Question any arguments for an s20 Ultra, compared to OP9? - OnePlus 9 Pro

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.

Related

Question Who will buy a OP9pro and why?

I am curious about the camera and think that will be a reason for a purchase.
Some newer hardware . Faster charger & i hope a faster wireless too.
I hope 5G works for any network/country in the world.
Better camera. On this we need proof.
Too bad that we do not have a square screen, flat, no curved edges . Those round corners on a phone are Horrible.
I jumped ship from OnePlus after having 3T, 5, 6T, 7Pro and 8Pro and went to Samsung Note 20 Ultra (rooted) and now S21 Ultra. But I'm missing the ease of root and the easily unlockable bootloader. Don't get me wrong for the S21 Ultra is a great device but without root and all the bootloader shenanigans that Samsung is constantly bringing to the table I'm going back to OnePlus with the 9 Pro. Already got a case for it (LOL). Camera is important but not a deal breaker unless it's totally trash which I don't expect this one to be. I obviously enjoyed previous OnePlus devices and expect this to be no different.
I'll be upgrading to it for All of the above reasons and then some! FYI latest news:
OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus 9R buyer's guide: What you need to know
This definitive OnePlus 9 series buyer's guide contains all the info you need, including specs, price details, release dates, and more.
www.androidauthority.com
I'll get one primarily to test, to compare with other top tiers..
For me, it's upgrade time. LGV40 has been great other than the total lack of updates from LG.
Have always been interested in OP, but was hesitant to buy any Chinese maker (privacy wise).
I've been looking for a while for a device to get me off iOS. I need a phone that has a good camera (which they seem to try to sell hard this time around, promising) and IP rating (which the 8 Pro had so I'd assume that would continue to the 9 Pro). So long as LineageOS support springs up for it after a bit I'm def switching
I plan on picking one up. I've held onto my OnePlus 7 Pro for longer than most phones over the last ten years or so. It's time to upgrade. I'll pass the OP7Pro on to my fiancee' and she'll pass her OnePlus 6 down to her son to replace his OP5. And so the cycle will continue.
I'm curious about the camera, but I'm not all-in on it yet. I've always thought OP to have decent, but not the best cameras. They've said that they've focused on the camera in the past, only to have "good enough" be the result. We'll see with the Hasselblad partnership. Everything else is what I'm looking forward to and expecting to be excellent. Speed, screen, finally a 5G phone, WiFi 6 (hopefully?). A truly great camera would just be the icing on top.
I'll buy it for the fast charge and test your camera, but where can I buy the unlocked OP 9 pro? Or will it only come to T-Mobile?
ArielGLS said:
I'll buy it for the fast charge and test your camera, but where can I buy the unlocked OP 9 pro? Or will it only come to T-Mobile?
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You can buy unlocked models directly from OnePlus.com
As someone else stated that they've held on to the oneplus 7pro longer than others in the last 10years so have I, I've felt that the 7pro has been more than adequate in all aspects to go this long and not feel like I'm missing out on any thing 'new' and I could probably go another year and say the same thing but I think my battery is starting to degrade and doesn't last near as long as it used to so I've decided that it's time to move on and I think that the 9pro will be a good upgrade, I'm not so worried about the camera as most are (I've never been) as long as it takes pictures as good as the 7pro I'll be happy in that aspect.
Ive been a oneplus user since the oneplus one (when you had to get an invite) and been happy with every device that I've purchased from them but I've noticed that I can go two years now easily without upgrading because the innovation of new features , faster phones etc is decreasing more than before so I'm sure this will be my phone for the next two-three years.
3T... 6... 9. I try the pro in the hope for an active community. I hope the curved screen is not to sensitive against impact and usage as in holding and using without touching always the edge.
I forgot to mention the best display on the market.
50w wireless charging (Awesome) ! 65w wired charging also great.
It's very sad to see that oneplus, stopped be the Robin hood in this world.
The prices are to expensive, just like all those phones.
And as usual... It's the same company as oppo, so it's going to be almost the same as oppo find x3 models.
BBK electronics make OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, Iqoo (a sub-brand of Vivo) Iqoo is
Vivo's sub brand, set to enter India with 5G smartphone.
Oppo and Oneplus phones are very similar. Vooc and Dash, now Warp charging, same, very similar.
Oppo is 2-300 euro more than OnePlus. Find x3 Pro is 1250 euro.
Oppo have different market/customers than OnePlus.
If I could pre-order it now I would do it, because it is the only normal android device that exists right now. You can root without loose the warranty, xda support, high end specs. I cant wait.
Currently happy OnePlus 8 owner. I have owned OP6, OP7Pro and OP8. I could have stay with the 7 pro easily, these days you can easily wait 2 to 3 years. I don't think I will upgrade to the OnePlus 9, it is simply not "needed". But we will see when it gets launched
I will wait for the successor of the 9, because I hope they will again fall back to a flat screen like the 8T, I personally hate the curved screens, because it is totally difficult to find a screen protector for it and real advantages it also has not. Where I have even considered in the meantime to sell my 8T and switch to the Pixel 5, but wait....
I will hold on for some review if Hasselblad do some magic to photo department of the phone. (Fun fact, I just know DJI bought Hasselblad few years ago hehehe.)
Last one plus phone for me was 7,I will try 9 this time

Question Helping me make a decision

When ever a new phone comes out I get excited like many. My current phone is OP 8pro and is a great phone. But my previous phone was a Pixel 2Xl and I felt it was a great phone. The Pixel still had a better camara than the 8 Pro.
So now comes the Pixel 6 & 6 Pro. They look nice but the 6 pro is slightly bigger and heavier than my 8 Pro. I've searched a lot to see if the series has facial recognition. From what I've brought up I can't find if it has it not. At this point in a "flag ship" phone they should kick a... and have everything plus be a step ahead of anything that has come out with in 6 months.
Does the 6 series beat out my 8 pro, significantly? Should I think about a 9 pro?
Or stay put for another year, maybe wait the OP 10?
Thanks for ay input!
I'm trading my OnePlus 9 Pro in for the Pixel 6 Pro. I can assure you despite what you see in reviews the camera on the 9 Pro isn't quite top notch. Also with OnePlus, they are folding into parent company Oppo completely so my tenure with them has now concluded after having the 6T/7T Pro McLaren/8T/9 Pro.
One plus are basically becoming oppo and one reason I'm changing my oppo Reno 2 for a 6 Pro is that awful updates that oppo do. I've had one actual proper update come through on the phone in 2 years. I've had to mess about using VPN connections to connect to different countries to get any security updates from them. The one Android update they did release almost broke the phone. I'd never go back to them. I had a pixel 2xl previously, which I've still got, and it was flawless even when I had to use it while trying to fix the oppo. I'm looking forward to going back to a phone with regular updates and updates that actually work.
I know too well it's difficult to decide very often. The Pro is slightly heavier than my Note 10+, too - about the same dimensions, just slightly longer and narrower, IIRC, than the Note 10+.
I haven't used facial recognition yet, but maybe I would eventually if it became available. For me, the selling points for the 6 Pro were the 512 GB of storage and the pure Android that works as Google intended it to work - without Samsung's **** software that doesn't work very well even with Google's standard apps.
If you're happy with the software on your OP 8 Pro, I'd stick with it since it has the facial recognition you prefer. That said, the two previous responses are pretty convincing to get the 6 Pro.
If you're still itching for a new phone, though, then absolutely, go for the 6 Pro unless you want to stay smaller, then go for the non-Pro 6 unless you need the 512 GB storage model of the Pro.
I currently have the OP 8 Pro and while the P6 Pro may weigh a little more, the OP is just a hair taller, and they look to be the exact same width. I never found the camera on the OP to be very good. The modded Gcam app works better, imo. So, along with what I'm assuming is going to be a stellar camera, I'm also excited about the AI integration Google wants to bring with their tensor chip. For me, it was a no brainer. I've had the OP for two years and it's starting to show. I think the 6 Pro will be quite a step up.
94b20gsr said:
I'm trading my OnePlus 9 Pro in for the Pixel 6 Pro. I can assure you despite what you see in reviews the camera on the 9 Pro isn't quite top notch. Also with OnePlus, they are folding into parent company Oppo completely so my tenure with them has now concluded after having the 6T/7T Pro McLaren/8T/9 Pro.
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Seeing the reviews, the 6p is close to the iPhone 13 pro max' camera, if not better. However, the tensor chip seems to fall behind but Google did this on purpose and that was to extend battery life despite having a slower processor than their competitors
All of the above have pro's and con's....and price points!
Flagships ftw
hello00 said:
Seeing the reviews, the 6p is close to the iPhone 13 pro max' camera, if not better. However, the tensor chip seems to fall behind but Google did this on purpose and that was to extend battery life despite having a slower processor than their competitors
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Yes, and I am in agreeance on the 6 Pro camera. I was referencing the OnePlus 9 Pro since the OP mentioned it as a possible contender. The Tensor exceeds in the GPU category vs an 888 only slightly, and is also slightly behind in the CPU space vs the 888.
Man, all great inputs thanks!! I understand what some of you've said about the updates. When I had my 2 xl , it was cool that they'd get the updates first. As far as OP, going forward, that it will not be the same OP, that's sad and it's maybe time to "go back home" to a Pixel.
Here's my two cents;
I've been on Android since the HTC H1/Dream. Flashed the heck out of it and eventually got myself a DroidX. From there, I went all into the Nexus line. After that turned into Pixel, I stayed with pixel phones. I like to test phones so over the course of time, I had the OnePlus One (loved that phone). I still have my OnePlus 2, tried several phones from HTC LG; used a Samsung s10 for a good while and I still keep some of my favorite phones, they still all work and I still love them and try to keep them updated with custom AOSP roms; my Nexus 5 is still alive and well, the OnePlus X is still fantastic to hold, the Palm phone is an amazing form factor, the Essential PH-1 is incredible to this day (minus the **** cameras), preferring smaller phones, the Xperia XZ1 Compact is awesome, I just got rid of my old OnePlus 5t and both my brother and my best friend are deep into OnePlus since the One.
But I always end up coming back to a Pixel.
Like someone already said, the cameras are fabulous, but they are definitely not "the best", however, in my experience, they ARE the most consistently close to the best. At the time, the Samsung Galaxy s10 had, arguably, a better camera than the pixel of the era (Pixel 3 or Pixel 4, depending on the date, since pixels release late in the year) but it was never as consistent (with me). With the pixel, I always knew I could double tap the power button and take a shot in just a few seconds, and the picture would come out consistently great. People can get amazing shots with a OnePlus, but it requires more effort than the consistency of the pixel.
I don't really care all that much about picture quality, despite what it may seem, but I think it is a good reflection of essentially everything else. Nothing is really THE most important part of a phone for me except for "feel", and my golden standard is the Nexus 5. Perfect size. The Pixel 3 is also a great feeling device. Sure, RAM is important, but in this day and age, for most people, I'd say 6GB or more is good enough. Less than 128GB of storage is not worth getting at this point. Fast charging is cool, just like wireless charging, but a battery that'll live throughout the day is a necessity (this is one thing Pixels have NEVER been able to excel at, for example, hopefully the 6 changes that).
Then there's the OS, and what comes with it (like, updates). Samsung has gotten MUCH better. Their Touchwiz was absolutely atrocious. But OneUI is not bad. It seems like most manufacturers are going now for a more muted skin than they used to (MotoBlur was pretty bad, HTC Sense was pretty, but heavy, TouchWiz was awful, Miui was an iOS copy) so we're far better off now, but it's easy to misrepresent how awesome it feels to receive updates in time. Google announces a new OS, and you've got it. All the new goodies (mostly). While on any other manufacturer, you MIGHT get it in 3 months, you might not get it at all.
I've been on Android 12 since beta 3 a couple of months ago, on a Pixel 3.
I skipped the 5, sold my 4 and went down to the 3, which still works great. I am hoping the 6 is not huge. Needless to say, I preordered the 6. 256gb. I personally think they did a very compelling job. Sure, it's got last years 5g hardware. Sure, there's no "small" version. Sure, the SoC is not exactly better than what Qualcomm puts out. But I think by now, I've made the point that a phone is more than the sum of its parts. And it seems, imo, that Google found a pretty good balance, with a competitive and consistently great camera, a fantastic feeling phone, at a reasonable price.

Question OnePlus 9 PRO or Samsung S21 Plus

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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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...

Question Should I get one?

It seems like it is probably time to retire my four year old Huawei Mate 10 Pro. It's still on Android 8 (because that is the last Android version thst can be rooted on this phone), and does still work pretty well. for me.
I've been planning to replace it with something from Oneplus for a while as I've been attracted to the pro-developer ethos they used to promote. I got the Huawei when samsung got weird but it never had much development activity to play around with.
But still... there are options. OP 9 Pro? Pixel 6 Pro? S21 Ultra? Or stay at the 6.4" sort of size and get the OP9 non-pro or Pixel 6 non-pro? I have never liked curved screens but I understand the 9 Pro curve is pretty minimal.
I get annoyed by little things not working right, so I have always had root on my phones. Not just for ad blocking but also things like disable-flag-secure so I can screenshot anything (it's my screen to shot!), freezing bloatware, etc.
Then again it seems like root is less and less popular, maybe it's not worth it any more.
Anyway, what do you guys think? Given what's available now would you still choose this phone?
anthropoidape said:
It seems like it is probably time to retire my four year old Huawei Mate 10 Pro. It's still on Android 8 (because that is the last Android version thst can be rooted on this phone), and does still work pretty well. for me.
I've been planning to replace it with something from Oneplus for a while as I've been attracted to the pro-developer ethos they used to promote. I got the Huawei when samsung got weird but it never had much development activity to play around with.
But still... there are options. OP 9 Pro? Pixel 6 Pro? S21 Ultra? Or stay at the 6.4" sort of size and get the OP9 non-pro or Pixel 6 non-pro? I have never liked curved screens but I understand the 9 Pro curve is pretty minimal.
I get annoyed by little things not working right, so I have always had root on my phones. Not just for ad blocking but also things like disable-flag-secure so I can screenshot anything (it's my screen to shot!), freezing bloatware, etc.
Then again it seems like root is less and less popular, maybe it's not worth it any more.
Anyway, what do you guys think? Given what's available now would you still choose this phone?
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I've been using OnePlus phones since OP3. They were my favourite Android makers. But their recent performance makes me say you should probably get a Pixel 6/Pro.
If the money is no issue go for Pro.
If you want to save some money go for Pixel 6 or Oneplus 9.
But the best option is to wait a little. You can get Oneplus 10/Pro or Xiaomi Mi12/Ultra, or Samsung Note 22. Or maybe Pixel will come down in price.
For adblocking use Private DNS = dns.adguard.com. You don'y need root for this.
The 9 Pro can still hold its own, but there are other devices on the horizon. Try one in a store if you can...
Thank you very much for the replies.
There's nowhere around here that I can try a OP 9 or 9 Pro, just online. I can try the Pixel anywhere though.
I think you are right, I'll wait and see what happens between now and March or so - better prices or better devices.
Thanks again.
Run away from Oneplus. This brand is dead.
Kinda agreed on some when they say OnePlus experience has changed for the worst. Them leaving Oxygen OS for Color OS is a nail in the coffin. I am also looking to the Pixel 6 Pro but I don't feel the Pixel measures up to the 9 Pro yet, for example charging time is one of them. Eventually I fear it'll be time to leave OP.
They say, either you die a hero or you live long enough to become evil.
Poloasis said:
Kinda agreed on some when they say OnePlus experience has changed for the worst. Them leaving Oxygen OS for Color OS is a nail in the coffin. I am also looking to the Pixel 6 Pro but I don't feel the Pixel measures up to the 9 Pro yet, for example charging time is one of them. Eventually I fear it'll be time to leave OP.
They say, either you die a hero or you live long enough to become evil.
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Same for me, the charging is too slow on the Pixel 6 pro.
I will definitely sell my OP9 Pro before the 10 is released to lose the minimum amount of money.
Gone are the days when the OnePlus 1 came out with Cyanogen OS. Today we no longer have the sources and the impossibility of using Gcam without restrictions.
The development of the alternative scene will slowly die off.
Oh and daring to release a "stable" release of Android 12 in the state in which they dared to release it shows the non-seriousness and the total lack of respect of the brand.
It's a shame.
What the brand represented is really dead, today it is a Chinese brand like any other. Don't buy this trash.

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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