OnePlus 9 review

Design and build quality

To say that the OnePlus 9 design is familiar would be an understatement. For the most part, the OnePlus 9 shares its design with the OnePlus 8T with the major visual difference being the redesigned camera module on the back. It reminds us of the OnePlus 7, which too had a hand-me-down design from its immediate predecessor, the OnePlus 6T.

The front of the OnePlus 9 looks the same as that of the OnePlus 8T, which makes sense as both phones have the same display. This means it also has the flat glass on the front, which most people seem to prefer, and the hole-punch camera in the corner, which usually produces a mixed response.

Along the sides is where the OnePlus 9 differs the most from the OnePlus 8T. While the 8T has an aluminum frame, the OnePlus 9 uses fiber-reinforced plastic. Visually, it looks quite convincing, and even when you hold the device it's not immediately apparent that this isn't metal. As an upside, you also don't get the unsightly antenna lines found on aluminum frames. However, some people prefer their flagship devices to have flagship materials and if you fall in that category this plastic design might not appeal to you.

The OnePlus 9 has the same assortment of buttons and ports on the side as the 8T. However, like the OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9 has its volume buttons shifted further down the left side, making it easier to access.

The back of the phone has a redesigned camera system in the corner. It's simplified and less busy looking compared to the design on the 8T, with a triple camera array and a reflective Hasselblad logo that glints in the light.

The back of the phone is still glass. It comes in three colors and two finishes. Our review unit came in Winter Mist, which has shades of violet and a glossy finish that gets progressively more reflective as you go down the back of the phone. The Arctic Sky color has a monotone blue with a matte finish while the Astral Black matte black film underneath a glossy glass that is said to reduce fingerprints. In each case, the camera module matches the color and finish of the rest of the back.

As with the OnePlus 8T and the OnePlus 8 before it, OnePlus has left out the ingress protection rating on the OnePlus 9. This isn't to say that the device hasn't been secured; we noticed the usual gasket around the SIM tray. This and a few other measures should allow the device to have some level of protection against water and dust. It's just not enough to get the IP68 rating that the OnePlus 9 Pro has. Also, it's worth noting that OnePlus is sticking with Gorilla Glass 5 for both the front and back of the phone, so you're also not getting the latest in shatter resistance.

All in all, the design side of things is pretty underwhelming on the OnePlus 9 and we see OnePlus continuing to focus more on the Pro model. While the 9 Pro isn't particularly exciting itself, the recycled design, plastic frame, and lack of ingress protection on the OnePlus 9 may all be a step too far for product segmentation.