Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs OnePlus 5
Which one is a better fit for your empty pocket? We are set on a course to find out!
Design
The leitmotif here is glass versus metal. Apple is going back to its roots by fully employing a full glass back on the iPhone 8 Plus and a series 7000 aluminum frame, which feels quite premium to the hand. Water-resistance is also here to stay, which is a big plus.
Meanwhile, the full-metal OnePlus 5 is premium in its own way, with clean lines and classic design. It's subjective which one would feel better in your hand, but there's no denying that the glass back of the iPhone adds up to the overall grip, whereas the OnePlus 5 could be quite slippery in certain scenarios and the rather thin side frame is definitely not very helpful. However, the OnePlus 5 is much easier to handle and use due to the smaller dimensions, especially with the way heavier iPhone 8 Plus.
6.24 x 3.07 x 0.3 inches
158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm
7.13 oz (202 g)
6.07 x 2.92 x 0.29 inches
154.2 x 74.1 x 7.25 mm
5.40 oz (153 g)
6.24 x 3.07 x 0.3 inches
158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm
7.13 oz (202 g)
6.07 x 2.92 x 0.29 inches
154.2 x 74.1 x 7.25 mm
5.40 oz (153 g)
See the full Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs OnePlus 5 size comparison or compare them to other phones using our Size Comparison tool.
Display
Having Apple's most advanced LCD display on board, it's no wonder the iPhone 8 Plus pretty much shines when it comes to overall color accuracy and presentation. The 5.5-inch Full HD display at the front is crisp enough and has excellent contrast reproduction for an LCD display. It's an HDR-enabled, wide-color display and supports True Tone, meaning it adapts to the environmental lighting.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 5 packs a similar 5.5-inch Full HD display on its own as well, but the big difference here is that it's an AMOLED one. It is also fully compliant with the DCI-P3 wide-color gamut. Thus, it can boast some excellent contrast and punchy colors, but overall, it falls short of the iPhone 8 Plus as far as overall color accuracy is concerned.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 5 packs a similar 5.5-inch Full HD display on its own as well, but the big difference here is that it's an AMOLED one. It is also fully compliant with the DCI-P3 wide-color gamut. Thus, it can boast some excellent contrast and punchy colors, but overall, it falls short of the iPhone 8 Plus as far as overall color accuracy is concerned.
Interface and functionality
With the iPhone 8 Plus rocking the latest version of iOS and the OnePlus 5 rocking a rather stock build of Android 7.1 Nougat, the user experience is as good as it gets. With the core difference between iOS and Android ecosystems aside, each phone has its own set of particular software skills that make it a viable alternative depending on your own needs.
iOS is definitely better-looking than the somewhat bland and utilitarian interface of the OnePlus 5. Still, the latter is more open to user customization and could easily transform into a beautiful swan if you try hard enough.
Processor and memory
As far as raw numbers go, the A11 Bionic chipset inside the iPhone 8 Plus crushes the Snapdragon 835 on the OnePlus 5, surpassing it in any synthetic benchmark you can possibly think of. But in real-life, this significant contrast probably won't make much of a difference, other than future-proofing Apple's handset.
As far as storage goes, either device will likely be sufficient for you. The OnePlus 5 is available in 64 and 128GB versions, while the iPhone can be had in 64 or 256GB of storage.
Internet and connectivity
When it comes to web browsing, either phone allows you to choose a browser of your choice and stick with it. OnePlus hasn't supplied its own web browser on the OnePlus 5 and is relying on Google's Chrome instead – a move that we commend. Meanwhile on the iPhone 8 Plus, you get the good ol' Safari browser that does what it's supposed to in an impeccable manner, resulting in an A-class browsing experience.
In terms of connectivity, you will have no issues using your unlocked iPhone on any US network, but the OnePlus 5 doesn't work with Verizon or Sprint. As some sort of consolation, you can throw in two SIM cards in that one.
Camera
Just like the iPhone 7 Plus, the iPhone 8 Plus relies on a dual-camera system comprising a regular 12MP f/1.8 snapper joined by a 12MP f/2.8 telephoto camera. With a larger sensor, wide-color capture, an improved ISP, and dual OIS, the iPhone 8 Plus shapes up to be a strong contender.
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 5 follows a similar mantra – it packs a regular 16MP f/1.7 and a 1.6x 20MP f/2.6 telephoto camera at the rear. Thanks to this, it can rival the iPhone's Portrait Mode.
Image quality
Both stand their ground, with the iPhone 8 Plus shining in certain cases and the OnePlus 5 outmatching it in others. While the iPhone captures photos with a superior dynamic range and more vibrant colors, the OnePlus 5 one-ups it with better sharpness and slightly better low-light image performance thanks to the wider aperture. However, the OnePlus 5 tends to sometimes wax out HDR images which makes them look artificial and unappealing, but those are isolated cases.
As far as portraits go, the iPhone 8 Plus tends to isolate the person from the background better while the OnePlus 5 tends to add way more blur into the scene, and it's quite often a bit overdone.
Video quality
The iPhone has the upper hand here – it simply captures more detailed videos that also boast more vibrant colors. It also shoots 4K video at 60fps whereas the OnePlus has to cope with 30fps. However, the OnePlus records crisper sound in videos while the iPhone sounds a bit muffled. Autofocus is quite fast and reliable on both.
Multimedia
The stereo speakers on the iPhone 8 Plus and the wide-color, HDR-capable display make it a pretty neat device when media consumption is concerned. The OnePlus 5 can only match the wide-color reproduction, but it would have been nice if it could also offer stereo speakers.
Call quality
Yes, people still talk on their phones, and in this regard either the iPhone 8 Plus or the OnePlus 5 will perform rather nicely. Eitherthe iPhone 8 Plus and the OnePlus 5 offer excellent call quality – voices sounds crisp, clear, and natural on both ends of the line, no matter which phone you pick.
Battery life
As far as topping up is concerned, both devices support fast charging, with the iPhone 8 Plus even compliant with the Qi wireless charging standard. While we are yet to test out how quick that one is, a regular charger will fully juice up your iPhone 8 Plus in 178 minutes. Meanwhile, the Dash Charger accessory will juice up an OnePlus 5 to 100% in 99 minutes, but using a run-of-the-mill charger will yield slower results.
Conclusion
While both the iPhone 8 Plus and the OnePlus 5 have their pros and cons, probably the biggest deciding factor for the regular user will be price of admission attached to either handset. Sure, you will have to pay a premium to get into the Apple club, but it could very well be worth it - you get a device that's been perfected and polished for over three years, runs the excellent iOS, and will allow you to benefit from excellent support down the road. That said, the OnePlus 5 is not a bad phone either: just like any other device, it has certain drawbacks, but for the price it flaunts, it's quite an appealing, albeit a bit unpolished offering. At the end of the day, you will get what you pay for.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Better battery life
- Water-resistant
- More refined experience
OnePlus 5
Pros
- Easier to handle
- Great value for money
- Fast charger in the box
- Easier to customize
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