Has OnePlus lost its soul with the OnePlus 9 Pro?
-
20 minutes
The Chinese firm OnePlus is launching its OnePlus 9 Pro that
20 Minutes
was able to test.
Sold from 919 euros in 128 gigabytes, this high-end smartphone benefits for its photo part of a partnership with Hasselblad which allows OnePlus to really progress in image.
Despite its qualities, the high price of the terminal could distance it from the community of fans of the brand, used to high-performance and more accessible smartphones.
We have trouble keeping up with OnePlus.
The “little box” of enthusiasts which has built its reputation on a community of fans is becoming a big firm like any other.
Obviously forgotten smartphones that gave more for less: the new OnePlus 9 Pro, which was announced on Tuesday, is launched from 919 euros.
He falls into line and wants to cross swords with Apple's iPhone 12, Samsung's Galaxy S21 or Oppo's Find X III Pro.
20 Minutes
has already been able to test it.
The OnePlus 9 Pro and its four rear photo sensors.
- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
Appeared on radar screens in 2014, the OnePlus brand had until then favored a community target, devices ahead of their time and an unbeatable performance / price ratio.
The One, the Chinese brand's first smartphone, had once been launched at 299 euros!
Sold at 919 euros (128 GB + 8 Gb) and 999 euros (256 GB + 12 Gb), the OnePlus 9 Pro certainly does not play in the same court technically.
But this new toy definitely seals the change in strategy of Pete Lau's brand.
Hasselblad to the rescue in photo
Or a premium smartphone that wants to give us a lot.
5G, Wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, the OnePlus 9 Pro has a good face behind its chrome shell.
Unfortunately, this attracts fingerprints and gets dirty very quickly.
Other manufacturers, like Oppo and its new Find X III Pro have found the right formula with a frosted shell, which you don't have to wipe all the time.
Placed at the top left, the OnePlus 9 photo block is stamped Hasselblad.
The medium format camera manufacturer Hasselblad took care of the processing of the images of the OnePlus 9 Pro.
- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
This name, which will probably mean nothing to the youngest, is that of the Swedish camera manufacturer whose Hasselblad 500 EL accompanied Neil Armstrong for his first steps on the Moon in 1969. Like Huawei with Leica, or like Nokia and Vivo with Zeiss, OnePlus plays the partnership with a prestigious brand to optimize its photo functions.
A necessary bet, as the criticisms on the unfulfilled photo promises of the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 8 had been legion.
A very clear improvement in photo quality
If Hasselblad only worked on the algorithms of the OnePlus 9 Pro (while waiting for a collaboration on the
hardware
), the results obtained are convincing.
Equipped with a quartet of sensors * on the back, the smartphone delivers bright, perfectly defined photos.
The main sensor, the Sony IMX766, supports the RAW (uncompressed) photo format and collects, according to OnePlus, 64 times more colors.
Difficult to count them, but we have to admit that OnePlus has made good progress.
Click-clack, thank you Hasselblad!
Similarly, we were seduced by the quality of the zoom of the smartphone.
Optics up to x3.3;
digital up to x30, it allows some daring in the shots.
At high magnification, there is good stabilization which allows you to frame your subject well, even from a great distance.
From ultra wide-angle to digital zoom x30 ... - CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
The OnePlus 9 Pro benefits from overall successful views with good stabilization.
- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
The macro photography is also well taken on by the terminal which, in this flourishing spring, allowed us to capture the exciting details of a nature in full awakening by hand.
This type of image is a strong point of the smartphone (shared with the Oppo Find X III Pro) whose Manual mode benefits from a new approach, with simplified and direct access to the screen for ISO settings, white balance, aperture, exposure compensation.
The macro photo, undoubted success of OnePlus 9 Pro.
- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
The night photos that we were also able to take are generally successful but may lack sharpness on the outlines.
At the front, the on-board 16-megapixel sensor delivers meticulous work, rich in detail, without a shadow of smoothing as was often the case.
Moreover, the OnePlus 9 Pro has no "Beauty" mode, neither for shooting, nor in post-production.
You will have to take responsibility for your wrinkles, skin blemishes and other blackheads ...
With 16 megapixels on the front, the OnePlus 9 Pro takes care of its selfies.
- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
Filming up to 8K at up to 30 frames / second, the new smartphone fulfills its role and can, again, boast effective stabilization.
One of the most beautiful screens of the moment
At the front, OnePlus lines up a 6.7 '' / 17.01 cm Amoled QHD + panel with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. This means that depending on the content viewed, the screen automatically modulates its speed. of refreshment.
It is primarily the gamers who will benefit.
Which gamers will also be able to discover a feature called "Hypertouch" which, with some games for the moment (
Call of Duty Mobile
;
League of Legends Wildrift
...) reduces the touch latency time.
We haven't been able to test this feature yet.
Not sure that with a latency dropping from 30 to 25 milliseconds, we gain a lot ...
The 6.7-inch screen of the OnePlus 9 Pro is one of the most exciting of spring 2021. - CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES
Still, the screen of the OnePlus 9 Pro, with its curved edges, is undoubtedly possible among the best on the market.
A detail that is not true: the stereo speakers hidden below produce real sound… as much as a smartphone can.
Waiting for the little brother
Powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 processor, IP68 rated for its waterproofness, the OnePlus 9 Pro has another virtue: its fast charging system.
Its dual battery (4500 mAh) can thus be fully recharged in 28 min with the 65 W charger supplied.
A 50 W induction charger (for a 100% charge in 43 min) is also available as an option at 69 euros.
Available from March 31, the OnePlus 9 Pro paves the way for its little brother, the OnePlus 9, which will be launched on April 26.
It will only have three sensors (except its telephoto lens), will not be IP68, and its 6.55 '' / 16.63 cm screen will not be adaptive.
Its price: 719 euros in 128 GB and 819 euros in 256 GB.
* 48 megapixels (f / 1.8) + 50 megapixels (f / 2.2) + 8 megapixels (telephoto; f / 2.4) + 2 megapixels monochrome.
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