Owner of the OnePlus 9 Pro here for a month.
Coming from the Galaxy S20+. Also, I should note that I have owned two other OnePlus devices (OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 6T).
First, I will talk about the POSITIVES of the device.
- DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY
The phone is truly beautiful, very sturdy, and gives you the feeling that you are holding something very expensive. One of the best-designed Android smartphones I have seen.
- DISPLAY
The display is simply the best display I have seen on a phone. It is 120Hz with QHD resolution, has incredible colors that are fully customizable to your preferences. The brightness is also satisfactory even under sunlight.
- SOUND
Regarding sound, coming from the S20+, I can say that I didn't notice significant differences. Maybe the OnePlus 9 Pro is slightly louder, but both devices have excellent sound quality whether you are watching a movie or listening to music.
- SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
I don't have much to say about speed. Anyone who has ever used a OnePlus smartphone knows. But for those who haven't, the OnePlus 9 Pro is the fastest Android smartphone you can buy right now (excluding gaming phones). I haven't noticed (and won't) any lag in navigation, slow downs, or frame drops in games.
- CAMERAS
Perhaps the most controversial part of the OnePlus flagship. I won't go into detail here. I will just say that the cameras are on par with the iPhone 12 Pro and S21 Ultra. The ultrawide camera might be the best one currently available. The colors are true to life, meaning what you see with your own eyes is what you will see on your phone's screen (most of the time). I believe the negative reviews the cameras have received are justified because OnePlus, with its crazy promotion for the collaboration with Hasselblad, made the world (including me) believe that the cameras of the OnePlus 9 Pro would be something groundbreaking and revolutionary. On the one hand, this didn't happen, but on the other hand, OnePlus can now compete directly with Samsung and Apple. Finally, I digressed.
- CHARGING
65W. I wake up with 15% battery. I get up, take a quick shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, and I have 100% battery. That's it.
- HAPTICS
Something that many people don't consider important or may go unnoticed is the haptics of the device. For me, it is extremely important for a device to have a quality vibration motor because I believe it greatly enhances the user experience and interaction with the phone. The OnePlus 9 Pro has, without a doubt, the best haptics I have ever felt on an Android device. It might be the first time I can say that it rivals Apple's Taptic Engine.
Now let's move on to the NEGATIVES, which are really only 2.
- BATTERY LIFE
Initially, I can't say that I am disappointed with the battery life, I just wish it could give me 1 hour more screen-on time so that I wouldn't include it as a negative in this review. On average, my device gives me 5-5:30 hours of screen-on time, with full resolution and 120Hz. Not good, not bad, but since this phone is an expensive flagship, I expected something more.
- ECOSYSTEM
I won't lie, coming from Samsung's comprehensive and well-designed ecosystem where there was an app for wearables (headphones, watches), OnePlus disappointed me. Of course, the company is now building its ecosystem and is still in the early stages. There is still no application, and if you connect the headphones, the settings you have are limited and difficult to find since they are through Bluetooth. Over time, this negative aspect may turn into a positive one when OnePlus creates a more complete ecosystem.
-FINAL THOUGHTS-
The OnePlus 9 Pro is, in my opinion, the company's first true flagship. So far, I am completely satisfied with this purchase, and I would recommend it blindly to anyone who has the budget to buy it. In Greece, I bought it for €870, but if someone is patient and wants to buy it from China, they can find it even €180 cheaper.
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