OnePlus’ March 23 virtual event was packed with a slew of devices, which in addition to the OnePlus 9 series also included the company’s first smartwatch. Amid the three smartphones in the new flagship series, the OnePlus 9R is the most affordable offering, which comes with similar aesthetics to its elder siblings. Launched for the Indian market, the 9R promises a flagship-like experience with subtle hardware distinction from the OnePlus 8T.
Running OxygenOS based on Android 11, the OnePlus 9R is a 5G smartphone. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, in comparison the last year’s flagship – OnePlus 8T – was powered by Snapdragon 865 SoC. While the Snapdragon 870 SoC is only a tweaked variant of the Snapdragon 865+, it does propose better processing and power optimization than the Snapdragon 865 powering the 8T.
That said, the balanced performer, with uncompromised gaming performance and multitasking ability, the OnePlus 9R features the same 6.55-inch full-HD+ display like the OnePlus 8T. It touts a 120Hz screen refresh rate on a display offering 20:9 aspect ratio and a 402ppi resolution. The front of the OnePlus 9R is graced with a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 camera sensor in punch-hole configuration.
The phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner and dual stereo speakers, featuring Dolby Atoms support, has a camera module very identically to the 8T. The OnePlus 9R on the back has a quad-camera array comprising a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera offering f/1.7 aperture. It is followed by a 16MP ultra-wide-camera, 5MP macro, and a 2MP monochrome lens.
For connectivity, the phone comes with Bluetooth v5.1, Wi-Fi 6, NFC and Type-C port. It draws juice from a 4,500mAh battery paired with 65W Warp Charge support and comes in two – carbon black and lake blue color options. OnePlus 9R will be delivered in base 8GB + 128GB UFS 3.1 storage for Rs. 39,999, while the top-end model with 12GB + 256GB internal storage will retail for Rs. 43,999 starting April 15. In comparison, the OnePlus 8T retails slightly higher. The base model with 8GB RAM costs Rs. 40,499 while 12GB RAM version sells for Rs. 43,499.