The OnePlus 9RT is the flagship India needs

Definitely the flagship India needs right now. Launch it already, OnePlus.

OnePlus has a way of changing consumer expectations. The Never Settling brand first surprised the world in 2014 by proving that you could get flagship level prices at well below premium levels. And when we had got used to having a single flagship killer every year from the brand, it brought in the T series, which often came with spec and design improvements over the OnePlus flagship(s) launched earlier in the year. The T variant of the OnePlus has now become a part of the tech calendar, and its latest addition, the OnePlus 9RT continues the proud tradition of its predecessors – of delivering surprising specs and performance at a stunning price.

Indeed, we think that the OnePlus 9RT is the flagship that India needs. The phone has been launched in China and hopefully, the brand will soon bring it to the Indian market.

That is because the OnePlus 9RT, based on what we have seen in China, is a classic OnePlus device, reflecting the roots of the brand and what it stands for. As its name indicates, it is very broadly based on OnePlus’ gaming phone launched earlier this year, the OnePlus 9R. But whereas the OnePlus 9R was a step behind its flagship siblings, the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9R is right up there rubbing shoulders with them.

The biggest reason for this is right under its sleekly designed hood – the OnePlus 9RT runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, which powers almost every premium Android flagship phone (including the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro). And as if that were not enough muscle, it also comes with UFS 3.1 storage to ensure speedy performance. The phone is therefore capable of blazingly fast performance, but it will never even come close to heating up because it comes with a redesigned cooling system, with five-layer cooling materials for three dimensional cooling. The VC cooling area is 59 per cent more than seen in the OnePlus 9, and the cooling is 20 per cent more efficient.

The cameras have gone up a notch too. The OnePlus 9RT comes with the same flagship level, highly-acclaimed Sony IMX766 50 megapixel sensor that was seen on the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus Pro. It comes with OIS and has performance levels well beyond anything the competition in this price segment can offer, with its large size (1/1.56 inches) making it especially proficient in low light photography. Also onboard are a 16 megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2 megapixel macro camera on the back and a 16 megapixel selfie snapper,.

There is also some serious software magic on the cameras. OnePlus’ sensor-exclusive DOL-HDR algorithm also takes the pain out of shooting videos in poorly or unevenly lit conditions, faciliating “dual-exposure controls” where shorter and longer exposed visual data can be captured almost simultaneously. So multiple videos are recorded simultaneously, and then processed by AI, which takes the best from each to produce one stunning result.

This being a T version of the 9R, there are gaming touches too. The phone has a eSports ready three Wi-Fi antenna system, which can switch between scenarios, optimising network performance for your gaming experience, and cutting out latency, ensuring that you are not out of touch with your opponents. Speaking of touch, the OnePlus 9RT comes with a staggering 600 Hz touch sampling rate – in simple English, you will get the sort of response you get while gaming using a mouse and a keyboard. And to make sure you “feel” the game and not just see it, there are intelligent 4D haptics, thanks to a large volume X-axis linear motor, which makes you feel every explosion and vibration on the screen! For sound, there are excellent, high quality stereo speakers.

The display remains excellent (this is a OnePlus after all) – a 6.62 FHD+ AMOLED display with almost zero bezels (92.42 per cent screen to body ratio) and 120 Hz refresh rate. It is also made of E4 luminous material, which makes it a joy to view even in the brightest light. And when it comes to its own brightness, it is no slouch, going up to a massive 1300 nits.

Keeping all this running easily for a day or more is the task of a 4500 mAh battery with 65W dual cell simultaneous charging. Not only does it come with Warp Charge 65T (and a 65 W charger in the box), letting you charge it from nothing to full in less than half an hour, it also lets you charge the phone without interrupting your gaming sessions. This phone can take anything you throw at it.

A point of curiosity is the UI on the OnePlus 9RT. In China, the phone was released with ColorOS 12. If it does come to India (and we so hope it does), will it come with ColorOS or the legendary OxygenOS OnePlus is known for? Whatever be the case, one can be sure that the phone will run smoothly and its interface will be non-intrusive – hey, this is a OnePlus, remember.

And there is a chance that all this awesomeness could be available at a price that is well below that of the OnePlus 9, which we think is the best premium flagship in the market even today in terms of sheer value for money. The OnePlus 9RT was priced at 3,199 Yuan in China, which roughly translates to Rs 37,300. Even if duties and taxes necessitate an increase, the chances that the OnePlus 9RT could still start at a price lower than the OnePlus 9. If that happens – and we would not rule it out, given how carefully OnePlus prices its devices in India (sometimes even lower than other international markets) – the One Plus 9RT could well be perhaps the most affordable truly flagship device in the Indian market. It comes complete with a proper flagship processor, flagship cameras, and of course, software and amazing battery. It can handle everything from gaming to photography to video editing, all without losing its cool.

Definitely the flagship India needs right now. Launch it already, OnePlus.