In this review, I will discuss the Oneplus 5T in areas such as the design, display, camera, storage, sensors, and battery. After each section’s discussion, I will rate the performance of the Oneplus 5T on a scale of 10. At the end of this review, you will be familiar with the Oneplus 5T, enough to decide if it is worthy of being your next phone.
My Initial Thoughts
The OnePlus 5T was launched barely 5 months after its sibling – the OnePlus 5. This was a piece of good news to intending customers of the new release.
However, those who already own the previous edition were a bit disappointed about the quick succession. This feeling is justifiable, considering that the OnePlus 5T offers a few upgraded specs while sticking to the same price tag as the OnePlus 5. Hence, the OnePlus 5T doesn’t seem like an upgrade of the OnePlus 5 but a replacement that seems difficult to ignore. For the price, the OnePlus 5T costs $219.00 but this price tag is applicable in October 2021 when we updated this article. Now that you know the price, let us proceed to get to know other things about the OnePlus 5T.
Oneplus 5T Design, Dimension & Weight Review
The OnePlus 5T bags a premium design with a metal unibody that feels solid. At the time of its launch, it was available in just midnight black. However, now you have more eye-catching colors like red and white to choose from. The white models are only partly white since there are no white screens. Hence, the screen, camera bump, volume rockers, and power button are all black. The first difference between the OnePlus 5T and the OnePlus 5 is obvious from the front view. The OnePlus 5T has a bigger display of 6.2-inch as opposed to the 5.5-inch of its predecessor. In addition to that, the OnePlus 5T has a black top and bottom bezels that are slimmer than those on the predecessor. The slimmer bezels have necessitated some design changes like moving the fingerprint/home button away from the front to the back. Hence, there is nothing on the bottom bezel of the OnePlus 5T, the navigational controls are on-screen just above the bottom bezel. Meanwhile, the top bezel houses the front camera, the earpiece as well as the proximity and ambient light sensor. Moving on to the back view, the metallic back is slightly curved which makes it well balanced in the hands. We also found out that the back attracts fingerprints, although OnePlus claimed to use an anti-fingerprint layer for the finish. The good news is that the fingerprints are easy to wipe off. Moreover, you can invest in a case to save yourself the stress. Thankfully, the Oneplus 5T ships with a clear silicone case. Furthermore, just like its predecessor, the Oneplus 5T has a horizontal camera bump by the top-left corner. However, compared to the OnePlus 5, the edges have been smoothened more uniformly with the surrounding body. Additionally, next to the camera, you will see the LED flash that helps to take brighter night pictures. Further down the back panel, you will see the fingerprint sensor, and below it is a Oneplus logo. That is about all you will find on the back of the Oneplus 5T, now let us talk about the sides, top, and bottom. From the front view, there is a power button by the right side which can also be used to lock the screen. In addition to that, there is also a SIM tray located above the power button. The SIM tray houses two nano SIMs and can be ejected using an ejector tool. Meanwhile, on the left, there is a volume rocker as well as a notification slider. The notification slider makes it easy to switch between silent, do not disturb, and ring modes. The top of the Oneplus 5T is vacant. Whereas, the bottom houses a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a USB Type-C charging port, and speaker grilles. When it comes to dimension and weight, the Oneplus 5T measures 156.1 x 75.0 x 7.3 mm and weighs 162 g. The weight is excellent as it falls within the weight range preferred by most smartphone users. Our research revealed that most mobile phone users prefer a phone that weighs between 140 g to 170 g. In comparison with its predecessor, the Oneplus 5T is taller and wider but it maintains the same thickness. Specifically, the predecessor – Oneplus 5 measures 154.20 x 74.10 x 7.25 mm. The Oneplus 5T is also heavier than the Oneplus 5 which weighs 153 g. Unfortunately, the OnePlus 5T is not water-resistant and it has no IP rating whatsoever. This implies that you should not use your phone in the rain or close to water sources. In conclusion, I will rate the OnePlus 5T an eight in this design and dimension review section.
OnePlus 5T Display Features Review
Another significant difference between the OnePlus 5T from its predecessor is the screen size. The OnePlus 5T is equipped with a 6.01-inch AMOLED display while its predecessor has a screen size of 5.5-inch. Impressively, the OnePlus 5T was the first OnePlus smartphone to come with a 6.01-inch. This is good news for large screen lovers. In my opinion, I think the screen size is perfect for gaming and watching movies. Although research shows that the Ideal screen size preferred by most users is between 5 to 5.5-Inch. Additionally, the AMOLED display of the OnePlus 5T is an impressive feat because AMOLED screens have excellent contrast ratios. Moreover, AMOLED displays are also known to consume less power compared to its rival technology – IPS LCD – enabling the phone’s battery to last longer. Furthermore, the OnePlus 5T follows the 2017 trend of most flagship phones like iPhone X, LG V30, and Samsung Galaxy S8. These aforementioned phones including the OnePlus 5T feature an a18:9 aspect ratio instead of the 16:9 standard. This implies that you will be able to view more content on your OnePlus 5T screen without scrolling. However, one thing that puts the OnePlus 5T a step behind its flagship rivals is the resolution. Similar to its predecessor, OnePlus as once again stuck with a Full HD resolution with 1080 x 2160 pixels and 401 PPI pixel density. Meanwhile, its rivals feature 2K screens that deliver better display quality. Thankfully, despite not boasting a 2K display, the OnePlus 5T still offers bright vibrant colors and sharp videos. Moreover, considering the price difference of the OnePlus 5T against its flagship rivals, we can agree that this is a fair deal. Additionally, OnePlus has included a sunlight display mode that helps to detect harsh lighting conditions and regulates the screen brightness accordingly. When it comes to durability and resilience, the OnePlus 5T has it. The screen is made of a corning gorilla glass 5 which prevents it from getting scratched and cracked easily. In conclusion, I will rate the OnePlus 5T a nine in this display review section.
OnePlus 5T Camera Features Review
When it comes to the camera, the OnePlus 5T does not disappoint. It maintains the 16 MP front camera with a ƒ/2.0 aperture just like its predecessor. Also, there is a front flash that helps to take clearer selfies in low light. The overall performance of the front camera is quite impressive. Additionally, the OnePlus 5T features a dual rear camera of 16MP and 20MP. The 16 MP sensor has a 1.12-micron pixel meanwhile the 20 MP sensor has a 1-micron pixel. Furthermore, both camera sensors have the same f/1.7 aperture as well as a 27.22 mm focal length. OnePlus has claimed that the matching focal lengths of both cameras will result in better portrait shots. Impressively, the OnePlus 5T takes better low-light shots than its predecessor – The OnePlus 5. Additionally, the Oneplus 5T features a OnePlus’ Intelligent Pixel Technology. This feature works by merging four pixels into one to improve the quality and reduce blurs and noise. Overall, the rear cameras take decent shots in good light. However, indoor shots tend to be a bit noisy and muddy. Moreover, the camera app on the Oneplus 5T has been improved, it features some easy-to-use gesture controls. Speaking of the gesture controls, you can swipe up to select camera modes. For instance, while the phone is in pro mode, you can also swipe down to bring up quick settings. The pro mode is useful for manually setting things like the white balance, focus, shutter speed, ISO, and brightness. This will give you complete control over the outcome of your shots. Another gesture involves sliding from left to right which takes you to video mode. Meanwhile, sliding from right to left takes you to portrait mode. Speaking of the portrait mode, you can get a sharper subject while blurring out the background. This is great for making the subject the main focus while defocusing the backgrounds that might cause distractions. These gestures make it easier to use the camera app with just one hand. Another interesting thing about the OnePlus 5T is that you can long-press the fingerprint reader to take a picture which is intuitive and easier to use especially when taking selfies. When it comes to recording videos, the Oneplus 5T allows you to record 1080p resolution videos at 30 or 60 fps. Finally, I’ll rate the Oneplus 5T an eight in this camera review section.
OnePlus 5T Battery Life and Talk Time Review
The OnePlus 5T ships with a 3,300 mAh non-removable battery. It has a satisfactory battery capacity however, I am not impressed that the battery is not removable. This means that it is impossible to swap a bad battery by yourself. Moreover, it is not possible to replace a dead battery with a fully charged one. OnePlus 5T maintains the same battery capacity as its predecessor and because it has a larger screen, we fear a poorer battery performance. However, OnePlus has promised that the battery will deliver up to 33 hours 35 minutes of 3G talk-time. To determine if OnePlus’ claim is true or close to the truth, we will consider a battery test performed by PCMag. The test involved typical daily activities such as streaming videos, reading, replying to emails, playing games, and chatting on social media. Consequently, the Oneplus 5T was able to deliver up to a full day of battery life. In comparison with flagships like the iPhone 8 Plus and the Razer Phone in the battery category, the OnePlus 5T is a better performer. However, its battery performance slightly falls behind that of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and the Huawei Mate10 Pro. Thankfully, the OnePlus 5T features Oneplus’ dash charge technology. This is a fast charging technology that ensures your battery is topped up fast. It takes just 30 minutes to get about 60% of battery life and about 1 hour 10 minutes to get to 100%. To achieve this feat OnePlus 5T ships with a Dash charger. Using the regular charger will result in a slower charge time. In conclusion, I will rate the battery performance of the Oneplus 5T an eight in this section of the review.
OnePlus 5T Storage Options & Performance Review
The Oneplus 5T comes in two internal storage configurations. You can purchase the phone with either 64 GB or 128 GB. Sadly, whichever model you buy, you will be getting less than 64 or 128 GB of storage for your personal use thanks to the OS and pre-installed apps. Unfortunately, there is no provision for storage expansion via an SD card. Hence, you can only make do with the internal storage available which is quite limiting. On a brighter note, the 128 GB models seem sufficient for most users. Meanwhile, light storage users can choose the 64 GB models. Finally, I will rate the Oneplus 5T a seven in this storage review section.
OnePlus 5T Security Features & Sensors Review
Smartphones have experienced great technological advancement over the years. They have attained the computing potential of personal computers. After all, we refer to them as smart devices because of their ability to perform tasks that conventional mobile devices cannot. These smartphones perform a complex range of activities that help to improve user experience. These are made possible by the use of sensors. Sensors are tiny components that enable smartphones to detect changes in their surrounding environment. Consequently, the sensor reports the event detected to the processor which in turn provides a response. For security options, the Oneplus 5T has is a fingerprint sensor for fingerprint authentication. The fingerprint reader is located at the back where it is easy to reach. Thankfully, it is fast at registering fingerprints and unlocking the phone. Additionally, there is also a facial recognition option for keeping your device secured. Impressively, the OnePlus 5T is the first phone by the brand to include a face recognition feature. As expected, the facial recognition feature of the OnePlus 5T is not as advanced as that of the iPhone X. Still, it does a good job. To fire up the face recognition feature, you need to double-tap the screen or press the power button. The OnePlus 5T is quick to recognize an authorized face and unlock the phone, it takes just about 0.4 seconds. Unlike the iPhone X, the OnePlus 5T’s facial recognition does not work in low lights. That is because the iPhone X has an infrared camera which the OnePlus 5T does not have. The face recognition feature is only used for unlocking the phone and not for sensitive activities like online purchases and banking apps. Thankfully, you can utilize the fingerprint reader for securing sensitive data. Furthermore, the OnePlus 5T packs more essential sensors like an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, and ambient light. There are some other sensors packed into the Oneplus 5Tbut these are the most essential ones. The accelerometer and gyroscope sensors work together to determine the phone’s orientation and automatically rotate the screen. Meanwhile, the proximity sensor detects when you are holding the phone near your face during a call and turns the display off. This is very important as it increases the battery life of the phone. Another important sensor in the OnePlus 5T is the ambient light sensor. This sensor determines the degree of light around the phone and automatically dims the phone’s display, therefore, minimizing battery consumption. All things considered, I will rate the Oneplus 5T a nine in this security features and sensors review section.
My Final Thought
With the OnePlus 5T, the brand has done a fantastic job such that the phone can compete favorably with other 2017 flagships. It might not be the best performer among its competitors, but considering its affordability amongst others, it is a decent choice. It offers a premium unibody metal design, a headphone jack, and a 6.1-inch display. In addition to all that, you will also get a better camera than its predecessor’s, an all-day battery life, fingerprint, and face unlock. Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to get these amazing features because the OnePlus 5T is inexpensive compared to its competitor. Better still, the OnePlus 5T only cost when we updated this review in October 2021. I hope you found this OnePlus 5 review helpful. We would appreciate it if you could share your experience with our community platform at Itechguides Community Forum. Apart from sharing your experience, you can also ask questions or make comments regarding this guide’s topic at Itechguides Community Forum. Our forum staff and other community members will be delighted to provide a response to your questions or comments.. For more Smartphone reviews, visit our Smartphone Reviews page. You may also find our Smartphone Specs page very helpful.
References and Further Reading
