OnePlus 7T Pro – makes sense?

The “T” edition is here and it has a special guest along with it, the McLaren Edition. OnePlus 7 Pro is a popular mobile and though it was a bit expensive, it showed the world how a 90 Hz display can make a difference in the experience. Oneplus 7 was refreshed with the 7T edition and the upgrade was significant. The 90 Hz display, triple camera, and 855+ chipset, made the 7T a lucrative, drool-worthy upgrade. The 7T was placed in a sweet spot between the 7 and the 7 Pro. Along came the 7T pro. 7T pro may not look like a significant upgrade over 7 Pro, but it is a mandatory upgrade. The 7T priced lower than the 7 Pro, had a better chipset and it was imperative that the 7 pro should also be upgraded to Snapdragon 855+ chipset.

Along with the 855+, the 7T Pro got a few minor upgrades like 85 mAh more battery and some software tweak to make the camera and experience better. But this upgrade bumps up the cost of 7T pro as well. It is 5k more than the 7 Pro. At Rs 53999, does it make sense? Well…

1. The 8 /256 GB variant of OP 7 Pro costs Rs 48999 and the same variant on the OP7 Pro cost Rs 53999. There is no 6 GB variant. So for the increase in price, you get a 15% better processor and a 23% faster charger.
2. A 4000 mAh battery on the OP 7 Pro is now bumped up to 4085 mAh on the OP 7T pro. It may not sound like a big upgrade, but every mile counts.
3. The location of the laser auto-focus sensor is now outside the camera cluster. This is the only cosmetic difference, otherwise 7 Pro and 7T pro are identical, apart from the new Smoked Blue color variant.

Again, these subtle differences may not seem like a big bump up upgrade, but these are essential upgrades for Oneplus to stay on top of the market. The mobile industry has one of the fastest-changing markets among all the other tech industries. Hence the reason for the existence of the “T” lineup. OnePlus does not have many product line ups. They had 1 and this year they have 3, including the OnePlus TV. Among the 2 mobile product lines, the 7 got an upgrade to become 7T and OnePlus is still selling the 7. Likewise, the 7 Pro now go an upgrade to 7T Pro and I wish OnePlus keeps the 7 Pro product alive in the shelf.

That would give consumers 4 choices in 4 different price brackets, as compared to 1 or 2 choices. Here is a quick guide to choosing the best OnePlus mobile for you.

1. If you are looking to buy a premium flagship mobile at an affordable price – Oneplus 7
2. If you like the 90 Hz display and Triple camera on Oneplus 7 Pro, but not willing to spend a lot – Oneplus 7T
3. If you are looking for a premium mobile with curved, full view display, pop-up camera and large battery – OnePlus 7 Pro (My Personal choice)
4. If you are looking to buy the top-dog among the OnePlus breed with the best of all features and specs – Oneplus 7T Pro

Is there a competition?

Now a few might argue, that for 55k, they would spend a little more and buy a Samsung Premium mobile in India. You could, but be adviced that the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+ and Note 10 are all powered by a mediocre Exynos processor in India. Unlike the US market, Samsung does not give India the Snapdragon 855. The Exynos 9820, like other top Exynos processors, is known for excessive battery drain and performance degradation in a few months. They cannot be compared with the smooth performance and battery life on a Snapdragon 855 device.

If you are thinking iPhone, you would still have to spend double the cost of Oneplus 7T Pro to get an iPhone with similar internal storage. Yes, the older models have recently got massive price cuts, but who would want to own an iPhone X or XR while stepping into 2020? And other flagship brands like LG, HTC and Sony don’t exist in India. Huawei P30 Pro is a great choice, but with the cloud of uncertainty looming over the brand, it’s not wise for anyone to buy a Huawei or Honor mobile now.

Makes sense! Yes…

So, the OnePlus 7T pro definitely makes sense and it is still a value for money when compared to other options available in the market. But the caveat here is that OnePlus must keep all the 4 devices of 2019 alive until they get to OnePlus 8 series. This gives buyers a plethora of choices. There is no denying that the Oneplus devices have gotten costlier, but comparing to the competition, OnePlus mobiles make sense!

McLaren Edition

I almost forgot about the McLaren edition of the OnePlus 7T Pro. But it is a limited edition mobile for the Formula or supercar industry fans. It is a collector’s edition with a premium price tag of Rs 58999 for the 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage variant of the same OnePlus 7T Pro, we talked about. You get an additional 4 GB of RAM and a premium case made of hybrid Alcantra fabric along with a few icons and wallpapers. Well, the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren edition is not for all, but for a niche market who would appreciate Top Performance from the house of McLaren and OnePlus. Otherwise, you are all set with Oneplus 7T Pro.