The tech community has been talking a great deal about the OnePlus 7 Pro (Review) since it broke cover half a month ago. And why not? The OnePlus 7 Pro is the company's most ambitious offering yet, going up against the big guns from Samsung, Apple and Huawei for the first time. The entire tech community expected the Pro model to steal the limelight at the launch event but nobody was prepared for another surprise - the OnePlus 7's price. In fact, the OnePlus 7 suddenly became a hot topic among premium smartphone buyers.
For the first time, OnePlus is offering its newest offering at a price lower than the previous model's price. And a quick look at the spec sheet makes it hard for enthusiasts to spend extra for the OnePlus 7 Pro. You get the same Snapdragon 855 chipset in the OnePlus 7 as the OnePlus 7 Pro. The faster UFS 3.0 storage, the primary 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 camera and the new in-display fingerprint sensor make it to the OnePlus 7 too. All of this for Rs 16,000 less suddenly makes the OnePlus 7 Pro seem unnecessary. But is it?
I have been using the OnePlus 7 Pro since its launch and recently switched to the regular OnePlus 7, using it as my primary phone for a couple of days now. And there are some crucial reasons why it makes sense to spend Rs 16,000 extra over the OnePlus 7, despite the fact that basics are similar.
Why you should spend Rs 16,000 extra on the OnePlus 7 Pro?
The display makes an entire world's difference
This may seem exaggerated but you can't change facts. The OnePlus 7 Pro has possibly one of the best displays in a smartphone I have seen so far. The 90Hz refresh rate is immediately noticeable if you are coming from a phone with a 60Hz display. Scrolling is smoother, games look seamless and watching high-fps videos is like a treat for the eyes. Look away from the 90Hz refresh rate and there's more. The OnePlus 7 Pro is closest to the fullscreen bezel-less smartphone dream with very uniform bezels all around. All the while I have been watching movies or streaming YouTube videos, I always end up being confused as to which side are the navigation keys.
The OnePlus 7 in comparison is good but not 'OnePlus 7 Pro good'. The waterdrop notch feels like an eyesore in comparison and despite the snappy Oxygen OS, it doesn't feel as smooth as the OnePlus 7 Pro. That great display on the OnePlus 7 Pro alone is enough to justify the Rs 16,000 premium.
Triple camera versatility with almost best-in-class performance
The OnePlus 7 Pro has received average reviews in the camera department from critics. However, after a couple of updates, the OnePlus 7 Pro's camera performance is now on par with the best in business. The updates have improved the colour accuracy, better AI correction, improved exposure control and noticeably better zoom performance than before. It's still not Pixel 3-level great but never did I feel the need to have a Pixel 3 in my pocket. The cameras work impressively in all lighting conditions and it certainly feels like a phone that's worthy of 111 points on DxOMark.
The regular OnePlus 7 also borrows the same 48-megapixel primary camera but it loses out on the brilliant 3x lossless zoom camera and the vacation-friendly ultra-wide camera. I am yet to stretch the OnePlus 7's camera but I already feel crippled with the lack of the other two cameras.
Warp Charge 30 is really fast for a big 4000mAh battery
You can't dislike a phone with a bigger battery ever and more so if it has faster 30W charging. The OnePlus 7 Pro has a 4000mAh battery that can make it to the next day easily, provided you are cautious with your usage. Even if your thumbs abuse this crazy fast phone, you won't need to plug in the charger before the day ends. And when you do plug it in, you won't be spending an eternity for the battery to show 100 per cent.
In comparison, the OnePlus 7 has the slower 20W Fast Charge and a smaller 3700mAh battery. However, it only needs to support a Full HD+ display and hence, an all-day battery is guaranteed in regular usage. When you stretch your usage beyond normal, you might need the charger once before the day ends.
Improved vibration motor emulates iPhone-class user experience
Nobody may take notice but the haptic feedback on the OnePlus 7 Pro is sublime. It's on par with an iPhone's haptic feedback. Whether you are using the scroll bar, navigating around the interface or even playing games, the haptics makes the phone seem more responsive and encourages you to use it even more. This is not the case with the regular OnePlus 7 that still uses the inferior vibration motor and doesn't vibrate as elegantly as the OnePlus 7 Pro. In everyday usage, you are going to notice it.