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The OnePlus 8 Pro's 120Hz display tech could be revealed next week

By Joshua Swingle

Published: Jan 09, 2020, 12:54 PM

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The OnePlus 8 Pro's 120Hz display tech could be revealed next week

After announcing its first concept phone earlier this week at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, OnePlus has today sent out media invites to yet another gathering due to be held next Monday, January 13.

Your OnePlus 7 Pro's 90Hz screen is so 2019

The unexpected event is being held in China’s Shenzhen district and is entitled “OnePlus 2020 Screen Technology Communication Meeting.” The brand hasn’t yet revealed what it’s planning to announce on the day but, going by the name of the event, it’s safe to assume it probably has something to do with displays.

OnePlus became one of the first mainstream brands to adopt 90Hz screens on its phones last year with the debut of the OnePlus 7 Pro. Eight months on and the panels have now made their way over to Google’s Pixel lineup and should soon be featured on other flagships such as the Huawei P40 Pro.

But in an attempt to stay ahead of the competition, or at least keep up with Samsung and the Galaxy S20 series, OnePlus is reportedly going to debut an even smoother 120Hz screen on the OnePlus 8 Pro later this year.

This flagship isn’t expected to arrive until sometime in March, one month after the Galaxy S20. However, in the hope of retaining its current image of being an innovative brand, OnePlus may announce its upcoming display technology on Monday, four weeks before Samsung gets to show it off.

OnePlus is ditching its controversial pop-up camera system

The OnePlus 7 Pro was able to achieve that all-screen design thanks to a pop-up selfie camera system. The implementation was, however, rather controversial due to questions surrounding its long-term durability and it appears the China-based brand has succumb to the pressure from more traditional buyers.

Leaked CAD-based renders suggest the OnePlus 8 Pro will make use of punch-hole display technology, which means the selfie camera is going to be situated inside a small cut-out positioned in the top-left corner of the screen. Paired with this should be minimal bezels and curved edges, just like the OnePlus 7 Pro.

The rear of the next-gen flagship is arguably where things change the least because, for the fifth consecutive generation, the company is planning a vertical camera setup. However, several changes are reportedly planned in an attempt to better compete with rival flagships from Samsung, Huawei, and Apple.

Specifics haven't been provided as of the time of writing, but it's believed an upgraded main camera is planned alongside a revised ultra-wide-angle shooter and a high-resolution telephoto alternative capable of 3x optical zoom.

Last but certainly not least should be a Time-of-Flight sensor. These are increasingly common on premium flagships and generally improve the accuracy of the background blur in portrait photos, although the sensor's can also benefit AR content.

The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Lite won't feature 120Hz screens

Accompanying the OnePlus 8 Pro later this year will be the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Lite. These phones will be considerably cheaper than their Pro counterpart and, as such, won't benefit from the 120Hz screens – the OnePlus 8 is expected to boast a 90hz display and the Lite model should settle for a 60Hz screen.

Design-wise, the OnePlus 8 will look a lot like the Pro-branded model, the only major difference being the slightly smaller 6.5-inch display and the lack of a Time-of-Flight sensor on the back.

The OnePlus 8 Lite, on the other hand, should feature a flat display complete with a centered punch-hole. Additionally, the camera setup will sit in the top-left corner of the rear panel and house a downgraded triple-camera setup.