Although OnePlus is yet to acknowledge the OnePlus Z (also known as OnePlus 8 Lite) officially, there is ample evidence that the phone exists thanks to a slew of leaks centered around it. Now, some purported OnePlus Z images have emerged online.
True-tech claims to have received a real-life OnePlus Z render from a 'reliable source.' Prima facie, it looks a lot like Samsung's Galaxy S20 series with its centrally-placed hole-punch camera. From what we can on the screen, the OnePlus Z will also come with an under-screen optical fingerprint scanner. It also indirectly confirms that it will feature an AMOLED panel. Whether or not it will feature a high-refresh-rate screen remains to be seen.
Considering that the OnePlus Z is somewhat of a 'budget' option, it comes with a non-curvy screen, something that a lot of people will welcome. The MediaTek Dimensity 1000-powered mid-ranger is expected to drop sometime in Q3 2020, and will cost around $500.
It'll be interesting to see how the OnePlus Z stands against other similarly-priced offerings as it will be the first-ever smartphone in the market running MediaTek's flagship SoC. The chip looks promising on paper, at least, and will go a long way towards restoring users' confidence in MediaTek as a premium chip maker.