OnePlus 8 Pro Unboxing and First Impressions
Just a few days ago, OnePlus introduced its first flagship smartphone of the year, the OnePlus 8 Pro.
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| Meet OnePlus 8 Pro |
Coming from the OnePlus 7T Pro, the OnePlus 8 Pro arrived in the Philippines with a slight increase in price. But, it now has most of the missing features that prevented its previous releases to be considered as a fully-fledged flagship device.
It now has IP68 water and dust resistance and a fast 30W Wireless Charging solution.
In addition, it has some of the very best specs and features found on modern high-end smartphones. In particular, this is a handset with a 120Hz 2K AMOLED screen, top-of-the-line 7nm Snapdragon 865 SoC with Qualcomm X55 5G modem, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 storage, and a powerful custom 48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP quad-cam.
Based on those specs, it is looking to be a great deal for its PHP 45,990 starting price.
Let's see!
The handset arrived in a fiery red and tall box. Inside, you'll first see the paper documents, SIM ejector tool, and a lot of OnePlus stickers.
Next, you'll see a pretty high-quality TPU clear case with a cool-looking engraved "Never Settle" text.
Underneath the case is the 30W Warp Charge 30 USB power brick and the classic red OnePlus USB-A to USB-C data/charging cable.
Unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro last year, there's no pre-installed screen protector though. Like other OnePlus devices in the past, it doesn't come with earphones inside.
To enjoy wireless charging, you'll have to buy a separate wireless charger as well.
But overall, this is a pretty decent package. At least it has a nice case and a fast charger.
The OnePlus 8 Pro comes with a 3D curved glass back with 3D Gorilla Glass 5 protection from corning. The frame is made out of a solid metal material. In the front, the 3D glass display is protected with 3D Gorilla Glass as well. OnePlus hasn't just mentioned the exact type of Gorilla Glass in front, unlike its back panel.
What's new here is the inclusion of the IP68 rating, the missing feature of older OnePlus devices. This means that the OnePlus 8 Pro can now withstand dust, dirt, and sand. Also, it can now survive freshwater submersion up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes.
In terms of design, the handset is available 3 colorways: Onyx Black, Glacian Green, and Ultramarine Blue. The Onyx Black version comes with a more traditional glossy finish. But, the Onyx Black and Glacian Green editions are using a matte-frosted glass created using a newly crafted process (CMF process). The company also said that this finish is designed to "impress anyone" touches it.
The unit that I have is the Onyx Black version and it is quite prone to fingerprint smudges. Most likely, the versions with matte-like texture should experience fewer fingerprints.
In the front, you'll see the gorgeous 6.78-inch QHD+ 120Hz screen. Arguably, this is the best display found on any smartphone today. It's a tall 19:8:9 screen with gorgeous 3D curves.
Unlike the all-screen display with the pop-up cam of the OnePlus 7T Pro, OnePlus opted for a punch-hole design this time. Maybe, OnePlus did this to prevent the phone from having any moving parts and make the IP68 rating possible.
Personally, I would have still liked it better if there no punch-hole. Fortunately, the punch-hole that OnePlus used is super small. Also, if you will use a darker wallpaper, you won't notice it that much. The screen is still super immersive.
Besides, the upgrade in screen quality will stand out more. The bezels are super slim as well.
The device is quite large at 165.3 x 74.4 mm, but it is quite slim at 8.5 mm considering it has a large 4,510mAh battery.
The lower part of the screen is the fingerprint scanner. The top of the display is the earspeaker that also acts as the secondary speaker.
On top of the phone, you'll see the first microphone. It has no IR Blaster though. Below, you'll find the dual nano-SIM tray hole, another microphone, USB-C slot, and the speaker grille.
At left, you get the usual volume keys. At right, you'll see the power key and the silent/vibrate/ring key.
The device is a bit hefty at 199 grams. The handset has all the right curves to make it comfortable to hold. It just a bit slippery and I still recommend putting a case.
Clearly, this device is designed for those who want a big phone as well. Not a small device.
It performed really well in nearly all scenarios even for outdoor use. So far, I'm really enjoying the screen experience.
2. As expected, it has top-of-the-line specs inside. It uses the 2.84GHz 7nm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor and Adreno 650 GPU, the fastest SoC solution found on Android smartphones today.
You will also get up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. The storage is non-expandable like all previous generation OnePlus phones. The new thing here is its use of the faster LPDDR5 RAM.
OnePlus also increased its battery capacity from 4,000mAh to 4,510mAh. This should help the phone last long even if it has a "power-hungry" 120Hz screen.
The company retained the 30W Warp Charge 30 and I would have liked it better if the company increased it to 65W like the Find X2 Pro.
But for the first time ever, OnePlus added a fast 30W Wireless charging and 3W Reverse Wireless Charging. Wireless charging is something that the Find X2 Pro with similar specs doesn't have.
It also has the next-generation 5G connectivity support. This means that this phone is future-proof as it'll be able to support the soon-to-launch 5G networks in the country.
3. The UI is so good as usual. It runs on Android 10 with the near stock-like Oxygen OS 10. It has really clean-looking icons, smooth transitions, zero bloats (I don't count Netflix as bloatware), and super easy to use gesture navigations.
4. I haven't really explored its cameras that much yet. But, it is as good as it is on paper so far. The device has an almost Find X2 Pro camera specs. It uses a similar 48MP f/1.78 Sony IMX689 w/ OIS, EIS paired with a secondary 48MP f/2.2 120-degree ultra-wide-angle camera. While it doesn't have a periscope super zoom lens, the device comes with two more cameras, the 8MP f/2.4 third camera with 3x optical zoom and a 5MP f/2.4 fourth color filter camera. The camera system of OnePlus also PDAF focus, Laster AF, and dual-tone LED flash.
In the front, it uses a 16MP f/2.4 Sony IMX471 sensor with EIS. Unlike the back cameras with 4K 60fps video, the selfie cam only comes with 1080p videos.
5. It has as super-fast and accurate In-Display fingerprint reader, loud stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, OTG, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC support, and a nice type of GPS.
It now has IP68 water and dust resistance and a fast 30W Wireless Charging solution.
In addition, it has some of the very best specs and features found on modern high-end smartphones. In particular, this is a handset with a 120Hz 2K AMOLED screen, top-of-the-line 7nm Snapdragon 865 SoC with Qualcomm X55 5G modem, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 storage, and a powerful custom 48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP quad-cam.
Based on those specs, it is looking to be a great deal for its PHP 45,990 starting price.
Let's see!
Unboxing/Accessories
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| The box |
The handset arrived in a fiery red and tall box. Inside, you'll first see the paper documents, SIM ejector tool, and a lot of OnePlus stickers.
 |
| Paper docs, stickers, and SIM ejector tool. I like that "My Friends Call Me For Tech Support" sticker! |
Next, you'll see a pretty high-quality TPU clear case with a cool-looking engraved "Never Settle" text.
 |
| Case, wall charger, and cable |
Underneath the case is the 30W Warp Charge 30 USB power brick and the classic red OnePlus USB-A to USB-C data/charging cable.
Unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro last year, there's no pre-installed screen protector though. Like other OnePlus devices in the past, it doesn't come with earphones inside.
To enjoy wireless charging, you'll have to buy a separate wireless charger as well.
But overall, this is a pretty decent package. At least it has a nice case and a fast charger.
Build Quality/Design
 |
| Onyx Black |
The OnePlus 8 Pro comes with a 3D curved glass back with 3D Gorilla Glass 5 protection from corning. The frame is made out of a solid metal material. In the front, the 3D glass display is protected with 3D Gorilla Glass as well. OnePlus hasn't just mentioned the exact type of Gorilla Glass in front, unlike its back panel.
Finally, IP68 rating!
What's new here is the inclusion of the IP68 rating, the missing feature of older OnePlus devices. This means that the OnePlus 8 Pro can now withstand dust, dirt, and sand. Also, it can now survive freshwater submersion up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes.
In terms of design, the handset is available 3 colorways: Onyx Black, Glacian Green, and Ultramarine Blue. The Onyx Black version comes with a more traditional glossy finish. But, the Onyx Black and Glacian Green editions are using a matte-frosted glass created using a newly crafted process (CMF process). The company also said that this finish is designed to "impress anyone" touches it.
The unit that I have is the Onyx Black version and it is quite prone to fingerprint smudges. Most likely, the versions with matte-like texture should experience fewer fingerprints.
 |
| The best display yet |
In the front, you'll see the gorgeous 6.78-inch QHD+ 120Hz screen. Arguably, this is the best display found on any smartphone today. It's a tall 19:8:9 screen with gorgeous 3D curves.
A gorgeous and super-smooth display!
Unlike the all-screen display with the pop-up cam of the OnePlus 7T Pro, OnePlus opted for a punch-hole design this time. Maybe, OnePlus did this to prevent the phone from having any moving parts and make the IP68 rating possible.
Personally, I would have still liked it better if there no punch-hole. Fortunately, the punch-hole that OnePlus used is super small. Also, if you will use a darker wallpaper, you won't notice it that much. The screen is still super immersive.
Besides, the upgrade in screen quality will stand out more. The bezels are super slim as well.
The device is quite large at 165.3 x 74.4 mm, but it is quite slim at 8.5 mm considering it has a large 4,510mAh battery.
The lower part of the screen is the fingerprint scanner. The top of the display is the earspeaker that also acts as the secondary speaker.
 |
| Top and bottom |
On top of the phone, you'll see the first microphone. It has no IR Blaster though. Below, you'll find the dual nano-SIM tray hole, another microphone, USB-C slot, and the speaker grille.
 |
| Left and right |
At left, you get the usual volume keys. At right, you'll see the power key and the silent/vibrate/ring key.
The device is a bit hefty at 199 grams. The handset has all the right curves to make it comfortable to hold. It just a bit slippery and I still recommend putting a case.
Clearly, this device is designed for those who want a big phone as well. Not a small device.
Initial findings
1. OnePlus is not kidding, the 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate of the OnePlus 8 Pro is smooth and good. It's a screen with a MEMC (motion estimate and motion compensation) tech for smoother video playback experience and 10-bit color for more accurate colors. It also has HDR10+ and Adaptive Display.It performed really well in nearly all scenarios even for outdoor use. So far, I'm really enjoying the screen experience.
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| Speed of Snapdragon 865 |
2. As expected, it has top-of-the-line specs inside. It uses the 2.84GHz 7nm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor and Adreno 650 GPU, the fastest SoC solution found on Android smartphones today.
The fastest chip on an Android phone yet!
You will also get up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. The storage is non-expandable like all previous generation OnePlus phones. The new thing here is its use of the faster LPDDR5 RAM.
OnePlus also increased its battery capacity from 4,000mAh to 4,510mAh. This should help the phone last long even if it has a "power-hungry" 120Hz screen.
The company retained the 30W Warp Charge 30 and I would have liked it better if the company increased it to 65W like the Find X2 Pro.
But for the first time ever, OnePlus added a fast 30W Wireless charging and 3W Reverse Wireless Charging. Wireless charging is something that the Find X2 Pro with similar specs doesn't have.
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| One of the few 5G-ready phones in PH |
It also has the next-generation 5G connectivity support. This means that this phone is future-proof as it'll be able to support the soon-to-launch 5G networks in the country.
 |
| Oxygen OS 10 |
3. The UI is so good as usual. It runs on Android 10 with the near stock-like Oxygen OS 10. It has really clean-looking icons, smooth transitions, zero bloats (I don't count Netflix as bloatware), and super easy to use gesture navigations.
 |
| The clean OnePlus camera UI |
4. I haven't really explored its cameras that much yet. But, it is as good as it is on paper so far. The device has an almost Find X2 Pro camera specs. It uses a similar 48MP f/1.78 Sony IMX689 w/ OIS, EIS paired with a secondary 48MP f/2.2 120-degree ultra-wide-angle camera. While it doesn't have a periscope super zoom lens, the device comes with two more cameras, the 8MP f/2.4 third camera with 3x optical zoom and a 5MP f/2.4 fourth color filter camera. The camera system of OnePlus also PDAF focus, Laster AF, and dual-tone LED flash.
In the front, it uses a 16MP f/2.4 Sony IMX471 sensor with EIS. Unlike the back cameras with 4K 60fps video, the selfie cam only comes with 1080p videos.
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| It goes with a large In-Display fingerprint reader |
5. It has as super-fast and accurate In-Display fingerprint reader, loud stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, OTG, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC support, and a nice type of GPS.
OnePlus 8 Pro Specs
Display: 6.78-inch 3D curved Gorilla Glass protected Fluid AMOLED screen w/ 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, Adaptive Display, MEMC, QHD+ 3168 x 1440 resolution at 513 ppi
CPU: 2.84GHz 7nm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor
GPU: Adreno 650
RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR5
ROM: 128GB/256GB UFS 3.0
Back Camera: 48MP f/1.78 Sony IMX689 w/ OIS, EIS + 48MP f/2.2 w/ 120-degree ultra-wide-angle, Super Macro + 8MP f/2.4 w/ 3x optical zoom + 5MP f/2.4 color filter with PDAF, Laser AF + dual-tone LED flash
Selfie Camera: 16MP f/2.4 Sony IMX471 w/ EIS
Battery: 4,510mAh w/ 30W Warp Charge 30, 30W Wireless Charging, and 3W Reverse Wireless Charging
OS: Android 10 w/ OxygenOS 10
Connectivity: WiFi 6, 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC support), OTG, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, dual SIM
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
Others: In-Display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, IP68 water and dust resistance, stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, USB-C, Colors: Onyx Black, Glacian Green, Ultra Marine Blue
Dimensions: 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm
Weight: 199 g
Price: PHP 45,990 (8GB/128GB), PHP 48,990 (12GB/256GB)
Besides, OnePlus is innovating and innovation is not cheap. This handset arguably has the very best display on a phone right now and they paired it with mostly top-end specs.
Also, the PHP 45,990 starting price is considered as very low against its competition. Think about that.
So far, I think that OnePlus did it again.
Stay tuned for our full comparison against the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Huawei P40 Pro soon!
As of the moment
The OnePlus 8 Pro may not be as affordable as previous OnePlus devices, but it has all the specs and features to justify its slight price increase.Besides, OnePlus is innovating and innovation is not cheap. This handset arguably has the very best display on a phone right now and they paired it with mostly top-end specs.
Also, the PHP 45,990 starting price is considered as very low against its competition. Think about that.
So far, I think that OnePlus did it again.
Stay tuned for our full comparison against the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Huawei P40 Pro soon!
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