OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T vs OnePlus 7: should you upgrade?

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OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T vs OnePlus 7: should you upgrade?
UPDATE: Our full OnePlus 8 Review has been published. 

OnePlus recently released its first duo of flagship phones for 2020. Naturally, when a new model comes out, many people are wondering if it's time for them to upgrade or is their current phone still relevant. OnePlus’s fanbase consists mainly of hardware enthusiasts which are usually eager to get their hands on the latest and greatest, making the question even more pressing.

But is it worth buying the OnePlus 8 if you’re rocking one of the 2019 non-pro models? That’s what we’re here to find out. 

OnePlus 8 vs 7T vs 7: design comparison


There are to main design differences between the OnePlus 8 and the 7 generation and one is obvious from the images below:

OnePlus 8
Dimensions

6.31 x 2.87 x 0.31 inches

160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm

Weight

6.35 oz (180 g)

OnePlus 7T
Dimensions

6.34 x 2.93 x 0.32 inches

160.94 x 74.44 x 8.13 mm

Weight

6.70 oz (190 g)

OnePlus 7
Dimensions

6.21 x 2.94 x 0.32 inches

157.7 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm

Weight

6.42 oz (182 g)

OnePlus 8
Dimensions

6.31 x 2.87 x 0.31 inches

160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm

Weight

6.35 oz (180 g)

OnePlus 7T
Dimensions

6.34 x 2.93 x 0.32 inches

160.94 x 74.44 x 8.13 mm

Weight

6.70 oz (190 g)

OnePlus 7
Dimensions

6.21 x 2.94 x 0.32 inches

157.7 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm

Weight

6.42 oz (182 g)

See the full OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T vs OnePlus 7 size comparison or compare them to other phones using our Size Comparison tool.


This year, the teardrop notch was replaced by a hole-punch in the corner of the display. There are some that think the hole actually wastes more screen than the notch, but when it comes to aesthetics, most people agree that hole-punch displays look better. Of course, functionality-wise, there's no difference, so it's up to your own preferences.

The other change is the curved display edge on the OnePlus 8. Last year, OnePlus allowed users to pick between a flat display and a curved one by choosing between the Pro and non-Pro models. But it seems the rising prices brought this premium feature to the regular OnePlus 8 as well. We've talked a lot about curved displays and why they're more for show than functionality. Some users straight-up refuse to buy a phone that has one. For them, 2020 OnePlus phones will be a no-go (the 8Ts will likely have them as well). 

On the back, the only notable thing is that OnePlus quickly dropped the idea of a massive circular camera bump and went back to the proven narrow camera module. The colors are new, sure, but no one upgrades because of that, right?

OnePlus 8 vs 7T vs 7 specs comparison


Time to dive inside the three devices and see what their components have to offer. 

OnePlus 8 OnePlus 7T OnePlus 7

Display

Size
6.5-inch 6.5-inch 6.4-inch
Resolution
2400x1080px, 20:9 ratio, 402 PPI 2400x1080px, 20:9 ratio, 402 PPI 2340x1080px, 19.5:9 ratio, 402 PPI
Technology
AMOLED Super AMOLED AMOLED
Refresh rate
90Hz 90Hz 60Hz
Screen-to-body
88.65 % 86.43 % 85.63 %
Peak brightness
1100 cd/m2 (nit)
Features
HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 5), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 5), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 6), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor

Hardware

System chip
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SM8250 (7 nm) Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ SM8150-AC (7 nm) Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)
Processor
Octa-core
2840 MHz
Kryo 585
Octa-core
2960 MHz
Kryo 485
Octa-core
2840 MHz
Kryo 485
GPU
Adreno 650 Adreno 640 Adreno 640
RAM
8GB (LPDDR4) 8GB (LPDDR4) 6GB (LPDDR4)
Internal storage
128GB (UFS 3.0) 128GB (UFS 3.0) 128GB (UFS 3.0)
Storage expansion
not expandable not expandable not expandable
OS
Android (11, 10) Android (11, 10), OxygenOS UI Android (11, 10, 9.0 Pie), OxygenOS UI

Battery

Capacity
4300 mAh 3800 mAh 3700 mAh
Type
Li - Polymer
Charging
OnePlus Warp Charge OnePlus Warp Charge Fast charging
Charge speed
Wired: 30.0W Wired: 30.0W Wired: 20.0W

Camera

Rear
Triple camera Triple camera Dual camera
Main camera
48 MP (OIS, PDAF)
Aperture size: F1.8
Focal length: 25 mm
Sensor size: 1/2"
Pixel size: 0.8 μm
48 MP (OIS, PDAF)
Aperture size: F1.6
Focal length: 26 mm
Sensor size: 1/2"
Pixel size: 0.8 μm
48 MP (OIS, PDAF)
Aperture size: F1.7
Sensor size: 1/2"
Pixel size: 0.8 μm
Second camera
16 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF)
Aperture size: F2.2
Focal Length: 14 mm
16 MP (Ultra-wide, Autofocus)
Aperture size: F2.2
Focal Length: 17 mm
5 MP (Depth information)
Aperture size: F2.4
Pixel size: 1.12 μm
Third camera
2 MP (Macro)
Aperture size: F2.4
Pixel size: 1.75 μm
12 MP (Telephoto, PDAF)
Optical zoom: 2.0x
Aperture size: F2.2
Focal Length: 51 mm
Pixel size: 1 μm
Flash
Dual LED Dual LED Dual LED
Video recording
3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (480 fps)
OIS, HDR, Time-lapse video, EIS
3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (960 fps)
HDR, Time-lapse video, EIS
3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (480 fps)
Time-lapse video, EIS, Video calling, Video sharing
Front
16 MP (EIS, HDR), Video capture: 1920x1080 (Full HD) 16 MP (EIS, HDR), Video capture: 1920x1080 (Full HD) 16 MP (HDR), Video capture: 1920x1080 (Full HD)

Cellular

5G
Bands n2, n5, n41, n66, n71, SA, NSA
4G (FDD)
Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 17(700 b), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 17(700 b), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 17(700 b), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 29(700 d), 32(1500 L-band)
4G (TDD)
Bands 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600) Bands 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900+), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600) Bands 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+)
3G
Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(800), 8(900) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(800), 8(900) Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(800), 8(900)
Data Speed
LTE-A Pro Cat 18 (1200/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s LTE-A Pro Cat 18 (1200/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS LTE-A Pro Cat 16 (1000/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s
Dual SIM
Yes Yes Yes
SIM type
Nano SIM Nano SIM Nano SIM

Connectivity & Features

Bluetooth
5.1 5.0 5.0
WLAN
802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,ax(Wi-Fi 6),dual-band
MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,dual-band
MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
802.11 a,b,g,n,ac,dual-band
MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
USB
Type-C, USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.1
Location
GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Dual-band positioning, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou, Dual-band positioning, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou, Dual-band positioning, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning
Sensors
Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall (for flip covers) Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
Other
NFC NFC NFC, VoIP, Tethering, Computer sync, OTA sync
See the full OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T vs OnePlus 7 specs comparison or compare them to other phones using our Phone Comparison tool


Unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro, the 8 offers only a 90Hz display. That, combined with the relatively small performance jump between the Snapdragon 855+ and the 865, means there's almost no incentive to ditch your OnePlus 7T just yet. As it should be, after all, it's a phone that came out barely half a year ago. 

OnePlus 7 owners are likely just as happy with the performance of their phone as well. However, if you're the type of person that's sensitive to displays' refresh-rate, then the bump to 90Hz will be quite pleasing for you. Adding to that the list of smaller upgrades, makes the OnePlus 8 even more tempting. If you've checked out a 90Hz screen in person, however, and were left wondering what all the fuzz is about, then hold your horses for at least another 6 months. 

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The OnePlus 8 doesn't have the faster DDR5 RAM, but there's a good chance the 8T will have it, and it might get a 120Hz display as well. 60 to 120, now that's a jump everyone will notice. Another point for team No-upgrade-o.

One big advantage the OnePlus 8 has over both other models is the support for 5G. However, unlike the 8 Pro, the 8 will support the ultra-fast mmWave 5G only if you get it from Veizon. If you've decided to make the jump to 5G, you might as well do it with a device that supports all bands on all carriers. Despite the ever-increasing coverage, 5G is still more of a buzz-word than a change in how you use your device. So, maybe don't rush into it just yet.

But perhaps you're interested in the new cameras?

On that front, the situation is pretty similar. A 2MP macro camera alone will hardly make anyone pull the trigger on a new $700 phone. If you're on the OnePlus 7, then you're getting an ultra-wide-angle camera on top of that. A nice extra, for sure, but unlike the chip upgrade, the camera is something that unless you actively use, makes no difference if it's there or not. And while ultra-wide shots look impressive in promotional materials, in reality, most people don't use the dedicated lens as often as you might think. Again, personal preferences will mostly determine how much weight this feature gets. 

When it comes to photos, for OnePlus, the major improvement in quality must come from the camera software. We're already seeing promising results from the OnePlus 8 Pro. Hopefully, this means the 7T and 7 models will soon get their camera apps brought up to speed as well. Which, in terms, gives you one more reason to hold on to your phone.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T vs OnePlus 7: the conclusion


So, at the end, should you upgrade to the OnePlus 8? If you have the OnePlus 7T, then the answer is a hard NO. Curved edges and hole-punch displays, if you want them that much, will be around for at least another year and by then you'll get way more value from other parts of the phone. Save your money.

OnePlus 7 owners definitely have some legitimate reasons to upgrade and at least they've had their phones for a year already. Not that they can't easily use them for another two, but we all know how bad the upgrade itch can get. But if we have to remain practical, there are five main things you get with the OnePlus 8:
  • Modern design
  • 90Hz display
  • 5G connectivity
  • Ultra-wide-angle camera
  • Bigger battery

If you need at least three of them right now, then click on the link below and enjoy your new phone! If not, we'll have a similar article in about 6 months when the OnePlus 8T rolls out.


Full specs comparison between the OnePlus 8, 7T and 7



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