It’s fair to say I’m a big fan of OnePlus – but I wasn’t always. I’ve had every phone they’ve ever made, and I really wasn’t keen on the first two. Still, no one gets it right on the first try, so I persevered – and so did they. It paid off. Their last few handsets have been stellar, so when I got the chance to try the brand new OnePlus 5 early, I was all over it. And I wasn’t disappointed. Here’s why I think the OnePlus 5 is a flagship phone at a fire-sale price, and one of the best Androids out there right now.
Handset design
The sleek aluminium lines of the OnePlus 5’s gently curving chassis create a phone that’s as stylish as it is comfortable. The slight sheen of the back panel on our Midnight Black review phone is fairly resistant to finger-smudges, and has a silky smooth finish. It’s a little slippery because of that, so you’ll want to get a case: OnePlus offers some unusual designs including wood and sandstone.
On the left edge is an etched alert slider, which clicks satisfyingly between Silent, Priority and All notification settings. The settings aren’t marked, but the switch vibrates with different intensities depending on which level you choose.
There’s an oval fingerprint sensor below the screen, which also vibrates (the vibration motor has been improved for this phone, and it shows) and responds in a fraction of a second.
On either side are barely-there Back and Apps keys, which can be swapped in the settings if you prefer. Below that is a full 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a relief for people who don’t like dongles (everyone).
The handset is pleasingly slim, at 7.25mm, and surprisingly light, at 153g. It looks like it should be heavier, not least because of that generously sized screen.
Screen
If a 14cm display sounds huge, bear in mind that it’s measured diagonally. This one is AMOLED, which means quality is excellent. The resolution is 1080p, otherwise known as full HD, which isn’t the highest on the market but you’d be hard-pressed to tell without a microscope.
Perfectionists will enjoy the option to change the colour profile in the settings – there’s even a slider so you can dictate exactly how warm or cool. Blacks are lusciously deep and colours pop right off the screen. It’s a beauty.
Camera
Dual cameras are all the rage this year, bringing the total number of snappers on the handset to three. That’s one selfie and two main cameras, working in tandem to produce portraits that look like they were taken on a DSLR.
The OnePlus 5 boasts “one of the highest resolution dual cameras on the planet”, and while such plaudits are quickly bested in the fast-moving tech world, it doesn’t disappoint. It’s quick to shoot, handles different lighting conditions ably and includes a Pro mode for extra tinkering. The selfie camera takes flattering, well-lit shots that you’ll be happy to share. And yes, there’s a Beauty Mode, so you can claim you woke up like that.
Battery
On a phone this slim, you might expect a puny battery that needs topping up every few hours. Not so. The OnePlus 5 packs 3,300mAh, which translates to “pretty big”. It’s also extra-efficient: 20% better than its predecessor, and superior to many phones I’ve tried. Even us vexing people who are never off our phones should find the OnePlus 5 easily lasts the day and into the next.
The phone comes with a “Dash charger”, which powers up the battery very quickly, and is designed so that the charger gets warm rather than the phone. This plugs in via USB-C, which is the newer type of cable that can be inserted either way up – even with your eyes closed, probably.
Hardware
OnePlus specialises in offering high-end components for a much lower price than competitors, and the OnePlus 5 doesn’t break the chain. It uses the Snapdragon 835 processor, which is also found in the US edition of the Samsung Galaxy S8, and is compatible with 34 phone network bands around the world. It has two SIM card slots, ideal for business people and globetrotters.
You have the choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage (that’s a lot or a lot lot), which respectively come with 6GB of RAM or 8GB (ditto). Storage is the faster two-lane type, so you’ll never be kept waiting to access your files (or selfies).
Software
If you’re more of a bespoke than an off-the-peg sort of person, you’ll love the software on the OnePlus 5. It’s bursting with little things you can customise, from how the battery status appears to which accent colour you’d prefer.
Called Oxygen OS, it’s based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, which is the latest version of Google’s operating system, with some extra tweaks. One of those is Reading Mode, which is easier on your eyes when you’re mainlining a killer novel (Night Mode is in there too).
There’s even a special no-notifications mode for gaming, which turns off the phone keys to prevent accidental presses. No one wants to lose a match to a finger slip.
Price
The OnePlus 5 is available now, either directly from OnePlus or exclusively on O2. Pay Monthly contracts start at £9.99 upfront and £34 monthly, or the phone is £449 for 64GB and £499 for 128GB from the OnePlus online store.
Verdict
The OnePlus 5 represents superb value for money. It boasts hardware equal to or better than many flagship phones, but costs the same as a nondescript mid-ranger. And it looks just gorgeous, which doesn’t hurt.
The real high points are the impressive battery life, stunning screen and top-end hardware performance – plus, of course, the price. We could easily believe this cost hundreds more than it does.
Pros:
- Slim, light and stylish
- More RAM than many people’s computers
- Battery life that carries into the next day
Cons:
- Not waterproof
- No wireless charging
- No microSD (but with 64GB/128GB storage, you probably won’t miss it)
