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OnePlus 8 Pro 5G vs OnePlus 7 Pro: should you upgrade?

By Georgi Zarkov

Updated: Apr 15, 2020, 1:41 AM

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OnePlus 8 Pro 5G vs OnePlus 7 Pro: should you upgrade?

After many leaks and much anticipation, the OnePlus 8 Pro is finally here. You can read more about it over at the official launch article. Here, we aim to answer a question that inevitably arises when a new phone comes out: Should I upgrade?

We’re pitting the 8 Pro against last year’s first “pro” OnePlus, the 7 Pro. The 7 Pro was the first time OnePlus released a more expensive version of its phone and introduced a new design style with its curved-edge display.

Now, a year later, the OnePlus 8 Pro is refining the premium experience. But are the improvements enough to warrant paying the much higher price of the 8 Pro? Let’s find out!

OnePlus 8 Pro vs OnePlus 7 Pro: design comparison

OnePlus 8 Pro

We won’t spend much time talking about the looks of the two phones since, as you can see, they’re almost identical. Almost being the key word there. There’s one significant difference: the hole in the display.

We doubt anyone was surprised OnePlus went for the hole-punch camera, even before we saw it in all the leaks. It was the next logical step. However, until manufacturers manage to hide the selfie cameras under the display, there won’t be a perfect solution. Many of you probably loved the clean, notch-free and hole-free display of the OnePlus 7 Pro. But many of you also hated having a motorized pop-up selfie shooter.

No matter in which camp you were (perhaps even in both), there’s one clear advantage of the hole-punch approach: face unlock. OnePlus has been known for its super-fast face unlock. Having to wait for the camera to show up ruined that experience, no matter how fast the motors moved it. Now, users have that back!

Sure, the in-display fingerprint reader is always an option, but when it comes to convenience, nothing beats face unlock, especially on an OnePlus phone.

Besides the camera change, there are some new colors, but do we really need to talk about them? No.

OnePlus 8 Pro vs OnePlus 7 Pro: specs comparison

OnePlus has always been at the forefront of performance and the 8 Pro is no exception. And while that means the new phone brings all the latest hardware goodies, it also means that the 7 Pro still feels as snappy as ever, making it difficult to fully appreciate the improvements. But let’s see the numbers...

Spec	OnePlus 7 Pro	OnePlus 8 Pro
Display	6.7 inch, AMOLED, 3120x1440, 90Hz	6.78 inch, AMOLED, 3168x1440, 120Hz
CPU	Snapdragon 855	Snapdragon 865
Memory	6GB LPDDR4X	8GB LPDDR5
Storage	128GB UFS 3.0	128 UFS 3.0
Battery	4,000mAh, 30W fast charging	4,510 mAh, 30W fast charging; 30W fast wirelss charging; Reverse wireless charging
Biometrics	Face unlock; in-display fingerprint reader	Face unlock; in-display fingerprint reader

So, what more would you be getting? 30Hz higher refresh rate. Sure, that's good, but compared to 90, 120Hz isn't that big of an improvement. Next! The Snapdragon 865 can be up to 30% faster than the 855 on some benchmarks. But in day-to-day use, you can hardly make the Snapdragon 855 sweat, so upgrading to an even faster chip will have hardly any real benefits for you.

The DDR5 RAM, now that sounds enticing if you're a hardware geek. But let's be honest, upgrading a phone over faster RAM is hardly worth it. Let's continue then. The bigger battery will largely be mitigated by the higher refresh rate, if the increased power consumption of the Galaxy S20 series at 120Hz is any indication.

Wireless charging, however, that's something people have been waiting to see on a OnePlus phone for a while. If you're part of that crowd and the added convenience will make your days go smoother, then by any means, go for the OnePlus 8 Pro.

One major difference that's missing from the table is that the OnePlus 8 Pro supports 5G. Granted, the 7 Pro has a 5G variant as well, but we're assuming very few people bought that model in early 2019. Now, the situation is different, and 5G is coverage is increasing by the day. If you want to be on the bleeding edge of technology, and if you're considering this phone that's likely the case, then perhaps the upgrade would be worth it. In all honesty, however, the 5G benefits are still more theoretical than practical and with OnePlus phones coming out every 6 months or so, you're better off holding on to your 7 Pro for now.

Time to talk cameras!

OnePlus 8 Pro vs OnePlus 7 Pro: camera comparison

The relatively minor improvements continue in the camera department. We have yet another handy table that will give you a clear picture of the situation.

Camera	OnePlus 7 Pro	OnePlus 8 Pro
Main	48MP Sony IMX586; F1.6; OIS/EIS;	48MP Sony IMX689; F1.78; OIS/EIS;
Second	16MP ultra-wide; F2.2,	48MP ultra-wide; F2.2;
Third	8MP telephoto; F2.4;	8MP telephoto; F2.44
Fourth	-	5MP color filter; F2.4
Front	16MP; F2.0	16MP; F2.0

On paper, little has changed in a year. Sure, a larger ultra-wide-angle sensor, but that's hardly something that would swoon a OnePlus fan. Neither would the added fancy color filter sensor. OnePlus has been falling behind its competitors when it comes to photography not because of its hardware, but rather the software side of its cameras. And if this year they've managed to fix that, then we see no reason the improved camera app won't be available for the OnePlus 7 Pro as well. In other words, another vote being cast in the "No" box.

OnePlus 8 Pro 5G vs OnePlus 7 Pro: the conclusion

So... Should you upgrade from the 7 Pro to the 8 Pro? No. Unless! The way we see it, there are two things that are valid reasons to go for the upgrade. First, the pop-up selfie camera is something you despise and can't wait to get rid off. And second, you absolutely need that wireless charging as soon as possible. Sure, there are a few other extras that come with the package, but none of them is a life-changer.

The thing is, the OnePlus 8 Pro 5G starts at $899. That's a lot of money even if you said yes to both reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, prices of the OnePlus Pro models probably won't go down in the future, but at least you can get your money's worth of your 7 Pro before shelling out big bucks for a new phone.

Buy OnePlus 8 Pro 5G from OnePlus.com