Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
OnePlus has been slowly pushing its way to mainstream with its phones, but the new OnePlus 9 series goes even higher as it offers impressive screens, fast wiring and wireless cost, and cameras that can ultimately compete with the best ones. Wondering what else is out there before you buy? Here are some of the best OnePlus 9 options you should be looking for.
The best OnePlus 9 options
1. Xiaomi Mi 11
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Just like OnePlus, Xiaomi is no stranger to offering cheaper flagship phones though it has also been climbing to a prime spot. Nevertheless, the Xiaomi Mi 11 € 749 (~ $ 889) is a good alternative to the vanilla OnePlus 9.
The Mi 11 offers some powerful headphones like the vanilla OnePlus phone, but it also offers a sharper screen (QHD + 120Hz OLED) if you like the OnePlus 9 Pro display but don’t you want to pay that much.
Our judgment: Xiaomi Mi 11 review
The Xiaomi flagship will also serve up features like a 4,600mAh battery, a 55W wireless charge, and a 50W wireless add-on. There is a 108MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP macro telephoto camera on the back. You don’t get a really high-end telephoto shooter or ultra-wide-angle camera, but you do get some flexible features like clone mode, night video, and more.
2. Samsung Galaxy S21
Credit: David Imel / Android Authority
Samsung appears to be the biggest competitor to OnePlus in North America and Europe, and the Galaxy S21 range is the latest and greatest flagship range from the Korean company. The Galaxy S21 base starts at $ 800, making it $ 70 more expensive than the OnePlus 9. You get water resistance and a pseudo-telephoto camera by opting for this phone, but you delivers a larger battery, high-resolution ultra-wide camera, and faster wireless and wireless charging.
Our judgments: Samsung Galaxy S21 Review | Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Review | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review
At the other end of the spectrum is the S21 Ultra, coming in at ~ $ 230 more than the OnePlus 9 Pro. For the extra money, you get two telephoto cameras (3x and 10x), a larger battery, and S Pen support. However, you will miss out on faster and wireless charging by choosing the Samsung device over the best OnePlus 9 series device.
Samsung has also promised to offer three years of updates in Android version, as well as four years of security package. OnePlus usually tries to offer some of its key features to the former, but this is not a formal policy.
3. Apple iPhone 12 Series
Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Apple’s iPhone 12 devices are the first iPhones to sport 5G silicon, but there’s more to them than just a faster connection. We have four models available in this generation, starting from the $ 699 iPhone 12 Mini all the way to the $ 1,099 iPhone 12 Pro Max.
All of these phones pack 60Hz OLED screens, low-cost wireless charging, water resistance, and that fast-paced A14 Bionic chipset. You also get access to the slow iOS platform and Apple ecosystem.
Our judgments: Apple iPhone 12 Mini Review | Apple iPhone 12 Review | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Review
Apple phones are missing out on loads of features seen on the OnePlus 9 series though. These include high refresh rate screens, fingerprint scanners, 8K recording, and wireless / wireless fast charging. The non-Pro iPhones also feature telephoto cameras (very similar to the vanilla OnePlus 9), offer only 64GB of base storage, and have small batteries.
However, it’s worth considering these phones whether you’re curious about iPhones or wanted to hop aboard Apple’s suite of services. They are also good OnePlus 9 options if you value a long commitment for software updates.
4. Oppo Lorg X3 Pro
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Similar to the idea of the OnePlus 9 Pro but want something attractive and unique? That’s where the Oppo Find X3 Pro comes in. Oppo’s flagship flagship offers an amazing glass design made by our very own Eric Zeman compared to the Star Wars spaceship, making for one of the coolest designs of the year. But the phone is more than fine hardware.
The Find X3 Pro packs an IMMP766 50MP camera sensor for both the main and ultra-wide cameras, delivering the same level of detail and color consistency as a result. You also get a 3x telephoto camera, as well as a 3MP mini-lens. The latter can take unprecedented images in the style of a microscope that cannot match a macro camera, although the resolution is on the underside.
Our judgment: Oppo Find X3 Pro review – Form and action but not useless
Another thing, the Oppo phone offers a top-notch QHD + 120Hz OLED panel, Snapdragon 888 SoC, 65W wired charging, 30W wireless topups, 4,500mAh battery, and IP68 waterproof / dustproof. So you get plenty of features that made the OnePlus 9 Pro stand out. One of the biggest disadvantages is the price though, with the € 1,149 (~ $ 1,356) price tag significantly more expensive than the OnePlus 9 Pro.
5. Google Pixel 5
Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Google’s latest Pixel brand represents a slightly different strategy for the company, as it delivers a favorable silicone over mid-range 5G hardware. So you might want to skip this if you plan to play a lot of games on your device.
The Pixel 5 also misses a few other features found on OnePlus 9 series devices, such as fast charging with wired / wireless, high-resolution ultra-wide camera, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Anyway, you still have some nice features like a 90Hz OLED panel, IP68 rating, standard wireless charging, and a 4,080mAh battery, all cheaper than even the standard OnePlus 9.
Our judgment: Google Pixel 5 Review
Google Pixel phones also stand out for picture quality, and you get an ultra-wide 12MP main / 16MP rear camera setting. Other well-known features include a clean version of Android and a long-standing commitment to software updates.
6. Poco F3
Poco’s latest phone is a great match for the OnePlus 9R in China and India on paper, equipped with the same Snapdragon 870 SoC and a very similar 120Hz FHD + OLED screen. Both phones have a similar battery size (~ 4,500mAh) and a 48MP main camera.
The Poco F3 is different from the OnePlus 9R when it comes to charging (33W vs. 65W OnePlus phone) and secondary rear cameras (8MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro telephoto versus 16MP ultra-wide , macro 5MP, depth 2MP). Another variant software is software, as the OnePlus 9R uses an Oxygen OS 11 skin while the Poco device uses the MIUI-based Poco surgeon.
Finally, the Poco device comes in at a typical retail price of € 349 (~ $ 412) for the 6GB / 128GB version, while the OnePlus 9R starts at 39,999 rupees (~ $ 551).
7. OnePlus 8 Pro
You don’t have to get the latest and greatest, as the OnePlus 8 Pro is still a good choice for the OnePlus 9 as well. It offers several features that make the OnePlus 9 Pro stand out, such as a QHD + 120Hz OLED display, IP68 water / dust resistance, and fast wireless charging.
You also get a really good camera experience here thanks to a 48MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide sensor. An 8MP 3x telephoto snapper handles zoom images, while the 5MP color filter camera is definitely a gimmick.
See also: OnePlus 8 Pro was looked at – the good and the bad six months later
The OnePlus 8 Pro is currently available for $ 699 through the likes of Amazon and the OnePlus Store, making it cheaper than the OnePlus 9. Yes, you miss out on the latest silicon and charge more faster, but you get a sharper screen and water. / dust resistance as usual.
That’s it for our run of the best OnePlus 9 options! Are there other phones that come to mind? Then leave a comment below.