Those interested in buying a new OnePlus smartphone might have difficulties deciding between the OnePlus 8 and the more expensive OnePlus 8 Pro. Both phones were announced on April 14, and the Pro comes with many defining features, including wireless charging, that OnePlus hopes will make it worth the extra money.
OnePlus is a subsidiary of the Chinese firm BBK electronics. In 2013, former OPPO Vice President, Pete Lou, founded the OnePlus company along with Carl Pei. Where BBK Electronics focuses on televisions and cameras, OnePlus almost exclusively sells smartphones and associated accessories.
The basic version of the OnePlus 8 features a 90Hz fluid display, which means that its more capable of displaying motion in a manner that is closer to life. In comparison, the Pro version comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning that the image you see refreshes 120 times per second, resulting in an even smoother image overall. The OnePlus 8 display comes with reading and night modes and a vibrant color effect; however, in addition to these, the Pro variant features motion graphics smoothing and an adaptive display. Performance-wise, both the OnePlus 8 and the Pro variant run on an a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip, which among other things, enables support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6.
Is the OnePlus 8 Pro Worth The Extra Money?
At almost $900, the OnePlus 8 Pro costs roughly $200 more than the non-Pro version. To warrant its price, the OnePlus 8 Pro offers some quality of life additions like wireless charging and laser sensors that the cheaper variant does not. Aside from these, most of the differences are in the device's visuals, with a focus on things like the refresh rates, and the fact the Pro’s display is larger, and its camera is slightly better. The OnePlus 8 Pro also supports Wi-Fi 6, which could be critical as the updated internet infrastructure becomes more accessible.
If you’re looking for a new phone, you should consider saving yourself the money and purchasing the standard OnePlus 8. The Pro variant gets you a sharper camera, a faster refresh rate, wireless charging, and some sensors that increase accessibility. While one of the strongest points in favor of the OnePlus 8 Pro is the compatible with Wi-Fi 6, this would be more of a deal if both versions didn’t support 5G. Otherwise, the upgrades aren’t necessary for most general consumers. The 120Hz refresh rate is certainly impressive, as it is double the rate of most monitors, but the standard clocks in at 90Hz, and that’s more than enough for a pleasurable smartphone experience.
Source: OnePlus