OnePlus 7T long-term review

Conclusion

It's pretty clear why the OnePlus 7T is such a huge upgrade compared to the 7, and that has everything to do with the competition. The 'flagship killer' space is more crowded now than ever, and companies like Xiaomi and Realme are definitely thinking of capturing more of it at the expense of OnePlus. As a sort of "6TT", the OnePlus 7 did little to convince prospective customers that it's the choice to go with over cheaper competitors, so we're assuming that resulted in less than stellar sales.

With that in mind, the 7T is here to break the mold once more, and bring a 90Hz screen to a never before seen price point - for OnePlus, at least, because sister brand Realme is really making strides there too with the X2 Pro. It had to happen, so that OnePlus' 'flagship killer' line wouldn't get stranded in a no-man's land where it's more expensive than some of its competitors but doesn't really bring much more to the table.

That's also why we assume the company decided to fit it with a proper triple rear camera system, with added framing flexibility for everyone. These decisions have instantly made the 7T much more appealing than the 7 from the get-go, despite the higher introductory price.

This phone delivers the best of OnePlus at a price that doesn't break the bank even if it's far from a cheap device. Unless you really like curved screens and value 3x optical zoom over 2x very much, the 7T should probably be the default OnePlus option for most people over the more expensive 7T Pro.

In fact, with a few caveats, this is probably the default Android phone to buy (and recommend) to most people. It isn't really the best at anything, except speed and smoothness of the entire user experience, but the full package it delivers is outstanding. It has good battery life, an excellent screen in all respects (aside from resolution, one could argue), good (if not chart-topping) cameras, a modern and easy to handle design, and the latest software on board, with perhaps the lightest skin around.

Those caveats? If cameras are the most important thing for you in a phone, get one of our proposals in our Cameraphone buyer's guide. If you can't live without wireless charging, a headphone jack, or an IP rating, this one isn't for you. Are you sure you really, really can't, though? Anyway, this is the one phone of 2019 that gets the least in your way, no matter what you're trying to do. The OnePlus 7T is one of our favorite devices of the year. It delivers a no-compromise user experience and hardly any frustrations, and that makes the experience of using it pretty much a joy, day in and day out.

Since the phone is the piece of tech you use the most throughout your day (admit it, it is), this is important. This should be important to everyone. Yes, you can endlessly debate spec sheets and this and that, but in the end everyone deserves a phone that just feels great to use, even if it's not the best at everything. The OnePlus 7T is the best phone at being amazing to use, it's the fastest and smoothest around, and while these aspects are matched by its Pro sibling, the 7T's lower price should help seal the deal for most people.

OnePlus isn't straight-up competing on price with other handsets anymore, and a lot of people seem to be really irked by this. There are cheaper 'flagship killers' out there. That's fine, competition is doing its thing, and if you want cheaper, you can get cheaper. OnePlus is now less about low prices because it has switched its focus to something else - delivering the best overall Android experience. And it is really successful at that.