OnePlus 9RT review
The OnePlus 9RT is a flagship experience at a cheaper price point. With a premium design, superb 120Hz AMOLED display, and Snapdragon 888 chipset with improved thermals, it's an attractive option for those seeking high-end features without the hefty tag. However, its average camera performance and subpar selfie capabilities are notable drawbacks. A detailed comparison with the Xiaomi 11T Pro highlights both phones' strengths and weaknesses, making the OnePlus 9RT a solid choice, albeit not an outstanding one.
Build Quality and Design
The OnePlus 9RT boasts a premium build quality that is noticeable from the moment you hold it in your hand. The phone's design is ergonomic, with a smooth and seamless construction that makes it comfortable to grip. The device's dimensions are well-balanced, allowing for easy one-handed use. One of the standout features of the OnePlus 9RT is its impressive display. The AMOLED screen is vibrant and colorful, making it perfect for watching videos or browsing through your favorite apps. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures a smooth and seamless visual experience, with minimal lag or stuttering. The phone's build quality is also impressive, with a sturdy and premium feel to it. The device's back panel is made of glass, which gives it a sleek and sophisticated look. The camera module is well-integrated into the design, with a subtle bump that doesn't disrupt the overall aesthetic. In terms of durability, the OnePlus 9RT feels solid and robust, with no signs of flexing or creaking when applying pressure. The phone's construction is also IP53 rated, which means it can withstand exposure to water and dust. Overall, the OnePlus 9RT's build quality and design are among its strongest assets. The device feels premium and well-made, with a focus on aesthetics and functionality that sets it apart from other smartphones in its class. Whether you're looking for a new phone or just want to upgrade your current device, the OnePlus 9RT is definitely worth considering.
Battery Life
Battery Life: A Mixed Bag for the OnePlus 9RT One of the most critical aspects of any smartphone is its battery life, and the OnePlus 9RT is no exception. Unfortunately, it falls short in this department, delivering an above-average but not outstanding performance. With a non-LTPo 120Hz display and Snapdragon 888 combo, the phone's power consumption is higher than expected. As a result, the 4500mAh cell doesn't quite make up for the increased energy drain. I found that the battery life is average at best, with the phone lasting from morning to evening with some juice left over. However, when I put it through its paces, the battery life was somewhat disappointing. During my usual office hours, which include moderate usage like browsing, emailing, and social media scrolling, I managed to eke out a decent 12-13 hours of battery life. But if I had plans to go out for the night or engage in more strenuous activities like gaming or video streaming, I'd need to top up the charge again. Fast charging is where the OnePlus 9RT shines, with a 65W charger that can quickly refill the battery from zero to 100% in around 35 minutes. This is a welcome feature, but it's not enough to redeem the average battery life. Overall, while the phone's battery life is usable, it's not exceptional by any means. If OnePlus had optimized the power consumption further, perhaps with an LTPo display or more efficient processor, I think they could have achieved truly outstanding battery life for this device. As it stands, users will need to be mindful of their power usage and charge accordingly to get the most out of this phone's battery.
Display
The display on the OnePlus 9RT is one of its standout features. The phone boasts a superb 6.55-inch AMOLED panel that offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast ratios. The screen resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, which provides a crisp and clear visual experience. One of the notable aspects of the display is its fast refresh rate, which can go up to 120Hz. This means that the screen can refresh 120 times per second, making it feel incredibly smooth and responsive, especially when scrolling through content or playing games. The high refresh rate also makes the phone's animations and transitions look more fluid. The AMOLED panel on the OnePlus 9RT is also HDR10+ compliant, which allows for a wider range of colors to be displayed. This results in a more immersive viewing experience, especially when watching movies or TV shows with vivid visuals. In terms of brightness, the display on the OnePlus 9RT can get quite bright, making it suitable for use outdoors. However, it's worth noting that the screen doesn't get as bright as some other flagships on the market, and the auto-brightness feature sometimes struggles to adapt to changing lighting conditions. Overall, the display on the OnePlus 9RT is excellent, offering a great combination of color accuracy, brightness, and smoothness. It's one of the best displays you'll find on a phone in this price range, making it a compelling reason to choose the OnePlus 9RT over some other options.
Camera
The camera system on the OnePlus 9RT is an area where the phone falls short of expectations. While it's capable of capturing decent photos, the results often lack detail and finesse compared to what we've seen from other flagships. In bright lighting conditions, the 9RT's primary camera produces images with good exposure and contrast. However, the colors can appear a bit washed out, and there's a noticeable softness in the details. The ultrawide-angle lens offers a similar experience, although it tends to struggle with retaining sharpness and detail. Things take a turn for the worse when shooting portraits. Oneplus 9RT's results are marred by a lack of depth and dimensionality, with subjects appearing soft and hazy. In contrast, the Xiami 11T Pro produces images that are overly sharpened and exhibit an unnatural color tone. However, we do prefer the overall aesthetic presented by OnePlus. At night, the 9RT performs relatively better, preserving the essence of the scene while maintaining good exposure and detail. The camera's flare control is also commendable, but this doesn't necessarily translate to exceptional results in all situations. In low-light conditions, the phone struggles to maintain a balanced exposure, often prioritizing highlights over shadows. Ultra-wide-angle nighttime shots are another area where OnePlus' phone holds its own against the Xiaomi 11T Pro, with more pronounced sharpness and better contrast. Nonetheless, we can't shake off the feeling that these images could be improved further with enhanced noise reduction or other tweaks to the camera software. The camera's performance in video recording is equally disappointing. While it's capable of capturing smooth 4K footage at 60fps, the colors are muted, and there's an occasional hint of jerkiness when walking or moving the camera. The selfie camera tops out at just 1080p 30fps, which is underwhelming considering the phone's overall features. In conclusion, the OnePlus 9RT's camera system fails to impress in most areas. It can take decent photos but often struggles with retaining detail and depth. With a few tweaks to its camera software, this could have been a top-notch offering from OnePlus.
Price and Value
The OnePlus 9RT is a significant upgrade over its predecessors, offering a flagship experience at a more affordable price point. Priced around $600-$700, it competes directly with the likes of Xiaomi 11T Pro and other high-end devices. While the phone's design, display, and performance are top-notch, the camera setup is where it falls short. The lackluster camera configuration is a major letdown, especially considering the excellent optics found on the vanilla OnePlus 9. This oversight makes the 9RT feel like an incomplete package, even at its discounted price. In comparison to the Xiaomi 11T Pro, which offers similar features and specs at a lower cost, the 9RT starts to lose its value proposition. The X11T Pro's improved camera capabilities make it a more compelling choice for those seeking better imaging performance without breaking the bank. Moreover, the OnePlus 9RT's battery life is merely average, often requiring mid-day top-ups even with moderate usage. This aspect of the phone's performance is somewhat mitigated by its fast charging capabilities, but it still feels like an area that could be improved upon. Considering these factors, I'd say that while the OnePlus 9RT is a solid device, it doesn't quite live up to its full potential. The inclusion of the better camera setup from the vanilla OnePlus 9 would have made this phone a truly exceptional value proposition. As it stands, the 9RT feels like an iterative upgrade rather than a revolutionary step forward. In conclusion, while the OnePlus 9RT is a good device, its price and value are somewhat compromised by its subpar camera configuration and average battery life. If you're looking for a high-end experience without the premium price tag, there are other options available that may better suit your needs.
Performance
The OnePlus 9RT is the latest flagship device from the Chinese tech giant, promising to deliver top-notch performance at an affordable price. As the name suggests, this phone boasts a robust 120Hz AMOLED display, making it ideal for gamers and multimedia enthusiasts. Under the hood, the 9RT runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset, which has proven to be one of the fastest processors in the market. Paired with up to 12GB of RAM, this device is ready to take on even the most demanding tasks with ease. The phone's performance was consistently snappy and responsive throughout our testing period. In our benchmarking tests, the OnePlus 9RT demonstrated impressive scores, rivaling those of its more expensive counterparts. Whether you're editing videos, playing games, or simply browsing through social media, this device will provide a seamless experience without any hiccups. One aspect where the 9RT truly shines is in its thermals management. The phone's cooling system kept temperatures remarkably low during prolonged usage, even when pushed to extreme limits. This ensures that the device remains comfortable to hold and use for extended periods. While some users may be expecting a slight boost with the new 8+ Gen 1 chip, it's reassuring to see the Snapdragon 888 still delivering exceptional performance in its own right. Combine this with OxygenOS' optimized UI, and you're in for a treat that rivals even the best flagships on the market. In conclusion, the OnePlus 9RT is an excellent performer that sets a new standard for mid-range devices. Its robust display, fast chipset, and efficient cooling system make it perfect for those seeking a top-notch mobile experience without breaking the bank.
Pros
1. The phone has a fairly premium and ergonomic design
2. A superb 120hz amoled display
3. The Snapdragon 888 chipset with improved thermals is a plus
4. It supports 65 watt fast charging using the power adapter provided inside the box itself
5. You're getting a flagship experience at a cheaper price
6. Despite some shortcomings, it's a very good option
Cons
1. The camera setup could have been better
2. No power delivery compatible charger is provided with the phone
3. The battery life is only above average due to the non-ltp oh 120 hz display and snapdragon 888 combo
4. The selfie videos cap out at just 1080p 30fps which is a bummer at this price point
5. The exposure control in selfie videos is not good
6. The camera performance is straight up average and can be found in cheaper phones like the galaxy s20 fe or vivo v23 pro