OnePlus has announced four devices, including the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 Pro, on 23 March 2021.
How do they compare? To find out, we spent time testing both the OnePlus 9 Pro & OnePlus 9 to compare their performance.
Design
- 9 Pro: Punch-hole camera, curved display, rectangular housing for camera housing, IP68
- 9: Flat display, punch-hole camera, rectangular camera housing
The OnePlus 9 Pro features a curved display with a glass body, a metal frame and a glass frame. The OnePlus 9 has a plastic frame, a glass body, and a flat display.
In everyday use, this means that the 9 Pro feels more comfortable in one hand than the regular OnePlus 9. These curves give the illusion of slimness. Standard models feel a little less premium because of the plastic frame.
The flipside is that the display on the regular model is a bit smaller, so it’s easier to use in certain situations.
Each of the three models comes with a punch hole-shaped front camera located in the left corner. A rectangular housing camera is on the rear, such as the OnePlus 8T or OnePlus Nord.
For all three OnePlus 9 devices, two lenses are more significant than the others on the rear camera. To give them a purposeful appearance, each lens has metal rings around it. The OnePlus 9 Pro has a quad rear camera. However, the OnePlus 9 Standard has a triple camera.
The IP68 dust and water resistance of the OnePlus 9 Pro is also included in the product.
The OnePlus 9 Pro measures 163.2 x 73.6 x 9.7mm and is 197g. The OnePlus 9 measures 160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm, and weighs 192g.
Display
- 9 Pro: 6.7-inch, Quad HD+, LTPO, 120Hz variable
- 9: 6.55 inches, Full HD+ 120Hz
The OnePlus 9 Pro features a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with LTPO. It supports a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. The OnePlus 9 features a 6.55 inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh speed.
The OnePlus 9 Pro’s Quad HD+ resolution screen has a pixel density 525ppi. At the same time, the OnePlus 9 Pro has a Full HD+ resolution with a pixel density of 402ppi.
The OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 have a peak brightness of 1300nits, while the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 support HDR10+ like the OnePlus 8T. The OnePlus 9 Pro has a curved display, while the 9 has a flat display. Both phones have fingerprint sensors under-display.
If you compare the Pro and regular models, you will notice a difference in sharpness. The Pro has a sharper panel. They are very similar in terms of brightness and colour balance. The screen can sometimes feel too contrasty due to the non-pro’s tendency to crush blacks.
Hardware and specifications
- 9 Pro: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, 4500mAh
- 9: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, 4500mAh
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset powers the OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9.
The OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 have 8GB RAM and 12GB RAM options. They also come with 128GB or 256GB storage options.
Both models are as responsive and fast as the other in everyday use. You won’t have to worry about apps or games taking too long to load or animations responding slowly to your gestures.
The real-life battery endurance is comparable too. The Pro and regular models can easily last a day even with only 3-4 hours of screen time. Both phones could often make it to bed with 30-40% battery remaining.
The OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 both have 4500mAh batteries. All three models support 65W fast charging. Wireless charging is supported on both the 9 Pro and the 9 Pro. However, it only supports 15W for the 9 Pro and 50W for the Pro.
The 9 and 9 Pro are quick to charge, so battery anxiety is virtually eliminated. You can plug the 9 and Pro in for a half-hour to recharge it again after it has drained.
Cameras
- 9 Pro: Quad camera, Hasselblad Partnership
- 9: Triple camera, Hasselblad Partnership
The OnePlus 9 Pro has a quad rear camera while the OnePlus 9 has a triple rear camera. Both offer the Hasselblad partnership which includes colour tuning and sensor calibration.
The OnePlus 9’s triple camera includes a 48-megapixel main camera, a 50 megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.4 aperture, and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera.
The OnePlus 9 Pro has a 48-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 aperture. However, it is a Sony IMX789 sensor that supports optical image stabilisation (OIS). The 9 has a Sony IMX689 and no OIS. The OnePlus 9 Pro also features a 50-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera. It also has an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor that features f/2.4 aperture.
The Pro was the best camera in daily use, when it worked well. However, the results weren’t always so great. The primary and ultrawide lenses’ colour balance didn’t match perfectly, and the zoom camera produced blurry shots that were lacking in detail at the lowest zoom settings.
The OnePlus 9’s main camera and its 2x digital zoom were more compatible with colour reproduction.
Both OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro devices feature a punch-hole front camera. The front of the 9 and 9 Pro has a 16-megapixel snapper.
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