Would the OnePlus 5T be a bargain if it hits the $550 mark?

by Preslav Kateliev / Nov 15, 2017, 9:33 AM

OK, folks, so the OnePlus 5T is getting announced tomorrow, but thanks to a steady stream of leaks and even an unboxing video, which went live before it should've, we've got a hefty bit of the details out in the light. Nothing is sacred anymore.

Anyway, the hardware is not surprising — a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, 64 GB or 128 GB of storate, and a 3,300 mAh battery. What's different? Well, there's the 6-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, putting the OnePlus 5T in the same league as other heavy-hitting flagships that came out this year. And there's also no longer a telephoto camera on the back. Instead, we get a 20 MP secondary camera, which would be used as a "night cam" — we are still fuzzy on the details there.

So, OnePlus has always been known for its aggressive pricing, but it's also pretty evident that as the company scales and becomes more and more popular, so do the prices of its phones. We started with a $300 OnePlus One back in the day and ended up with a $480 starting price for the OnePlus 5 this year.

Some are disappointed each time OnePlus bumps the price up, but the argument that "this is still pretty much a bargain for the tier of hardware you get" is still valid. Well, what if the OnePlus 5T reaches, say, a $549 starting price. Would that still be a good deal to you?

Speculated price is a potshot and not based on any substantial information we have.

Would the OnePlus 5T still be a bargain if it costs $550?

Yeah, sure!

42.27%

Nope. I've got better options near that price.

57.73%

Options

34 Comments

1. Sakeem

Posts: 856; Member since: Sep 05, 2012

I think so. Phone prices are only going to go up. So a starting price of $550 for those that are fans of the OnePlus phones is definitely a bargain in my opinion.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 9:35 AM 4

3. 36dbldz

Posts: 15; Member since: Jan 16, 2017

That's high for OP starting point. If it gets to that point all the checks should be in place. If OP said it won't be above $600 for 128g version and rumors are saying it will cost approximately $550 ish for the 128g variant you could almost say if 128g hits 600+ it should have things like waterproofing, OIS and maybe wireless charge as those are some of the things missing

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 9:47 AM 4

32. Cat97

Posts: 1709; Member since: Mar 02, 2017

For $550 you can get a top of the line Samsung Galaxy S8, at least in Europe. OnePlus is aware that it didn't sell many OP5 phones, the 5T will probably $479 or less.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 3:10 AM 0

2. roldefol

Posts: 4744; Member since: Jan 28, 2011

$550 is what I paid for the Nexus 6P 64 GB two years ago. It was a bargain price then for a flagship and it still is. This is likely moot though, because the 5T is not starting that high. Maybe the 128 GB/8 GB RAM version goes for $550... which is a bargain for those specs.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 9:46 AM 4

4. NickHill

Posts: 388; Member since: May 07, 2016

No. It has to be under $500 no matter what. They just can't increase price with every edition, that's so stupid.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 10:04 AM 2

5. libra89

Posts: 2208; Member since: Apr 15, 2016

Or around it makes more sense to me.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 10:18 AM 1

6. Whitedot

Posts: 692; Member since: Sep 26, 2017

I wouldask my self : Can the screen match or be better than other phones above $550? Yes and no. Can the camera experience match or be better than other phones above $550? Hardly. Does it provide expandable storage if you are storage junk? No. Can the software experience match or be better than other phones above $550? Yes, as far as I know. Can the speaker and headphone experience match or be better than other phones above $550? I don't know about this one. Does this phone have killer feature that other phones above $550 can't match or come close to it? I know it has dash charge but it is not a killer feature for me. Will OEM provide 2 years of software updates? Hmmmm...OPO2. How is post purchase service ? Maybe it got better but a couple of years ago it was damn awful. Based on my answers I would not get this phone fro $550. I can get Huawei P10 for 400 GBP or HTC U11 500 GBP here in UK. At the moment OPO5 is offer for a 500 GBP. If they were selling OPO5T for 400 pounds I would take a risk and buy this phone.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 10:22 AM 5

7. KeyserSoze

Posts: 387; Member since: Oct 06, 2014

Fuq OnePlus and all their spyware-filled phones. We should never trust Chinese phones again. You've been warned! The FBI should investigate these Chinese azz holes for invasion of privacy and espionage.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 10:37 AM 1

10. MrShazam

Posts: 987; Member since: Jun 22, 2017

I'd say it's still a good price so long as you get the same stellar app performance, battery performance, and decent or even better cameras than the OnePlus 5. But not really a bargain IMO, it's pay less to get less compared to the Note 8...

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 11:15 AM 1

15. baldilocks

Posts: 1427; Member since: Dec 14, 2008

And it will probably get Oreo well before the Note 8.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 12:42 PM 2

18. MrShazam

Stock Android Oreo is merely playing catchup with feature-packed OEM skins...

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 2:35 PM 0

33. Martin_Cooper

Posts: 1774; Member since: Jul 30, 2013

Oreo isn't just about features. Its about performance, security and better battery. Ye I know Samsung has way more features than Oreo but it means nothing as features isn't the only thing a major update brings.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 5:33 AM 0

39. MrShazam

"Its about performance, security and better battery" All of which are already awesome on my Exynos Note 8, so it means nothing to me if the OnePlus 5/5T gets a stock version months earlier. If it were up to par on features and uses with Samsung Experience, then it'll be a huge benefit getting the updates faster, but that's clearly not the case. I'd rather have a much more useful device today than wait for some future update to make it as useful.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 7:56 AM 0

40. Martin_Cooper

Lets see when your 1000eur Note 8 gets the next big android update. Pretty sure it will be 6+ months after like every other single samsung flagship.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 9:50 AM 0

41. MrShazam

So long as it's an extremely versatile/useful, great performing, long lasting and reliable tool today, I'll keep getting lots more done with it than even what stock Pizza (or whatever the next stock version of Android is called) will offer on the OnePlus 6. But that's just me, I care a lot more about getting stuff done with my tools than merely a firmware number...

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 10:20 AM 0

12. p51d007

Posts: 697; Member since: Nov 24, 2013

No, simply because of the lack of an OPTICAL image stabilization camera. Other things that bother me are it takes multiple software updates to get it stable, some hardware problems. Not to mention the backdoor spyware issues, but the real kicker is the camera. SOFTWARE image stabilization will never match hardware stabilization.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 12:03 PM 1

13. qolamreza

Posts: 59; Member since: Jul 01, 2015

499$ 64 549$ 128 This make more sense

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 12:21 PM 5

14. baldilocks

Regardless of the fact that it will be missing stereo speakers, fast software updates, water proofing and a QHD screen, the fact that it's running a clean version of Android with 6 or 8GB of RAM is a huge deal for me. My Pixel 2 XL just refreshes apps way too often, even when I am not doing any other intensive tasks. The OnePlus 5 does not -- therefore the 5T should be just as much of a monster. Also, the 18-9 screen with hardly any rounded corners is a much better look. (Don't see too many movie screens with rounded corners).

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 12:41 PM 1

16. Joosty

Posts: 462; Member since: Mar 14, 2013

The cheapest Snapdragon 835 device right now is the essential and xz-1 compact I think this pricing would put it very competitive to those Phonee

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 12:43 PM 0

17. sechinov

Posts: 32; Member since: Sep 30, 2014

439$ - 64gb 489$ - 128gb very much but that would pay more. Minuses OnePlus: Two phones per year Poor support One and a half year support no water protection Bad camera Large size for 5T The fingerprint reader is out of date The fingerprint scanner on the back

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 1:11 PM 2

19. Basharhd99

Posts: 100; Member since: Jul 05, 2012

1000$ iPhone is making every phone seem like a bargain

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 3:15 PM 4

34. Martin_Cooper

1200eur iPhone in Europe is making OnePlus 5T look like a bargain of the century. Honestly I have no idea why would anyone who isnt rich buy an iphone X in Europe. People who save hard earned money are wasting in on X when they could get 95% of X in OnePlus and with rest of the money pay some important bills.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 5:36 AM 0

20. GdgetXpert1337

Posts: 117; Member since: Oct 31, 2017

No 1 want this laggy malware backdoor hacked phone wit down grayded camera. No water resistant, garbage NEXT

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 3:39 PM 0

21. michaelny2001

Posts: 316; Member since: Aug 01, 2012

NO. it's not a god business model for OP. Remember the Nexus 6? double the price of Nexus 5 great specs but did not do well. OP should stay at 399/449 mark. Anyhting more and it's better to buy the last year's flagship. Afterall, labor prices are unexistant in China. I think they want a 200-250 profit margin on each hand-set. Not cool OP.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 3:43 PM 1

22. raky_b

Posts: 360; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

S8 is 500€, and it is a better device.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 4:28 PM 1

26. roldefol

But isn't 500€ closer to $600?

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 7:32 PM 0

35. Martin_Cooper

Is it overall better device? For who? Everyone? OnePlus has 3 things S8 will never ever have. Software optimization, smoothness, excellent ram managment. On the other hand S8 will always have better camera screen and water resistance. Are those hardware features great? Sure. Are they more important than the software part? No. You will not need water resistance every day all day, you interact with software all day every day. People dont get that. Nowadays phones arent about specs, they are about software. We are past the point where we needed better specs. Cpu's, gpu's, screens, all are so good now even on mid range phones that all it matters is the software.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 5:40 AM 0

25. CEDEOTB

Posts: 334; Member since: Nov 21, 2016

I would rather put in the extra cash and get the Razer phone tbh.

posted on Nov 15, 2017, 7:30 PM 1

36. Martin_Cooper

Why would you pay extra for a flagship phone that has as good camera as a mid range from 2015? Razer wanted to make a big bam and they went all in and forgot about camera which is just horrible for a phone priced 700eur.

posted on Nov 16, 2017, 5:42 AM 0

28. jjface

Posts: 209; Member since: Jun 07, 2017

Problem is they decide to launch right before Black Friday. Most likely $550 won't be that good versus say a samsung S8 or a carrier deal. I think $499 would be a nice price for it.