Fortunately, all other aspects are quite strong, such as the top-notch Snapdragon 888 chipset that makes the OnePlus 9 one of the fastest phones you can buy today. Thanks to the optimized software and fast memory, it handles all heavy tasks, including games. The OnePlus 9 is the first attempt to right the ship, and the improvements are noticeable, with better color fidelity and improved low-light performance. Digital zoom has also been improved, and there are some fun new tricks like the ultra-wide-angle camera’s macro simulation close-up effect. Like other OnePlus phones, the OnePlus 9 is one of the fastest-charging phones around, with a full charge taking only about 30 minutes. However, the Indian variants do not feature wireless charging, if that is important to you. The battery life is no cause for celebration either, but with a little care it can last a whole day. There’s no getting around it: the OnePlus 9 has a very similar design to its predecessor, except for the obviously different camera block. It has the same 6.55-inch glass-fronted display and glass back as its predecessor, and the same lock button and OnePlus signature ring/vibration/silent toggle on the right side, as well as the volume rocker on the left, all of which are easy to reach when casually holding the phone. There’s also the same USB-C port on the bottom with the speaker on the right, as well as a second speaker from the earpiece. There is one difference between the OnePlus 9 and its predecessor: the frame is plastic, not metal. The OnePlus 9 has a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD Plus resolution (2400 x 1080). It delivers sharp, vivid images, similar to the display of the predecessor. The screen is only interrupted by a cutout in the upper left corner for the front camera. It features an on-screen fingerprint sensor, which we found to only reliably recognize our print when our finger is perpendicular to the phone – don’t be surprised if you have to unlock the phone via face or passcode every now and then. The OnePlus 9 has a triple rear camera setup, though you’ll likely only use two of them. You’ll use the 48MP main camera and the 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera most often, while the 2MP monochrome sensor helps with low-light and black-and-white photos if you set the right filter. The OnePlus 9 has a 4,500 mAh battery, which is substantial and should get you through the day, although there are other flagship phones with larger batteries. The real advantage of the OnePlus 9 is in the charging speeds. You get the Warp Charge 65T charger in the box, which will charge the phone to 100% in just under half an hour.
