inch (PPI) | 402 | Pixels per inch (PPI) | 402 | Pixels per inch (PPI) | 402 |
Hardware | Hardware | Hardware | |||
Processor | octa-core | Processor | octa-core | Processor make | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
Processor make | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Processor make | Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 | RAM | 12GB |
RAM | 8GB | RAM | 8GB | Internal storage | 256GB |
Internal storage | 128GB | Internal storage | 128GB | Expandable storage | No |
Camera | Camera | Camera | |||
Rear camera | 48-megapixel (f/1.8, 1.12-micron) + 50-megapixel (f/2.2) + 2-megapixel | Rear camera | 48-megapixel (f/1.7) + 16-megapixel (f/2.2) + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel | Rear camera | 48-megapixel (f/1.7) + 16-megapixel (f/2.2) + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel |
No. of Rear Cameras | 3 | No. of Rear Cameras | 4 | Rear autofocus | Yes |
Rear autofocus | Yes | Rear autofocus | Yes | Rear flash | Yes |
Rear flash | Yes | Rear flash | Dual LED | Front camera | 16-megapixel (f/2.4) |
Front camera | 16-megapixel (f/2.4, 1.0-micron) | Front camera | 16-megapixel (f/2.4, 1.0-micron) | Pop-Up Camera | No |
No. of Front Cameras | 1 | No. of Front Cameras | 1 | Software | |
Software | Software | Operating system | Android 11 | ||
Operating system | Android 11 | Operating system | Android 11 | Skin | Oxygen OS 11 |
Skin | OxygenOS 11 | Skin | Oxygen OS | Connectivity | |
Connectivity | Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Yes | ||
Wi-Fi | Yes | Wi-Fi | Yes | GPS | Yes |
Wi-Fi standards supported | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes | Wi-Fi standards supported | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes | Bluetooth | Yes, v 5.10 |
GPS | Yes | GPS | Yes | NFC | Yes |
Bluetooth | Yes, v 5.20 | Bluetooth | Yes, v 5.10 | USB Type-C | Yes |
NFC | Yes | NFC | Yes | Number of SIMs | 2 |
USB Type-C | Yes | USB Type-C | Yes | SIM 1 | |
Number of SIMs | 2 | Number of SIMs | 2 | SIM Type | Nano-SIM |
SIM 1 | SIM 1 | GSM/CDMA | GSM | ||
SIM Type | Nano-SIM | SIM Type | Nano-SIM | 3G | Yes |
GSM/CDMA | GSM | GSM/CDMA | GSM | 4G/ LTE | Yes |
3G | Yes | 3G | Yes | 5G | Yes |
4G/ LTE | Yes | 4G/ LTE | Yes | Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes |
5G | Yes | 5G | Yes | SIM 2 | |
Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes | Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes | SIM Type | Nano-SIM |
SIM 2 | SIM 2 | GSM/CDMA | GSM | ||
SIM Type | Nano-SIM | SIM Type | Nano-SIM | 3G | Yes |
GSM/CDMA | GSM | GSM/CDMA | GSM | 4G/ LTE | Yes |
3G | Yes | 3G | Yes | Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes |
4G/ LTE | Yes | 4G/ LTE | Yes | Sensors | |
Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes | Supports 4G in India (Band 40) | Yes | Face unlock | Yes |
Sensors | Sensors | In-Display Fingerprint Sensor | Yes | ||
In-Display Fingerprint Sensor | Yes | In-Display Fingerprint Sensor | Yes | Compass/ Magnetometer | Yes |
Compass/ Magnetometer | Yes | Compass/ Magnetometer | Yes | Proximity sensor | Yes |
Proximity sensor | Yes | Proximity sensor | Yes | Accelerometer | Yes |
Accelerometer | Yes | Accelerometer | Yes | Ambient light sensor | Yes |
Ambient light sensor | Yes | Ambient light sensor | Yes | Gyroscope | Yes |
Gyroscope | Yes | Gyroscope | Yes |