OnePlus 7T Pro review

Design

The OnePlus 7T Pro is identical to the OnePlus 7 Pro. The new Haze Blue color is probably the only tell, but you really need to know your OnePlus phones to recognize that.

OnePlus 7 Pro next to the OnePlus 7T Pro

Well, there is one teeny-tiny difference, and some of you may have already spotted it - the cutout for the laser transmitter and receiver (the laser autofocus tech) is now outside the camera setup, closer to the top ultrawide snapper. This is probably to help the ultrawide snapper in focusing properly at close distance.

But let's rewind a bit. The 7T Pro is the typical modern-day dual-glass flagship, which uses premium materials as its flagship status demands. The screen is protected by a curved Gorilla Glass 6, while the back is shielded with a curved Gorilla Glass 5, and in-between those pieces there is an aluminum frame keeps everything together.

The 7T Pro biggest treat is the large 6.67" Fluid AMOLED - it's a 1440p+ piece with no cutouts whatsoever. The screen also supports 90Hz refresh rate - hence the Fluid moniker. It is the same panel as seen on the 7 Pro, but we can't imagine OnePlus outdoing it anytime soon - it's that good.

Fluid AMOLED on the OnePlus 7T Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro

The screen has a Gorilla Glass 6 cover but that's not all - the 7T Pro ships with a factory-applied thin screen protector. It doesn't cover the whole glass and we found it annoying when the tips of our fingers went through its edge, but if you use the 7T Pro with the supplied case - this shouldn't be an issue.

And we do appreciate having this protector, as the under-display fingerprint scanner may not work with just any film, but this is not something you need to think about right away.

Speaking about the fingerprint scanner, it is an optical one, but now in its third generation, it has reached its full potential. The sensor is equal in speed and accuracy to the conventional sensor you'd find on the backs of many smartphones. Just tap or pick up the 7T Pro, and you barely need to touch the marked spot for an instant unlock. We were thoroughly impressed by the performance!

The 7T Pro does not have a notch because its selfie camera is hidden on a motorized pop-up module, just like on the 7 Pro. It is rather fast to come up, and thanks to the automatic fall detection, it will retract quickly if a free fall is detected. Tried that, it works, and seems quick enough to hide the appendix before it meets the ground.

The earpiece is very thin and almost unnoticeable, its grille is within the slit between the screen glass and the frame. And it also doubles as a speaker!

The aluminum frame is also quite thin on its longer sides, a bit rounded, and painted in the same Haze Blue. Expect no grip from this metal piece as both its curvy shape and glossy finish may be excellent design boosters but they hurt the grip big time.

OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro camera galore

The back of the OnePlus 7T Pro is stunning, the Haze Blue color beneath that frosted Gorilla Glass is one of the most beautiful panels we've seen on a smartphone lately. The frosted finish is neat, but don't imagine it provides some grip - on the contrary, it seems more slippery than the front glass. But slippery or not, we love the OnePlus 7T Pro back, we love how it feels when you touch it, and we certainly enjoy the view.

The triple camera is on the back, of course. It is humping a bit and is surrounded by a thin metal frame. First at the top is the 16MP ultrawide shooter, followed by the 48MP primary, and last is the 8MP 3x zoom snapper. The dual-LED flash is flush with the back just outside this arrangement.

If we have to be honest, we like the 7T Pro's back better than the 7T. Sure, the round is eye-catchy, but don't find it to be as stylish as the Pro's.

And here are the 7T phones compared - the 7T is smaller and has a notch, while the Pro is a bit larger and is free of interruptions. Both screens are Fluid AMOLEDs at 90Hz refresh rate, so the buttery-smooth experience is guaranteed on both. If you don't fancy screens with curved edges though and you prefer the flat piece design, then only the 7T will do.

The volume rocker is on the left, the silent switch and the power key - on the right, while the USB-C port, the SIM tray, and the second speaker are all at the bottom.

The OnePlus 7T Pro measures 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm and weighs 206g - identical to OnePlus 7 Pro. It is about 1.5mm taller, 1mm wider, about half a millimeter thicker, and 16g heavier than the regular 7T.

The OnePlus 7T Pro is sealed against water even though it is not IP-rated. This means the phone will survive the occasional immersion and will be fine on a rainy day, but it shouldn't be your camera for underwater selfies.

And if you fancy limited versions of phones, you should know there is a McLaren Edition of OnePlus 7T Pro. It has a more luxurious packaging and case, as well as exclusive black rear glass with carbon fiber pattern and subtle orange strips. This model of the OnePlus 7T Pro comes with 12GB of RAM.

If you want to know more about the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, you should read our hands-on article.