OnePlus 7 Smartphone: Phone with dual-camera setup in review
You've been an only child for years, spoiled by mom and dad, and suddenly a second sibling announces itself. If the OnePlus 7 had feelings, it probably wouldn't be very happy about it since the OnePlus 7 Pro is suddenly the new favorite; it receives the cool features like a completely uniform front side without a notch or punch hole and a triple-camera setup on the rear.
Suddenly the OnePlus 7 starts being treated with a bit of neglect: It is released slightly later, it looks almost identical to the OnePlus 6T predecessor, and it was suddenly no longer the star at the press event. At least the specifications point to a very high-quality device, which has a faster processor compared to the OnePlus 6T, cameras with a higher resolution and faster storage. Whether the OnePlus 7 is wrongly neglected, and whether owners of its predecessor should buy this model, we'll clarify in our review.
For this purpose we'll compare the device to the OnePlus 7 Pro, the OnePlus 6T and to other high-end smartphones like the Nokia 9, the Honor View 20 and even the iPhone 7 Plus, which is part of the same price segment. The Samsung Galaxy S10 can currently be obtained for just under 650 Euros (~$736) too, which is 100 Euros (~$113) more expensive than the budget variant of the OnePlus 7; naturally, we'll also evaluate if this extra charge is worth it.
Case – Mirror Gray as the only option
The OnePlus 7 offers a body that looks very similar to its predecessor. This means yet again that not much has changed since the OnePlus 6, which was released about a year ago. Like its predecessors, the OnePlus 7 provides a lot of display at the front. It inherits the waterdrop notch from the OnePlus 6T, and both smartphones can't be told apart from one another by looking at their front sides.
The smartphone is currently only available in one color variant; this one differs from its predecessor: It's called Mirror Gray, and it's a lighter version of the glossy variant of the OnePlus 6T. The camera module is shaped a bit differently, and now there's glossy OnePlus lettering in addition to the logo, but that's it for visual differences.
OnePlus' refusal to provide its smartphones with IP certification hasn't gone away either. But the manufacturer promises that the device should at least resist splashes and rain. In the same way, there shouldn't be any problems if the smartphone is briefly dropped in water. However, OnePlus' warranty explicitly excludes coverage for water damage.
Furthermore, the case is very well built. OnePlus also improved the surface feel: There are no longer any bothersome edges in the corners, and the smartphone now sits very well in the hand. The only shortcoming is the screen protector that comes preinstalled out of the box since it produces tangible edges. In terms of weight, the smartphone is even slightly lighter than the OnePlus 6T, which it matches with a 1:1 ratio in regard to size.
The stability is once again very good; the case isn't affected at all by pressure. However, the OnePlus 7 creaks quite audibly when being twisted; the OnePlus 6T was more reserved in this aspect.
Connectivity – Fewer variants
Just like with the IP certification, OnePlus handles the microSD reader in the same way: It's not present. This is a tradition with OnePlus, but it's not such a big problem anymore due to the large storage space. As with the predecessor, one can choose between 128 GB and 256 GB of storage, but the combination options regarding RAM have been limited: There were four variants with the predecessor, but now there are only two:
- OnePlus 7 Mirror Gray 6 GB + 128 GB: 559 Euros (~$633)
- OnePlus 7 Mirror Gray 8 GB + 256 GB: 609 Euros (~$690)
The entry level device's price increase of 10 Euros (~$11) is moderate compared to the predecessor; the pricier variant is even 20 Euros (~$23) less expensive than with the OnePlus 6T.
OnePlus took pity on the seventh model and finally built in a USB-C port with USB 3.1 speed, even when it's of the slightly slower Gen. 1 (so it's actually USB 3.0), which can still transfer data 10 times faster than its predecessor could with its USB 2 port. Furthermore, NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD are on board.
Software – OnePlus with up-to-date Android
OnePlus is to a large extent quite exemplar when it comes to software: The manufacturer provides older devices with new functions and software updates for a long time. In this way the OnePlus 3, which was released in June 2016, received security updates until November 2019. Android Oreo was the last operating system update for this model generation. OnePlus is also very quick to react to problems or security issues and releases an update for its current devices every couple of weeks.
There's little preinstalled software in the device. The only promotional app is the one from Netflix, its cooperation partner. Apart from that, there's also the in-house weather app, a file manager and the Community app. Except for Netflix, all other preinstalled apps can be uninstalled, which is something that we like. The device supports DRM L1 so that streaming content can be watched in HD.
Android 9 is preinstalled in our smartphone. The security patches are at the level of April 2019 and are therefore no longer completely up to date, but they're still within the limits.
Communication and GPS – World phone
The OnePlus 7 makes an effort again to be a world phone by supporting numerous LTE networks, and in our opinion it succeeds very well at this. Even users who travel to exotic countries shouldn't have any problems with the LTE network. The reception didn't show any issues, and we didn't experience any signal drops in the urban area using the well-developed German D2 network, even in buildings and narrow streets.
All modern Wi-Fi standards are supported. However, the OnePlus 7 only reached moderately fast values between 300 and 400 Mb/s in our test with the Linksys EA8500 reference router. There are also frequent drops to be observed in the graph with the transfer speeds. But OnePlus has already showed in the past that it can significantly increase the Wi-Fi speed in its smartphones through software updates: This was the case with the OnePlus 6T, for example. If there's such an update for the OnePlus 7, we will naturally review this aspect again.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 | |
| Nokia 9 PureView | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro | |
| OnePlus 7 | |
| Honor View 20 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 | |
| Nokia 9 PureView | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro | |
| OnePlus 7 | |
| Honor View 20 | |
The GPS module, which by the way supports dual-channel GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, is unable to determine our location indoors. But when getting closer to a window, we received a location with an accuracy of up to five meters within a few seconds. The reception is also better outdoors, but the accuracy doesn't increase any further.
In our practical test, a bike ride in which the smartphone has to prove itself against the Garmin Edge 520 professional navigator, the OnePlus 7 showed some inaccuracies, especially in the narrow alleys in the old part of the city, but it mastered crossing the bridge quite precisely and is overall only a bit below the level of the professional navigator. Users than don't depend on absolute precision for navigating can use the OnePlus 7 with peace of mind.
Telephone and call quality – High clarity
OnePlus has adjusted the phone app: The latest update moves the recent calls tab and the contacts tab to the bottom, and the app can now be set to show a dark mode together with the whole system; OnePlus veterans have been acquainted with this for a long time.
The call quality reminds us a lot of the OnePlus 7 Pro: The speaker used as an earpiece can get quite loud on request, but then the sound also spreads to the surroundings. The microphone quickly over-modulates loud voices, but quiet voices are well reproduced in return. Even in hands-free mode, the device becomes quite loud on request, but the microphone doesn't detect quiet voices well here. We like the sound of our counterpart; it's warm, and there's ambient noise only at very high volume.
VoLTE and VoWiFi are supported.
Cameras – Trimmed-down telephoto lens in OnePlus 7
OnePlus made some changes with the camera setup in comparison to the OnePlus 6T: The OnePlus 7 receives the 48 MP main camera with optical image stabilization found in the OnePlus 7 Pro and additionally a telephoto lens with 5 megapixels. The front features the same sensor as the Pro model, namely a Sony IMX471 with 16 megapixels, which is a slight update in comparison to the predecessor. The front-facing camera takes good pictures with decent color reproduction and level of detail.
Users who enjoy taking close-up photos should know that the resolution of the telephoto lens is lower than in the OnePlus 6T and the OnePlus 7 Pro, and that the 5 MP camera doesn't offer the fastest focus. In return, the main lens combines four photos with each other on request to produce one 12 MP photo, which should contain considerably more details through the fourfold information content. In comparison to the OnePlus 7 Pro, users will have to do without the ultra-wide-angle lens, and there is also no laser autofocus.
As with the OnePlus 7 Pro, the 48 MP camera in the rear produces very nice-looking photos with vivid colors. Details are also well reproduced. The smartphone performs well in low light too, but it can't produce as many details as the iPhone XS Max, for example.
Videos can be recorded in 4K; we liked the quality a lot here as well: The camera reacts very quickly and accurately to changes in lighting conditions, and the reproduction of details and the level of sharpness are also very good.
In our lab tests under controlled lighting conditions, the OnePlus 7 convinces through good color reproduction, whereby some tones are represented very accurately. The photo of the test chart is very sharp; text in front of a colored background is not a problem for the smartphone camera either.
Accessories and Warranty – Many accessories
OnePlus honors a 24-month warranty on the smartphone. As mentioned above, this doesn't cover water damage. Therefore, one shouldn't necessarily test the seals of the device for their reliability.
The OnePlus 7 includes a quite large fast-charging power adapter in the box; OnePlus connoisseurs are already used to this: The charging technology is found almost completely within the charger which makes it larger, but the smartphone doesn't get that hot during charging and can receive energy more quickly. Needless to say, a USB-C cable in OnePlus' red and white colors is also available. A SIM tool and a silicon bumper case also come in the box.
As was the case with previous models, there are many tailor-made accessories available for the OnePlus 7. Some examples are bumper cases made of high-quality materials such as nylon or featuring textured surfaces that resemble sandstone. An additional power adapter can be purchased for around 30 Euros (~$34).
Input devices and handling – Fast in-display fingerprint scanner
Despite the OnePlus 7 not having a 90-Hz display like the OnePlus 7 Pro, scrolling through menus and longer sites is still very smooth with the smartphone. The display reacted fast and very reliably to inputs.
As with all OnePlus devices, there's a hardware slider on the right side, with which the smartphone can be set to silent or vibrating mode quickly. This is very practical in meetings or when going to the theater.
The volume rocker and the power button feel premium too; they are firmly placed within the case and can be felt and used very reliably.
Once again there's a fingerprint scanner under the display. In our experience, it has been significantly improved over the OnePlus 6T, and it now unlocks the smartphone super quickly and very reliably. After minor problems in our first try, the facial recognition also identified us very fast and reliably. The display is used as a light source in dark environments.
Display – Optic AMOLED in OnePlus 7 phone
A look at the technical data would say that nothing has changed compared to the OnePlus 6T in terms of the display: Once again there is a 6.41-inch display in the 19.5:9 format, which houses the front-facing camera inside a small waterdrop notch. The resolution of 2340x1080 pixels is a Full HD resolution that has been extended a bit in the long side; the OnePlus 7 Pro can score points in this regard with 1440p and no notch. A lot of other high-end devices provide a slightly higher display resolution by now too.
When the sensor is fully exposed, the display becomes bright in a similar way to the OnePlus 7 Pro, but it sits rather in the midfield of the comparison chart with an average of 605 cd/m². The brightness distribution is on a high level with 94%.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 603 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 2.7 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
99.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.266
| OnePlus 7 AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.4" | OnePlus 7 Pro AMOLED, 3120x1440, 6.7" | OnePlus 6T Optic AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.4" | Samsung Galaxy S10 OLED, 3040x1440, 6.1" | Nokia 9 PureView P-OLED, 2880x1440, 6" | Honor View 20 LTPS, 2310x1080, 6.4" | Apple iPhone 7 Plus IPS, 1920x1080, 5.5" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 27% | 8% | 8% | 16% | 1% | 26% | |
| Brightness middle | 603 | 586 -3% | 437 -28% | 701 16% | 648 7% | 492 -18% | 557 -8% |
| Brightness | 605 | 584 -3% | 442 -27% | 705 17% | 641 6% | 475 -21% | 553 -9% |
| Brightness Distribution | 94 | 97 3% | 95 1% | 98 4% | 92 -2% | 94 0% | 97 3% |
| Black Level * | 0.4 | 0.35 | |||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.5 | 1.39 60% | 2.21 37% | 3.7 -6% | 2.3 34% | 2.4 31% | 1.4 60% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 7.7 | 2.7 65% | 4.27 45% | 10.3 -34% | 5.2 32% | 5.2 32% | 3.1 60% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.7 | 1.6 41% | 2.1 22% | 1.4 48% | 2.2 19% | 3.2 -19% | 1.3 52% |
| Gamma | 2.266 97% | 2.243 98% | 2.307 95% | 2.1 105% | 2.3 96% | 2.06 107% | 2.21 100% |
| CCT | 6775 96% | 6672 97% | 6353 102% | 6553 99% | 6592 99% | 7125 91% | 6667 97% |
| Contrast | 1230 | 1591 | |||||
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 63.1 | ||||||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 99.83 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 200 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Since an OLED display is being used, one shouldn't worry about contrast or black values; they are both almost perfect. Grayscales are reproduced nearly without any tint with the "Vivid" mode, and red color tones are slightly overemphasized. The OnePlus 7 can reproduce the sRGB color-space completely, and it even surpasses it in the case of some color tones. However, our measurements here are rather indicative of this.
The display offers very short response times, which makes it especially interesting for gamers. We detected PWM flickering; as is common with OLED displays, it's visible nearly throughout the whole brightness spectrum of the display and lies at around 200 Hz. OnePlus also offers the still experimental feature of DC dimming in the OnePlus 7. Our thorough article clarifies exactly what this is about. Through this, the effects of PWM flickering for sensitive users can at least be reduced, if not completely removed even, as was already seen with the OnePlus 7 Pro.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 3 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 15 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 17 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms). | ||
The OnePlus 7 performs well outdoors with the brightness sensor enabled, but the sensor could, in our opinion, activate the brightness increase a bit earlier and with more strength. It's already hard to read the display at medium brightness when the surroundings are very bright.
There are slight color shifts to be noticed regarding viewing angles, but these aren't critical, and the viewing angles are otherwise almost perfect from any direction.
Performance – No difference with the Pro model
If you are considering whether there is a difference in performance between the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro, we can give you an answer in accordance with our benchmark tests: No. The Snapdragon 855 works pretty much identically fast in both devices. Even when OnePlus mentions the liquid cooling in the Pro model, which should take care of providing even more performance capacity: We don't observe this in our tests.
The leap in performance is definitely noticeable in the benchmarks compared to the OnePlus 6T; will it be perceived in day-to-day too? Probably not. The OnePlus 7's edge compared to other flagships is evident in the system benchmarks. This is probably mainly due to the fast UFS 3.0 storage, which OnePlus is one of the first manufacturers to use.
The OnePlus 7 is a very fast smartphone that can also easily keep up with other current flagship devices. The older Apple iPhone 7 Plus can overall still keep up to some extent; especially in everyday use, the difference in speed would probably only be perceivable with very demanding games. From a performance perspective it can definitely still be an alternative, provided that ultimate power isn't a requirement.
| PCMark for Android | |
| Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 7 | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 | |
| Nokia 9 PureView | |
| Honor View 20 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (10330 - 14439, n=19) | |
| Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 7 | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 | |
| Nokia 9 PureView | |
| Honor View 20 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (8342 - 11440, n=19) | |
| AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 7 | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 | |
| Nokia 9 PureView | |
| Honor View 20 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (217967 - 398720, n=16) | |
One can quickly surf the Internet with the OnePlus 7. There's barely any waiting time for images to load; they are mostly already loaded before scrolling. Demanding HTML-5 sites pose no problems for the device, and the smartphone also plays at the forefront in the benchmarks.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=166, last 2 years) | |
| OnePlus 7 (Chrome 74) | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro (Chrome 74) | |
| Honor View 20 (Chrome 74) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (45.5 - 67, n=16) | |
| Nokia 9 PureView (Chrome 73.0.3683.90) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=151, last 2 years) | |
| OnePlus 7 (Chome 74) | |
| Honor View 20 (Chrome 74) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (42.5 - 67.9, n=15) | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro (Chome 74) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 (Samsung Browser 9.0) | |
| Nokia 9 PureView (Chrome 73.0.3683.90) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (38 - 347, n=79, last 2 years) | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro (Chrome 74) | |
| OnePlus 7 (Chrome 74) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (90 - 129, n=20) | |
| Honor View 20 (Chrome 71) | |
| Nokia 9 PureView (Chrome 73.0.3683.90) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=206, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Safari Mobile 10.0) | |
| OnePlus 7 (Chrome 74) | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro (Chrome 74) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (17011 - 33918, n=21) | |
| Honor View 20 (Chrome 71) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 (Samsung Browser 9.0) | |
| OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70) | |
| Nokia 9 PureView (Chrome 73.0.3683.90) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Nokia 9 PureView (Chrome 73.0.3683.90) | |
| OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (1852 - 2611, n=19) | |
| Honor View 20 (Chrome 71) | |
| OnePlus 7 Pro (Chrome 74) | |
| OnePlus 7 (Chrome 74) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 (Samsung Browser 9.0) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=164, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPhone 7 Plus (Safari Mobile 10.0) | |
* ... smaller is better
Not only did OnePlus use very fast UFS 3.0 storage in the OnePlus 7 Pro but also in the OnePlus 7. That is a very good decision because especially with sequential access the storage is twice as fast compared to UFS 2.1, which was used in the OnePlus 6T, for example. Storage access in the OnePlus 7 also feels very fast from a subjective standpoint.
| OnePlus 7 | OnePlus 7 Pro | OnePlus 6T | Samsung Galaxy S10 | Nokia 9 PureView | Honor View 20 | Apple iPhone 7 Plus | Average 256 GB UFS 3.0 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -4% | -36% | -33% | -39% | 76% | 158% | 334% | ||
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1463 | 1468 0% | 735 -50% | 832 -43% | 728 -50% | 847 -42% | 1547 ? 6% | 1859 ? 27% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 392 | 387 -1% | 204.4 -48% | 193.2 -51% | 200.3 -49% | 250.1 -36% | 575 ? 47% | 1445 ? 269% | |
| Random Read 4KB | 175.3 | 174.1 -1% | 138.5 -21% | 137.4 -22% | 132 -25% | 168.9 -4% | 210 ? 20% | 278 ? 59% | |
| Random Write 4KB | 28.7 | 24.8 -14% | 22 -23% | 24.44 -15% | 20.18 -30% | 138.9 384% | 188.5 ? 557% | 310 ? 980% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 77.9 ? | 70.6 ? | |||||||
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 64.8 ? | 59.8 ? |
Games – Suitable for gaming with Fnatic mode
The Qualcomm Adreno 640 is one of the fastest graphics solutions for smartphones on the market. Therefore, it's no surprise that the OnePlus 7 has no issues running modern games. The 90-Hz mode is only available in the OnePlus 7 Pro, but our review device reaches a stable 60 fps in Arena of Valor independently of the settings chosen.
A maximum of 30 fps is possible in Asphalt 9; the frame rate fluctuates a bit more at high quality settings here. Nevertheless, all the games tested by us run very smoothly. We determine the frame rates using GameBench.
With Temple Run 2 we verify the accuracy of the touchscreen and the position sensor, which are almost always used to control games, and we have no complaints in this regard.
OnePlus has now added the new upgraded gaming mode with the special Fnatic mode, which gears the smartphone towards gaming in a particularly radical way and minimizes distractions such as notifications.
Emissions – High heat development, good speakers
Temperature
Fortunately, the SoC only throttles minimally even under sustained load, as we can determine with the GFXBench battery test. Despite there being a decrease in the chart, it only looks so dramatic because of the scale: In reality, it only amounts to a few percent of the performance, and this was higher again in the next run.
That the system is so stable is almost a bit surprising when taking a look at the maximum case temperatures, which are clearly high. After sustained load, we measure up to 46.7 °C (~116 °F) at the front. That is almost a critical value, and it can feel quite uncomfortable if you put the smartphone in your pocket after a long gaming session.
Heat can also be perceived in idle usage, but it is considerably lower and poses no problems.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.7 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.3 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(-) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 39.4 °C / 103 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
The OnePlus 7 finally comes with stereo speakers. For this purpose it uses the earpiece and a second speaker that's placed in the bottom to the left. As was the case with the OnePlus 7 Pro, we found the sound pleasing due to it being warm and full. The mono speaker in the OnePlus 6T wasn't bad, but one can get significantly more volume on request with the OnePlus 7, more deep mids and an overall more decent sound pattern.
Therefore, the OnePlus 7 can definitely compete with budget Bluetooth speakers, and it's pleasing to listen to videos or songs with the smartphone. There is no longer a 3.5 mm audio jack in OnePlus phones ever since the last generation; sound output takes place over the USB-C port. A simple adapter is enough to reproduce sound through a device with a 3.5 mm connection, and it delivers clean sound. Devices can also be connected through Bluetooth 5.0; this works without any issues and results in pleasing sound too.
OnePlus 7 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 70.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 70.9% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 70.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (118.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 96% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
OnePlus 6T audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (116.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 96% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery life – OnePlus smartphone with good battery
Energy consumption
The energy requirement is only minimally lower than in the OnePlus 6T. The differences with the OnePlus 7 Pro are significantly more noticeable. The 90-Hz display in the Pro model must be having an impact here. The OnePlus 7 is generally very economical when it comes to energy.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  0.6 / 1.1 / 2 Watt |
| Load |
4 / 8 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| OnePlus 7 3700 mAh | OnePlus 7 Pro 4000 mAh | OnePlus 6T 3700 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S10 3400 mAh | Nokia 9 PureView 3320 mAh | Honor View 20 4000 mAh | Apple iPhone 7 Plus 2915 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -40% | -6% | -9% | -63% | -54% | -30% | -22% | -30% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.6 | 0.9 -50% | 0.7 -17% | 0.61 -2% | 1.65 -175% | 0.97 -62% | 0.77 -28% | 0.939 ? -57% | 0.885 ? -48% |
| Idle Average * | 1.1 | 1.8 -64% | 1.1 -0% | 1.27 -15% | 2.34 -113% | 2.58 -135% | 2.04 -85% | 1.506 ? -37% | 1.451 ? -32% |
| Idle Maximum * | 2 | 2.9 -45% | 2.1 -5% | 1.3 35% | 2.43 -22% | 2.63 -32% | 2.24 -12% | 1.799 ? 10% | 1.608 ? 20% |
| Load Average * | 4 | 5.5 -38% | 4.2 -5% | 6.17 -54% | 5.02 -26% | 5.24 -31% | 4.69 -17% | 4.61 ? -15% | 6.55 ? -64% |
| Load Maximum * | 8 | 8.2 -3% | 8.3 -4% | 8.55 -7% | 6.51 19% | 8.73 -9% | 8.66 -8% | 9.04 ? -13% | 9.92 ? -24% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
The battery runtimes are overall slightly above the ones that we measured with the OnePlus 6T. In comparison to other smartphones, the OnePlus 7 also lasts very long and even outperforms the OnePlus 7 Pro, which comes with a somewhat larger battery.
The OnePlus 7 is charged with the manufacturer's in-house Warp Charge technology. This means that a maximum of 20 watts of charging capacity is available. Warp Charge 30, namely charging at 30 watts, is limited to the OnePlus 7 Pro in this generation. However, that's not a big deal since the OnePlus 7 can get a full charge in under 1:30 hours, which is a very good value.
| OnePlus 7 3700 mAh | OnePlus 7 Pro 4000 mAh | OnePlus 6T 3700 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S10 3400 mAh | Nokia 9 PureView 3320 mAh | Honor View 20 4000 mAh | Apple iPhone 7 Plus 2915 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -14% | -4% | -35% | -33% | -4% | -19% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1989 | 1745 -12% | 1936 -3% | 1259 -37% | 1250 -37% | 1928 -3% | 1835 -8% |
| H.264 | 933 | 802 -14% | 903 -3% | 842 -10% | 732 -22% | 932 0% | 813 -13% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 901 | 768 -15% | 865 -4% | 427 -53% | 486 -46% | 969 8% | 587 -35% |
| Load | 278 | 236 -15% | 261 -6% | 170 -39% | 202 -27% | 222 -20% | 225 -19% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict – Down-to-earth smartphone with quality
The OnePlus 7 is a little bit more down-to-earth than the OnePlus 7 Pro: It seems like it wouldn't need any big changes at all compared to its predecessor.
This is true, the OnePlus 6T was already a very good smartphone and the successor offers even more in many aspects: A slightly longer battery life, a better dual-camera setup, a tad more performance, significantly faster storage and stereo speakers. But making a new purchase would very rarely be worth it for owners of the predecessor because the differences just aren't big enough.
Less spectacular than the OnePlus 7 Pro and maybe so good exactly because of this: The OnePlus 7 is a great high-end smartphone.
Users who don't need a display that is completely notch-less and who can do without the prestige of a OnePlus 7 Pro can save themselves a few hundred Euros and buy the OnePlus 7. There is no difference in terms of performance, but the less flexible camera will have to be accepted.
The OnePlus 7 can keep up with high-end devices when it comes to performance, but it is a bit outdated with its notch and dual-camera setup; the OnePlus 7 Pro is very clearly the flagship carrier of technology here. However, if you take a look at the price class of the OnePlus 7, it becomes evident that you're getting a lot of performance for your money here.
Even when it doesn't look as glamorous as its Pro counterpart: Once again, the OnePlus 7 is a great high-end smartphone that should be considered when making a purchase decision.
OnePlus 7
- 09/03/2022 v7 (old)
Florian Schmitt
Price comparison
