What's good
- Superfast charging
- 120hz display
- Solid performance
- Good design aesthetic
What's bad
- Poor camera performance
- No wireless charging
- No IP rating
There are so many similarities between the OnePlus 8T and its predecessor that it’s a little hard to tell them apart. Given they both came out in the same year, are the updates worth the incremental upgrades if you’ve already bought the OnePlus 8? How does the phone stack up to the best mid-tier releases of 2020?
Design
The OnePlus 8T comes in two colors: Aquamarine Green and Lunar Silver. Its body is about the same as its cousins in terms of design. The most obvious difference in the phone is the altered camera bezel. Unfortunately, reviewers don’t like it very much.
The bezel is a rectangular protrusion in the upper left -- very similar to most smartphones these days. But therein lies the problem. Reviewers said that the way OnePlus arranged the cameras on previous models -- a vertical bump in the middle of the phone’s rear shell -- gave the phone a unique appearance in a market of similar designs.
Display
The OnePlus 8T has a beautifully crisp, 6.55-inch, Fluid AMOLED display. Reviewers found nothing to complain about regarding the viewing experience. It has double the brightness of the previous OnePlus 8, allowing easier outdoor use. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate, making everything from menu swipes to the latest games feel super smooth and fast.
Performance
The OnePlus 8T does not have the newest chipset on the market. However, that doesn’t seem to hold it back in any way. Reviewers were more than happy with the speed with which apps opened and the phone bounced between tasks. Many reviews credit the 120Hz refresh rate and OxygenOS skin for keeping things looking silky smooth.
Software & Storage
The phone ships with Android 10. However, reviewers found the new OxygenOS 11 made great adjustments to the experience, both making the phone easier to use and keeping things running smoother. With 256GB of onboard storage, there’s plenty of space at hand as well.
Cameras
With each new phone comes an even bigger list of expectations for mobile photography. While reviewers considered the OnePlus 8T’s camera okay, none felt it was great. Reviewers owe that to the lack of a telephoto lens. Without it, that makes the existence of the macro lens somewhat superfluous. The wide-angle lens captured a wider viewer, but the detail suffered. Blotches and blurs appeared throughout images once reviewers zoomed in to inspect them.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8T has a solid battery. Most reviewers easily made it through an entire day’s worth of work without worrying about their charge. But if you’re an avid gamer, you might need to top off at some point during your day.
Audio
Dolby Atmos stereo speakers make for compelling sound in the OnePlus 8T -- a claim that isn’t common among smartphones on the market right now. You’ll still want headphones for the best experience, but reviewers found the built-in speakers very nice.
Specs at a Glance
- Aluminum chassis
- 6.55-inch AMOLED display
- Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 Processor
- 8/12GB of RAM
- Android 11
- 128/256GB of storage
- 48MP rear-facing, 16MP selfie, ultra-wide lens, monochrome lens camera
- 4500mAh battery
Bottom Line
The OnePlus 8T doesn’t exactly stand out from other OnePlus phones, but there are some improvements that would be useful to avid tech fans. While some upgrades may seem minimal at best, those upgrades could be major if you’re coming from another phone -- especially if you’re looking to upgrade from a model released two or three years ago.
The monochrome lens for instance is not a common occurrence in phones for those looking for interesting photography features. The fluidity of a 120hz display and stereo speakers that actually work well enough not to need headphones also make it a great choice for anyone who likes to dive into games or streaming media on their phone as well.
Tom’s Guide says, “The OnePlus 8T could have been a new flagship phone-killer, with its strong specs, excellent display, and super fast charging. But the cameras don’t quite measure up to other leading phones.”
The Verge comments, “OnePlus has always been very proud of the raw specs of its phones, and the OnePlus 8T is no different. The phone is better specced in almost every way than the OnePlus 8 it succeeds from earlier this year. It’s got quicker 65W fast charging, a higher 120Hz refresh rate display, a bigger 4,500mAh battery, and an extra camera.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Nathan Spendelow, Jonathan Bray, Expert ReviewsWithout significant forward steps in the camera department you’d think it might be tough to get too giddy over the release of the OnePlus 8T but far from it. There are improvements in enough other areas that the 8T just about edges in front of our current favourite mid-range phone, the Samsung Galax...
- Lynn Anderson, DxOMarkThe OnePlus 8T with its 65W charger provides both overall fast charging and great quick boosts of power. Where it falls a bit short is in autonomy, particularly in comparison with the Mi 10T Pro, where the 8T lags behind by more than half a day in average use. However, the tradeoff between autonomy...
- Luke Pollack, Android AuthorityAlthough the new adjusted price of the OnePlus 8T makes the phone a better value proposition for the money, it still can’t keep up with similarly priced phones. Furthermore, the cameras have not improved enough through updates over time. The software experience and display are both great, but they d...
- Roland Moore-Colyer, Tom's GuideThe OnePlus 8T could have been a new flagship phone-killer, with its strong specs, excellent display, and super fast charging. But the cameras don’t quite measure up to other leading phones.
- Chris Welsch, DxOMarkThe OnePlus 8T, while not earning sterling scores for its front camera, produces decent selfies within its limits. Especially outdoors and at optimal focal distance (30 cm to 50 cm), it captures sharp, well-exposed selfies, even if there tends to be strong luminance noise in low-light conditions. It...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the OnePlus 8T user manual here.
OnePlus backs up the 8T with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your 8T has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact OnePlus support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find OnePlus's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- OnePlus 8T Manual (PDF)
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