OnePlus 7 Pro Review: The Flagship Killer Everyone Loved
Note that flagship smartphones used to cost over $1,000. The OnePlus 7 Pro disrupted this trend completely after its launch in May 2019. This flagship killer offered premium features at a price that made other manufacturers pay attention. The perfect balance of performance and value could be yours with this device.
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s reputation comes from its stunning 90Hz curved screen and triple rear camera system. Its Snapdragon 855 processor, UFS 3.0 storage, and up to 12GB of RAM deliver flagship-level performance. The 4000mAh battery with Warp Charge 30 technology and OxygenOS optimization will give you reliable power throughout your daily tasks.
Design and Display
The OnePlus 7 Pro impresses with its premium build quality and a stunning display that redefines smartphone excellence. A massive 6.67-inch QHD+ AMOLED display boasts a resolution of 3120×1440 and delivers an outstanding 516 PPI, which outperforms the iPhone XS Max’s 458 PPI.
Bezel-less 90Hz QHD+ AMOLED display
The 90Hz refresh rate stands out as a game-changing feature that delivers 50% more frames than standard smartphones. Users experience buttery-smooth scrolling and fluid animations that make everyday tasks feel responsive. The HDR10+ certified display produces perfect black levels and rich colors that create an immersive content viewing experience.
These display features lift your viewing experience:
- Full-screen design with no notch or camera cutouts
- Samsung’s New Infinity Display technology
- Crystal clear text rendering
- Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Premium glass and metal build
OnePlus 7 Pro’s exceptional craftsmanship shines through its polished aluminum frame and curved glass panels. The device measures 8.8mm thick, making it slightly bulkier than Samsung’s S10+ and iPhone’s XS Max. At 206g, it matches the iPhone XS Max’s weight but weighs 31g more than the S10+.
The phone comes in three elegant colors: Nebula Blue, Black, and Almond. Its frame smoothly blends with the front glass that creates a more cohesive look than other flagship devices.
Pop-up selfie camera
OnePlus’s innovative pop-up camera mechanism shows evidence of their dedication to durability and design. The camera emerges in about 0.54 seconds and comes with impressive specifications:
- Rated for up to 300,000 actuations
- Equivalent to 150 selfies daily for 5.5 years
- A rubberized gasket protects against moisture and dust
The pop-up mechanism has smart safety features that work together. The camera automatically retracts when the accelerometer and gyroscope detect a free fall. OnePlus really tested its durability by hanging a 49.2-pound cement block on the camera mechanism, which proved its reliable construction.
The camera smoothly pops up and retracts to scan your face for unlock functionality. Users can adjust settings based on their priorities. This smart design removes the need for display notches or punch-holes and delivers an unmatched viewing experience that stands out even today.
Performance and Hardware
The OnePlus 7 Pro features powerful internal hardware that matches its premium design. Its exceptional processing power makes it a true flagship killer and rivals phones that cost hundreds more.
Snapdragon 855 processor
The OnePlus 7 Pro features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform. This processor uses state-of-the-art 7nm technology and delivers a remarkable 45% performance increase over its predecessor. The octa-core CPU configuration features:
- 1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485 prime core
- 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 performance cores
- 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485 efficiency cores
The powerful Adreno 640 GPU improves gaming and multitasking experience with impressive standard scores:
- AnTuTu v7: 364,025
- GeekBench v4.4: 10,943
Up to 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage
The OnePlus 7 Pro packs up to 12GB of RAM that lets you switch between apps at lightning speed. This groundbreaking device made history as the first smartphone in India to feature UFS 3.0 storage technology. The new storage system delivers theoretical transfer speeds of up to 23 Gbps, twice as fast as UFS 2.1.
Our tests show the UFS 3.0 storage consistently achieves sequential read speeds above 1GBps, while write speeds range between 250 and 350MB/s. These improvements mean:
- Apps install much faster
- Files transfer quickly
- Games load in less time
- The system runs more smoothly
OxygenOS optimizations
OnePlus software optimizations boost your daily usage experience. RAM Boost adapts intelligently to your usage patterns and reduces CPU usage by 5%. The feature also cuts down CPU wakeups by 30% for apps.
The system brings several performance improvements:
- Better standby power consumption
- Smoother Bluetooth connectivity
- Better charging performance with third-party chargers
- Improved network and call quality
High-end hardware combined with software optimization delivers a smoother experience than other devices. The OnePlus 7 Pro stands out in the flagship segment with its quick response times and speed. Users will notice the difference when gaming, running multiple apps, or scrolling through social media.
Camera System
OnePlus 7 Pro features a triple camera system that demonstrates the company’s steadfast dedication to photographic excellence. The versatile camera setup lets users explore focal lengths from ultra-wide 13mm to 74mm telephoto and capture images with remarkable range.
48MP main + 8MP telephoto + 16MP ultra-wide setup
This powerful camera system has:
- Main camera: 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with f/1.6 aperture and OIS
- Ultra-wide: 16MP sensor with 117-degree field of view
- Telephoto: 8MP sensor with 3x zoom capability
Advanced pixel binning technology powers the main sensor that combines four pixels into one. This creates brilliant 12MP photos with better dynamic range and minimal noise. The sensor’s 1/2″ size and effective 1.6µm pixel size in 12MP mode delivers exceptional light capture that surpasses traditional flagship sensors.
Improved low-light performance
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s main camera shines in challenging lighting conditions with its f/1.6 aperture. This beats major competitors like iPhone and Pixel phones that use f/1.8. Nightscape 2.0 mode boosts your low-light shots through advanced long exposure techniques.
The camera delivers impressive natural colors and excellent dynamic range. You’ll love its color accuracy, especially with greens and reds that match what your eyes see perfectly. The Nightscape mode brightens dark scenes effectively, but you need steady hands to get the best results.
4K 60fps video recording
The camera lets you capture breathtaking 4K footage at both 30 and 60 frames per second. Your videos will show:
- Outstanding texture preservation
- Excellent detail retention in 4K mode
- Impressive acutance scores that exceed 90% outdoors and indoors
Important considerations for video recording: The 4K recording has a few limits. You can record for 5 minutes at 60fps and 10 minutes at 30fps. The 4K footage shows rich colors and sharp details, while maintaining decent dynamic range.
The camera’s smart system knows how to handle low-light video recording by switching between lenses. It usually picks the main sensor with digital crop if lighting isn’t great. The stereo audio recording adds depth to your videos and sounds much better than older OnePlus models.
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s camera system takes mobile photography to new heights. It might not top every category, but its mix of versatile lenses, advanced sensor technology, and computational photography makes it perfect for photo enthusiasts who just need flagship-level image quality.
Battery Life and Charging
The OnePlus 7 Pro showcases exceptional power management through its reliable battery setup and innovative charging technology. Your daily smartphone usage just needs consistent power delivery, and this flagship killer delivers impressively.
4000mAh battery
The device has a 4000mAh battery with a standard nominal chemistry voltage of 3.85V that delivers 15.4Wh total capacity. The actual rated capacity reaches 3880mAh at 14.93Wh.
The 90Hz display affects battery consumption more than regular 60Hz displays. OnePlus added smart optimizations that prevent this from affecting your daily use by a lot.
Warp Charge 30 fast charging
Warp Charge 30T technology revolutionizes your charging experience with these impressive capabilities:
- Charges 23% faster than the previous Warp Charge 30
- Powers your device from 0% to 70% in just 30 minutes
- Keeps consistent charging speed during gaming and delivers up to 52% charge in 30 minutes
- Provides 6A at 5V for 30W of power
This charging technology stands out because of its unique power management system. The power management happens in the charger brick instead of the phone. Your device stays cool during charging as a result, even when you game or run intensive tasks.
All-day battery life
Battery life changes based on how you use your phone. Here’s what to expect:
Your OnePlus 7 Pro shows great staying power in different situations:
- Even on busy days, you’ll still have 23% battery left before bed
- GSMArena’s tests reveal 85 hours at 90Hz that goes up to 92 hours at 60Hz
- The phone’s standby time stands out and can last into the next day
Daily use proves the phone’s battery smarts. A quick top-up while you brush your teeth can push your battery from low to 60-70%. This fast charging means your phone won’t stay plugged in too long.
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s battery life is good but ranks below the S10+, P30 Pro, and Mi 9. This makes sense because of its high-refresh-rate screen. The phone still gives you reliable battery life without cutting corners.
The charging system really shines during gaming. Most phones slow down charging while gaming, but your OnePlus 7 Pro keeps charging at full speed. You can keep playing your games while the battery fills up quickly.
You can tweak the display refresh rate to get more battery life. Dropping to 60Hz mode will stretch your battery life by a lot. This lets you pick between smooth graphics and longer battery life based on what you need that day.
Software Experience
OnePlus 7 Pro’s software experience combines powerful features with thoughtful optimizations to boost your daily usage. This flagship killer runs on OxygenOS based on Android 9 Pie and showcases OnePlus’s steadfast dedication to a clean, fast, and customizable interface.
OxygenOS based on Android 9 Pie
The OnePlus 7 Pro runs OxygenOS that perfectly balances stock Android’s simplicity with useful extra features. Users experience a smooth interface, though some report that “scrolling is not as smooth as before” with occasional switches to 60Hz mode.
The device’s sophisticated battery optimization features maintain consistent performance. Battery tests reveal impressive results:
- 10-11% active drain during regular usage
- 1.2-1.3% standby drain rate
- Quick background app management
New features like Zen Mode and Screen Recorder
Zen Mode showcases OnePlus’s fresh take on digital wellbeing. This smart feature helps you build a balanced relationship with your device that:
- Makes you take 20-minute breaks from extended usage
- Lets you make emergency calls while active
- Filters out everything but critical notifications
- Lets you “break free from a continuous and virtually inescapable flow of notifications” [source]
The Screen Recorder brings professional screen capture right to your device. Here are the key features:
| Feature | Capability |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Adjustable for optimal file size |
| Audio Source | System audio or microphone |
| Access | Quick toggles tray |
| Format | High-quality video output |
You can find both features right in the quick toggles tray. They’re ready to use whenever you need them.
Frequent updates
OnePlus 7 Pro’s update experience has been a mixed bag. OnePlus promises regular updates, but many users report delays in software upgrades, especially when it comes to major Android version updates.
Recent software improvements include:
- Better battery optimization
- Camera performance updates
- System stability improvements
- Security patch updates
Some users have faced these software-related challenges:
Performance Issues:
- UI scaling inconsistencies show up occasionally
- Battery saving features become too aggressive at times
- Notification interaction problems happen intermittently
System Behavior: The latest OxygenOS version brings interesting changes to system behavior. The pop-up camera sometimes activates unexpectedly after using the selfie camera, though this affects only a few users.
Software Stability: Many users say OxygenOS 12 delivers a “pretty decent experience” on the OnePlus 7 Pro, despite early concerns. The update:
- Fixes several bugs from previous versions
- Maintains consistent battery life
- Preserves overall performance levels
- Introduces some new features while removing others
These software optimization tips will help you get the best performance:
- Reset system settings if notification issues occur
- Manually configure background app permissions
- Adjust display settings based on your preference between smoothness and battery life
Your OnePlus 7 Pro’s software experience strikes a balance between feature-rich functionality and system stability. The overall experience remains solid despite occasional hiccups, and the device continues to receive software support even as it ages.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 7 Pro brought an important change to how we view smartphone value. It combined premium features with competitive pricing. The Snapdragon 855 processor and UFS 3.0 storage delivered powerful performance. The phone’s 90Hz QHD+ display set new standards for smartphone screens. These features and the innovative pop-up camera with its triple lens system showed that premium features don’t need premium prices.
The OnePlus 7 Pro’s influence shows clearly in today’s smartphone designs. Over the last several years, manufacturers have made high refresh rate displays and fast charging technology their priorities. This phone helped establish these standards. The perfect mix of performance, camera capabilities, and optimized software created a template for future devices. It showed how flagship killers could match or outperform premium smartphones at reasonable prices.
FAQs
What is the battery life of the OnePlus 7 Pro like?
The OnePlus 7 Pro typically offers between 5 to 6.5 hours of screen time. On average, the battery life tends to fall below 15% after about 5.45 hours of usage.
Does the OnePlus 7 Pro feature fast charging capabilities?
Yes, the OnePlus 7 Pro is equipped with Warp Charge 30 technology, which allows for rapid charging. It can charge the phone significantly in just 20 minutes, maintaining efficiency even when the device heats up, unlike other chargers.
Is the OnePlus 7 Pro water-resistant?
The OnePlus 7 Pro does not have an official IP rating for water resistance. However, it has been tested to survive 30 minutes in tap water. It should be noted that it failed after being submerged in a 3-foot-deep chlorinated pool.
Will the OnePlus 7 Pro continue to receive software updates?
As of the last update, the OnePlus 7 Pro will no longer receive future software updates. The OxygenOS 12 update was the final version released for this model. Post-July 2021, OnePlus announced that only devices from the OnePlus 8 series onwards would receive three major Android updates and four years of security updates.
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