OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus 9R buyer’s guide: What you need to know
Each year, OnePlus updates its flagship smartphone line with the latest-and-greatest processors. It also revamps the design and incorporates new features, cameras, and accessories. In 2021, we have the OnePlus 9 series, and this is that family’s buyer’s guide!
This year, there are actually three phones in the 9-series lineup. We’ll let you know what each phone has as far as specs as well as the highlighted features of each model. We’ll also tell you the wheres and hows you need to know for buying one of these OnePlus phones.
See also: OnePlus phones: A history of the company’s entire lineup so far
Editor’s note: This OnePlus 9 series buyer’s guide is current as of April 2021. We will update it with new content regularly.
OnePlus 9, 9 Pro, and 9R at a glance
OnePlus started out launching just one flagship phone each year. Over time, it’s become more ambitious. This year, for the OnePlus 9 series, we saw the launch of three phones all at once. However, only the two main phones will see wide availability.
OnePlus launched the phones on March 23, 2021. It also launched the OnePlus Watch on that same date — the company’s first smartwatch.
Here’s the need-to-know info for each model in the OnePlus 9 series.
OnePlus 9 Pro
This year’s top-end model from OnePlus has many of the killer features from last year’s OnePlus 8 Pro. Most of those features also come with the expected 2021 upgrades, including the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. There’s also a new ultra-fast wireless charging standard with this model, coming in at a blazing 50W. Of course, as with last year’s 30W wireless charging on the 8 Pro, you’ll need to buy a proprietary stand separately to get those speeds. The stand costs $70 in the United States.
The big emphasis this year is the camera, though. On the back, you’ll find four lenses: a main, an ultra-wide, a telephoto, and a monochrome. OnePlus partnered with famed photography company Hasselblad to design some of the software features of those cameras. This partnership helps to create the best camera experience on one of its phones yet.
As one would expect, the OnePlus 9 Pro is the most expensive of the bunch. It has a starting price of $969 (€919/ £829/ 64,999 INR), which is more expensive than the starting price of the 8 Pro last year. Still, this now represents the ultimate cream of the crop when it comes to this company’s devices.
OnePlus 9
The vanilla entry this year features a bulk of the high-end specs related to the Pro model. That includes the same processor, the same RAM/storage configurations, and even the same battery capacity. It still does not have an IP rating against water/dust though, and also has a lower-resolution display.
As one would expect, it also has a slightly weaker camera system. It drops the telephoto lens entirely and its primary sensor is an older model.
However, for the first time in OnePlus history, this non-Pro phone features wireless charging. Unfortunately, OnePlus locked the wireless charging speeds to a standard 15W, rather than the crazy-fast speeds of the Pro model. Still, at least you finally don’t need to lose out on wireless charging if you skip the Pro model.
In exchange for giving up some of those higher-end features, you’ll pay a lot less for the OnePlus 9 as compared to the Pro. Its starting price is $729 (€719 / £629 / 49,999 INR), or a whopping $240 cheaper!
OnePlus 9R
We’ve seen Pro models before from OnePlus, but this year, we saw something new. The OnePlus 9R is a first of its kind for the brand. It is a cheaper variant of the main OnePlus 9 phones. Its specs and price put it above the mid-range-focused OnePlus Nord and its associated products, but also below even the entry-tier OnePlus 9.
The phone carries over some of the high-end specs of the main series, including an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 65W wired charging. However, the processor is a bit weaker in the Snapdragon 870 and the camera system is much lower-end. These sacrifices are significant but will allow the price to drop without taking too much away from the 9-series experience.
Unfortunately, OnePlus is only bringing the 9R to India, at least for now. The price starts at 39,999 INR (~$552) for the model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage.
Are the OnePlus 9 phones worth buying?
Here at Android Authority, our readers love OnePlus phones. In 2020, during our mid-year Best of Android event, readers concluded that the OnePlus 8 Pro was the best phone launched at that point. Eventually, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra took the best-of-the-year crown, but the 8 Pro’s mid-year win is certainly notable.
With that in mind, the OnePlus 9 Pro, specifically, has all the features and specs of the OnePlus 8 Pro but adds even more. As such, it makes sense to say that our readers will likely be excited to grab a 9 Pro if they also loved the 8 Pro. We certainly think it’s pretty awesome, as we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award.
See also: The best Android phones you can get right now
The vanilla OnePlus 9, though, is a little less definitive. It doesn’t offer too much more than what we saw in the OnePlus 8 last year, save for faster wired charging and the addition of wireless charging support. It is tough to say whether or not those would be enough to earn a sale from scrutinizing buyers. Still, we gave the phone a Recommended badge.
Also, one must keep in mind that both of these phones are more expensive than they were last year. This is an interesting choice from OnePlus considering the economic turmoil most people have faced (and are still facing) thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the end, it’s possible that buyers will want a OnePlus 9 phone, but not be able to afford one. This puts OnePlus in a precarious situation.
Thankfully, the OnePlus 9R could solve that problem — but only for buyers in India. That phone isn’t coming to any other global locations, so the rest of us are out of luck
What experts are saying
For the OnePlus 9 Pro, our own Eric Zeman gave the phone a very positive review. He loved the 120Hz OLED display and the performance increases that come with the Snapdragon 888 chipset. He also loved the overall design of the phone, commenting that it feels like a high-end, premium device.
Zeman also loved the camera. This is especially notable when you consider OnePlus’ history of failing to deliver photo quality that matches its pricing.
Unfortunately, he also commented that battery life isn’t as good on the Pro as on previous OnePlus flagships. Also, the 5G compatibility here in the US is very confusing at launch. These deficiencies did not stop him from giving the phone an Editor’s Choice Award, though.
Click: Read our full OnePlus 9 Pro review
Robert Triggs reviewed the vanilla OnePlus 9. He agreed that the displays of the OnePlus 9 series are quite good. He also loved the fast-charging you get with the included 65W charger. The introduction of wireless charging to the non-Pro model for the first time ever was also a welcome addition. These features helped the phone earn a Recommended badge from him.
Although Triggs didn’t find the camera on the vanilla model to be as good as what we saw on the Pro model, he did find the camera to be good enough for most people.
However, he did have the same complaints related to battery life as Eric Zeman did. He also felt that the phone didn’t have a premium design or feel, especially when compared to the 9 Pro.
Click: Read our full OnePlus 9 review
What other reviewers from around the web think
- CNET’s Andrew Hoyle agreed with Android Authority’s assessment of the OnePlus 9 Pro, giving it the same total score (4.5/5 stars). Hoyle said the phone is “gorgeous” with a camera that can take “excellent” images. However, like us, Hoyle felt battery life could be way better.
- The Verge’s Dieter Bohn had the same sentiments related to the OnePlus 9 Pro. In fact, he called it “the best Android alternative to Samsung” and “one of the best experiences you can get using Android,” which is pretty high praise. Unlike other reviewers, Bohn didn’t ding the phone too badly for its lack of battery life, but did call out some flaws with the much-hyped camera system.
- TechRadar’s David Lumb reviewed the vanilla OnePlus 9. Lumb gave it very high marks and said it was a great phone for its price tag. He did call out the lack of a telephoto camera and its overall non-premium feel. However, those quibbles didn’t stop him from giving it a 4.5/5 score.
What AA readers think of the new OnePlus phones
Back in October 2020, we asked our readers to sound off on what they wanted to see the most from the OnePlus 9 series. In the chart below, you can see how our readers responded. By examining this poll data now, we can get an idea of what aspects our readers wanted and whether or not OnePlus delivered.
Pre-release: OnePlus 9 wishlist poll results
As you can see, the largest chunk of our readers emphasized the importance of cheaper pricing. Last year, the cheapest OnePlus 8 phone was $699, while the OnePlus 8 Pro started at $899, the most expensive price ever for a normal OnePlus phone at the time. Ultimately, OnePlus raised the prices this year (not counting the OnePlus 9R, which has very limited availability). That should be quite disappointing for the majority of folks who responded to this poll.
The next most important aspect to our readers was the camera. Considering the high-end hardware in the OnePlus 9 Pro as well as the promises of the Hasselblad partnership, we can chalk that up as a win for this category. Obviously, the vanilla OnePlus 9 didn’t get as much love, but that’s to be expected.
Related: We asked, you told us: Here’s how much cameras influence your phone purchase
Finally, pulling up at the back are various premium features and great displays. The displays of both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro are great, so that’s a win. The introduction of wireless charging to the vanilla model is also a nice gesture, although the continued lack of an IP rating there is unfortunate.
In the end, it appears OnePlus has let fans down with the thing they were most passionate about (price) while delivering on the other three categories.
Post-release: Is the OnePlus 9 series hot?
Unfortunately, it appears the bulk of our readers are not fans of the OnePlus 9 series. This possibly has a lot to do with the previous chart, which showed our readers wanted the phones to be cheaper. With them landing as being more expensive, it’s caused many of our readers to reject them in response.
However, it is possible folks could change their minds. As mentioned earlier, OnePlus phones are very popular around here. We’ll need to see how things pan out during our next Best of Android series to see how the dust settles.
OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro specs
| OnePlus 9 | OnePlus 9 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.55-inch flat AMOLED 20:9 aspect ratio 2,400 x 1,080 at 402ppi 120Hz refresh rate (static) |
6.7-inch curved LTPO AMOLED 20.1:9 aspect ratio 3,216 x 1,440 at 525ppi 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | Min: 8GB LPDDR5 Max: 12GB LPDDR5 |
Min: 8GB LPDDR5 Max: 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | Min: 128GB UFS 3.1 Max: 256GB UFS 3.1 No external storage support |
Min: 128GB UFS 3.1 Max: 256GB UFS 3.1 No external storage support |
| Power | 4,500mAh battery Warp Charge 65T 65W charger in box 15W Qi-compatible wireless charging (Wireless only in NA/Europe) |
4,500mAh battery Warp Charge 65T 65W charger in box Warp Charge 50 Wireless 10V/6.5A, 20V/3.25A Output: 50W (with prop. charging stand) |
| Ports | USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 No 3.5mm headphone jack No microSD card slot |
USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 No 3.5mm headphone jack No microSD card slot |
| Connectivity | 5G support Wi-Fi 6 support 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax NFC support Bluetooth 5.2 |
5G support Wi-Fi 6 support 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax NFC support Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Cameras | Rear: 1) 48MP main (Sony IMX689) 1/1.43-inch sensor 1.12μm/46MP or 2.24μm/12MP ƒ/1.8, EIS 2) 50MP ultra-wide (Sony IMX766) 1/1.56-inch sensor ƒ/2.2 3) 2MP monochrome Front: - 16MP single (Sony IMX471) 1.0μm with EIS ƒ/2.4, fixed focus |
Rear: 1) 48MP main (Sony IMX789) 1/1.43-inch sensor 1.12μm/46MP or 2.24μm/12MP ƒ/1.8, EIS, OIS 2) 50MP ultra-wide (Sony IMX766) 1/1.56-inch sensor ƒ/2.2 3) 8MP telephoto 1.0μm, ƒ/2.4 4) 2MP monochrome Front: - 16MP single (Sony IMX471) 1.0μm with EIS ƒ/2.4, fixed focus |
| Video | 8K at 30fps 4K at 30 or 60fps Super slo-mo at 720p/480fps or 1080p/240fps Time lapse at 1080p/30fps or 4k/30fps |
8K at 30fps 4K at 30, 60, or 120fps Super slo-mo at 720p/480fps or 1080p/240fps Time lapse at 1080p/30fps or 4k/30fps |
| Audio | Bluetooth 5.2 aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos |
Bluetooth 5.2 aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos |
| Security | No IP rating against water/dust In-display fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) |
IP68-rated In-display fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) |
| Software | Android 11 Oxygen OS 11 |
Android 11 Oxygen OS 11 |
| Dimensions and weight | NA/Europe: 160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm 192g India/China: 160 x 73.9 x 8.1mm 183g |
Global: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm 197g |
| Colors | Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, Astral Black |
Morning Mist, Pine Green, Stellar Black |
OnePlus 9R specs
| OnePlus 9R | |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.55-inch AMOLED 20:9 aspect ratio 2,400 x 1,080 at 402ppi 120Hz refresh rate (static) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 |
| RAM | Min: 8GB Max: 12GB |
| Storage | Min: 128GB UFS 3.1 Max: 256GB UFS 3.1 No external storage support |
| Power | 4,500mAh battery Warp Charge 65 65W charger in box |
| Ports | USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 No 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Connectivity | 5G support 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax NFC support Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Cameras | Rear: 1) 48MP main (Sony IMX586) .8μm/48MP or 1.6μm/12MP ƒ/1.7, OIS and EIS 2) 16MP ultra-wide ƒ/2.2 123-degree field-of-view 3) 5MP macro 4) 2MP monochrome Front: 16MP single (Sony IMX471) 1.0μm with EIS ƒ/2.4, fixed focus |
| Video | 4K at 30 or 60fps Super slo-mo at 720p/480fps or 1080p/240fps Time lapse at 1080p/30fps or 4K/30fps |
| Audio | Bluetooth 5.1 aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos |
| Security | No IP rating against water/dust In-display fingerprint sensor Face unlock (insecure) |
| Software | Android 11 Oxygen OS 11 |
| Dimensions and weight | 161 x 74.1 x 8.4mm 189g |
| Colors | Carbon Black, Lake Blue |
How good are the OnePlus 9 cameras?
Over the years, OnePlus’ biggest stumbling block has been its camera offerings. Early on, with the company’s rock-bottom pricing strategy, we easily forgave its weak cameras. However, as its pricing has slowly crept up into general flagship territory, that forgiveness wasn’t possible.
See also: How the price of OnePlus phones changed over the years
Thankfully, we can say with confidence that the OnePlus 9 series cameras are the best ever from the brand. We give brief summaries of our opinions below, but be sure to read our full reviews of the phones for more in-depth notes.
Pro-level model
Without a doubt, the OnePlus 9 Pro camera is the best effort yet from OnePlus. Although we can’t say that OnePlus tops its main competitors this year (Apple, Samsung, and Google), we can confidently say that the company finally stands in the same league as those household names.
Here are some example shots from the Pro:
One of the big reasons the camera on the 9 Pro is so great this year is because OnePlus finally got with the program and offered the lenses photographers want. That means there’s a high-quality Sony main lens, a terrific wide-angle, and a good telephoto. There’s also a monochrome depth sensor thrown into the mix to help with bokeh, aka portrait mode. The gimmicky color filter lens is gone and there’s no corner-cutting to offer the bare minimum to skirt by. This is a flagship camera system — period.
Related: Read our full review of the OnePlus 9 Pro
This hardware combined with some great software tweaks from Hasselblad produces fast, accurate, and terrific-looking images. The telephoto lens offers great results even at 3x zoom. Wide-angle shots look particularly good thanks to software tweaks that help reduce the amount of “warp” we often see at the edges of smartphone photos. And that monochrome sensor really brings some nuance to portrait-style pics.
Here’s an example of the wide-angle camera’s abilities:
Of course, the camera is not perfect. Although the reproduced colors are highly accurate, some people prefer “pushed” photos with higher saturation. Additionally, HDR isn’t as good as it could be, we saw a little too much over-sharpening, and any zoom beyond 10x is going to be nigh unusable. Overall though, these are quibbles compared to the complaints we’ve had for OnePlus cameras in the past.
Regular model
Considering the significant price difference between the OnePlus 9 and its Pro-level sibling, it shouldn’t be surprising to know that the camera here isn’t as good as the camera on the 9 Pro. However, that doesn’t mean the camera itself is bad. It’s just weaker in comparison.
Here are some example shots:
Right off the bat, the vanilla OnePlus 9 axes the telephoto lens from the rear module. This forces photographers to rely on a digital crop for any zoom. Image quality under these circumstances isn’t going to be that great.
Related: Read our full review of the OnePlus 9
Also, even though the three lenses on offer here are comparable to the OnePlus 9 Pro, they are not the same. The primary lens, for example, is last year’s flagship model from Sony. That is still a great sensor, no doubt about it, but it’s not as good as the brand new one in the 9 Pro.
Once you can look past these issues, though, the OnePlus 9 offers a perfectly capable system. Wide-angle shots look great thanks to the software tweaks mentioned in the previous section of this article. Color accuracy is also great. Additionally, the camera software itself is fast and versatile.
Here’s an example of the camera’s Night Mode abilities:
Ultimately, the OnePlus 9 camera system is fine for what it is. It only starts to look less-than-thrilling when you compare it to that of the 9 Pro — or some competitor phones in this price range. See more on that last note later on in this article.
Do the OnePlus 9 phones have good battery life?
Interestingly, power is a category in which OnePlus upped its game this year while simultaneously dropping it. By that, we mean that the fast-charging and wireless charging upgrades here are most welcome, but overall battery life is actually worse than we’ve seen on previous OnePlus phones.
Let’s start with the good upgrades. The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro both feature 65W wired charging, as first introduced with the OnePlus 8T. This allows you to charge your phone from zero to full in around 30 minutes. Additionally, the vanilla model now supports wireless charging at speeds up to 15W. Unbelievably, the 9 Pro has super-fast wireless charging at speeds up to 50W, which is just insane. That means the 9 Pro is capable of charging faster wirelessly than the 8 Pro’s wired charging speed!
See also: The best Android smartphones with the best battery life
Unfortunately, we saw pretty weak overall battery life during our initial review periods for both phones. To be clear, the 4,500mAh cells in each device got us through a full day handily. However, there isn’t much chance you could get two days out of either phone. This is interesting considering battery life has always been one of OnePlus’ biggest strengths.
Now, it’s possible battery life could get better for both phones with future software updates. We can’t promise that, though.
The bottom line here is that battery life for these phones won’t be anything to write home about. However, with so many fast-charging options — and chargers coming in the box, as they should — that deficiency might not be too big of a deal.
How is performance on the OnePlus 9 series?
Both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro have the latest-and-greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. That chipset is paired with at least 8GB of RAM and at least 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Those are top-of-the-line specs, so the performance of these devices will be terrific.
In our time with both phones, we saw nothing but exemplary speed and smoothness. Whatever you plan to do with these devices — whether it’s gaming, photography, videography, etc. — they will be able to keep up.
OnePlus 9 software updates
The OnePlus 9 series ships with Android 11 skinned over with OnePlus’ proprietary Oxygen OS 11. Years ago, OnePlus was the company setting the bar when it came to fast Android updates and multiple upgrades to the latest versions. Recently, though, that reputation has started to slide.
On the March 23 launch date of the OnePlus 9 series, most OnePlus 7 handsets around the world were still stuck on Android 10. The OnePlus 8 series obtained Android 11 pretty quickly, though. Meanwhile, some phones in the OnePlus Nord series will see one Android upgrade before OnePlus will terminate their update program.
See also: Which manufacturer updates its phones the fastest? (Android 11 edition)
All of this is to say that buying a OnePlus 9 series phone doesn’t carry the same software assurances as in prior years. It is very likely the 9-series will see Android 12 before the end of 2021, but what about Android 13 in 2022? Considering most of the 7-series didn’t see an update to the latest version until six months after Android 11 launched, a speedy delivery is not guaranteed.
Likewise for Android security patches. These used to come monthly like clockwork. Now, there are OnePlus flagships that are months out-of-date when it comes to security. This is another thing to keep in mind before making a OnePlus 9 purchase.
Thankfully, Samsung is now setting the bar for Android updates. Maybe OnePlus will get back into shape in this regard as it sees its former die-hards jumping ship. That is something we won’t know for sure for a long time, though.
OnePlus 9 vs OnePlus 8 series: What’s changed since last year’s models?
Outside of the introduction of the OnePlus 9R and the new design elements such as sizing, colors, etc., there are only subtle changes this year. Below, you’ll find the most notable changes between last year’s OnePlus 8 lineup and this year’s OnePlus 9 family. Keep in mind that this is not every change — just the most notables ones.
- Display: The vanilla model still has a 1080p display while the Pro model still has a 1440p resolution. However, now both models have a 120Hz refresh rate (the OnePlus 8 only had a 90Hz rate). The big difference is that the OnePlus 9 Pro has an adaptive refresh rate while the regular model does not. This means that the Pro model’s display should be more battery-efficient.
- Performance: As one would expect, both phones have the 2021 flagship silicon from Qualcomm. This will make the phones more powerful than the 8-series lineup.
- Power: For the first time ever, both phones have the exact same battery capacity. Also for the first time, both the regular and Pro models feature wireless charging. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s wireless charging is technically faster if you use a proprietary dock, but the regular model can wirelessly charge as most other phones can. Both phones also feature 65W wired charging, which is nearly twice as fast as last year’s phones. And yes, there is a charger in the box.
- Cameras: The camera setup on the OnePlus 9 is very similar to last year’s: a main, an ultra-wide, and a monochrome. The Pro model ditches last year’s controversial chromatic lens in favor of that same monochrome sensor. It also has updated versions of last year’s setup, with a main, an ultra-wide, and a telephoto.
- Price: Both entry-tier models of the 9 and 9 Pro cost more than they did last year. In both cases, it’s not by much ($30 and $70 respectively). But with most other companies dropping prices in 2021, it’s hard not to notice.
You might be thinking these are very iterative changes. We tend to agree, which is probably why OnePlus is putting so much emphasis on the Hasselblad partnership. It’s likely hoping that the promise of a premium camera experience will be enough to entice buyers to upgrade.
OnePlus 9 series: Competition and alternatives
OnePlus’ days as the “flagship killer” are long over. Now, the company basically shares the same space with the flagship phones it used to mock. As such, the most obvious competitor to the OnePlus 9 series is the flagship Samsung Galaxy S21 family.
Looking at specs and pricing, the OnePlus 9 is quite similar to the vanilla Galaxy S21. It’s missing some features of that phone (most notably a telephoto lens) while offering some upgrades in comparison (such as 65W wired charging).
The most obvious competitor to the OnePlus 9 family is the Samsung Galaxy S21 family.
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 9 Pro could compete with either the Galaxy S21 Plus or even the Galaxy S21 Ultra in some respects. In the case of the Ultra, the 9 Pro has a similar quality display, similar dimensions, and the same processor. It’s lacking the extravagant and versatile camera of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but it does feature faster wired and wireless charging.
Outside of the Galaxy S21 family, the Xiaomi Mi 11 series would be a good alternative to the OnePlus 9 series. Of course, we’ve yet to see all the Mi 11 phones launch, and they are only available in specific areas of the world. This puts Xiaomi at a slight disadvantage, even if its hardware and pricing could be viewed more favorably.
Finally, we can’t forget about iPhones. Although the iPhone 12 series is months old by now, Apple’s pricing and hardware offerings are quite comparable to the OnePlus 9 series. The vanilla OnePlus phone would probably go head-to-head with the iPhone 12, while the OnePlus 9 Pro would stand next to an iPhone 12 Pro. Of course, you’d need to be willing to leave Android for these phones to be options.
Where to buy the OnePlus 9 phones
The easiest way to grab a OnePlus phone is directly from the company. Whether you live in the United States, Europe, India, or anywhere in between, your localized version of the OnePlus site will be the easiest way to grab one of these new phones.
United States — Unlocked
In the United States, you can buy unlocked variants of the vanilla OnePlus 9 as well as the 9 Pro. Each phone comes in two different storage/RAM configurations:
- $729 — OnePlus 9 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- $829 — OnePlus 9 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- $969 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- $1,069 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
In addition to those configurations, you’ll also have several colorway choices. For the vanilla model, that includes Winter Mist (purple-ish) and Astral Black. For the 9 Pro, there will be Morning Mist (silver/white) and Pine Green. Keep in mind that some colors will be locked to certain RAM/storage configurations, and not all colors will be available from all vendors.
Pre-orders for the devices opened in the US on March 26. As of April 2, 2021, the devices are available for general sale.
T-Mobile
For people subscribed to T-Mobile service in the US, your options are a bit more limited as compared to unlocked shoppers. The Uncarrier will have the following options:
- OnePlus 9 — 8GB RAM/128GB ROM in Winter Mist or Astral Black
- OnePlus 9 Pro — 12GB RAM/256GB ROM in Morning Mist
If you were hoping to get the Pro model in the lower-end configuration or in a different color, you’re out of luck. The same goes for the 12/256GB variant of the vanilla model.
There will, however, be some deals on offer. If you trade-in a phone or open a new line, T-Mo will slash the price of a OnePlus 9 in half. Conversely, you can instead cut $365 off the OnePlus 9 Pro with that same trade-in or new line stipulation. If you just want to get the phone, you’ll pay $30.42 each month for 24 months for the vanilla model. The Pro model will cost you $44.50 each month for the same 24 month period.
United Kingdom
Our friends across the pond have a slightly different set of options. First, here’s the pricing for the 9-series lineup:
- £629 — OnePlus 9 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- £729 — OnePlus 9 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- £829 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- £929 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
Folks in the UK have two extra color options as compared to the US. The OnePlus 9 will be available in Winter Mist (purple-ish), Arctic Sky (light blue), and Astral Black. The Pro model will come in Morning Mist (silver/white), Stellar Black, and Pine Green. Once again, not all colorways will be available from all vendors and some colors could be locked to certain configurations.
You could pre-order a OnePlus 9 phone starting on March 23 at 15:30 GMT. Open sales began on March 31 in the country. The phones are available from OnePlus.com, Amazon, John Lewis, and Three.
Europe
People in Europe can start pre-ordering the devices now. However, OnePlus has set up a deposit system for the phones. You pay €100 upfront and then pay the difference starting in late April when the phones officially become available. Here’s what you’ll pay total for each one:
- €719 — OnePlus 9 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- €819 — OnePlus 9 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- €919 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- €999 — OnePlus 9 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
As with folks in the UK, Europeans have the full selection of color options: Winter Mist (purple-ish), Arctic Sky (light blue), and Astral Black for the OnePlus 9, and Morning Mist (silver/white), Stellar Black, and Pine Green for the OnePlus 9 Pro.
India
In India, you can buy the vanilla OnePlus 9, the 9 Pro, and the OnePlus 9R, which is exclusive to the country. Here’s how pricing breaks down:
- 39,999 INR — OnePlus 9R with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- 43,999 INR — OnePlus 9R with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- 49,999 INR — OnePlus 9 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- 54,999 INR — OnePlus 9 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- 64,999 INR — OnePlus 9 Pro with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage
- 69,999 INR — OnePlus 9 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
Indian buyers will need to wait until late April to get their hands on these new devices. Once they become available, you’ll have the following color options:
- OnePlus 9 — Winter Mist (purple-ish), Arctic Sky (light blue), and Astral Black
- 9 Pro — Morning Mist (silver/white), Stellar Black, and Pine Green
- 9R — Carbon Black and Lake Blue
Once again, not all color options will be available for all configurations and some vendors will have limited color selections.
Top OnePlus 9 series questions and answers
Q: Do the phones have chargers in the box?
A: Yes, all OnePlus 9 phones come with chargers in their respective boxes! They come with 65W chargers, which will allow you to take advantage of those super-fast charging speeds. These chargers are also capable of charging other devices, including laptops.
Q: Can you wirelessly charge the OnePlus 9 phones?
A: The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro both feature wireless charging. However, the vanilla model is locked at 15W of wireless charging speeds while the Pro model can wirelessly charge at a blazing 50W. Do note that in order to see those 50W speeds, you will need a specialized charger that is sold separately for $70. The OnePlus 9R does not have wireless charging.
Q: Do the phones have both mmWave and Sub6 5G support?
A: The OnePlus 9 Pro supports both 5G standards. However, at launch, the phone lacks a 5G certification AT&T. That means that it will only connect to 4G LTE bands on its networks until OnePlus earns the proper certification. It will connect to both standards on the T-Mobile and Verizon networks out-of-the-box, though, even if you buy it unlocked. As for the vanilla OnePlus 9, it will only support Sub6 connections.
Q: Do the phones have IP ratings?
A: The Pro model has an IP68 rating. This rating offers full protection against dust as well as full water resistance. The regular model, unfortunately, does not have an IP rating, so you will need to keep it away from dust and water.
Q: What’s up with the Pro’s refresh rate?
A: The Pro model has a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. This means that the refresh rate dynamically changes depending on the use case. For example, when playing a 120fps-capable game, your phone’s display would be at the full 120Hz rate to match. However, when reading an ebook, the rate drops significantly, to as low as 1Hz. This dynamic response should allow for less power consumption from the display. The regular OnePlus 9 also has a 120Hz refresh rate, but it is static. That means if you set it to 120Hz, it will be that way all the time regardless of what you’re doing with your phone.
Q: Do any of the OnePlus 9 phones have headphone jacks?
A: No. Outside of budget offerings in the Nord line, none of OnePlus’ phones come with headphone jacks.
Q: What about expandable storage through a microSD slot?
A: None of the OnePlus 9 phones have microSD card slots. This is a feature OnePlus rarely offers and has never offered in its flagships. The maximum amount of storage in any OnePlus 9 device is 256GB.
Q: Do the OnePlus phones this year feature Hasselblad camera hardware?
A: No. The lenses and sensors in these phones are normal smartphone camera hardware supplied by Sony. OnePlus’ Hasselblad partnership is featured within the camera software only. Future OnePlus phones could have hardware co-created with Hasselblad, but not this year.
More coverage
Looking for more coverage on the OnePlus 9 series?
- OnePlus 9 Pro review: Gunning for Apple and Samsung
- OnePlus 9 review: Serious business, cheap suit
- OnePlus 9 vs older OnePlus phones: Should you upgrade?
- OnePlus 9 alternatives: 7 phones to check out before you buy
- OnePlus 9 vs iPhone 12 series: Which one is right for you?
Help other readers out
Do you own the OnePlus 9, 9 Pro, or 9R? Do you plan on getting one of them? If so, make your voice heard in our polls below, and then go ahead and post your own mini-review in the comments!
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