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OnePlus Z 5G benchmark seems to confirm excellent SoC and insane RAM count

Updated: Jun 10, 2020, 7:16 AM

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CAD-based OnePlus Z render with three rear-facing cameras

The 5G-enabled OnePlus 8 is an undeniably great phone, as suggested by its gorgeous design and solid spec sheet and confirmed in our in-depth review, but at $699 and up, the 6.55-inch powerhouse deviates from the brand's exceptionally affordable norm of past years while cutting a few corners compared to its unapologetically expensive Pro sibling.

Don't get us wrong, the value proposition remains quite compelling, but given the company's history, you might be wondering why the OnePlus 8 price point was not pushed lower simply by replacing the undoubtedly costly Snapdragon 865 processor with the slightly less powerful and more energy-efficient 765G SoC.

The answer, of course, is the OnePlus Z, which was initially expected to see daylight alongside its high-end cousins packing a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset with 5G support.

Pushing the envelope in a crowded market segment

Rumor has it the mid-range handset was delayed until sometime this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the company is also believed to have had a change of heart at the eleventh hour regarding the processor powering this 6.4-inch model with a flat screen in tow.

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A fresh benchmark listing of a (not so) mysterious device carrying the model number AC2003 seems to confirm this last-minute alteration, although you should keep in mind this kind of preliminary Geekbench data is not always very trustworthy. That being said, we're definitely inclined to believe this is in fact a legit pre-release OnePlus Z prototype running Android 10 software and packing no less than 12 gigs of memory.

OnePlus Z 5G benchmark seems to confirm excellent SoC and insane RAM count

Yes, ladies and gents, the mobile industry has reached the point where mid-end handsets are expected to feature more RAM than many mainstream laptops. Granted, this is most likely not the entry-level OnePlus Z configuration, but that one should offer a more than generous 8GB memory count too.

Meanwhile, although Geekbench doesn't spell out the Snapdragon 765G name for us, the topology, identifier, and base frequency fields are all consistent with that particular SoC's technical information. So, yeah, we fully expect the OnePlus Z to come packing the same processor as the Google Pixel 5, LG Velvet, and Motorola Edge at a significantly lower price.

Undercutting the competition

If you want to talk numbers, a $400 or so starting price was rumored a few months ago, although that's obviously not etched in stone yet, especially after the purported Snapdragon 765G adoption.

Keep in mind we're almost certainly talking about yet another OnePlus phone supporting 5G speeds as standard while reportedly featuring a 4,000mAh battery, at least 128 gigs of internal storage space, and a triple rear-facing camera system with a 48MP imaging sensor as the photographic centerpiece.

Even if the OnePlus Z ends up costing $500 and up, that's a mind-blowing spec sheet destined to yield an unrivaled value proposition when compared to a Motorola Edge priced at $599 with a modest 4 gigs of memory under its hood, a Pixel 5 tipped to start at no less than 700 bucks, and an LG Velvet that got our hopes up before completely crushing them at the rough equivalent of $735 in South Korea.

The only thing that could stop the OnePlus Z 5G from becoming an instant global box office hit would be lack of official availability in certain major Western markets. But with a Snapdragon 765G inside, this bad boy is undoubtedly headed for the old continent and we could absolutely see it released stateside as well.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.