Under tremendous pressure from fans and foes, OnePlus launched its new flagship, the OnePlus 5 (review) that does seem to be an attractive buy if you consider its price and specifications. At the same time, there is no such thing as a perfect phone. Each smartphone has some sort of compromises involved and OnePlus 5 has its own limitations. But should you just go ahead and buy it? Well, let’s try and answer that by enumerating what works and what doesn’t for the OnePlus 5.
Fastest Ph-One
Despite benchmark rigging controversy OnePlus 5 is the fastest phone available today. The 5th generation OnePlus 5 phone packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset coupled with Adreno 540 GPU which is only available in only a handful of smartphones as of now. It is offered with 6GB and 64GB storage or 8GB and 128GB of (fast UFS 2.1) storage depending on the price you are willing to pay. It is extremely agile when it comes to performance and it never bogs down no matter what or how many apps you cache.
Intuitive Oxygen OS
OnePlus 5 runs on near stock Android skin, that is fast, offers various features and options to customize it as per your own preferences. OnePlus always been known for gestures and in that regards the new phone is no different. It also offers various gestures, customizable navigation buttons and option to add on-screen navigation buttons. Then there are features like the new reading mode and dark theme that further add value.
To counter Samsung Pay in India, OnePlus came up with Paytm based Quick Pay feature (which isn’t live yet). All-in-all, OnePlus 5’s clean yet efficient OS counts as a massive advantage.
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Excellent fingerprint sensor
Previous generation OnePlus phones – the OnePlus 3 and 3T both featured a reliable and fast fingerprint sensor. However, the OnePlus 5 seems to have notched it up further. The phone seems to feature an accurate and blazing fast fingerprint sensor. To its testimony, It is yet to fail us while unlocking the device using fingerprint sensor. It allow users to store up to five finger impression. As soon as you place your finger on its Home button, it unlocks the device even before a blink of an eye.
Built Quality
Eyebrows might have been raised about OnePlus 5 design but no aspersions can be cast on its built quality. Although it features OnePlus 3T size display, it has a smaller footprint, is slimmer and is more ergonomic. The subtle curves on the sides and all metal design makes it a pleasure to hold in hand.
And it’s texture is resistant to daily wear and tear, and in our experience, it can also handle minor drops rather well.
Dash Charging
The OnePlus 5 is aided by a 3,300mAh battery that should last at least a day on a single charge for a moderate user. However, if you are someone who just can’t charge his/her phone in one go, OnePlus Dash charger will prove handy. The proprietary technology manages to tank up 50 percent battery in just thirty minutes.
Value For Money
The OnePlus 5 makers might have faced ire of some when they announced its price, however, the OnePlus 3T successor is right up there when it comes to value for money smartphones. When you take its innards, built quality and optics into account, you will find that it is the most affordable premium smartphone in the market. The 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the OnePlus costs Rs. 32,999 while 8GB RAM and 128 internal storage variant are priced at Rs. 38,999.
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OnePlus 5: Reasons Not To Buy
Still, Not A Flagship Killer
The OnePlus 5 certainly a promising premium smartphone but it still has lots of ground to cover before it can justify the flagship killer tag. It aims to compete in the league of big boys (like Samsung Galaxy S8, Google Pixel, and Apple iPhone) but falls short when it comes to innovation and user experience. The camera still falls short of flagship standards and the design semblance with last year’s iPhones isn’t helping either.
Everyone is now aware of what OnePlus can offer on the hardware front. Now it’s time that instead of just wrapping up best of innards in a premium casing it turns its attention to offers something unique to its loyal fans. The point being, if you have ‘flagship’ money to spare, you might still be better off with those high-end offerings.
Low Display Resolution
At a time while all Android big guns (from Galaxy S8 to LG G6 and HTC U11 to Sony Xperia XZ Premium) all flaunt Quad HD display, OnePlus continues to persist with a full HD display. It is exactly the same panel that was used in the OnePlus 3T. The 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED screen feels underwhelming when in comparison to the aforementioned flagships.
This shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, but if you are picky about your displays, there are better and sharper options available, albeit for a higher price.
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It’s still not water resistant
How important is water resistance? A lot, if you ask someone who has lost a gadget to accidental spillage. The monsoon season is on, and it feels tranquil to not have to worry about wrapping your phone in plastic bags in case of a sudden downpour.
Most of the flagship launched in 2017 are water and dust resistant barring the OnePlus 5. Carl Pai lead OnePlus continues to ignore IP certification which could have shifted the pendulum in its favor (ever so slightly) If carried an IP68 certification. Though, it is said that OnePlus 5 has some sort of a water repellent nano coating. Nonetheless, since the company doesn’t claim to have IP certification, you cannot claim warranty on waterlogged phones.
No OIS
The Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) On OnePlus 5 is a step down from OIS in OnePlus 3T. The OP 5 trades OIS for the new dual camera system and a slimmer body, but this hasn’t exactly played to its advantage. OP 5 manages to capture good images in daylight and the camera is not terrible by any yardstick, but it’s not dazzling either. The lack of optical image stabilization, however, dents its performance in low light conditions. Missing OIS also affects 4K Videos recording adversely.
Not So Original Design
The OnePlus 5 is heavily inspired by the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. The dual camera placement, microphone placement and LED notification placement, and the antenna lines are all identical to the iPhone 7 Plus. Despite that, the OnePlus 5 doesn’t feel as funky as the S8, or HTC U11 or LG G6. or even the OnePlus 3T.
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