Introduction
The OnePlus 9R has been a notable contender in the smartphone market for over a year now, positioning itself as an affordable flagship killer. As a tech enthusiast, I've had the opportunity to extensively use and analyze this device, and it's time to share a comprehensive long-term review. The 9R aims to deliver a premium experience without the premium price tag, but does it succeed in this endeavor? Let's delve deep into its performance, features, and overall value proposition.
Design and Build Quality
The OnePlus 9R continues the design language established by its more expensive siblings in the OnePlus 9 series. At first glance, it's easy to mistake it for the pricier OnePlus 9, which speaks to the quality of its construction. The device features a glass back with a metal frame, giving it a premium feel in hand.
Measuring 160.7 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm and weighing 189 grams, the 9R strikes a good balance between screen size and manageability. The build quality is solid, with no creaks or flexing when pressure is applied. However, it's worth noting that unlike some competitors in this price range, the OnePlus 9R lacks an official IP rating for water and dust resistance. This omission might be a dealbreaker for some users who prioritize durability in various environmental conditions.
The device is available in two colorways: Lake Blue and Carbon Black. Both options feature a matte finish that does an excellent job of resisting fingerprints and smudges, maintaining the phone's aesthetic appeal over time.
Display Technology
The OnePlus 9R boasts a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (Full HD+). This translates to a pixel density of about 402 PPI, ensuring crisp text and images. The standout feature of this display is its 120 Hz refresh rate, which provides an incredibly smooth scrolling and navigation experience.
The display supports HDR10+ and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, resulting in vibrant colors and deep blacks typical of OLED technology. With a peak brightness of 1100 nits, the screen remains readable even in bright outdoor conditions, though it falls slightly short of the OnePlus 9's 1300 nits peak brightness.
One of the most impressive aspects of the display is its touch sampling rate of 240 Hz, which is particularly beneficial for gaming, offering responsive touch inputs that can give players a competitive edge.
Performance Prowess
Under the hood, the OnePlus 9R is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G chipset. While not the top-tier Snapdragon 888 found in more expensive flagships, the 870 is a formidable processor in its own right. Built on a 7nm process, it features one prime core clocked at 3.2 GHz, three performance cores at 2.42 GHz, and four efficiency cores at 1.8 GHz.
In my long-term usage, the OnePlus 9R has consistently delivered smooth performance across a wide range of tasks. From everyday activities like web browsing and social media to more demanding scenarios such as 4K video editing and high-end gaming, the device handles everything with aplomb.
Benchmark results support this real-world experience. In Geekbench 5, the OnePlus 9R scores around 960 in single-core and 3200 in multi-core tests. While these numbers fall short of Snapdragon 888-equipped devices, they're still impressive and indicative of flagship-level performance.
The device comes in two configurations: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, and 12GB RAM with 256GB storage. Both versions use LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring quick app launches and speedy file transfers.
Battery Life and Charging
One area where the OnePlus 9R truly shines is in its battery performance. The device is equipped with a 4500 mAh battery, which consistently provides a day and a half of usage on a single charge, even with heavy use.
In my testing, which included a mix of social media, video streaming, gaming, and productivity tasks, the OnePlus 9R averaged around 7-8 hours of screen-on time. This is impressive, especially considering the high refresh rate display.
Charging is another strong suit of the 9R. It supports OnePlus's 65W Warp Charge technology, which can fully charge the device from 0 to 100% in approximately 45-50 minutes. What's more, OnePlus includes the 65W charger in the box, a practice that's becoming increasingly rare in the smartphone industry.
While the device doesn't support wireless charging, the blazing-fast wired charging largely makes up for this omission. The lack of wireless charging might be a drawback for some users, but in my experience, the convenience of rapid wired charging outweighs this limitation.
Software Experience
The software experience on the OnePlus 9R is one of its strongest selling points. The device runs OxygenOS 11, based on Android 11, with a promise of three years of major Android updates and four years of security patches.
OxygenOS has long been praised for its clean, near-stock Android experience with thoughtful additions. The 9R continues this tradition, offering a bloatware-free interface with useful features like Zen Mode for digital wellbeing, a customizable Always-On Display, and various gesture controls.
The long-term software support is particularly noteworthy. As of my latest update, the OnePlus 9R has received regular security patches and feature updates, keeping the device secure and adding new functionality over time. This commitment to software support enhances the longevity of the device, making it a sound investment for those who plan to use their smartphone for several years.
Camera System
The camera system is perhaps the area where the OnePlus 9R shows its budget-conscious nature most clearly. The device features a quad-camera setup:
- 48MP Sony IMX586 main sensor (f/1.7, OIS)
- 16MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2, 123° FoV)
- 5MP macro lens (f/2.4)
- 2MP monochrome sensor (f/2.4)
The front-facing camera is a 16MP sensor housed in a hole-punch cutout.
In good lighting conditions, the main camera produces detailed images with pleasing colors, though they tend to be slightly oversaturated compared to the OnePlus 9. The optical image stabilization (OIS) helps in capturing sharp images and improves low-light performance to some extent.
However, in challenging lighting situations, the 9R's camera system shows its limitations. While nighttime shots are usable, they lack the clarity and dynamic range seen in more expensive flagships or even some mid-range competitors.
The ultra-wide camera performs adequately but falls short of the OnePlus 9's impressive 50MP ultra-wide sensor. There's a noticeable drop in detail and dynamic range when switching to the ultra-wide lens.
The 5MP macro lens is a nice addition for close-up shots, but its practical use is limited. The 2MP monochrome sensor aids in portrait mode and black-and-white photography but doesn't significantly impact overall camera performance.
Video capabilities are solid, with 4K recording at 60fps from the main camera and 4K at 30fps from the ultra-wide. Electronic image stabilization (EIS) helps in capturing steady footage, though it's not quite as effective as OIS for video.
Gaming Performance
As a tech enthusiast with a passion for mobile gaming, I've put the OnePlus 9R through its paces with various demanding titles. The combination of the Snapdragon 870 chipset, Adreno 650 GPU, and 120 Hz display makes for an excellent gaming experience.
Popular titles like Call of Duty: Mobile, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile run smoothly at high settings. The 120 Hz refresh rate and 240 Hz touch sampling rate provide a noticeable advantage in fast-paced games, offering responsive controls and fluid animations.
Thermal management is generally good, with the device warming up during extended gaming sessions but never reaching uncomfortable levels. The frame rate remains stable even after an hour of continuous gaming, indicating effective thermal throttling that balances performance and heat dissipation.
The stereo speakers enhance the gaming experience, providing immersive audio without the need for headphones. However, the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack might be a drawback for gamers who prefer wired audio peripherals.
Connectivity and Future-Proofing
The OnePlus 9R is well-equipped for the future of mobile connectivity. It supports 5G networks, ensuring compatibility with the expanding 5G infrastructure worldwide. In my testing in areas with 5G coverage, the device consistently achieved impressive download and upload speeds.
The device also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC for contactless payments. The inclusion of these modern connectivity standards helps future-proof the device, making it a viable option for users who plan to keep their smartphone for several years.
Long-Term Value Proposition
After extended use, the OnePlus 9R emerges as a compelling option in the crowded smartphone market. It successfully captures the essence of OnePlus's original "flagship killer" ethos, offering high-end performance and a premium user experience at a more accessible price point.
The device's strengths lie in its smooth performance, excellent battery life, fast charging, and clean software experience. These factors contribute to a satisfying day-to-day user experience that holds up well over time.
However, it's important to consider the competition. Devices like the Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro and iQOO 7 Legend offer the more powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset at similar price points. Additionally, some competitors in this range provide features like official IP ratings and wireless charging, which are absent on the 9R.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 9R represents a strategic move by OnePlus to cater to users seeking a balance between performance and affordability. It's not the most cutting-edge device on the market, but it doesn't try to be. Instead, it focuses on delivering a reliable, smooth, and enjoyable smartphone experience without breaking the bank.
For OnePlus enthusiasts, Android purists, and users who prioritize clean software and fast charging, the 9R is an excellent choice. It's also a solid option for gamers on a budget, thanks to its capable processor and high refresh rate display.
However, if camera performance is your top priority or if you need features like wireless charging and water resistance, you might want to look at other options, possibly in a higher price bracket.
In the end, the OnePlus 9R proves that OnePlus hasn't forgotten its roots. It may not be the ultimate "flagship killer" of years past, but in a market where smartphone prices continue to climb, the 9R offers a refreshing balance of performance and value that many users will appreciate.
