OnePlus phones are becoming a bigger and bigger draw, with the company quickly amassing an Apple-like following of dedicated fans, and that's because of the quality of the handsets themselves – and their value.
OnePlus may have only celebrated its sixth birthday in December 2019, but in that time it has made several phones that have found themselves in our list of the best smartphones, with its 2019 lineup of phones being particularly impressive. We've finally seen the brand's 2020 devices unveiled: the OnePlus 8 and the higher-spec OnePlus 8 Pro.
As expected, they're exciting, high-powered devices – but until we've fully tested them, we're going to keep them out of this ranked page just yet. We'll add them soon, but until then, check out our reviews (for the OnePlus 8) and extended hands-on (for the OnePlus 8 Pro), linked above.
OnePlus typically puts out two ranges of phones each year. There's the basic numbered series towards the beginning of the year, then the T phones at the end – the latter tends to be a slightly improved version of the former for each year, with the real tech boosts coming to the main series, but that's not always the case.
In 2019 those ranges had two devices each, but we may see the OnePlus 8 line expand to three devices (including a new 'Lite' device) so this list could have even more new devices on it, though the first two OnePlus 8 phones have already launched. The company also announced a mystery concept phone early in the year – the aptly-named OnePlus Concept One – but since that's not a commercially-available product we won't add it to this list.
So if you're in the market for a new OnePlus phone, there are lots of things to choose between – to T or not to T, older cheaper phone or newer flagship, and with the addition of the Pro devices in 2019, the decision to go with one of them is also a consideration.
So without further ado, we've ranked all the recent OnePlus phones that we've tested, to let you know what the best ones are.
The best OnePlus phones of 2020 at a glance
- OnePlus 7T Pro
- OnePlus 7T
- OnePlus 7 Pro
- OnePlus 6T
- OnePlus 6
- OnePlus 7
- OnePlus 5T
The best OnePlus phones
The best OnePlus phone available right now is the OnePlus 7T Pro, the upgraded version of number 3 on this list and the Pro version of number 2; it's basically a mix of those competitors.
This phone is a great-looking device, with a pop-up front-facing camera and three very decent cameras on the rear. It has got a 90Hz display which is crisp to look at, and had one of the best processors available when it came out.
It's a very small upgrade over the OnePlus 7 Pro, and has a lot in common specs-wise with the 7T, which are both more affordable phones, so if money's an issue you might want to check out the other entries on this list. If you want the real best of the best though, then the 7T Pro is for you.
Read our full OnePlus 7T Pro review
While the OnePlus 7T Pro was arguably a very slight upgrade over its predecessor, the 7T is a huge leap up from the 7; in fact, the device is even better than its 'Pro' sibling in a few ways, such as a higher-resolution zoom camera.
The OnePlus 7T has the 90Hz refresh rate, Android 10, and top-end chipset of its bigger sibling, but loses the pop-up camera and a portion of the asking price as a result.
This phone doesn't have wireless charging, but if that's a feature you need, you're in the wrong guide, as no OnePlus phones have that method of juicing up. But in general the OnePlus 7T isn't just a decent budget device, it's a fantastic one.
Read our full OnePlus 7T review
The OnePlus 7 Pro was the first 'Pro' phone from the company to come out, and in the brief time since its launch this and the 7T Pro have become some of the most popular flagships around.
The OnePlus 7 Pro has three powerful cameras, a beautiful all-screen display not broken up by a notch or punch-hole (thanks to the pop-up front-facing camera), and a great battery life and fast-charging combination. It's also not going to break the bank as much as something from Apple or Samsung.
Since the device has now been succeeded by a T-series upgrade, it's now decidedly affordable, so you can pick it up for a great price. It's not a huge downgrade either, with only a few minor differences, so we'd recommend it wholeheartedly.
Read our full OnePlus 7 Pro review
The OnePlus 6T was one of the best affordable picks of 2018, bringing top-end features at a mid-range price tag. Well, it did have a mid-range price tag, but with the release of the 7 and 7T handsets, the 6T is now seriously affordable.
The phone has decent cameras, a long-lasting battery and a sturdy, refined design, perfect for people who want a great handset without needing top-end features.
Sure, there's no wireless charging and the display isn't QHD, but not everyone needs those features in a smartphone.
Read our full OnePlus 6T review
The OnePlus 6 may have been overshadowed by the 6T in 2018, but that doesn't mean you should count it out. It was a great phone then, and it's a great phone now, even if its successors are better.
The phone has a decent camera array, a solid build, and also the last physical (as opposed to in-screen) fingerprint sensor on a OnePlus handset, so if you're looking for an affordable device with a fingerprint scanner that isn't in the screen, this is the phone for you.
Plus, thanks to the fact that it's older than the prior phones on this list, it's now rather affordable – although from most retailers it's roughly the same price as the 6T.
Read our full OnePlus 6 review
We know what you're wondering – why is the OnePlus 7 below the 6-series in our rankings of the best OnePlus phones? Well, that's because it's very similar to the 6T, but costs more, and it was also completely overshadowed by the 7 Pro.
Sure, the phone has a 48MP camera, but it's joined by a much weaker 5MP snapper, and in most other ways it's almost exactly the same phone. If you've used the 6T, you won't find the 7 very different.
That doesn't mean it's a bad phone, not by any means, and if you can find it in a deal it would be worth picking up. But for the best affordable OnePlus phone right now, you might want to stick with the 6T.
Read our full OnePlus 7 review
Sure, the OnePlus 5T may be a bit older than the other phones on this list, but there are still some good reasons to get it, not least the fact it's older and more affordable.
The phone's screen isn't broken up by a notch, as it has a bezel instead – so if you wanted one of the Pro phones because it has an unbroken screen but are on a tight budget, this might be preferable.
It has also got roughly as good a camera array as the OnePlus 6 and 6T, a decent processor, and some features which were pretty premium in 2017 – such as face unlocking – that are still great now.
Read our full OnePlus 5T review
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