Product test
Oneplus 13 review: reliable in the rain and on long days
by Michelle Brändle
OnePlus 8T review – 120-hertz display and a monochrome camera
14.12.2020
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The dreary Hamburg autumn has made me happy to have a monochrome camera on a smartphone. But even if you’re not into B&W photos, the OnePlus 8T is a temptingly good phone.
The OnePlus 8T is said to be better than the OnePlus 8 released in spring, but not as good as the OnePlus 8 Pro. Otherwise, it would have been called the OnePlus 8T Pro, right? Manufacturers have internally consistent logic, but it’s not always immediately understandable from the outside.
Compared to the 8 Pro, the 8T is cheaper and has a slightly smaller display with a lower resolution, but still a refresh rate of 120 hertz. Both smartphones have four cameras, but OnePlus swapped out the telephoto lens and colour filter camera for a macro and B&W lens in the 8T.
Oh, my darling 120 hertz
At 6.55 inches, the display of the OnePlus 8T is still very large. The resolution of 2400×1080 pixels gives you a razor-sharp image with a pixel density of 402 ppi, and the screen offers very high brightness. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to test it in direct sunlight, but I have no doubt the image will still be easy to see.
Two more things are worth mentioning in connection with the display: the front-facing camera and the fingerprint sensor. The front camera sits in a hole in the upper left corner of the touchscreen. Pinhole cameras like that have become the standard, and it doesn’t get in the way. The info bar displaying the time, Wi-Fi, battery and other symbols fits very well next to it.
Warp Charge: high-pressure charging
The OnePlus 8T has a 4,500-mAh battery, which places it in the top category of smartphones. Something that’s irrelevant to everyday use, but technically unusual, is that OnePlus uses two batteries with 2,250 mAh each.
In the settings, I encountered several options that allow me to influence battery life, such as the always-on display or 120 vs. 60 hertz. But even without going for particularly power-saving settings, the OnePlus 8T’s battery lasted me the day. And should there be a day where I’m absolutely glued to my phone, that’s no problem either; Warp Charge – OnePlus’ fast charging technology – is really impressive.
The OnePlus 8T has one port only: USB-C (3.1, Gen 1). You’ll have to connect any headphones you want to use via said port or Bluetooth 5.1. There’s no wireless charging feature, but it wouldn’t be as fast as Warp Charge, anyway.
Four cameras and the return to the beginnings of photography
A camera test like this in Hamburg’s autumn is a challenge. Instead of bright blue skies and sun-drenched streets with high contrast, grey dreariness prevails. But the OnePlus 8T has suitable tools on board for this. An extra monochrome camera makes rich colours secondary, and night mode lends itself to conquering early sunset shots.
An advantage of the high resolution is that even without a telephoto lens, it gives you 2x zoom with quality on par with standard mode. The wide-angle photos, on the other hand, come from a separate, 16-megapixel sensor. The associated lens has a 123-degree field of view, and you can activate lens correction in the camera software. That’s what I did with this test photo.
The monochrome camera only has a resolution of two megapixels, and it doesn’t need any more than that. It doesn’t actually shoot the B&W photos; it only supplements photos shot by the main camera with brightness information through the software. The results look more like black-and-white shots than colour photos with filters overtop. Especially in low light, the images develop a real analogue photo charm due to the stronger grain.
The fourth camera has a macro lens with a 5-megapixel sensor. This will get you within three to four centimetres of the subject – something the main camera can’t achieve. The 5 megapixels deliver better image quality than the typical, 2-megapixel macro cameras. But even this macro lens is a long way from those found in top-of-the-line smartphones.
The front-facing camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels. It delivers selfies with a high level of detail and vibrant-looking colours. It’s good for taking pictures of yourself, though not so much in the dark. There, selfies quickly look pixelated and grainy.
You can find all photos in their full resolution here.
Android 11, Snapdragon 865 and memory options
Verdict: great smartphone with a powerful battery
The OnePlus 8T isn’t as expensive as other top-of-the-line phones, but it easily keeps up with them. I’m particularly impressed by how quickly the battery charges with Warp Charge. If the size doesn’t scare you off, you can’t go wrong with this smartphone.
If you’re not totally convinced and want to spend less money on a phone, I recommend you check out my review of the OnePlus Nord and Google Pixel 4a.
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deWhen I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
