OnePlus phones: A historical look at every device

Publish date: 2022-11-15

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

In late 2013, two former Oppo employees started a new smartphone brand called OnePlus. Their vision was to make OnePlus phones the devices that ticked off every box Android fans needed. Everyone wanted a great design, powerful specs, the fastest and leanest software, and a low price. The dream became a reality in 2014 with the launch of the OnePlus One.

Since then, OnePlus has moved from its humble beginnings as an online-only niche smartphone maker to a literal global powerhouse. It’s quite the achievement when you look back and realize it’s been under eight years.

This article will lay out a thorough history of each significant OnePlus device. From the OnePlus One to the OnePlus 10 Pro, they are all here.

Editor’s note: We’ll be sticking to the core OnePlus phones to keep things concise. Some of the company’s devices have subtle variants that aren’t unique enough to spend too much time on.

OnePlus One: The OG

It wouldn’t be surprising if every smartphone brand that’s started since 2014 has brought up the OnePlus One at meetings as an example of what they want to do. You couldn’t ask for a more successful launching pad for a brand. Simply put, all future OnePlus phones will be forever compared to this one.

All in all, the One wasn’t too different from other Android phones of its time. However, it had a few things that set it apart. The first is the software, which was, at launch, the Android-based Cyanogen OS, which forked off from the popular custom ROM known as CyanogenMod (now known as Lineage OS). Cyanogen OS was lean and developer-friendly, making it appealing to both Android tinkerers as well as general users who appreciate a bloat-free experience.

Related: OnePlus One revisited

Another unique aspect of the One was the price. The phone started at just $299, which was incredibly cheap when you factor in that it came with the latest Snapdragon 800 processor. When you combined that with the stunning design of the device (that Sandstone back!) you had a 2014 Android enthusiast’s dream machine.

When the One first launched, OnePlus took the unorthodox route of selling it via an invite system. You needed a unique one-time-use invite code to buy the phone — which could only be purchased online. The company seeded out a small batch of original codes to prominent members of its then-small community. After buying the One with those codes, those people would then get a new invite code they could share. Those invite codes would then turn into a new invite code, and on it would go.

While this left many early fans frustrated, it had two incredibly positive effects for OnePlus. It helped balance supply and demand for the very young company, as well as build buzz for the device. The invite code system ensured that if you owned a OnePlus One, you were somebody.

Although exact sales numbers for the OnePlus One are hard to come by, the company did divulge that it had sold over a million OnePlus phones by the end of 2014. This is pretty remarkable when you learn that OnePlus only anticipated selling 50,000 units of the One.

OnePlus One fast facts:

OnePlus 2: The sophomore slump

By the end of 2014, OnePlus found itself with a problem: it had gotten too big, too fast. Now, this is a problem that most companies would love to have, no doubt, but it was still a problem. It was likely at least partially why the OnePlus 2, launched in July 2015, is generally regarded as the weakest of all the OnePlus phones.

Since the company didn’t expect to push over a million units of the OnePlus One, it likely didn’t expect a ton of media and industry scrutiny on its follow-up. Thus, the OnePlus 2 is essentially a subtly updated version of the OnePlus One, complete with the Sandstone back and similar body shape.

The OnePlus 2 may be the weakest of all the OnePlus phones.

As one would expect, the OnePlus 2 came with the usual upgrades. These included the newest Snapdragon 800-series processor, a bigger battery, a better display, higher-grade cameras, a fingerprint sensor, more speakers, etc. However, the base model didn’t come with more RAM or more internal storage and removed NFC support. To top it all off, the entry price for the phone went up to $329.

Here: OnePlus 2 review

OnePlus also kept the invite system for the launch of the OnePlus 2, which this time backfired. Since many early adopters had only just gotten their hands on the OnePlus One after a long wait, they had no intention of going through the invite troubles again for the newest of the OnePlus phones.

Still, this didn’t stop the OnePlus 2 from selling well. By August 2015, the company admitted it had received over two million reservations for the device. Even if only half of those reservations turned into sales (which is very likely), the OnePlus 2 probably outsold the OnePlus One.

Regardless, the company did learn it needed to change up the game if it was going to continue to grow.

OnePlus 2 fast facts:

OnePlus X: The experiment

The OnePlus X

In the Fall of 2015, rumors were ramping up that OnePlus was going to imminently release a third smartphone (with the OnePlus 2 being the first that year and second overall). OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei downplayed the rumor by saying there would only be one flagship phone from OnePlus in 2015.

The OnePlus X had the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, the same chipset in 2014’s OnePlus One. It had 3GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and cut various corners in the hardware design to keep the price down. Essentially, the device was a reformatting of the One that the company could sell for even less cash — the OnePlus X started at $249, $50 less than the entry-level variant of the One.

Considering that the OnePlus 2 had only just been released — and only cost $70 more — and the OnePlus One was still available in many areas of the world, the OnePlus X had difficulty finding a large audience. Although OnePlus never divulged any sales numbers for the X, we can infer that the phone didn’t do that well because the “X” line never continued.

Still, history looks back very kindly on the OnePlus X. With the runaway successes of phones like the Google Pixel 4a and the iPhone SE (2020), the OnePlus X was kind of ahead of its time. Eventually, with the launch of the OnePlus Nord and its related line, the idea behind the OnePlus X can now live on in at least some capacity.

OnePlus X fast facts:

OnePlus 3: The return of the flagship killer

Although OnePlus had one bonafide hit smartphone under its belt with the OnePlus One, the OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X failed to replicate the same love. While the OnePlus 2 likely sold better than the One, it didn’t see the same positivity from the media and OnePlus’ ravenous fanbase. Meanwhile, the OnePlus X was more of a one-off experiment than anything else.

Enter the OnePlus 3, the company’s first total rethinking of how a OnePlus smartphone looks, feels, and functions. Taking some design cues from the incredibly popular HTC One M7 and One M8 from a few years prior, the OnePlus 3 had a classy-looking metal chassis, some sexy rounded corners, huge bumps in internal specs, and, possibly best of all, no invite system nonsense to hinder buyers from getting it.

The OnePlus 3 redefined what a OnePlus smartphone could be.

If the OnePlus 2 was a stumbling block and the OnePlus X was a fun little side project, the OnePlus 3 was the true follow-up to the OnePlus One: the return of the flagship killer.

OnePlus also used the OnePlus 3 to correct some of its earlier mistakes. It brought back NFC support and fixed compatibility issues that the OnePlus 2 saw with its USB-C port. It also enhanced the fingerprint scanner, a sore spot for users with the OnePlus 2.

Related: The original OnePlus 3 review from Android Authority

One of the only huge criticisms of the device is that, for some reason, OnePlus decided to make the battery smaller than the one in the OnePlus 2. This was a curious move, but it wouldn’t take long for the company to fix that error (see the next section).

Sales numbers are, as usual, hard to come by with the OnePlus 3. Even if we had them, though, they wouldn’t tell the whole story since the device was discontinued only five months after its launch due to the release of the next phone on this list.

OnePlus 3 fast facts:

OnePlus 3T: The step up to perfection

The OnePlus 3 launched in the middle of June 2016. In November, only five months later, the company announced a refresh of that device known as the OnePlus 3T. This was the first time the company had ever released two flagship smartphones in one year.

The OnePlus 3T looked almost exactly like the OnePlus 3 but featured a few upgrades that made it overall a better device. The processor got a slight upgrade to the Snapdragon 821, and the battery got a pretty significant upgrade to 3,400mAh — 400mAh more than the one in the OnePlus 3.

See also: How the price of OnePlus phones changed over the years

The 3T also added a more premium variant with 128GB of internal storage and an upgraded selfie camera. Overall, though, the OnePlus 3T was just a simple tweaking of the OnePlus 3.

The 3T was a terrific phone. Even so, diehard OnePlus fans were miffed by its existence. Many had literally just bought the OnePlus 3. The company then added insult to injury by discontinuing production of the OnePlus 3 entirely, making it probably the most short-lived phone in OnePlus’ history.

If you ignore that, though, the OnePlus 3T was probably one of the best smartphones of 2016. It fixed the very few problems with the OnePlus 3 and still could be bought for a relative bargain at just $439. For comparison, the similarly spec’d Samsung Galaxy S7 started at $669 that year.

Although we don’t know much about how many OnePlus 3T units the company sold, fans frequently cite the device as being the best device ever from the brand. There are probably people reading this article on a 3T, as quite a few people refuse to stop using it as their daily driver!

OnePlus 3T fast facts:

OnePlus 5: The first (and last) of its kind

After the launch of the OnePlus 3 and the unexpected launch of the OnePlus 3T, people naturally assumed that we’d see a OnePlus 4 in 2017. However, OnePlus surprised us again by skipping the number four and going straight to five with the OnePlus 5.

Although the company never gave a formal reason for skipping the OnePlus 4, it likely had to do with tetraphobia, a highly prevalent superstition in East Asian culture. Tetraphobia, quite literally, is the fear of the number four. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the word “four” is very similar to the pronunciation of the word “death.”

Opinion: The OnePlus 5/5T just got Android 10, which is a big deal (but it shouldn’t be)

Regardless, the OnePlus 5 landed in June 2017 with great reviews and stellar sales. Although the design took a lot of cues from the OnePlus 3 and 3T from the previous year, it had a more minimalistic look with more emphasis on tiny details.

However, the most notable change for the OnePlus 5 was the introduction of two rear camera lenses. Over the entire history of OnePlus phones, the camera system has been a constant sore spot, with most critics saying they are sub-par when compared to other similar devices on the market. With the OnePlus 5, the company made its first big attempt to shut down that criticism, even going so far as to work with DxO — the French photography company behind venerable reviews site Dxomark — to develop the OnePlus 5’s cameras.

With two lenses on the rear, OnePlus came out ahead of many other companies that had yet to introduce flagship phones with multiple rear lenses, including Samsung and Google. Even Apple had only just introduced a multi-lens system the year prior on the iPhone 7 Plus (the vanilla iPhone 7 still had a single rear lens). With a starting price of just $479, the OnePlus 5 undercut the iPhone 7 Plus’ entry-tier price of $769 by a considerable margin.

OnePlus said that the OnePlus 5 was the fastest-selling phone in its history at that point.

OnePlus 5 fast facts:

OnePlus 5T: The overhaul

From the OnePlus One in 2014 to the OnePlus 5 in 2017, all the OnePlus phones shared a similar design. Sure, the Sandstone back disappeared with the OnePlus 3, and the OnePlus 5 gave us a dual rear camera system. Still, the overall idea of a minimalist design with a physical home button/fingerprint sensor on the front stayed the same.

Not so with the OnePlus 5T. For the first time, the front of the device became all screen, and the fingerprint sensor moved to the back. It wasn’t the first device to do this by far, but it was a pretty significant jump to make with a “T” model phone. After all, the OnePlus 3T looked the same as the OnePlus 3, but now it was easy to tell the difference between the 5 and 5T just with a quick glance.

Related: The original OnePlus 5T review from Android Authority

Of course, we were still years away from a nearly bezel-less experience when the OnePlus 5T landed, so it still had a significantly sized forehead and chin. But now, there was so much more room for a screen on a device that was, physically, about the same size as the OnePlus 5.

Despite the drastic change in design, the OnePlus 5T didn’t differ all that much from the OnePlus 5. It had the same processor (the Snapdragon 835), the same RAM/internal storage options, the same battery, etc. It even had the same price.

OnePlus did have some fun with releasing special editions of the 5T. There was the Star Wars edition to tie in with the release of Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, as well as a Lava Red colorway that you can see at the very top of this article.

OnePlus 5T fast facts:

OnePlus 6: The opening act

At the end of 2017, Apple unveiled the iPhone X. The phone was the first from Apple to feature a notched display. This allowed for nearly bezel-less sides and a very, very small chin. This design idea originated earlier in the year with the Essential Phone, and other Android OEMs had quickly jumped on the bandwagon.

The notch was (and still is) a highly controversial design element. With rumors ramping up for the OnePlus 6 in early 2018, fans were concerned about notches. Sure enough, their concerns became a reality when co-founder Carl Pei told The Verge, “learn to love the notch,” and gave an exclusive first look at what the notch on the OnePlus 6 looked like.

Some saw the OnePlus 6 as the spiritual successor to the Google Nexus series.

This initial wave of lousy publicity put a considerable damper on the PR machine running to promote the OnePlus 6. After the success OnePlus had had, the OnePlus 6 was poised to be a breakthrough for the brand. It would move it out of the world of niche smartphones and into the mainstream. This bad press wasn’t helping.

Luckily for OnePlus, the initial notch backlash didn’t hurt it too much, as the OnePlus 6 was well-received by fans and critics. Our review of the phone called it “the spiritual successor to the Nexus,” which are not words we would use lightly.

However, the OnePlus 6 ended up being the opening act for the phone that would genuinely break OnePlus into the mainstream.

OnePlus 6 fast facts:

OnePlus 6T: The one for everyone

With the OnePlus 6 being the fastest- and best-selling phone from the company to date, how could it keep growing? Here in the United States, the best way for it to grow would be to finally get a carrier partnership. This would allow US buyers to simply walk into their local shops and buy one.

OnePlus had already made carrier partnerships in other parts of the world. Getting one in the US would truly be a win. As you probably know by now, the company did this by partnering with T-Mobile.

Related: OnePlus 6/6T redux

Without a doubt, the OnePlus 6T marks the turning point for the brand. It’s when the company finally stepped out of its original incarnation as an online-only niche OEM to a global company that could actually threaten the likes of Samsung, Huawei, and more.

Even if you ignore all that, the OnePlus 6T was such a fantastic device. The move to a barely-there waterdrop notch was a welcome one, and the enhancements to the display, cameras, and internal specs were all excellent moves — not to mention the debut of the in-display fingerprint sensor. The only thing that wasn’t great about the 6T is that it marks the end of the headphone jack — every flagship OnePlus phone since this one hasn’t had the much-loved legacy port.

OnePlus 6T fast facts:

OnePlus 7: The divide

The OnePlus 6 and 6T were incredibly successful. All eyes in the industry were on OnePlus for the inevitable launch of the OnePlus 7 series. It was no secret that the company was steadily increasing the entry-level price of its devices. Would the company keep that trend going and release a phone twice as expensive as the OnePlus One just five years after its debut?

It turns out the answer to that question is both yes and no. That’s because OnePlus, for the first time, released two different versions of its flagship: the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. The OnePlus 7’s price stayed under $600, preventing it from doubling the cost of the OnePlus One. The Pro variant, though, flew past the $600 mark, allowing the company to have its cake and eat it, too.

Related: The OnePlus 7 review from Android Authority

However, things got complicated when the company decided only to launch the devices in some world regions. Here in the United States, we couldn’t get the OnePlus 7, with only the 7 Pro being available from T-Mobile and even the official OnePlus online store.

Ultimately, it didn’t really matter, because the OnePlus 7 was more like a OnePlus 6T. It looked like the OnePlus 6T and only offered some nominal internal upgrades. It was undoubtedly a great phone, but with T-Mobile still selling the OnePlus 6T, there was no reason to have a clone on the next shelf.

In that sense, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the proper follow-up to the OnePlus 6T.

OnePlus 7 fast facts:

OnePlus 7 Pro: The overshoot

To justify the price increase, the OnePlus 7 Pro had to be much better than the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 6T. While the company achieved that, it might have done too good of a job, as the OnePlus 7 Pro was so much better than the OnePlus 6T that it kind of painted itself into a corner.

Related: The OnePlus 7 Pro review from Android Authority

The OnePlus 7 Pro introduced a few firsts to OnePlus phones and the entire smartphone market in general. It was the first commercially released phone to have UFS 3.0 storage speeds and the first with a 90Hz refresh rate on an OLED display. It also was the first phone with a pop-up selfie camera to hit store shelves in the United States.

The OnePlus 7 Pro was the first phone from the company with a triple-lens rear camera, which helped it earn a high Dxomark score, keeping it in the top ten for months. Oh yeah, and it also had 30W wired charging and up to a ridiculous 12GB of RAM.

The absolute most you’d pay for a OnePlus 7 Pro on launch day was $749.

Frankly, OnePlus may have overshot things with the OnePlus 7 Pro. After all, where does it go from here? The OnePlus 7T Pro will tell you the answer to that question.

OnePlus 7 Pro fast facts:

OnePlus 7T: The Goldilocks

Interestingly, the “T” series from OnePlus is all out of whack now. Initially, the OnePlus 3T was a minor upgrade over the OnePlus 3. Then, with the OnePlus 5T and the OnePlus 6T, the company instead introduced wholly new design elements, making the phones drastically different from their predecessors.

Then, with the OnePlus 7, the company made a phone that was essentially a clone of the OnePlus 6T but with some nominal upgrades. In just a few generations, we went from the “T” series being the slight upgrade to the main series being the slight upgrade over the previous generation. It’s like we’re in reverse!

Related: OnePlus 7T one year later

The OnePlus 7T fits in well with this “backward” system since it features a whole new design as well as upgraded internals as compared to the OnePlus 7. For example, it brings over the triple-lens rear camera system of the OnePlus 7 Pro but in a brand new (and soon abandoned) circular module. It keeps the waterdrop notch of the OnePlus 7, but makes the screen slightly thinner and slightly taller, kind of like the OnePlus 7 Pro’s all-screen display. Aside from the new camera module, the OnePlus 7T looks like someone mashed together a OnePlus 7 and a OnePlus 7 Pro, making it the best of both worlds.

Of course, there were the usual internal upgrades, such as the Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, 8GB of RAM for the entry-level option, a larger battery, etc. Overall, though, the OnePlus 7T feels more like what the OnePlus 7 should have been.

Thankfully, OnePlus kept the price for the OnePlus 7T very reasonable at just $599. Eventually, OnePlus lowered the price by an astounding $100, making the OnePlus 7T the best value smartphone of 2020 (even though it launched in 2019!).

OnePlus 7T fast facts:

OnePlus 7T Pro: The rehash

Remember how we nicknamed the OnePlus 7 Pro “the overshoot”? Well, the OnePlus 7T Pro helps prove that point, considering it is a “T” model upgrade that offers only a handful of upgrades over the original 7 Pro.

In essence, the 7T Pro is just a 7 Pro with a slightly bigger battery (we’re talking 85mAh bigger) and a slightly upgraded processor (the SD855 Plus as compared to the regular SD855). Aside from these minor details, the phones are identical.

Related: The OnePlus 7T Pro review from Android Authority

OnePlus must have realized that the 7T Pro was a bizarre entry in its line. It only made the device available in certain countries. Here in the US, if you wanted an upgrade over the OnePlus 7T, you needed to go to the OnePlus 7 Pro. Aside from the processor, is still the superior device in almost every respect.

The 7T Pro eventually made its way to the United States in the form of the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition. You could get from T-Mobile. As its name suggests, it’s a 5G version of the OnePlus 7T Pro with the McLaren color scheme makeover.

OnePlus 7T Pro fast facts:

OnePlus 8: The upgrade with some downgrades

The OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T were some of the company’s best-received products. The only problem was that the difference between Pro and non-Pro phones wasn’t quite clear. Sure, pricing and specs tables give hints as to which phone is “better.” OnePlus definitely needed to do a better job at making the differences easy for consumers to understand.

Enter the OnePlus 8 series. The vanilla OnePlus 8 looks very different from the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7 Pro. It has the expected upgrades in specs, including the 5G Snapdragon 865 processor. However, it also has a few downgrades. Most notably a weaker camera array (who needs a macro lens, seriously?) as well as a display cutout rather than a waterdrop notch.

Related: The OnePlus 8 review from Android Authority

Outside of the processor upgrade, there’s not too much notable about the OnePlus 8. We even call it “watered down” in the headline of our review. All in all, it’s a perfectly good 2020 smartphone, but nothing to write home about. However, its relatively high price was something to note: starting at $699, OnePlus blew past its previous entry-tier smartphone pricing by $100.

Thankfully, the OnePlus 8 was made readily available throughout most of the world, unlike the OnePlus 7 before it. You could easily get the device here in the US from both Verizon and T-Mobile.

OnePlus 8 fast facts:

OnePlus 8 Pro: The fan service

In early 2018, with the launch of the all-glass OnePlus 6, fans of the brand were finally excited to get a OnePlus phone with wireless charging. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be, as the OnePlus 6 didn’t feature it. Neither did the OnePlus 6T or any phones the company released in 2019.

Finally, that changed in 2020 with the launch of the OnePlus 8 Pro, the first OnePlus phone with wireless charging. Not content to stop there, OnePlus also earned an IP68 rating for every OnePlus 8 Pro device, another thing fans have wanted for years. It was like the answer to so many prayers!

Related: The OnePlus 8 Pro review from Android Authority

Unfortunately, not all changes for the OnePlus 8 Pro were received warmly. The phone price shot up to an astonishing $900 for the lowest-tier model, precisely three times the price of the OnePlus One from six years prior. The notch-free, all-screen displays of the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro were exchanged for a display cutout housing the solitary front-facing camera, quite rightly hailed as a downgrade rather than an upgrade. Finally, the OnePlus 8 Pro added a chromatic filter camera which we called a “gimmick.” It backfired on the company when people started using it to simulate x-ray vision.

Time will tell how the OnePlus 8 Pro holds up compared to previous devices in the company’s lineup. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help sales, though, so it might be difficult to truly say whether the OnePlus 8 series is a sales success or not when the dust settles.

OnePlus 8 Pro fast facts:

OnePlus Nord: The back to basics

Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

Remember the OnePlus X, which we called “The Experiment?” Well, it could be argued that the experiment is what gave us the OnePlus Nord, only the second phone from the company to not be a flagship-style product. It’s also the second phone from the company to not launch at all in the United States.

Although the Nord looks a lot like other OnePlus flagships (specifically the OnePlus 8 series), it features a weaker processor in the Snapdragon 765G. This enables it to connect to 5G networks and still produces a snappy software experience, but it’s not nearly as powerful as the Snapdragon 865.

Related: The OnePlus Nord review from Android Authority

The reduction in processing power, though, allowed OnePlus to keep the entry price for the Nord reasonably low. It is roughly 55% cheaper in Europe when compared to the OnePlus 8 Pro.

The OnePlus Nord is not a one-and-done product as we saw with the OnePlus X. The company has promised that “Nord” is the name of an entirely new line of products and is not just limited to smartphones. As such, we should see many more Nord-branded phones, headphones, and other devices in the future.

OnePlus Nord fast facts:

OnePlus 8T: The speed demon

Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

OnePlus 8T

As with the transition from the OnePlus 7 to the OnePlus 7T, the OnePlus 8T features a different design than the OnePlus 8. Most notably, the rear camera module gets a whole new look with a rounded rectangle setup. The front of the phone, though, looks very similar to the OnePlus 8.

The most prominent upgrade with the OnePlus 8T, though, is the introduction of Warp Charge 65. As its name suggests, it offers 65W wired charging speeds. This is twice as fast as any previous OnePlus phone and allows you to charge the 8T from zero to full in just under 40 minutes.

Related: OnePlus 8T review

Outside of the fast charging, though, the OnePlus 8T doesn’t feature a whole lot of extensive upgrades as compared to its namesake. It has the same processor, the same RAM/storage configurations, and a very similar camera system (although with an extra monochrome lens thrown in for fun).

Ultimately, the OnePlus 8T is a great phone, but its price tag makes it hard to recommend. At $749, it’s more expensive than other phones of its class, especially the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Since it doesn’t have wireless charging or an IP rating, it’s difficult to justify that price when the OnePlus Nord is such a great phone and costs half as much.

OnePlus 8T fast facts:

OnePlus Nord N10 and N100: The cheap entries

Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

Not long after OnePlus launched the OnePlus 8T, the firm quietly launched two brand new phones: the OnePlus Nord N10 and Nord N100. Both devices are firmly in the budget segment and represent a multitude of “firsts” for the company.

Each device has a weak processor: the Snapdragon 690 for the Nord N10 and the Snapdragon 460 for the N100. These are the lowest-level processors in any OnePlus phone to date. Both phones also feature microSD card slots (something we haven’t seen since the OnePlus X), headphone jacks (which we haven’t seen since the OnePlus 6), and physical fingerprint sensors on the rear (which we also haven’t seen since the OnePlus 6).

Our verdict: OnePlus Nord N10 reviewOnePlus Nord N100 review

With the Nord N10 and N100, OnePlus is clearly gunning for a customer base it has long ignored: budget shoppers. Although the company started as a wallet-friendly brand, even the $300 OnePlus One was more expensive than the N100.

Really, the phones mostly exist to get people who otherwise can’t afford a OnePlus phone into the OnePlus ecosystem.

OnePlus Nord N10 and N100 fast facts:

OnePlus 9: The balancing act

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

With OnePlus’ introduction of Pro models in 2019, the vanilla models have been in a bit of an awkward place. They can’t be as good as the Pro models, but they can’t be mid-rangers. They need to incorporate premium features but still leave out a few to keep the price from ballooning.

The OnePlus 9 is probably the company’s best attempt when it comes to this balancing act. It features the then latest-and-greatest processor in the Snapdragon 888. It has a solid camera system, good internals, and a price that isn’t too bad for what you get. Also, for the first time, it offers wireless charging, previously unseen on non-Pro level devices from the brand.

Our verdict: OnePlus 9 review

Of course, it still is not a Pro-level phone. It lacks a telephoto lens, for one, and also misses out on an IP rating (unless you buy it from T-Mobile in the US). It also doesn’t have the build quality of OnePlus’ Pro-level offerings.

Still, the OnePlus 9 was a great option if you wanted as good a phone as possible while paying less than $800. However, its $729 entry price is way more money than we saw even a few years ago. Remember that the OnePlus 6 started at $529! Old school OnePlus fans haven’t been too happy with that rising trend.

OnePlus 9 fast facts:

OnePlus 9 Pro: The camera phone

Eric Zeman / Android Authority

From the launch of the OnePlus One through to today, OnePlus has had a tough time with critics. No matter how much OnePlus tries to make the cameras on its smartphones good, they’re just never good enough.

That’s a big reason why OnePlus partnered with renowned camera company Hasselblad for the release of the OnePlus 9 series. The partnership — and the camera software that’s the fruit of that partnership — is pretty much all OnePlus is focused on with the OnePlus 9 Pro.

Our verdict: OnePlus 9 Pro review

Truth be told, the 9 Pro is far and away from the best smartphone camera OnePlus has ever made. Finally, the company can confidently stand among the greats in the photography game, namely Samsung, Google, and Apple.

Of course, there’s more to the OnePlus 9 Pro than just its camera chops. It has some blazing-fast wired and wireless charging speeds, an IP rating, a killer display, etc. But the camera is all OnePlus seems to care about here, It’s betting big this phone can kill off its reputation as the underperformer for good.

That Hasselblad partnership couldn’t have been cheap, though. It’s likely a big reason why the starting price for a OnePlus 9 Pro is $969. This made it the most expensive OnePlus phone ever.

OnePlus 9 Pro fast facts:

OnePlus Nord CE: Somewhere in between other Nords

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Most of us wondered where the OnePlus Nord CE would fit, as its price point put it somewhere between the Nord and the Nord N100/N10. We weren’t thrilled with the upgrade, as only a bit more money would get you the better OnePlus Nord.

It was a popular phone in India, though, where it was the most affordable available OnePlus handset. People in other markets had plenty of affordable options that performed much better, though.

The phone is exceptionally modest in almost every department. The design is very simple. Specs are adequate, but nothing to write home about. You do get fantastic battery life, though, and 30W fast charging.

OnePlus Nord CE fast facts:

OnePlus Nord N200: The ultra affordable phone is back

Eric Zeman / Android Authority

Ultra-affordable smartphones with fair specs are all the hype since 2020. This 2021 OnePlus Nord N200 builds upon the company’s budget lineup as a continuation of the N100. The device comes at a great price point ($239.99). This is a breath of fresh air in a world where smartphones rarely go for less than $400. Even for the budget ones.

Here: Check out our review of the OnePlus Nord N200

While it won’t win any contests, the N200 comes with fair specs, considering how much it costs. You get a Snapdragon 480 and 4GB of RAM, as well as 64GB of storage. The design, while mainly composed of plastic, comes with a great feel and texture. Despite having such a low price point, you get high-end specs. These include a 90Hz refresh rate display, as well as a large 5,000mAh battery.

The camera system is pretty basic, comprised of three shooters. The primary camera has a 13MP sensor. You also get a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro.

OnePlus Nord N200 fast facts:

OnePlus Nord 2: The sequelitis

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Remember how OnePlus has had problems with its camera systems over the years? It’s finally solved that problem for its flagships with the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, its mid-range Nord line is still struggling, which is what brings down the OnePlus Nord 2.

Now, the Nord 2 is not a bad phone. It has excellent hardware, an attractive design, and fast 65W wired charging. For its price, it’s a good phone. However, it’s up against many heavy hitters in the industry. It comes up a bit short once you start comparing it to the competition.

Our verdict: OnePlus Nord 2 review

Most notably, though, the Nord 2 is the first phone from the brand without a Qualcomm chipset. Instead of a Qualcomm mid-ranger, the Nord 2 has MediaTek’s flagship processor, the Dimensity 1200. This makes the Nord 2 much more potent than its predecessor.

Outside of the processor, though, there’s not much about the Nord 2 that you can’t get from other phones. It’s also not that much cheaper than the OnePlus 9R in India or even the OnePlus 9 with OnePlus’ frequent discounts. As such, be sure to price match the Nord 2 before committing.

OnePlus Nord 2 fast facts:

OnePlus 10 Pro: The Oppo phone

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

In late 2021, OnePlus announced “OnePlus 2.0.” This marketing jargon was how the company explained its full-on merger with Oppo — you know, the company OnePlus said it had very little to do with from the beginning. Going forward, OnePlus and Oppo now share all resources, with the only exception being each company’s PR team.

With OnePlus and Oppo merged, the companies can crib from each other without hesitation. That’s one of the main reasons why the OnePlus 10 Pro looks a lot like an Oppo phone. It’s also why Oxygen OS 12 — which powers the 10 Pro out-of-the-box — is based on Oppo’s Color OS. It’s also why OnePlus launched the 10 Pro in China first with no sign of the vanilla OnePlus 10. This is a classic Oppo strategy.

Next: OnePlus 10 Pro review

On paper, though, the 10 Pro is a stellar phone. It has a good camera system (although notably weaker in one area when compared to the OnePlus 9 Pro). It has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is currently the best Android CPU. RAM, storage, battery capacity, wired and wireless charging speeds, and all other specs are great.

The phone has also launched globally, and we can now get it in North America for $899. Only the base version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage are available outside China so far, though.

OnePlus 10 Pro fast facts:

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Are OnePlus budget phones improving?

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

The OnePlus Nord CE did very little to impress us, as it seemed to drown in a world of fantastic budget smartphone options. Sadly, the same seems to happen with the OnePlus Nord CE 2, but we saw some improvements that make it stand out just a bit more this time around.

For starters, the design is more in line with modern handsets. It actually looks much like the Oppo Reno 7 series, which is a pretty good aesthetic. We’re happier with the performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 900, the primary camera is pretty good, and fast-charging is greatly improved considering the 60W support.

Like 2021’s Nord CE, we still believe there are better options at the OnePlus Nord CE 2’s price range of £299 / €349 / Rs. 24,999.

OnePlus Nord CE 2 fast facts:

There you have it, the complete history of OnePlus phones until now! Which one was your all-time favorite?

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