OnePlus 5T first impression: 5 things we like, 5 things we dislike

The OnePlus 5T has just been unveiled at an event in New York. It follows company tradition of 'Never Settle' because in about 5 months, the flagship 5 is going to be replaced with better hardware. This time around, OnePlus is simultaneously launching it in all their important markets. We loved the OnePlus 5 because of the sheer value proposition and 5T brings several improvements on board. However, based on our initial impressions, there are things we like and areas where we wish OnePlus had done better.

We Like:

Great new 6-inch Optic Amoled Screen
The screen is the big news here - OnePlus has managed to fit in a much larger screen (0.5-inch is a lot when it comes to phones) in the same footprint. The device feels the same and weighs about the same yet offers an 18:9 aspect ratio screen. It's also a great quality amoled screen and you can choose to calibrate it with different colour profiles too.

Fastest Fingerprint Scanner Around
The front fingerprint scanner placement is doomed, thanks to bezel-less screens. It is convenient to have it in front because you can unlock while its on a table, but it's nice to see that the same ceramic fingerprint scanner has been moved to an accessible location on the back. It unlocks the phone in a blistering fast 0.2 seconds - literally faster than the blink of an eye.



Dash Charge is a Delight Every Time
When we first heard the term, we though it was more of a marketing gimmick. But Dash Charge has quickly cemented itself as the fastest charging tech around. You do need to use the supplied Dash Charge adapter and cable for it to work, but when it does work, it's magical. No need to worry about charging overnight - just a 30 to 40 minute charge is enough to get you through the day.

Upgraded Camera with f1.7 on Both Lenses
This is the second area where the big upgrade is. In a typical dual camera setup, there is one 'inferior' camera which probably doesn't have as good an image sensor or a much narrower aperture. On the OnePlus 5T, the secondary lens has an upgraded sensor from before and the aperture on both lenses is now a wide f1.7. This lets in a lot more light giving you more of that bokeh (shallow depth) effect and better low light performance. It also uses software to combine information from four pixels into one to give you lower noise.

Still Offers Superb Battery Life
In our opinion, three things gave the OnePlus 5 great battery life: the amazingly efficient Snapdragon 835, the amoled screen and the optimized Oxygen operating system. Well, everything stays the same and while we haven't yet had a chance to compare 5T battery performance to the 5, all indications are that it will be just as good, despite the larger screen.



We Don't Like:

Still Doesn't Have OIS
Optical image stabilization actually helps a great deal on smartphone cameras. Our hands are naturally shaky and most photos are shot handheld. With OIS, it also allows the camera to shoot at a lower ISO light sensitivity (which reduces noise) and allows you to keep a slower shutter speed without causing camera shake. We wish it had been included in this upgrade. Obviously, you won't feel a difference when shooting in ample light.

Both Cameras Now Have Same Focal Length
In a typical dual camera setup that offers optical zoom, there are two lenses with two different focal lengths. This means you can switch between them to get an optically zoomed image. In the 5T, both lenses are exactly the same focal length (27.22mm). This means the zooming is actually achieved digitally.

Face Unlock Seems Unnecessary
Face unlock is not a new feature per se. Standard face unlock that uses just the image from the front camera has been around, but is never considered very secure because it can be fooled by a photograph. Apple, for instance, uses a far more secure face unlocking mechanism. OnePlus could have avoided this since the fingerprint is so fast anyway.



No Water or Dust Ingress Protection
A lot of flagship phones are moving in this direction and you'll see the IP67 or IP68 (ingress protection) ratings on them. It's nice to not worry about an accidental drop in water or be able to comfortably use the phone at the beach or poolside. To be fair, this is quite hard to pull off especially when you still have a 3.5mm jack along with USB-C and speaker holes.

Screen Resolution is FHD+ and not 2K
This is something that may not matter to many but still needs mentioning because the ethos of the company is to Never Settle. The FHD+ resolution actually translates into 2160 x 1080 pixels and a pixel density of 401ppi - resolution is marginally higher than a typical full HD screen because of the taller aspect ratio. By comparison, other flagships have denser screens. Samsung's Galaxy S8 is 570 ppi and the iPhone X is 458 ppi. Higher pixel density really comes in handy with virtual reality applications. With normal use, you eye won't be able to tell the difference and having a lower resolution actually helps boost performance and battery life.