Phone Comparisons: OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T

It’s time to compare two OnePlus flagships, the OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T. These are two out of three OnePlus flagships at the moment, and even though they do have plenty in common, there are some differences as well. These two phones do have similar price tags now, though you should be aware of the differences before you go ahead and purchase one of them. They do differ in some key points that you may care about.

In this article, we’ll try to help you make a purchasing decision, as per usual. We’ll compare the two devices across a number of categories. We’ll start things off by listing their specs, and then move to their designs, displays, performance, and so on. The OnePlus 8 Pro is not for everyone, that’s for sure, and these two phones are excellent, and more affordable alternatives to that handset. That being said, let’s kick off the OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T comparison, shall we.

Specs

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T: Design

Both of these phones are made out of metal and glass. Both of them are quite slippery, though the in-hand feel is different. The OnePlus 8T does seem like a considerably thicker device in comparison, even though it’s only 0.4mm thicker than the OnePlus 8. The OnePlus 8T does feel a little bit less slippery at the same time, due to its shape. You will probably want to use a case on both devices, though.

From the front, they look quite similar. Both have extremely thin bezels, and a display camera hole in the top-left corner. The OnePlus 8T does have a flat display, while the OnePlus 8 offers a curved one, and that is immediately noticeable. They do have displays of the same size, but the OnePlus 8 is narrower due to the fact its display is curved. That makes the device a little bit easier to use with one hand.

The two phones are almost equally tall, by the way. The buttons are placed in more or less the same spots on both devices. Rear camera modules sit in different places. The OnePlus 8’s is centered, and it’s smaller than the one on the OnePlus 8T. The OnePlus 8T’s rear camera module sits in the top-left corner on the back. Both of these phones look quite nice, and feel premium, it’s all a question of what you want / need / prefer. It’s also worth saying that they weigh almost the same, the OnePlus 8 weighs 180 grams, compared to 188 grams of the OnePlus 8T.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T: Display

These two phones have the same display sizes, but they’re not identical panels. The OnePlus 8 features a 6.55-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Fluid AMOLED display. That display is curved, and it offers a 90Hz refresh rate. The OnePlus 8T, on the other hand, sports a 6.55-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and that display is flat. Both displays support HDR10+ content, and offer the same aspect ratio.

It is also worth saying that both of these panels are protected by the Gorilla Glass 5, and that’s a good thing. The OnePlus 8 does have a slightly higher screen-to-body ratio, but you’ll hardly notice that. Both of these displays are excellent as well. These are high-quality fullHD+ panels, and that refresh rate only helps them shine. The OnePlus 8T’s display is more fluid, and you will notice that, if you look for it. That display also offers high touch responsiveness, though the difference is not that big, and most people won’t notice, as both are excellent in that regard.

Both of these displays offer vivid colors, and those deep blacks that you’d expect out of OLED panels. The viewing angles are also great, and we really don’t have any major complaints when it comes to these two displays. It is, however, worth noting that you’ll have to put up with a display camera hole on both phones. That hole is placed in the top-left corner on both devices, though it’s not that big.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T: Performance

The performance on both of these phones is second to none. If you’re looking for a really smooth phone to get, these two should be near the top of your list. Both phones are equipped with the Snapdragon 865 SoC, which is Qualcomm’s most powerful SoC, in addition to the ‘Plus’ variant. They offer really fast internal storage, plenty of RAM, and extremely optimized software. Speaking of which, Android 11 comes pre-installed on the OnePlus 8T, while the OnePlus 8 got that update quite some time ago.

Both of these phones fly, no matter what you throw at them. Even if you’re a gamer, you can’t go wrong with either one. They will handle browsing, multitasking, media consumption, and even gaming without an issue. Getting these two devices to slow down is not easy, let’s just put it that way. They are amongst the fastest smartphones on the market at the moment, and those high refresh rate displays are only making things feel more smooth. All in all, as far as the performance is concerned, you shouldn’t worry, at all. These two handsets are flagship-grade, and they do deliver flagship-level performance as well. They can compete with the best out there, with ease. The performance aspect is probably one of the key advantages of the OnePlus 8 and 8T.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T: Battery

The battery life is also excellent on both devices. Truth be said, the OnePlus 8T does offer a bit more in that regard, at least in our experience. The OnePlus 8T’s battery pack is slightly larger, but its display refresh rate is a bit higher as well. Both devices are more than capable of going over the 7 hours of screen on time mark, as long as you’re not a gamer. The OnePlus 8T had no issues going over the 8-hour mark in our testing, actually.

It is worth noting that both devices got battery-boosting updates since we last used them, though, so things may have improved. The point is, these two phones are excellent choices for heavy users, that’s for sure. They are road warriors when it comes to battery life, and chances are you won’t have any complaints when that is concerned. If you don’t find their endurance to be enough, extremely fast charging is at your disposal.

Neither of these two phones offers wireless charging, but they do offer fast wired charging. The OnePlus 8 is equipped with 30W fast wired charging, while the OnePlus 8T offers 65W fast wired charging. Needless to say, the OnePlus 8T’s solution is faster, though the OnePlus 8’s charging is nothing to scoff at.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8T: Cameras

These two phones have the exact same main camera setup, while the rest do differ a bit. Both devices offer really good camera setups, that’s for sure, though we’ve had a better experience with the OnePlus 8T’s cameras. The phone seems to be able to capture a bit more detail, and let in more light in night shots, not to mention that it balances those night shots a bit better. Images from the OnePlus 8T do look a bit more saturated, though, and a bit more unnatural in comparison.

Some people will actually prefer that look, and if you’re one of them, you’ll be really happy with these cameras. The OnePlus 8’s camera setup also does a really good job. That 48-megapixel camera inside the two devices is still quite capable, though not as capable as the one in the OnePlus 8 Pro. They can both shoot really good video as well, but are not exactly the best around for that purpose.

There are better cameras out there in the market, but for the vast majority of people, both of these phones will do an excellent job. Both devices offer a regular camera, and the one with an ultra-wide view. A macro camera is included on both devices as well, while the OnePlus 8T also includes a monochrome camera. Both devices offer the same front-facing camera as well, which is good, but nothing to write home about.

Audio

When it comes to audio output, they’re quite similar. Both phones offer stereo speakers. The main one is placed at the bottom of both devices, while the secondary one is located above the display. The sound is rich and loud, though that is to be expected. You may notice minor distortion at the very highest of volumes, but that’s not something you should be worried about, at all.

Neither of the two devices has a 3.5mm headphone jack. You will need to utilize that Type-C port, or hook up a pair of Bluetooth headphones / earphones. You can get really good sound output via a good pair of headphones, though, really good. The sound is good across the spectrum, from lows, to mids and highs. I could nitpick, but the point is, the vast majority of you won’t have any complaints. As long as you have a good pair of headphones, you’ll be more than happy with what these two devices can provide in the audio department.