Intro
The OnePlus 9RT is the latest addition to the OnePlus smartphone lineup, introduced as an upgraded version of the OnePlus 9R. This comprehensive review delves into various aspects of the device, including its design, display, performance, cameras, and more, to assess whether it achieves the ideal balance between camera quality and price.
Design
Appearance
The OnePlus 9RT bears a striking resemblance to both the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9R, showcasing a design that embodies the continuity of OnePlus's aesthetic. While the familiar appearance may lack novelty, it exudes a sense of comfort and functionality, making it a practical choice for users.
Material and Finish
The silver variant of the OnePlus 9RT features a ceramic glazed material that not only enhances its visual appeal but also resists fingerprints, providing a clean and polished look. This innovative finish sets it apart, making it a standout option among the available color choices.
Ergonomics and Features
Weighing less than 200 grams, the OnePlus 9RT offers a lightweight and ergonomic design, ensuring a pleasant user experience. Additionally, it incorporates essential features such as NFC and stereo dual speakers, catering to the diverse needs of modern smartphone users.
Display
The display of the OnePlus 9RT has undergone slight changes compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus 9R. While the screen size has increased, resulting in a slightly lower pixel density at the same resolution, the addition of sub-pixel rendering of fonts aims to enhance the clarity of text. However, this may lead to colored streaks around the edges of fonts, albeit with minimal impact on daily use. Notably, the OnePlus 9RT's screen has transitioned from fluid AMOLED to regular AMOLED, which may result in reduced transparency and a wider lower bezel. Additionally, a noticeable rainbow effect is observed when viewing the screen from the side. Despite these shortcomings being less apparent during regular use, the overall display of the OnePlus 9RT represents a slight step back from its predecessor, the 9R.
Performance & Gaming
Processor and Operating System
The OnePlus 9RT is powered by the Snapdragon 888 processor and runs on the latest ColorOS 12. With impressive benchmark scores, including 793,506 on Antutu, 5,869 on 3DMark, and Geekbench five single and multi-core scores of 1,124 and 3,330 respectively, the device delivers robust performance and responsiveness.
Gaming Experience
- In-Game Touch Sampling Rate: The OnePlus 9RT is optimized for gaming, featuring an in-game touch sampling rate of up to 600Hz, ensuring precise and responsive touch controls during gameplay.
- Frame Rate: With a 90 FPS frame rate for PUBG, the device offers smooth and immersive gaming experiences, catering to the demands of avid gamers.
- Genshin Impact Performance: While the device has an official cooperation with Genshin Impact, the optimized performance may not meet high expectations, with the frame rate stabilizing at 40 FPS. This indicates a focus on stability and lower gaming temperatures over achieving high frame rates.
- Ultra Steady Frame Mode: The OnePlus 9RT introduces a new Ultra Steady frame mode, which, despite a slightly higher initial frame rate, does not significantly enhance the overall gaming experience compared to devices with higher frame rates but without the same stability.
Overall, the OnePlus 9RT has made notable efforts to optimize the gaming experience, making it a compelling choice for gaming enthusiasts seeking a balance between performance and stability.
Cameras & Video Recording
The OnePlus 9RT features significant upgrades to its camera system, particularly with the main camera boasting an IMX766 sensor, a substantial improvement over its predecessor, the 9R. This enhancement results in impressive daytime performance, delivering vibrant yet natural colors with excellent dynamic range. The camera excels in low-light conditions, capturing detailed highlights and shadows, showcasing the prowess of the IMX766 sensor. However, some users may find the AI sharpening of images to be excessive at times, warranting potential refinement in future updates. Additionally, the introduction of a high-resolution mode capable of capturing 100-megapixel photos, albeit with AI interpolation, adds versatility to the camera's capabilities, though it may not significantly enhance image clarity. The wide-angle camera retains its excellence in dynamic range and low-light performance, providing a compelling photography experience. While the macro lens yields standard performance typical of budget smartphones, the OnePlus 9RT impresses with its video recording capabilities, supporting 4K 60fps recording for both the main and ultra-wide angle cameras. The ability to seamlessly switch between these cameras during 4K 30fps recording sets it apart from competitors, offering enhanced versatility for videography enthusiasts. Furthermore, the AI highlight mode enhances video colors and dynamic range, albeit with room for improvement in future iterations.
Speaker Test
The speaker performance of the OnePlus 9RT is a crucial aspect of its multimedia capabilities, contributing to the overall user experience. The device's stereo dual speakers are designed to deliver immersive audio for various forms of media consumption, including videos, music, and gaming. The speaker test aims to evaluate the device's sound quality, volume, and overall audio performance, providing insights into its suitability for entertainment and multimedia usage.
Charging & Battery
The OnePlus 9RT comes with a special sixty-five watt charger that provides rapid charging capabilities. In just five minutes, the device can reach a charge of twenty-six percent, and within fifteen minutes, it can reach sixty-five percent. Remarkably, it only takes half an hour to achieve a full charge of a hundred percent. The device is equipped with a four thousand five hundred milliampere-hour battery, offering substantial power for extended usage.
Battery Consumption
When it comes to battery consumption, the OnePlus 9RT demonstrates efficiency across various activities. For instance, half an hour of TikTok usage consumes only five percent of the battery, while the same duration of online video consumption leads to a similar five percent battery usage. Engaging in gaming activities results in a consumption of ten percent and twelve percent for two different games, indicating that the device's power consumption during gaming remains within reasonable levels, aligning with expectations for a smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 888 processor.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 9RT stands out as a phone that strikes the perfect balance between price and photo experience. Positioned as an upgrade from the OnePlus 9R, the 9RT surpasses expectations with its camera capabilities, offering a compelling photo experience at an attractive price point. Notably, its rapid charging capabilities and efficient battery consumption further enhance its appeal, making it a strong contender in the smartphone market. With its impressive camera performance, efficient battery management, and rapid charging, the OnePlus 9RT represents a compelling choice for users seeking a well-rounded smartphone experience.
Camera Comparison
When comparing the OnePlus 9RT's main camera to that of the Mi 11, it becomes evident that the daytime performance of the OnePlus 9RT is impressive. The colors are vibrant yet natural, and the dynamic range is commendable, offering a visually appealing and balanced output. In low-light conditions, the prowess of the IMX766 sensor in the OnePlus 9RT shines through, capturing detailed highlights and shadows effectively. This capability positions the OnePlus 9RT's main camera on par with flagship phones, showcasing its ability to deliver exceptional performance in varying lighting scenarios.
Main Camera Performance
The OnePlus 9RT's main camera demonstrates the ability to compete with flagship devices, offering vibrant colors, excellent dynamic range, and detailed performance in low-light conditions. However, an area for potential improvement lies in the AI sharpening of images, which may be excessive at times, warranting refinement for a more balanced output.
High-Resolution Mode
While the high-resolution mode of the main camera allows for capturing 100-megapixel photos with AI interpolation, it does not significantly enhance image clarity. Furthermore, the use of this mode may result in a lack of AI color tone, impacting the overall quality of the final shot. As a result, it may not be recommended for daily use.
Wide-Angle Camera Performance
The wide-angle camera of the OnePlus 9RT continues to impress with its excellent dynamic range and control of highlights, providing users with a compelling photography experience. Despite not being an upgrade, the wide-angle camera maintains its excellence in delivering visually appealing results.
Ultra-Wide Camera
Despite not featuring a large sensor size, the ultra-wide camera of the OnePlus 9RT leverages an excellent algorithm to achieve correct exposure in dark lighting conditions at night, showcasing its versatility and reliability in capturing diverse scenarios.
Macro Lens
The two-megapixel macro lens of the OnePlus 9RT offers standard performance typical of budget smartphones. It has a closest focusing distance of four centimeters, and its image quality is inferior to that achieved by cropping with the main camera. As a result, it may not deliver exceptional results for close-up photography, warranting consideration of alternative shooting options.
Video Recording
The OnePlus 9RT impresses with its video recording capabilities, supporting 4K 60fps recording for both the main and ultra-wide angle cameras. Notably, it allows seamless switching between the main and ultra-wide angle cameras during 4K 30fps recording, offering enhanced versatility for videography enthusiasts. This feature sets it apart from many phones in the same price range, including the Mi 11, providing users with a compelling video shooting experience.
FAQ
Curious about the differences between the OnePlus 9, 9R, and 9RT? Here's a quick breakdown to help you understand their distinctions. The OnePlus 9 boasts the best camera performance among the three, while the 9R is positioned as the most affordable option. On the other hand, the OnePlus 9RT strikes the perfect balance between price and photo experience, offering impressive camera capabilities at a compelling price point. If you're seeking a well-rounded smartphone experience with a focus on camera quality, the OnePlus 9RT could be the ideal choice for you.
