OnePlus 9 review – a seriously sensible smartphone to rival Galaxys & iPhones

The OnePlus 9 is a seriously sensible smartphone with Hasselblad tuning

OnePlus 9
(Image: © Basil Kronfli/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The OnePlus 9 is a fantastically sensible smartphone. Costing £629 (approximately $860), it undercuts the Apple and Samsung competition, while serving up helping after helping of flagship goodness. It also feels very low on compromise in day-to-day use, with top-tier power, a fine screen and sleek design. Its camera isn’t perfect, but at wide and ultra-wide angles, it’s not too far off, and the phone also grabs mightily steady video at up to 8K resolution too.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent value across the board

  • +

    Good primary camera

  • +

    Excellent ultra-wide camera

Cons

  • -

    Plastic frame isn’t super-premium

  • -

    No telephoto camera

  • -

    No Pro mode ultra-wide support

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The OnePlus 9 competes directly with other midrange-priced, flagship-powered smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. It’s clearly cut from the same cloth as the OnePlus 9 Pro, and also benefits from Hasselblad optics, but strips things back in a few key areas to keep costs down. 

So what’s different between the top-dog OnePlus 9 Pro and the underdog OnePlus 9? For starters, the latter’s screen is a last-gen panel with a lower resolution. It’s also packing a plastic frame (albeit one infused with fiberglass), and it misses out on both Sony’s new IMX789 primary camera, capable of 4K capture at 120fps, and a telephoto module. 

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Basil Kronfli

Basil Kronfli is a freelance technology journalist, consultant, and content creator. He trained in graphic design and started his career at Canon Europe before moving into journalism. Basil is also experienced in video production, independently running the YouTube channel TechEdit, and during his time at Future, he worked alongside the Digital Camera World team as a senior video producer.