OnePlus 9R: If it's broke please fix it

 

The last piece of the OnePlus event is the OnePlus 9R. OnePlus didn't even mention it in the actual event, instead it was announced by the CEO separately. It has since launched in India for about $550; with hope that it might come to the US. So why I am I still covering this device? It's because there's several concepts in the OnePlus 9R that are going to start becoming more common in 2021. It also doesn't deal with the shortcomings of it's predecessor, the OnePlus 8T, and it shows the true problems with recent OnePlus designs. 

Image Credit: OnePlus

I'll start with the specs. The 9R is powered by a Snapdragon 870, with up to 12GB of RAM,  and up to 256GB of storage. Screen comes in at 6.55-inch 1080p OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate. There's no IP rating or wireless charging, but there is 65W wired charging. We also have a 4,500mAh battery that should provide ample battery life. The 9R also borrows the cameras system from the OnePlus 8T: 48MP main, 16MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and a 2MP monochrome (same one from the 9 and 9 Pro). 

Image Credit: OnePlus

It really pains me to see them continue with the same camera array as the 8T, I've said it before and I'll say it again, a 2MP monochrome sensor has no place on any phone on earth. It doesn't even add potential value like the macro camera; sure, maybe I want to take an up-close shot of a Lego brick, I'll use the macro. The monochrome doesn't give any potential value, when I want a black-white photo I'll grab a filter in google photos and apply it, the sensor serves a niche that has no place in a consumer-facing phone. OnePlus still hasn't learned that stuffing a camera array to call it a quad-camera is a waste of money for both OnePlus and the customers. Although the main and ultrawide aren't Hasselblad branded their still plenty capable and high-quality, Overall, cameras are still the mess left behind by the 8T, but considering how high-quality the main and ultrawide are I wouldn't write it off as a total loss. 

Image Credit: OnePlus

The 870 is also nice but disappointing at the same time. The 870 is basically an overclocked 865 that makes a few changes to boost performance by a little bit. For this type of device I actually like it as it gives 5G, performance, and battery life while allowing for a reasonable price. Just imagine what the Pixel 5 would've looked like with an 870 instead of a 765G. So, for all intents and purposes, the 9R is basically the 8T with the design language of the 9 line, and I'm actually fine with that. The 9R makes good use of resources and, camera aside, earns it's approximated $550 price tag. However it's still disturbing to see OnePlus fall for the same traps, fall in the same holes, and make the same mistakes. The 8T was a broken phone lost to the S20 FE, OnePlus needed to fix the 9R, I wish they would have. 

The 9R is one of the new-age "flagship killers" that are parts bin phones with a new-name processor that basically is the "++ " version of it's predecessor. I still think this is a good thing as it allows companies to make good phones at cheaper prices that still appeal to consumers. Its not the optimal situation but it saves phones like the Pixel 5 (and maybe the Pixel 6?) from having to use 700 series chipsets. 

However, the common saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it", does not apply to the 9R. The 8T that their basing it off of had cameras that were fundamentally broken; if it's broke please fix it. 

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