OnePlus 8 Specs Features Pros & Cons Unveiled

Design and Build Quality

The OnePlus 8 comes with a sophisticated design that blends both form and function seamlessly. Its dimensions stand at 160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm, making it sleek and easy to handle. Weighing only 180 grams, it's lightweight and comfortable to use throughout the day. The device features a glass front and back, both protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and an aluminum frame that adds durability while maintaining a premium feel. The OnePlus 8 is available in striking colors such as Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Interstellar Glow, and Polar Silver, allowing for personal expression through style.

Display

The display on the OnePlus 8 is a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED panel, offering vibrant and accurate colors. With a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio, it boasts a pixel density of approximately 402 ppi, ensuring sharp and detailed visuals. What truly enhances the user experience is the 90Hz refresh rate, delivering much smoother animations and scrolling. The display is HDR10+ certified, providing enhanced contrast and color depth for supported content, while the screen-to-body ratio of around 88.7% maximizes display real estate.

Performance

At the heart of the OnePlus 8 is the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G chipset, manufactured using a 7nm+ process. It’s an octa-core processor comprising a high-performance Cortex-A77 core clocked at 2.84 GHz, three Cortex-A77 cores at 2.42 GHz, and four power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.80 GHz. This ensures that the OnePlus 8 handles demanding tasks and multitasking with ease. The Adreno 650 GPU enhances the device's gaming and graphical performance, making it an ideal choice for mobile gamers.

Memory and Storage

The OnePlus 8 offers multiple configurations to suit varying user needs. It comes with internal storage options of 128GB with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB model with 12GB of RAM. Note that the device does not support expandable storage via a microSD card, so users must choose their model wisely based on their storage needs.

Camera

The OnePlus 8 is equipped with a versatile triple camera setup. The primary sensor is a 48 MP wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/1.8, offering Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), ensuring crisp and clear images even in low-light conditions. Accompanying the main camera is a 16 MP ultrawide-angle lens with a 116-degree field of view, allowing users to capture more expansive scenes. Additionally, a 2 MP macro lens is included for close-up shots. Video capabilities include 4K recording at 30/60fps, 1080p at up to 240fps, with features like Auto HDR and gyro-EIS enhancing video stability and quality.

The front-facing camera is a 16 MP wide-angle shooter, capable of capturing details accurately, with additional features like Auto HDR and gyro-EIS for stabilization in selfies and video recordings.

Battery Life

Powering the OnePlus 8 is a 4300 mAh non-removable Li-Po battery. This capacity ensures a full day's use with ease, even for power users. The device supports 30W wired charging, capable of charging the battery to 50% in just 22 minutes, as advertised by OnePlus. While wireless charging is absent, the wired charging speed compensates for it, especially for those who value quick top-ups.

Software

Running on Android 10 out of the box, the OnePlus 8 is upgradeable to Android 13 with OxygenOS 13. OxygenOS is known for its near-stock experience enriched with thoughtful customization options and features, enhancing user experience without overwhelming it. Regular updates from OnePlus improve security and introduce new features, keeping the device ready for future endeavors.

Connectivity

The OnePlus 8 supports a range of network technologies, including GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, and 5G, ensuring wide-ranging connectivity options and future-proofing for faster network speeds. It includes Wi-Fi support up to Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and positioning services through GPS, GLONASS, BDS, and GALILEO. The device features a USB Type-C 3.1 port for charging and data transfer and supports OTG functionality.

Additional Features

The OnePlus 8 comes equipped with several sensors such as an under-display optical fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and compass, enhancing the device’s functionalities and user interactions. The absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack is noted, but the stereo speaker setup offers excellent sound with a remarkable loudness rating of -22.5 LUFS.

Conclusion

The OnePlus 8 stands out as a competitive smartphone offering a well-rounded package of premium build, display prowess, robust performance, and reliable battery life. It caters to users seeking value for money with features often found in higher-end flagship devices. While there are areas where concessions have been made, such as the lack of expandable storage and wireless charging, the overall experience remains exceptional.