Question OnePlus 9 PRO or Samsung S21 Plus - OnePlus 9 Pro

Trying to decide which device to get to replace my current OnePlus 5T(4 years old) which is getting a little too old for day2day usage.
After some intensive research I've ended up with 2 models: OnePlus 9 PRO 12GB|256GB and Samsung S21 Plus 8GB|256GB.
They all have their Pro's & Con's but in the end they score the same for me and I'm having a little hard time to decide between them.
Main things that I would like from a new smartphone in this price area (high-end):
Very good CPU (to be able to keep up with software in the next few years)
Storage bigger than 128 (it is OK, but I need to clean up and backup in cloud all the time)
Slim device - Do not like very thick devices ( ~8mm is ok)
Display size 6.7" - I want to try a bigger display this time (will return if I cannot get used to it and look for something more compact in that case Samsung S21 standard or Asus Zenfone 8.
Good display quality & 120Hz, preferably auto-adjustable
At least 8GB of RAM, current device has 8GB and didn't had any issues so far with memory
Connectivity to be top of 2021: Wifi 6, BT 5, 5GB, etc.
Good battery life - I would expect something similar to current device and not to have battery anxiety
Fast Charge if possible - but depends on battery (if battery is good this is not a must)
Camera/Video - moderate expectations, but to still be relevant to the price range
Good software support - for at least 3 years
Good OS without bloatware or things that cannot be removed/cleaned
Prefer unlocked, although I've always used Orange.
Could be more, but these are most important I think.
I plan to keep the device for at least 3 years.
Both are priced the same in my country, ~800 Euro.
Which one do you recommend? If possible why?

Oneplus is not the same anymore. I bought my 9 pro on sale recently, and I am extremely disappointed. Build and hardware are solid, but software is absolute crap, full of obvious bugs, that are not being fixed for a long time already. Battery life is bad, I'm getting like 6 hours SOT.
Also, Samsung has released Android 12 for S21 already.

9 Pro 100%.
Almost none Bloatware. Samsung is FUll of it.
9 Pro Anndroid 12 Open Beta 1 & 2 works Fine.
On 9 Pro you can install Global Color Os Android 12 stable. Also works very well & have more option that Oxygen OS.
On 9 Pro you can unlock botloader, you can root.
I've owned 2 Samsung, Nothing on XDA for Global-Snapdragon, but full for Korea-Exynos.
xPan mode for camera on 9 Pro is absolut Great.
I use european 9 Pro.

The 9 Pro still has a lot to offer... try it out and take it for a spin!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and recommending a device.
Not sure that I want to manually install the Color OS 12 (Not that much of a fan).
If we are talking about software, from what I saw in the reviews One UI 4 seems a lot better and has more support from Samsung than ever.
This cannot be said for the OnePlus with their Oxygen OS 12. One of the main reasons I liked OnePlus devices was for their simplicity and their resemblance with Android Vanilla. I know I don't get this with Samsung also, but their directions seems a lot more clearer than what OnePlus is doing. Very unsure what Oppo impact will be on OnePlus in the future.
I'm more inclined for Samsung at this moment. I've even had the chance to go to a store and test an S21+ device directly. Seems really nice & I like that the overall size of the device is similar to my OnePlus 5T, although the display is bigger. From Specs OnePlus is a little bigger & thicker.

Better hold your money a little and buy Note 22 Ultra.
Oxygen Os is getting worse because google creap!
Is very simple to flash Color OS. You just do an upgrade from stable 11.2.8.8 or Open beta 1 or 2.
I've own Samsung note 10+ 5g, with SnapDragon cip.. Best looking phone ever! But slow software. Too Much Bloatware. OnePlus 8 Pro flies compared to 10+ 5g.
Samsung 20+ 5g , with SnapDragon cip. Phone was fast, but battery drain Super Mega Fast. I sold it after a week...
I Never buy a Samsuung with Exynos cip !!!
Also, some phones with SnapDragon 888 may or not have heating problem .

null0seven said:
Better hold your money a little and buy Note 22 Ultra.
Oxygen Os is getting worse because google creap!
Is very simple to flash Color OS. You just do an upgrade from stable 11.2.8.8 or Open beta 1 or 2.
I've own Samsung note 10+ 5g, with SnapDragon cip.. Best looking phone ever! But slow software. Too Much Bloatware. OnePlus 8 Pro flies compared to 10+ 5g.
Samsung 20+ 5g , with SnapDragon cip. Phone was fast, but battery drain Super Mega Fast. I sold it after a week...
I Never buy a Samsuung with Exynos cip !!!
Also, some phones with SnapDragon 888 may or not have heating problem .
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I think the S21+ with OneUi should be a lot better than what Samsung had for software in the past.
I was a little worried about the new Exynos chipset, but from the reviews & synthetic tests it seems to be much better than previous generations and almost the same as SS (not sure in daily usage would see a difference). In my local market I cannot get an S21+ with SS and have legal warranty and for a phone this expensive I do not want to risk it and end up with a device with defects.
At this price point honestly I do not want to pay solely for hardware as if this was the case I would have gotten a cheaper Android device (Realme GT for example) and flash a custom rom on it.
I think I will give S21+ a try and get it from a local vendor (having it even lower than the OP 9 Pro) where I can return it in 14 days. In those days I can clearly see if the device has any issues and maybe even try out the new OneUI 4.

I think that's a wise decision. The OnePlus 9 PRO is my first OnePlus device, and I think it will be my last. Apparently I'm too late to the game and missed the golden era.

A lot of mixed reviews. I used to own Samsung a long time ago, but HATED the fact that they had sooo much bloatware on the phone and if you'll be spending that kind of money they also made it very difficult to root and be able to do what you want on it. The perks of Oneplus is you basically get a vanilla Android OS with little to no bloatware, it's solid hardware, and they actually support modding it. Rooting it is pretty straight forward. I purchased my OP9 Pro for a really good deal ($650) and I have the Global version LE2125. I honestly have no problems with it. I'm running the stock Oxygen OS 11.2.8.8.LE15AA and I use the Omega Kernel 5.4.6.1. I don't play any games on it, but I do use it regularly for texting, internet, social media, phone calls, pictures (typical stuff) and I get over a day of use on it.

Don't forget charging !
Oneplus - 65w wired - 50w wireless. I use only wireless charging.
Samsung - hahaha...

In case anyone is interested, here's a review of oneplus 9 pro by gsmarena that i found today. Looks thorough enough. The battery life part is interesting.
OnePlus 9 Pro review
The OnePlus 9 Pro has a 6.7-inch, 3216 x 1440 resolution, 10-bit LTPO AMOLED display. The display has a variable refresh rate that maxes out at 120Hz. It...
m.gsmarena.com

Thank you for all the pro's & con's for each device.
Indeed, current software is still good, although Oxygen OS 11 is not what it used to be and it doesn't feel as smooth as Oxygen 10 does. The change in Oxygen 12 will be basically a change to ColorOS which I don't think will ever be the same for OP. And I'm afraid OnePlus will be worse with each iteration as it will get closer & closer to Oppo & ColorOS (which is not bad, but for entry/mid-range phones, I think).
Samsung does not have that much bloatware on their latest devices and OneUI 4 seems to be much smoother & with better support.
Honestly, if OP didn't had this software change and if it didn't get that bad with their software support I would have went for the OP without any hesitation.
Regarding rooting, I would prefer not to be forced to do this for high-end phones. It would be nice to be able to do it, but that is a different approach. From what I saw S21 can have it's bootloader unlocked and the process is not difficult.
I usually root my phones only after the warranty expires & if the software gets outdate (no more support or it slows down too much).

Received the S21+ today and will see how it feels the following days.
OnePlus 9 Pro increased the price and it is now above 1000 Euro. At that price it is not a good option, it should be around 800 Euro for a good value in my opinion.
If I'm not 100% happy and the price for OP gets lower again I will buy it and return Samsung device.
But will see how things go these days, I have 14 days to return it if I'm not happy with it.

Samsung -> KNOX <- Thats the killer if you want root
I would never buy a Samsung. I never bought a Samsung since they use KNOX.
I have no Problem with my OP9 Pro. So many write about "bugs" but I never had one. All my messengers (WA, Telegram, Signal and Threema) work fine. Calls over VoLTE work fine, WiFi Speed is good. System with Bluspark Kernel work very well - ~8-9h SOT.

RheinPirat said:
Samsung -> KNOX <- Thats the killer if you want root
I would never buy a Samsung. I never bought a Samsung since they use KNOX.
I have no Problem with my OP9 Pro. So many write about "bugs" but I never had one. All my messengers (WA, Telegram, Signal and Threema) work fine. Calls over VoLTE work fine, WiFi Speed is good. System with Bluspark Kernel work very well - ~8-9h SOT.
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Thank you for your thoughts on this device. I'm glad that it works good and you don't have issues with it.
Sadly, the fact that others have, only suggests there is some core issues with how the devices are assembled/configured and there is a high change it would have issues.
You get very good SOT, might I ask what apps you have and what is your usual usage of the phone(browsing, social, video, gaming)?
Did you try the new Oxygen OS 12 ? This is one of the biggest concerns I have as even OP fans have complaint about this.

inegru87 said:
You get very good SOT, might I ask what apps you have and what is your usual usage of the phone(browsing, social, video, gaming)?
Did you try the new Oxygen OS 12 ? This is one of the biggest concerns I have as even OP fans have complaint about this.
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First, I dont play any games. I have a PC for gaming I dont use any social media BS like Facebook aka "Meta" (what a joke) or insta or twitter. I watch some YT videos and use a lot FireFox for browsing, but no heavy stuff which afford a lot of CPU power.
OOS is ATM not a option. Its still in a beta state, and I don't really need A12 - like I dont need Windows 11 in this state. The Phone is not bad or unusable with A11.

Also,
Now I have to consider the price difference: 770 Euro for Samsung S21+ vs 870 Euro for OnePlus 9 Pro, as the prices seem to have went up after Black Friday sales.

RheinPirat said:
First, I dont play any games. I have a PC for gaming I dont use any social media BS like Facebook aka "Meta" (what a joke) or insta or twitter. I watch some YT videos and use a lot FireFox for browsing, but no heavy stuff which afford a lot of CPU power.
OOS is ATM not a option. Its still in a beta state, and I don't really need A12 - like I dont need Windows 11 in this state. The Phone is not bad or unusable with A11.
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I see, thank you for your detailed answer.

inegru87 said:
I see, thank you for your detailed answer.
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This is from my last full charge

inegru87 said:
Thank you for your thoughts on this device. I'm glad that it works good and you don't have issues with it.
Sadly, the fact that others have, only suggests there is some core issues with how the devices are assembled/configured and there is a high change it would have issues.
You get very good SOT, might I ask what apps you have and what is your usual usage of the phone(browsing, social, video, gaming)?
Did you try the new Oxygen OS 12 ? This is one of the biggest concerns I have as even OP fans have complaint about this.
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Click to collapse
This is true sadly. I've had problems with warp charge not working and others have had different problems too. And others no problem at all.
Also OOS is really an average OS overall. Nothing to write home about. But custom roms are available (A11) which make it a decent device. Just not the flagship it was suppose to be...

Related

New phone

Hello, I don't know if this is the right subforum to ask this but I'm not around here too often so I'm a bit lost. I had a Samsung Galaxy S8 (exynos) for almost two years, financed with a carrier and with a final pay of €170 or else return it (similar to a lease?). However the battery was showing some age already so I decided to put it on the market and sold it for €220 (so I'm gonna pay the €170 but at least I got some extra money for the new phone).
I'm looking for something different now. I didn't take advantage of the powerful soc in the S8 as I barely played any games, and I value battery life a lot more now. My usage is pretty simple; mostly twitter and web browsing, and a bit of twitch/youtube/netflix. Camera is also not a priority for me although it seems like these days most mid range phones come with pretty good cameras as well. My budget is about €250, but the less, the better.
My current options are Xiaomi Mi A3, Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite and Realme 5 Pro (but of course I gladly appreciate alternatives). I have a problem and it's that while I like 'almost' stock Android (like the one in the Mi A3), I also value the features that some modifications like MIUI bring; dual apps, higher brightness, etc... So I find myself unable to decide. My doubts:
For Mi A3: according to reviews the screen is lacking, in resolution and brightness (only 350 nits, and too high in night conditions). I went to a Xiaomi Store near my place a couple of days ago and I didn't notice much difference with the resolution, but I couldn't test the brightness. Felt pretty snappy on the store.
For Mi 9 Lite: the price is a bit higher but if it's worth it I'll pay it. Seems like it has everything I like; battery life, AMOLED 1080p screen, and a decent SoC. Also 6GB of RAM... (is 4GB going to be enough in the near future? Like 2-3 years from now?). This would be my choice but if the differences are not much perhaps I can save a bit of money with any other phone.
For Realme 5 Pro: I know it belongs to Oppo (well, and many more brands), but I really don't know how the support is going to be in the future, as in Android upgrades and stability. Also it seems like ColorOS has a lot of bloatware, I don't mind a heavy mod of Android but I already had Facebook and some Microsoft apps in my S8 and I disliked it a lot. I can probably disable them but... On a positive note, seems like the 4/128 version has a good price (€199) and should have a similar performance compared to the other two, specially the Mi 9 Lite. However, no AMOLED screen...
I hope you guys can help me decide because I'm currently frozen about which one to get, although I think I can't go wrong with any of them. I'm currently using a Jiayu F1 so I'm in a bit of pain... Regards!

Question OnePlus 9 Pro or Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra?

Hey guys, I am going to buy a new phone and finally upgrade from my OnePlus 5t. I did a lot of research and I am between the phones of the title. It seems like the 9 Pro has muuuch more support and recognition in here so it will probably be easier to do this like custom roms, recoveris, kernels etc. But I also saw that the screen Is not top tier but more something like the 8 Pro(brightness wise) while other flagships are on another level. Also, DXOMark(not the best site, I know) testing showed that the OP 9 Pro has the worst HDR in movies. It seems almost as if it doesn't have HDR. Can you please tell me your opinions and help me decide?
MIUI sucks, too many bugs and very unstable
Orwennes said:
MIUI sucks, too many bugs and very unstable
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I don't think the original firmware is going to be "unstable" is it? And if yes, I still feel uneasy about the fact that OP 9 Pro HDR looks ****... Of course I love OxygenOS (even if OnePlus does some stupid things from time to time) but at the same time I want a full Flagship and not another "just the latest CPU" smartphone..
I think is a matter of opinion you will get a lot of love/ hate relationship from users with the op9pro. I had the mi9 for about 2 years ( I know is not mi 11 ultra) until I upgraded to 9pro. Miui was fine didn't have many problems with it until they start pushing ads in system apps and that was a no no for me. Is the op9 perfect? Not really. Is oos perfect? Again not really. If your an enthusiast and wanna mess with ROMs, kernels etc go for the 9pro, is a good phone ,decent cameras, good battery life.... for me anyway..the HDR thing don't know about it not something I'd be interested in. As for the mi11 ultra can't comment on it never used one & reviews online are hit and miss as with every phone. So if you want HDR go with mi11 if you want to customise go with the 9pro . There both good phones with similar specs just the OS & support makes the difference
cippi21 said:
I think is a matter of opinion you will get a lot of love/ hate relationship from users with the op9pro. I had the mi9 for about 2 years ( I know is not mi 11 ultra) until I upgraded to 9pro. Miui was fine didn't have many problems with it until they start pushing ads in system apps and that was a no no for me. Is the op9 perfect? Not really. Is oos perfect? Again not really. If your an enthusiast and wanna mess with ROMs, kernels etc go for the 9pro, is a good phone ,decent cameras, good battery life.... for me anyway..the HDR thing don't know about it not something I'd be interested in. As for the mi11 ultra can't comment on it never used one & reviews online are hit and miss as with every phone. So if you want HDR go with mi11 if you want to customise go with the 9pro . There both good phones with similar specs just the OS & support makes the difference
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Thank you for the nice reply. I am thinking it a lot because I am the type who keeps a phone for a long time(or I try to) so I can't mess it up. After a lot of searching, I may also go with the OP 8t because 2 friends have it and it is pretty good. I also think that if I go to the 8t I won't miss a lot of things so yeah, I'll have to decide based on what I want to do more
The screen (1 billion colors) is one of the best in the world on OP9 pro & s21 Ultra (on release date).
11 ultra is heavyer. Much heavyer. You will feel the extra weight in youre pocket. And bigger.
11 ultra is Much expenssive.
Fast charging is Great on OnePlus. Wired and wireless. On 11 ultra real charging is not as they claim.
Oxygen is not as clean & awesome as it was. Google mess it up. But from what i know better than miui.
null0seven said:
The screen (1 billion colors) is one of the best in the world on OP9 pro & s21 Ultra (on release date).
11 ultra is heavyer. Much heavyer. You will feel the extra weight in youre pocket. And bigger.
11 ultra is Much expenssive.
Fast charging is Great on OnePlus. Wired and wireless. On 11 ultra real charging is not as they claim.
Oxygen is not as clean & awesome as it was. Google mess it up. But from what i know better than miui.
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I am a OP fan and been using OP for years, just for a change and experience, this time I went with Xiaomi.
Allow me to comment on your comment (sorry for the caps, was doing it before finding colour change):
null0seven said:
The screen (1 billion colors) is one of the best in the world on OP9 pro & s21 Ultra (on release date). ( SOMEWHAT AGREE)
11 ultra is heavyer. Much heavyer. You will feel the extra weight in youre pocket. And bigger. (TOTALLY DISAGREE, UNLES YOU TEST IT FOR ONLY 1 HOUR).
11 ultra is Much expenssive. (COMPLETELY DISAGREE, I GOT MY MI11U FOR CHEAPER THAN 9PRO, BUT MONEY WAS NOT THE CASE FOR ME).
Fast charging is Great on OnePlus. Wired and wireless. On 11 ultra real charging is not as they claim. (COMPLETELY DISAGREE, I TEST IT EVERYDAY FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS!!!)
Oxygen is not as clean & awesome as it was. Google mess it up. But from what i know better than miui. (OXYGEN IS BEST OS EVER USED, BUT WITH LOTS AND LOTS AND LOOOOTS OF MINOR BUGS THAT NEVER GETS RESOLVED. MIUI A BIT ANNOYING UNLESS YOU REMOVE BLOATWARE WITH ADB) in addition to all that, MIUI software update is not perfect. and with the last update, i am having a really good battery management and really good smoothness. bug are minimum which really shocks me. after 3 or 4 months of use, i started to like MIUI, but still prefer Oxygen.
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Orwennes said:
MIUI sucks, too many bugs and very unstable
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after 3 months of experience with MI 11 ultra, I totally disagree with your comments, especially after 12.5 update. I find it less bugs than Oxygen, and I like what they make in it, but I still miss OXYGEN for its cleanliness, (not sure if still clean on OP9Pro as I heard it is not). and with MIUI I can easily debloat with ADB without affecting anything at all. and I still can reinstall debloats at anytime as well.
One more time, for more than 4 years on Oneplus, and before that I was on pixel and nexus, Xiaomi just for the past 3 months.
I have both and use both sometimes one sometimes the other. MIUI I think is really cool because completely different than what you would normally expect from the Android interface. Since it is a Chinese company that is geared more towards China and Europe. Your going to get a funky but really fun phone.
Make sure you get the right one if you care about bands. You can change ROMs but the bands will be different from China and Europe.
That said I just love using my 9 Pro there is a lot you can do with it.

Question is the OnePlus 9pro still Worth getting

im thinking about buying the 9 pro but at has been out for a while should i just wait or should i pull the trigger need some advice
If you want it to install roms forget it, the developers have it very abandoned. For example, no developer has compiled a beta version for Android 12, But if you want to use it normally, I really recommend the 9 more because the 9 Pro with the Rom stock the battery is ****.
JesusOmarMJ23 said:
If you want it to install roms forget it, the developers have it very abandoned. For example, no developer has compiled a beta version for Android 12, But if you want to use it normally, I really recommend the 9 more because the 9 Pro with the Rom stock the battery is ****.
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Click to collapse
yea im big on roms i might wait for a good deal on a one plus 8pro
As with most other devices, A12 roms are unlikely to be available until after the OOS 12 ROM is released (GA, not Beta).
There are lots of good A11 ROMs out there, and the phone itself (LE2125) is excellent. The stock OOS 11 is also very very good.
But hey, doesn't affect me one way or another what phone/ROM you use. I'm very happy with what I have!
Cheers
JesusOmarMJ23 said:
If you want it to install roms forget it, the developers have it very abandoned. For example, no developer has compiled a beta version for Android 12, But if you want to use it normally, I really recommend the 9 more because the 9 Pro with the Rom stock the battery is ****.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A12 OOS official isn't out yet and most devs actually prefer to use finished sources before releasing anything to public. I'm sure some are building ROM's off the beta builds for testing but not releasing them. Also, only some people seem to have issues with the battery, heat, etc. I (and others) have no such issues with our 9pros even on stock OOS. I would suggest the phone to anyone honestly.
COCODRILO45 said:
im thinking about buying the 9 pro but at has been out for a while should i just wait or should i pull the trigger need some advice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DON'T...
Go for pixel 6pro...
Wait for what ? OnePlus 10 ?
OnePlus 8 pro Oxygen OS too will get worse because of google BS.
About roms look in Development section.
COCODRILO45 said:
im thinking about buying the 9 pro but at has been out for a while should i just wait or should i pull the trigger need some advice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been using the device for over 3 months and can confidently say that nothing makes the device worth the price. The phone heats up with general use. Battery life is pretty ordinary. Not much into camera, screen and performance are the only saving grace.
If I was into ROMs, I would buy a device with the best price to specs ratio like mi 11 series or ROG 5 or even the standard 9 and upcoming 9RT. But avoid the 9 pro at all cost.
The answer for you will depend on your priorities ;-)
I needed a phone recently and found an open box 9 Pro on ebay within my budget. I wouldn't have bought this phone at msrp. My experience has overall been positive. The only time I've overheated the phone was transferring about 80 GB from my old phone before realizing both were on a heat soaked surface. Putting the phone where it could breathe resolved this. Even with extended gaming sessions, the phone has run cool since. Battery life more than meets my daily needs. PD support is ideal as that's what my pc uses at work, so I don't worry about carrying a charger. A 10 min top up at 45W from PD or 65W from the stock charger is a game changer. Going from 20-90% in ~12 mins on the included charger while making coffee & breakfast is great!
Note on battery life: I tend to power off my device for a few mins a couple times each month for consistency. Especially after the primary Google Assistant app updates (this one).
I'm a photography enthusiast and have been generally happy with the 9 Pro IQ. If you do end up getting this phone or the OP9, take some time to review the different options (like Photo, Pro, Portrait) and settings - they are extensive and can be fine tuned for your use case. Be sure to take some test shots to dial this in.
The biggest shortcoming is the selfie cam, which has low dynamic range, easily washing out. I installed gcam MGC by BSG (currently v8.1.101) and it takes much better selfie shots. For the rear facing sensors, the stock camera app vs. gcam HDR+ generally show parity.
My partner has a Pixel 5 so using her phone for selfies is also an option. I prefer the FOV on the OP tho.
The screen is gorgeous! I tried 60 hz vs 120 hz with lpto and noted little effect on battery life, so have remained on the latter. I've found FHD+ meets my needs as the screen size shows little benefit bumping up to QHD+. I appreciate the stock Screen Calibration options and find Advanced > AMOLED Wide Gamut gives the color palette I prefer.
Two things requiring workarounds for my use:
a) My previous phone had a notification light, which I used more than I realized. Rather than turn the screen on periodically, I enabled the Always on Display during my waking hours, problem solved.
b) Historically I've traveled internationally for work, so having dual sims has been a must. It looks like there is work from XDA devs underway to enable this if OP doesn't themselves. Otherwise my partner has an old mobile hotspot from her job I'll commandeer when/if work travel resumes.
Reviews that helped me make an informed decision:
o XDA Devs : of course!
o Notebookcheck
https://www.notebookcheck.net/OnePl...end-phone-charges-twice-as-fast.530399.0.html
o GSM Arena review and comparison to other phones
https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_9_pro-10806.php
o Photography Blog
https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/oneplus_9_pro_review
o Danny Winget Youtube firmware comparison
Hope this helps!
In a lot of ways, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a great phone, with a super-smooth screen, the fastest wired and wireless charging, pleasant software, with a solid long-term update commitment. I even enjoy the camera.
aman2125 said:
Been using the device for over 3 months and can confidently say that nothing makes the device worth the price. The phone heats up with general use. Battery life is pretty ordinary. Not much into camera, screen and performance are the only saving grace.
If I was into ROMs, I would buy a device with the best price to specs ratio like mi 11 series or ROG 5 or even the standard 9 and upcoming 9RT. But avoid the 9 pro at all cost.
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Horrible advice
RumRunner19 said:
Horrible advice
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In hindsight; you may be right.
But, still, thermal issues are for sure my biggest gripe.
Besides, yeah, I do feel it is a good device, but getting it over Oneplus 9 or 9RT would depend on the user's preferences.
If your into rooting and modding, warp charging then yes. If you don't root then get a Pixel 6 Pro.
cultofluna said:
DON'T...
Go for pixel 6pro...
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Is it available for sale?
vangry2020 said:
If your into rooting and modding, warp charging then yes. If you don't root then get a Pixel 6 Pro.
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It's better to wait for Pixel 6 and see what it brings and see real time performance and then choose
cranberry_vanilla said:
It's better to wait for Pixel 6 and see what it brings and see real time performance and then choose
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Performance will be close at worst but when it comes to software and features and picture quality the Pixel 6 is on a whole different level. That's just my opinion.
vangry2020 said:
Performance will be close at worst but when it comes to software and features and picture quality the Pixel 6 is on a whole different level. That's just my opinion.
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Nobody really knows yet. Since Pixel 6 series is using a new in-house cpu (Tensor) and there are no reviews out yet (product ships on 10/28) so no one really knows what it's going to really perform like. I also would be curious if/how easy it will be to root or unlock bootloader since it's a totally different CPU architecture.
I came from a OnePlus 3T. Overall I think this phone is great, the camera and functionality is slick. I also appreciate that having the phone on max performance levels, screen brightness and sync enabled will impact the battery.
I like that it has an active community here, and on the OnePlus forums. I've logged a few bugs and evidenced how to recreate them. Am I unhappy about the companies communication style, not being open about throttling etc, yes. However I understand that people are human and make mistakes. It's still a young device released 6 months ago. Let's see where we are in a year from now
COCODRILO45 said:
yea im big on roms i might wait for a good deal on a one plus 8pro
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Funny enough, I was thinking recently if I should get the 8 pro as well. Specifically for rooting/custom ROMs. I'm currently using a OP6T (rooted with CrDroid ROM), I can literally get the 8 Pro for free with a screen protector + case and some cash left from my £500 Amazon giftcard. But I just don't know if I should get a 8 pro or not and I can't justify the purchase tbh
COCODRILO45 said:
yea im big on roms i might wait for a good deal on a one plus 8pro
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Be careful. I am not able to send text msgs randomly I am on Sprint/T-Mobile and nothing works. It's why I'm trying to get the 9 pro.

Question any arguments for an s20 Ultra, compared to OP9?

Buying a new [used] phone and was looking at the S20 Ultra and OP9.
Found two decent prices for here in Aus: S20U @ $570AUD versus OP9 @ $440-500AUD.
I will likely keep the phone for three to four years, so curious about durability, build-quality, hardware, software/development. I know the OP9 is newer and faster (on paper), but how does it stand the test of time compared to Samsung who has been in the game or longer.
Thanks!
I had the OnePlus 9 for the wife and I currently have the 9 Pro for myself. She really wanted the Flip3 so T-mobile offered me $400 for it so all I had to do was put $170 down for it and that was it. They're also offering me $00 for my 9 Pro, but it's fully unlocked (sim/bl) and if I end up getting the Ultra, it would be the SD version and I would be stuck with a fully locked phone so I'd want to keep my 9 Pro to tinker with. Sorry if this doesn't help you at all, didn't know if you were looking for opinions specifically of what you're asking for, or if you wanted opinions on why someone would want it over the 9/Pro.
cheers. yeah just generally curious what people think. and sorry, its the 9 pro that I am looking at.
both mine would be unlocked. I've never owned a OnePLus device, but samsung is classic reliable..
Samsung has a better update policy, but fixed promised from the S21 series. Oneplus is currently experiencing difficulties in this area. Samsung guarantees updates for at least 3 years starting with the 21 models, if not more in the meantime.
I have a Oneplus 9 pro and just treated myself to a comparison with the Samsung S22 ultra. Except for disappointing improvements in the camera, I do not see any advantages, on the contrary; with root, your warranty is gone. So I'm sticking with Oneplus. Add the buds pro if you like listening to music; the sound is perfectly tuned to the phone and sounds worlds better than on other phones. The display of the 22 Ultra is on par, the speakers are worse, and the performance feels identical (Exynos for me). Keep in mind that the 20 Ultra is a bit older.
In terms of weight and form factor, I think the Oneplus is more durable and less vulnerable to drops.
But the update policy is still up in the air (because of ColorOS), but updates will certainly come.
Thanks for replying. I am definitely leaning towards OP9 Pro.
jewnersey said:
Thanks for replying. I am definitely leaning towards OP9 Pro.
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From my nearly one year experience with the OnePlus 9 Pro and more with OnePlus itself (since the OnePlus 3, also went through the 7 Pro and the 8 Pro), the software update has gotten worse with time, especially with the OnePlus 9 Pro, which had a clearly bad first release of OxygenOS 12 (consider December 2021 was the worst month to get a OnePlus 9 Pro up to date).
As they are actively merging with OPPO (hardware and software), the first days were rough, but they are clearly improving with every updates and the C.44 is quite good so far (I even tried the full ColorOS 12 experience but came back to OxygenOS 12 because of throttling in games and a few other minor points). So if you're willing to trust OnePlus on their updates, I think you can have a quite decent phone.
On the hardware side, the charging system is clearly the best I've gone with (65W wired and 50W wireless, it's crazy fast). The screen is beautiful (it comes from Samsung factories, sooooooo... Let's say it won't be very different if you go for a recent Samsung phone). The partnership with Hasselblad is really bringing some improvements (even if it's software side) and that's the first phone that made me really enjoy taking pictures.
The supported communication bands are in line with pretty much all actual standards and had never to complain for any kind of connection (WiFi, Bluetooth, 2G/3G/4G/5G).
For me, it's a big recommendation, but if you had told me you hesitated with a S22 Ultra, I would have been a little less partial on it.
I like the design of S20 Ultra, but for some people could be bulky, big, heavy. For me design for S20 Ultra is Much Nicer than OnePlus 9 Pro. I like square phones. 9 Pro is absolutly Not.
Samsung = Bloatware. I don't know/care if you still can root it.
OnePlus 9 Pro you can root, debloat. It works very good. For me battery is great.
I have European phone & now i use ColorOS 12 stable global C.46.
If you have money, go for Samsung S22 Note, only wwith SnapDragon !
But if you don't want to throw money on a phone, OnePlus 9 Pro is great.
I hope none take this the wrong way, but I've had the 8 pro, then 9 pro coming from the pixel line, and it has been super sweet.
With Oppo taking control, I'm seriously concerned with them not releasing source code anymore in a timely manner. The reason I moved to this phone was a kernel dev moving(& me following), and now he has given up on the 9 pro , due to this issue. Thankfully currently, we have some really nice talent supporting our device.
I've always been on a custom ROM for the last seven+ years until the 8 pro and the 9 pro. With a few tweaks, OnePlus devs along with the awesome devs here on XDA had everything I used in the years past, and usually was more featured, and everything I needed.
Going forward, I suppose only custom ROMs will do the trick, but like previously mentioned, maybe the support for OnePlus 9 pro will improve from Oppo.
I'm really thankful for this community, and for their support with this device. I hope for the best going forward for OnePlus, Android, etc, but I find it hard to see me getting another OnePlus, but maybe I might change my mind, since I really like the idea of a device with the support for Gapps or microg, etc. I hope whatever you decide to do works out with no regrets, and I hope this could maybe be of use.
If root access wasn't a deciding factor for me, I would own an S20 Ultra right now instead of the 9 Pro. It ultimately came down to the fact that root on Samsung is effectively non-existent now, and root on OnePlus has always been easily achieved.
The S20 is smooth, pretty, innovative, and everything that most people would want in a high-end smartphone. It's also bloated, but I assume you can still somewhat debloat with adb. The OP9P is also a great phone, though maybe not as great as the early hype. However, I've always been happy with it, and I love that there's a great development community, even if it's a bit smaller than the 8Pro or 7 Pro. A lot are still holding out for the 10Pro.
That said, modding on OP9P on OOS12 is severely limited at present compared with OOS11 due to no sources (no custom kernels, etc.) and most of the UI being part of the theme so you can't change it via traditional methods. If this is the direction they're going long-term, this might be my last OP phone too. There are lots of great custom ROMs if you're into that, but personally I don't like having to wipe my data and start fresh to install custom ROMs, then spend weeks getting my phone back how I want it only to decide I'm not crazy about the ROM I chose (or it's not stable/a feature I need doesn't work) and have to do it all over again. I just find the whole process too tedious for a device I rely on every single day. I prefer a phone with a versatile, rootable, highly moddable stock firmware.

Question Would you buy again?

Hi all.
I'm thinking of getting a 9 pro and was wondering, would you buy it again if you had your current experience to help make your decision? I've found a few around $650, used. I'm not worried about insane camera quality. A good screen, solid performance, fast charging and being able to root and ROM it are what is drawing me in. I loved the 7 Pro I had but I've seen some say they don't think anything later has lived up to that and the quality has degraded. It nearly pushed me back to a 7 pro but I take it with a grain of salt, figured I'd ask here and see from some current users.
As for ROM's, /e/ apparently works. And Lineage. Does the color OS merge cause any new privacy concerns? I don't know a lot of how it has progressed, to be honest. I'm planning to ROM and de-google as much as I can.
Anyone who's used a PIxel 5a, might it be a better solution, cheaper?
Thanks for your input!
Honestly if I could go back, I wouldve bought a Galaxy s21 ultra. Android 12 is still so buggy for me and I'm not keen on OnePlus merging with oppo. I love OOS.
Maybe,. It still has been solid, like screen is beautiful, w/ refresh rate. It has the thirty minute 0-100 charge and forty minute wireless charge. It sounds good and looks good so maybe so.
One thing is the fast charging is 65 watts; which I liked the 35 watt on the 8 pro.
One of the drawbacks was the US unlocked version came with one sim slot, instead of two, like it should of been.
Also when the few updates were good , unlocked version usually only received the incremental version on Google server; but the last one, I just flashed in TWRP (which has been a beauty).
So all in all still a solid device with the microg and Gapps option.
If the Samsung can be unlocked, etc, and looking like it will be supported then maybe that might be the way. I've been looking at them the last few years and I really like that foldable phone that opens to a tablet.
The last one I personally owned was the S3 and that was the days. I remember it coming out and being like, "WOW". That was the CyanogenMod era for me on that S3.
Anyway I hope it works out in what you decide. One thing I think by the way is "how easy is it to recover, and which method? How easy to brick, etc?
Take care, and I hope this post is not too much, but I can relate (like I'm sure most of us here on XDA can), and thought I'd add my thoughts.
Semetery said:
Hi all.
I'm thinking of getting a 9 pro and was wondering, would you buy it again if you had your current experience to help make your decision? I've found a few around $650, used. I'm not worried about insane camera quality. A good screen, solid performance, fast charging and being able to root and ROM it are what is drawing me in. I loved the 7 Pro I had but I've seen some say they don't think anything later has lived up to that and the quality has degraded. It nearly pushed me back to a 7 pro but I take it with a grain of salt, figured I'd ask here and see from some current users.
As for ROM's, /e/ apparently works. And Lineage. Does the color OS merge cause any new privacy concerns? I don't know a lot of how it has progressed, to be honest. I'm planning to ROM and de-google as much as I can.
Anyone who's used a PIxel 5a, might it be a better solution, cheaper?
Thanks for your input!
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no
Yes. I would buy 9 Pro.
One of the best screen on the market. Hardware, same. Charging on Oneplus is awesome. When i buy my phone battery was 0. I charged with my phone Off in 27 minutes, 0-100 %. Than i buy wireless 50w, crazy fast too. I put my phone on the stand . Then i must have my eyes on the watch. It goes to 100% in no time, if i let it.
About ColorOS... Many people forget that Oppo Fiind 7 came out at the same time with OnePlus One (almost same phone). Oppo works on is own processor. Oppo made a foldable already.
Color OS works fine (on my European model phone). I'm glad that we don't have that Stupid cartoon that i see on Pixel 6 phones. Looks llike is made by a 3 years old kid.
Oxygen OS was Awesome, but unfortunately google f*cked up this great OS.
Camera on Oneplus 9 pro is good. I like xPan mode, especially.
the bolt of thunder said:
Honestly if I could go back, I wouldve bought a Galaxy s21 ultra. Android 12 is still so buggy for me and I'm not keen on OnePlus merging with oppo. I love OOS.
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exactly how I feel too.
Yes I would, I'd make sure I know the origin of the phone, I.e. Eu, USA TMobile, India, China. I would then find out which rom it has flashed. Then use these to compare which country you're using it in, to make sure there's no surprise. Also I'd stick with a11 or a12 on a rom you like. My spec's are in the screenshot and I'm in the UK.
I would buy the 9 Pro again, but I'm going to try the 10 Pro when Global model available!
Cheers
I would probably buy unlocked, but I would buy again. I would also have done a little more looking so I didn't end up with my phone stuck on India firmware now.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback. Still undecided for now.
Another question; would you go to/back to a 7t Pro McLaren? Looks like it's about a $250 difference. I loved my 7 Pro and I'm willing to do a battery change. Or is the 9 Pro just so ahead that it's worth it to you?
Oh, and for those who wouldn't buy a 9 pro, would you mind to elaborate a little more? I'm down to these two and am trying to decide which makes more sense if I'm going to ROM it anyway.
Thanks again everyone!
650 usd for a op 9 pro? I'll take it. IMO no phones are better in this price range. It's not the best phone but it is expected that it will perform the same if not better with those $1000+ flagship phones.
Semetery said:
Another question; would you go to/back to a 7t Pro McLaren? Looks like it's about a $250 difference. I loved my 7 Pro and I'm willing to do a battery change. Or is the 9 Pro just so ahead that it's worth it to you?
Oh, and for those who wouldn't buy a 9 pro, would you mind to elaborate a little more? I'm down to these two and am trying to decide which makes more sense if I'm going to ROM it anyway.
Thanks again everyone!
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7 pro was great ! Mine was blue. NO front camera in display ! Back then Oxygen OS was awesome. And everything was easy : root-unroot-twrp-MSM.
But the screen is Too Curved. And soon you will get no updates.
galaxys said:
I would buy the 9 Pro again, but I'm going to try the 10 Pro when Global model available!
Cheers
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Don't ! Wait a little more. I'm sure you can use/keep your 9 pro few moths more.
I wait for Ultra.
Semetery said:
Oh, and for those who wouldn't buy a 9 pro, would you mind to elaborate a little more? I'm down to these two and am trying to decide which makes more sense if I'm going to ROM it anyway.
Thanks again everyone!
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Latest OOS (buggy Android 12 ColorOS ) is really not for me.
null0seven said:
Don't ! Wait a little more. I'm sure you can use/keep your 9 pro few moths more.
I wait for Ultra.
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Alright, I'll try and wait for the Ultra
I've owned my 9 Pro for about 4 months now. I have very mixed feelings about it.
For me, the pluses:
Unlockable bootloader with good third-party ROM support.
Nice screen, decent camera.
Wireless charging
The minuses:
Buggy factory ROM's. The switchover to Android 12 and a ColorOS-based build was a disaster. ColorOS is just not in the same league as OxygenOS as far as polish or capabilities. It lost most of the nice touches that made OxygenOS good. And the new team is doing a mediocre job of staying on top of security patches. It is now the end of February, and my phone is still at January 1, 2022 security patch level.
No SD-card slot.
I think I'd still pick the OnePlus over a Google phone. Google has had extensive hardware issues, and their customer service is supremely awful.
And I'd pick it over Samsung. Samsung is actively hostile toward unlocked bootloaders and custom ROM's. They also have a lengthy history of battery problems - the Galaxy Note 8 was not an aberration, merely the most severe.
Motorola/Lenovo makes decent hardware, but are completely falling down on updates. My wife's One Action is only 15 months old, and is still running Android 10 at a Nov 1, 2021 patch level. Supposedly the premise of the whole "Android One" program was that it would make it easier for the OEM's to issue timely updates and upgrades. Doesn't seem to be working.
To sum it up: The OnePlus is not great, but in the US market, it's still slightly better than the alternatives.
I bought a 256gb/12gb in mint condition for $550 USD that should be here tomorrow. I almost gave up on the idea but then saw the price and figured I'd give it a shot.
I looked forward to trying it out! Now to decide which ROM. LOS, Derp, Nameless or Stag. It's a fun problem I've missed having.
Thanks for all of the input, it helped a lot actually.
Yes. definitely. I just sold 8T model and bought 9 Pro for a good price. I will stick with Android 11 as long as I can, because IMHO A12 is childish and awful looking (especially these big fonts).
Semetery said:
around $650, used
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yes, i bought the same way, for similar price, it's worth it. you save money and there are no performance differences or use signs.
just make sure the seller is reputable and you will be fine, for me warranties failed me more than resellers. pro phones usually cost too much and aren't worth the cash unless you find sucha discount from resellers, which phones are rarely used and justa s good as factory. i always choose a physical seller so if there was an issue, have them located, AliExpress is not trustworthy.
about the phone, its very good. the main problem is the default ROM which isnt good at all. on the ohter hand, its easier to flash a custom ROM on OnePlus than almost any brand out there, and this will fix all your bugs, double battery time, half internet data consumption, refresh rate and overall performance. totally recommended
EDIT: i see you bought it for just 550$, which is even better. at that price is definitely even more worth it.

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