Overall and Final Verdict
Going into my OnePlus 7t coverage was interesting because I had been using the 6t regularly and had been happy with it, even while having the Samsung S10 on hand as well. But using the S10 made it clear that the 6t was a little dated in a few areas, namely the camera where everyone has been moving to a triple rear camera layout to add in a wide-angle lens into the mix. In the end, the OnePlus 7t in a lot of ways just continues what they have been doing, a lot of the styling of the phone is similar to the 6t. But they did improve on the areas that did need improved on. I love the new camera, the wide-angle lens adds a little more flexibility but also the 48MP main camera takes great photos. OnePlus has also done good work with other modes like the nightscape mode and the macro mode, I rarely flip between different camera modes but I have used both multiple times outside of my testing.
The new 90Hz refresh rate on the screen seems to be a nice sweet spot as well. You can notice an improvement in smoothness. It is especially noticeable on swiping but also in fast moving games. I’m also glad they didn’t go higher than 90Hz as well because this seems to be the sweet spot for performance and battery life. I was concerned that even at 90Hz the amazing battery life that I liked about the 6t would be gone. That didn’t happen, battery life is once again so good that you just rarely ever have to think about it. This is helped even more by the Warp 30T charging that could charge the 7t from 2% battery to 100% in basically 1 hour. Another aspect that I really liked about the 6t that continued over to the 7t was the inclusion of a screen protector and a carry case. The case they include is as basic as they come, but after buying a new phone it is nice to not have to run to get something to keep your new device protected. For a lot of people, the included case and screen protector will be enough, but if not you have time to find the perfect case.
The Snapdragon 855+ CPU is quick, though just last month the new 865 was announced. But what impressed me was that the 7t seems to have better cooling than the Samsung S10. They both have Snapdragon 855’s but the 7t’s is the plus model that is clocked higher. Even with higher clocks when I did CPU thermal throttling testing it was noticeably better.
Now the phone isn’t perfect. For example, the new camera array now sticks out of the phone which I hate. I feel like it forces you to use a case to keep the phone from wobbling if you sit it down. Not to mention the last thing I want to stick out and be the first thing that gets scratched is my camera lens. A small detail, but I miss the cool matt black color option that was available on the OnePlus 6t, you get silver and a silver blue to pick from. The other big issue I had with the phone and depending on who you are this may be a good thing. But when you type, the haptic feedback on the 7t is so weak most people I asked to try it couldn’t feel it at all. I know it uses more battery power, but please give me the option to have proper haptic feedback. The 6t has it, the S10 has it.
As for pricing, the OnePlus 7t has an MSRP of $599 and you may find it for cheaper, right now there is a 256GB model on Amazon for $575 for example. The Samsung S10 which I tested it against on the other hand will run you $849 for an unlocked version. The S10 isn’t bad when you get it through your provider, but OnePlus is great for someone who wants to throw down the money now and avoid payments or contracts. This is where it stands out, other high-end phones, like the Pixel 4 are up at $799 or higher and often for lower storage capacities. The 7t gets you in the high-end phone market with all of the same features at a better price. Being an unlocked phone, you also have a lot of flexibility on who you go with for service as well, it is even supported on Google Fi though it does lock you into only T-Mobile towers.
Live Pricing: HERE
