It has been well more than a month since the OnePlus 9RT 5G launched. Honestly, for me, with the OnePlus 9 series (launched in March 2021) being a little of a letdown, there weren’t too many expectations from the OnePlus 9RT 5G. However, this smartphone has truly amazed me and given me the satisfaction of using a premium device. OnePlus 9RT 5G has been my go-to device for the last month, and here’s my experience of it.
OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Design and Body
OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a solid design. I got the Hacker Black variant from OnePlus. The rear or back is covered with glass that has a sandstone-like finish, and while it looks like it would be rough on touch, it is ultra-smooth on the skin.
While it is not a light device (it weighs 198.5 grams), it looks really cool. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is arguably one of the best looking OnePlus smartphones ever. I am not exaggerating! In the images, the device might look like an ordinary one, but it is much better in reality. It has a flat-edged display, which is what most people like, with a punch-hole cutout at the top left housing the selfie sensor.
The camera module or layout at the rear is very much like what you saw on the OnePlus 9 devices. But it is much better than what is there in the OnePlus 9R. The big sensors look premium, and the matte black camera bump adds to the overall finish of the device.
It has an alert slider on the right side, which is as clicky as it can be on movement, giving full satisfaction every time you slide it. The power button is just below the alert slider, and the volume rockers are on the left. As usual, the Type-C port for fast-charging is at the bottom.
Holding the OnePlus 9RT 5G on your hand simply feels like you are holding a super-premium device. Well, enough about the design and the body, let’s take a look at what users get with the OnePlus 9RT 5G when it comes to display, performance, and camera.
OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: How is the Display?
The OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED (1080x2400 pixels) display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection from damage. Touching the screen of the OnePlus 9RT 5G is a treat.
It is ultra-smooth and ultra-responsive. There’s never a lag or delay in response from the device. Everything is instant and is bound to make you feel good about using the smartphone.
But it is not all. Watching anything on the OnePlus 9RT 5G is just so fun! The resolution is amazing, and everything that you see on the device looks very real (subject to the quality you stream something in).
However, it is worth noting that the display is not just good because of the hardware but also the software. We will come back to this later in the performance part, so for now, let’s regain our focus on display.
If you are wondering whether the OnePlus 9RT is a good device to watch content from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, YouTube or another over-the-top (OTT) platform, the answer is, yes, it is one of the best you can find under Rs 50,000 price point.
There is support for various display modes such as Hyper Touch 2.0, Reading Mode, and Night Mode. Let’s move on to the performance of the smartphone.
OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Beast Like Performance!
Be it online gaming, video streaming, basic browsing, or multi-tasking with a heavy picture or video editing software; the OnePlus 9RT 5G can do it all with comfort. Since the time I have been using the device, I have not found a single moment where it has over-heated or crashed or lagged. This is partly because of the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC powering the smartphone, but also because I had the 12GB RAM variant, so memory wasn’t an issue.
However, I would not like to ignore the simple truth and factor that makes the display and performance of the smartphone come to life. It is the OxygenOS 11.
Based on Android 11, the OxygenOS 11 (the current version running on the device is V11.3) is super clean and gives very stock Android vibes, something that it is known for. It does have a lot of similarities to the ColorOS of Oppo now, but regardless, the originality of OxygenOS is still there. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is also slated to receive the Android 12 update (OxygenOS 12) very soon. I will also review the Android 12 skin on the OnePlus 9RT, and the performance after that, so keep following TelecomTalk to not miss out on that.
Coming back to the performance, one thing I really care about is the battery drain that heavy usage or multi-tasking causes to a device. The OnePlus 9RT, with a modest 4500mAh battery, impressed me quite a bit. Even after a full day of usage, which included a bit of gaming, camera use, and video streaming (mostly on YouTube and Netflix), there would still be at least 25% to 30% of the battery left.
It is not a lot, but it gives me the comfort that if I charge the device once in the morning and then I have to step out for the entire day, my smartphone won’t discharge completely. Further, with 65W fast-charging, you can quickly charge your phone whenever you are not using it. Pro tip - if you want the battery to not discharge for extended periods, reduce the refresh rate of the display from 120Hz to 60Hz.
OnePlus has optimised OnePlus 9RT 5G for gaming. The smartphone can switch up to 600Hz of touch-sampling rate on certain games to offer the best experience to the users. Some of the games that I have tried on this device are PUBG: New State, Battlegrounds Mobile India, Asphalt 9, and more. All of these games ran very smoothly on the device.
Just a small note, the device has stock apps of Google for voice calling and messages, which is not a worry or anything new. You can also get the OnePlus Messages from Google Play Store.
Further, there is support for multiple 5G bands: 5G NR NSA - N1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41, and 78; 5G SA - N1, 3, 5, 8, 28A(703-733 MHz), TDD: N40, 41, 78. The device can also support Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and comes with dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity support.
The in-display fingerprint sensor is as fast as one would like it to be. It is always responsive and unlocks the device without any delays. Listening to songs is also not a bad experience with the dual-stereo speakers installed on the phone.
Enough about the performance, let’s check out how the cameras of the smartphone are!
OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Camera Performance is Just Wow
OnePlus 9RT 5G is the smartphone I would like to carry under Rs 50,000 if I want to take solid pictures. Some of the camera samples I have taken are right below. (Note that the images posted below are a little compressed, but the actual quality of the images is much better).
The OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a triple-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is the flagship 50MP Sony IMX766 which also comes with the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro devices. Moreover, the OnePlus 9RT’s camera supports Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), which is just a big thing for camera lovers. There’s also a 16MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro sensor.
Through this device, users can record videos at 4K (30/60fps), 1080p (30/60fps), and it also supports Super Slow Motion, Time Lapse, Dual-View Video mode and more. For selfies and video calling, there’s a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor at the front. The night mode photography has improved; however, it isn’t as good as what you see on the premium flagships, but that’s understandable.
OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Price and Whether You Should Buy!
OnePlus 9RT 5G is an excellent device. It is available in two different variants in India. The base variant comes with 8GB+128GB for Rs 42,999 and the higher storage variant with 12GB+256GB comes for Rs 46,999. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is available in two different colour variants - Nano Silver and Hacker Black. With the exchange offer, you can reduce the price of the device even further.
The OnePlus 9RT 5G is a device that can do almost everything any user wants from his/her smartphone. It has a good camera, powerful processor, fast charging, and an awesome display with dual-stereo speakers. So who should buy this device?
If you are already using the OnePlus 8 series or the OnePlus 9 series device and it is working fine, there’s no real need to upgrade. Especially for the OnePlus 9 series device owners, there are upgrades on the OnePlus 9RT 5G, but minimal ones. However, if you have been looking to upgrade from an old device to a current-generation flagship sort of device under Rs 50,000, the OnePlus 9RT 5G is your best bet. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is also a good option, but it is far more expensive and not worth it if you have the option of OnePlus 9RT available.
You can get the device from the official website of OnePlus and through other e-commerce websites.
