A duo of flagship killers is on the way.
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In just a handful of years, OnePlus has established itself as one of the most exciting players in the U.S. smartphone market. 2019’s OnePlus 7 Pro and 7T stand out as two of our favorite phones of the entire year, and for 2020, it looks like OnePlus is getting ready to wow us yet again.
There’s a lot of talk and buzz regarding the upcoming OnePlus 8, and based on what we know so far, it’s shaping up to be one heck of a phone. From a 120Hz display to wireless charging, there’s a lot in the pipeline.
Whether you’re interested in specs, design, or how much the OnePlus 8 will end up costing you, here’s everything you need to know!
- OnePlus is preparing two versions
- The designs have been revealed
- Let’s talk specs
- A word on the OnePlus Z
- OnePlus has confirmed an April 14 announcement
- Here’s how much you’ll pay
- Let’s not forget about the OnePlus 7T
Killer flagship
OnePlus 7T
$499 at OnePlus
Still one of the best deals around
Even with the new OnePlus 8 lineup looming on the horizon, the OnePlus 7T continues to be one heck of an Android phone. Between its 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 855+ processor, and triple camera setup, the 7T delivers an insane amount of value at a price you just can’t argue with.
There will be two models — regular and Pro
Typically, OnePlus releases one phone at a time — one in the first half of the year and another in the second half. Last year, the company shook things up by releasing the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro at the same time. We’re expecting something similar this year, with the compay prepping a OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
The OnePlus 8 will be the baseline for the series, offering the flagship OnePlus experience while cutting a feature or two from the highest-end OnePlus 8 Pro to keep costs low.
There was previously talk of a OnePlus 8 Lite also joining the fray, but as rumors progressed, it turned out that the phone will be branded as something else entirely (more on that later).
Here’s what the phones look like
Now that we’ve talked about OnePlus’s release strategy for the OnePlus 8, let’s take a look at the designs we’re expecting for the phones — starting first with the regular OnePlus 8.
The fancy pop-up selfie camera from the OnePlus 7 Pro is gone, as is the waterdrop notch from the OnePlus 7T. Instead, the OnePlus 8 introduces a left-mounted hole punch cutout. It should be a lot better for long-term use and durability than the extra moving parts of the 7 Pro, but there’s no denying the cool factor of the 7 Pro’s pop-up mechanism.
OnePlus has kept bezels to a minimum, minus a tiny chin on the bottom. Around back, we’re met with three rear cameras and some downright gorgeous colors. In addition to the Interstellar Glow pictured above, we’ve also seen Onyx Black and Glacial Green.
As for the OnePlus 8 Pro. it looks virtually identical to the OnePlus 8. It has the same bezel-lite display, left-mounted hole-punch cutout, and triple-camera system. However, the 8 Pro does benefit from an additional time-of-flight sensor.
Speaking of the 8 Pro, January 20 is when a hands-on image of the phone leaked, revealing a design that lines up exactly with the render above.
Along with confirming the OnePlus 8 Pro’s design, the picture also reveals the various screen refresh rate settings that’ll be available on the phone. In addition to the 120Hz option we’ll talk more about below, the 8 Pro will also let you switch to 90Hz and 60Hz if you want to conserve battery life.
Continuing with hands-on photos, OnePlus brand ambassador Robert Downey Jr. was recently spotted holding the phone. The pictures were apparently taken while he was shooting a commercial for the OnePlus 8, and from what we can tell, the phone he’s holding certainly looks like the other renders and pictures we’ve seen.
Another hands-on image leaked on March 22, this time showing us the front and back of the OnePlus 8 Pro. The picture comes courtesy of PC-Tablet, and once again, it matches the previously leaked renders. We get a clear look at the phone’s rear camera module, large display, and punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera.
Flagship specs are expected
If there’s one thing that’s consistent with OnePlus phones, it’s that they’re equipped with top-of-the-line specs. This is something OnePlus has done year after year, and it’s something we’re expecting once again for the OnePlus 8 lineup.
On March 25, tipster Ishan Agarwal dropped a bombshell of a leak with full device specifications for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. They are as follows:
| Operating System | Android 10 OxygenOS | Android 10 OxygenOS |
| Display | 6.55-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ 90Hz refresh rate | 6.78-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD+ 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Rear Camera 1 | 48MP wide | 48MP wide |
| Rear Camera 2 | 16MP telephoto | 48MP telephoto |
| Rear Camera 3 | 2MP (possibly ultra wide) | 8MP ultra-wide |
| Rear Camera 4 | ❌ | 5MP Time-of-flight sensor |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 4,510 mAh |
| Charging | 30W Warp Charge 30T | 30W Warp Charge 30T 30W wireless fast charging 3W reverse wireless charging |
| Water Resistance | ❌ | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.2 x 72.9 x 8.1mm | 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.8mm |
The jump to a 120Hz refresh rate for the OnePlus 8 Pro is quite exciting, and something that OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed for the phone. On January 15, Lau took to Twitter to share a side-by-side comparison of a 60Hz display and the new OnePlus 120Hz Fluid Display — showing just how much smoother and more fluid the increased refresh rate is.
The OnePlus 120Hz Fluid Display: The smoothest, most effortless scrolling experience ever on a smartphone. pic.twitter.com/I4FWP64NfO
— Pete Lau (@PeteLau) January 15, 2020
Another exciting tidbit is talk of the OnePlus 8 Pro picking up wireless charging. This is a feature that’s been sorely missing from all prior OnePlus phones, so it’s quite exciting to know that OnePlus is likely adopting it for this latest release. Not having it on the base OnePlus 8 will be a bummer, but then again, it only makes sense to have some features cut from the non-Pro model.
On March 10, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will both come equipped with 5G as a default feature. It’s unclear if the company will also offer 4G variants similar to what Samsung does with the S20 in some countries, so we’ll have to wait and see on that.
A quick word on the OnePlus Z
In the early days of OnePlus 8 leaks, we were originally expecting a total of three phones — the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and a OnePlus 8 Lite. Details on the Lite weren’t as readily available as the other two devices, and on March 28, Max Weinbach reported that the OnePlus 8 Lite we’d been talking about would actually be marketed and sold as the OnePlus Z.
When it comes to specs for the OnePlus Z, the rumor mill points to it having a 90Hz AMOLED display, two rear cameras with a time-of-flight sensor, and a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 processor. As the name of the OnePlus Z suggests, it’s anticipated to be a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X.
The OnePlus X was released in 2015 as an ultra-low cost Android handset, offering great specs and software for just $250. It never achieved the same level of success as its other OnePlus siblings, but with the 8 Pro likely hitting a new high price record for the company, now seems like the perfect time to bring back a legitimately affordable OnePlus device.
The OnePlus 8 series will be announced on April 14
For the past two years, OnePlus has announced its first phone releases in May. The OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro were unveiled on May 14, with the OnePlus 6 getting its big announcement on May 16.
The #OnePlus8Series is coming. April 14.
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 30, 2020
Based on that and the detail in which the OnePlus 8 lineup has leaked so far, we’d anticipate another May announcement this year. However, OnePlus is jumping the gun a bit with plans to unveil the phones in April.
On March 30, OnePlus confirmed via Twitter that the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will be announced on April 14. You’ll be able to watch the livestream from the comfort of your home, with things kicking off at 11:00 AM ET.
Get ready for expensive phones
Next, let’s talk about price. One of the main draws to OnePlus phones has traditionally been the insanely low prices, but year after year, OnePlus had had a tendency to increase the cost of its phones.
- OnePlus 5 starting price — $479
- OnePlus 6 starting price — $529
- OnePlus 7 Pro starting price — $669
See what we mean?
The base OnePlus 8 should retain a relatively affordable price tag, possibly around $600 – $700. With the OnePlus 8 Pro touting a 120Hz refresh rate, wireless charging, and an official IP rating, we wouldn’t be surprised for it to reach $800 or above. Not counting the special McLaren Edition phones, that would make the 8 Pro the most expensive entry by a long shot.
The only thing we’ve heard along these lines so far is that the regular OnePlus 8 will be sold on Verizon with support for the carrier’s 5G network.
The OnePlus 7T is still a great buy
We’re undeniably excited to learn more about the entire OnePlus 8 lineup, but that doesn’t mean the OnePlus 7T is irrelevant. In fact, if you’re shopping for a new Android phone right now, the 7T continues to be one of the best ones you can get.
The 7T has a fantastic 90Hz AMOLED display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ processor, and a triple-rear camera system that works quite well. There’s also a healthy 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a reliable 3,800 mAh battery with OnePlus’s excellent 30W fast charging.
Sure, you could wait a bit longer to see how the OnePlus 8, 8 Lite, and 8 Pro turn out, but you can also pick up a 7T right now and rest assured it’ll be a reliable phone for years to come.
Killer flagship
OnePlus 7T
$499 at OnePlus
Still one of the best deals around
Even with the new OnePlus 8 lineup looming on the horizon, the OnePlus 7T continues to be one heck of an Android phone. Between its 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 855+ processor, and triple camera setup, the 7T delivers an insane amount of value at a price you just can’t argue with.
