[REVIEW] The OnePlus 8T is proof that society is returning to its roots. Detailed evaluation of Oxygen OS 11

Flat 120 Hz AMOLED, improved camera with great video, ultra fast 65 W charging, good grip, top performance, the latest Oxygen OS and relatively affordable price. All these parameters OnePlus 8T meets and comes as a redemption for smartphone fans. If you're interested in this model, just starting out OnePlus 8T Review will definitely tell you more.

Our tested version is in a beautiful green color and in a memory combination 12 + 256 GBwhich is the best version available. The design is very pleasant, the thin body with a curved back ensures a comfortable grip. We can honestly say that the OnePlus 8T is a successful piece, but it also has its flies.

Compared to the OnePlus 8, introduced at the beginning of 2020, it has major changes in the display, camera and battery. However, we can describe the OnePlus 8T as a smartphone that "tastes" like a flagship, but in reality it is not, because it lacks a few things.

Where did we buy it?

You can get this smartphone several tens of euros cheaper than from resellers or even an official seller, on the website of our official partner Banggood. The latter offers reliable transport to the EU Priority Line.

Buy OnePlus 8T best

However, they currently only have 12 + 256 GB version in green.

Quick specification table

For those who want to quickly go through the specifications of the device, we have prepared a clear table.

Packaging and first impressions

The smartphone came to us in the Global ROM version, which is basically a Chinese version with an international system loaded (sold on Banggoode). So the packaging is in Chinese and comes with a Chinese charging adapter. However, this is no problem as long as you have a reducer at home.

The "Oneplus" classic red packaging did not disappoint, and the elongated box contained the OnePlus 8T itself with a protective film stuck on top, and below it a 65 W power adapter with a red Warp Charge USB-C to USB-C cable. You will also find a silicone cover, a needle for SIM card and other cards with texts. If you are a fan of the brand, you will definitely be pleased with the generous ones set of OnePlus stickers.

The first impressions were similar to the previous generation OnePlus 7T Pro. The smartphone fit perfectly in the palm of your hand, it was not heavy at first and the green color really enchants. We can say that we were excited from the smartphone during the first meeting.

Premium look and OnePlus quality

The dimensions of the smartphone have stopped at X x 160.7 74.1 8.4 mm, so it is one of the more compact pieces. Even with weight 188 grams it is not a "shovel" and you can quite comfortably operate it with one hand. On the right side, there is the famous OnePlus switch that changes the ringtone mode.

It is used on the front and back Gorilla Glass 5 protective glass (solid parts of aluminum alloy). However, the back side is very prone to scratches and we already managed to catch a few scratches during testing. Therefore, both sides must be solidly protected.

Best with official covers from OnePlus. We ordered a beautiful one Quantum Bumper Case, which mimics the appearance of the exposed electrical circuit (or motherboard) and looks perfect, judge for yourself.

The contrasting appearance of the set of rear sensors with green color looks nice. It can be disruptive for someone shot in the screen for the front camera, which is located in the left corner. The overall evaluation regarding the design is therefore positive for us.

Top display and finally Always-On

Of course, the OnePlus 8T offers top-notch AMOLED diagonal panel 6,55 inch. However, even with such a larger diagonal, it is not a huge device thanks to the minimal frames and the shot of the selfie camera in the display. The refresh rate is mentioned 120 Hz and sampling frequency 240 Hz.

The user experience is literally smooth with this display, and using it on a 120 Hz smartphone is an experience after switching from a lower frequency. We used a 90 Hz OnePlus 7T Pro and the difference was noticeable. It is possible to switch the 60 Hz mode in the settings and it is a pity that 90 Hz is missing, which would also save battery, but still offer a smooth experience.

The resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, the fineness of the display is high 402 ppi, AMOLED display supports HDR 10+ and thanks to Oxygen OS, after a long time begging fans, also Always-On AMOLED function.

Several designs can be set here, such as cartoon version your own photo or a special look from the university design team, which shows the current time, the progress of the day, the active time on the screen and the number of unlocks per day in the form of a timeline. We use it and it's great.

The display has flat shape, so the opponents of the so-called waterfall displays are sure to please. Even in our opinion, a flat display is a better solution than a curved one, which looks better, but is less practical to use. Gluing protective glasses is also not a problem.

Top performance with Snapdragon 865

Of course, the latest smartphone from OnePlus cannot lack the most powerful processor at the time of release. 7 nm Snapdragon 865 handles all demanding tasks with the left back and the graphics chip will not have any problems Adreno 650. You will always perceive the fluidity of the system and it is also positive, for example ultra fast processing night shots.

We also subjected our tested piece to performance tests in the application Geekbench 5. However, the test of the processor and calculations was slightly weaker than the predecessors of OnePlus 8 and Pro:

There must also be a more demanding 3D test of Wild Life and Sling Shot Extreme from 3DMark:

12 GB RAM memory (LPDDR4X) is already a surplus for Android, but if you plan to have this device for a longer period of time, you will definitely appreciate the larger memory. Storage is of type UFS 3.1 2-LANE and you'll get more speed, for example, when bulk file actions or processing an edited video. It's really a very nimble smartphone.

Incredible 65 W charging and 4500 mAh battery

One of the biggest highlights of the smartphone is undoubtedly ultra fast 65 W Warp Charge. However, the battery is divided into two 2,250 mAh parts, so basically two separate cells are charged at the same time and their power sum is 65 W. However, this is how all manufacturers do so for now.

Charging from 12% to 100% lasted in our test only 40 minutes. During subsequent charging cycles (often from 30% to 100%), Warp Charge still kept the perfect number around 30 - 37 minutes. So it would really be enough for daily use 15 minutes which OnePlus promotes.

The battery itself has the capacity 4500 mAh, which is the standard size. In our testing (120 Hz mode) we achieved a time on the screen of 3,5 hours to 4,5 hours, according to the difficulty of use (we did not play games, mostly use of social networks + videos).

At 48 MPx, photos and video are decent

Although it's no longer about MPx value, the OnePlus 8T has very good photo and video results that we didn't really expect. From our point of view, the incomprehensible step of the Chinese giant is the use of an old primary sensor Sony IMX586, which was already featured in OnePlus 7 (almost 1 and a half years ago).

Good software optimization, but OnePlus managed to get the most out of this sensor. You can view the test photos and video below. The main sensor is followed by a 16 MPx "ultra-wide" with a viewing angle of 123° (the shots are really very wide).

You will find further back 5 MPx macro, 2MPx monochrome sensor and a pair of LED flashes. No controversy in the form Color Filter Sensor, who sees through the clothes will therefore not take place, unfortunately (or thank God?).

This is what the image from the 48 MPx main sensor looks like (only a 4: 3 aspect ratio is possible here):

You can see the result of the usual 12 MPx mode in the left image and the wide-angle sensor on the right:

Panorama modes are available, of course wide angle, 2 - 10x zoom, portrait, night shot and professional mode. It handles night photos very well and, as we mentioned, it handles their processing quickly.

This is what the result of the night shot mode looks like:

Selfie sensor is Sony IMX471 and has 16 MPx. He passed our test quite well and was able to take a good photo even in poor lighting conditions. It is located in the shot on the left side and also supports face unlock.

Decent stabilization and quality video

combination optical and digital stabilization brings to the video literally brutal compensation for shocks and unwanted movements. If you have at least a little experience with filming, you can easily create YouTube content with this smartphone.

We liked the video page the most with OnePlus 8T. Offer 1080p aj 4K quality, frame rate 30 aj 60 fps, widescreen video and 2x optical zoom. It's not missing slow motion video in 720p quality at 480 fps, in 1080p quality at 240 fps and accelerated motion mode.

Gallery of test photos and videos here

In poor lighting conditions, you can already feel the weaknesses of the main sensor used. The video can be shot in widescreen mode (even more light is needed for nice video) and in native 2x zoom mode. The transition during video recording is smooth.

The new Oxygen OS 11 will be even more popular

OnePlus gained its fans mainly thanks to their clean system Oxygen OS. They started building their first smartphones on the CyanogenMod mode (now Lineage OS) and transferred the clean look to their Oxygen as well.

The latest version 11 brings after a long time finally Always-On AMOLED function with a rich selection of appearances. You can choose a cartoon version of your photo with a beautiful unlock animation, a regular clock or a special timeline view.

This is what the Canvas effect looks like in full beauty:

The system is very smooth, clean and regularly maintained by the development team. This is a truly premium superstructure Android 11. On the OnePlus 8T, we did not detect any observable shortcomings in terms of the stability of the latest system or its performance. The developers fine-tuned it so well.

Improved built-in applications, dark mode

The look of the built-in applications is modern and you will not need to install any third-party apps. They have undergone a major redesign. We noticed the biggest change in the application Gallery, but the new design also offers, for example Camera.

You can also activate dark mode, which we reached for right away. This is a system dark mode and, if supported by third-party applications, will automatically switch to dark colors. Oygen OS 11 also offers a list of supported applications with the option to switch to dark mode.

Drawer and hidden place

By dragging from the middle of the screen down, you activate after the new customizable center with widgets and weather (default setting). It used to be on the left screen, where Google Discover is now. To notification bar so you can get out by pulling from the upper part, which was not a habit for us personally. However, you can disable this option, but then you will not get to the so-called "shelf", i.e. to the shelf with widgets.

A good feature is also hidden screen with applications. Swipe two fingers from the center away from the home screen to activate it, or swipe right from the list of all apps.

Great customization options

Oxygen OS is also known for its great customization options. You can completely change the icon styles or download a third-party icon pack. In particular, the OnePlus 8T also offers the option of displaying content under or through the front camera compartment.

It is possible to completely customize the look Always-On display, as we have already mentioned, the fingerprint unlock animation, the notification animation or the highlight color.

Great OnePlus Switch application

The last part of the system review is the application OnePlus Switch, but which can be downloaded by all owners of an Android smartphone with Google Play. We used this application when switching to a new test model from the old OnePlus 7T Pro and it is really great.

He can transfer all data, including call history, SMS messages, complete OnePlus launcher data, gallery or installed applications. Everything takes place via Wi-Fi and you only need to scan the QR code during initialization. Then everything runs on its own depending on what the user sets up for transfer and copying.

Even better haptic vibrations, stereo

Haptic vibrations OnePlus has been integrating since the seventh series, but the OnePlus 8T has taken them to an even better level. We would say that the motor can vibrate at higher frequencies and over time the user can accurately associate the level of vibration with the notification.

Tapping on the keyboard with haptic vibrations is very pleasant and it is a satisfying form of feedback.

Stereo speaker is a nice feature, but several flagships already offer a more advanced top speaker and not the usual one for calling. It was used in the OnePlus 8T and fulfills the task of delivering surround sound, but it is not a breakthrough piece.

The bottom speaker is on average with maximum noise, and the lowest possible volume could be a bit lower. Supports Dolby Atmos®.

From the point of view of practical use, we cannot forget the famous one OnePlus switch, which is located on the right side above the unlock button. This allows you to quickly switch the current ring mode.

5G connectivity and NFC

In the area of ​​connectivity, the OnePlus 8T does not lag behind and has integrated as well 5G, which we will not use in Slovakia. It also includes NFC for payment or wireless pairing, 2 × 2 MIMO Wi-Fi with 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac / ax standards.

Bluetooth 5.1 supports aptX & aptX HD & LDAC & AAC codecs. USB-C (USB 3.1 GEN1) is a matter of course, it also contains Dual SIM key lock.

Buy your OnePlus 8T cheap online

If you are very interested in the OnePlus 8T after reading this review, be sure to purchase through our global partner Banggood. He currently only offers 12 + 256 GB version, but it actually has a review with a coupon at the time of writing great price and one of the lowest.