OnePlus 5T vs OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
Just a few months after the release of the OnePlus 5 it’s been superseded by the OnePlus 5T.
This quick turnaround shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans of the brand, but it’s still quite odd. The OnePlus 5T won’t be sitting alongside the OnePlus 5; it’s going to be sold in its place.
But what exactly has changed? Let’s take a look and see.
OnePlus 5T vs OnePlus 5 Design: What has changed?
The OnePlus 5 is a fine-looking phone, but it’s not the most original. The black back is reminiscent of an iPhone 7 Plus with slightly curvier edges and the front is very similar to the OnePlus 3 and 3T. It feels good to hold, but it lacks some imagination.
Little has changed with the OnePlus 5T, on the back anyway. You now have a fingerprint sensor under the camera, as opposed to under the screen, but that’s about it. There are bigger changes around the front though: The OnePlus 5T adopts the new ‘full-screen’ front look similar to the LG V30 and Samsung Galaxy S8. This means you get a bigger screen with the device only getting marginally taller plus a slimmer bezel around the display.
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The screen on the 5T is now 6-inches, rather than 5.5 on the 5, and it’s nearly edge-to-edge. This means there’s no home-button or capacitive keys – so you’ll have to use the on-screen alternatives.
Having a slim bezel and bigger screen certainly give the OnePlus 5T a more modern look. There are still some things missing, though. We’d love to see the phone offer water-resistance and a few more colour options.
OnePlus 5T vs OnePlus 5 Specs: Which phone is the more powerful?
As the display is bigger, OnePlus has upped the resolution from 1920 x 1080 to 2160 x 1080. That’s a small increase, but it’ll make sure things are still sharp. Both phones support the DCI-P3 colour gamut and are AMOLED.
The biggest update for OnePlus 5T is the display, so don’t expect much else to be different. The processor is still a Snapdragon 835, there’s still either 6 or 8GB RAM and a choice between 64 or 128GB of storage.
Both phones are very fast, and as there’s no successor to the 835 it’s hardly a surprise to see it remain.
The OnePlus 5’s camera consists of two sensors – one 16-megapixel and one 20-megapixel – and it’s the same for the 5T. There are some upgrades though, like a wider f/1.7 aperture on the secondary sensor which is not telephoto anymore. That means both the cameras have the same aperture, which should improve low-light performance. On the front both have a 16-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture. There’s also support for 4K video recording with EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation).
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Both phones have the same 3300 mAh battery, Dash Charging, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and support for CAT 12 LTE. You’ll also find the older Android 7.1.1 OS running on both, but OnePlus has added in a few new wallpapers and widgets for the 5T. Hopefully an update to Oreo will come soon. The biggest software addition is Face Unlock; this will unlock your phone when it recognises your face, and it seems to work well.
OnePlus 5T vs OnePlus 5 Price: Which offer the best value?
Phones from OnePlus are great not only because they have high-end features, but because they offer killer value for money.
The OnePlus 5 started off at £449 for the 64GB model and £499 for the 128GB version, a whole lot cheaper than flagships from the likes of Samsung, HTC and Apple.
The good news is that those prices are staying the same for the OnePlus 5T. It’ll again start at £449 (64GB) and rise to £499 (128GB).
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Credit: OnePlus
OnePlus 5T vs OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
Screen aside, there isn’t much new here if you’re already looking to upgrade your OnePlus 5. We’d suggest waiting until the OnePlus 6 comes, or checking our list of the Best Android Phones.
If you’re on an older OnePlus device or decided against the 5, then this could be an excellent stepping in point. We already know the OnePlus 5 is an excellent phone, and this just looks a bit sleeker. Plus it comes in at the same price.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
