6 reasons why the OnePlus 5 is the Android phone to get
The long-awaited OnePlus 5 is here. And. It. Is. Glorious.
The OnePlus 5 is what you get when take a Google Pixel XL and marry it to the iPhone 7 Plus's dual cameras.
It's the perfect phone for anyone who loves Android and wants the iPhone 7 Plus's cameras, and hates iOS.
The OnePlus 5 didn't just happen overnight. It's the end product of years of iteration, and it really shows.
Not to mention, the OnePlus 5 is priced to kill -- it's far more affordable than the premium flagships Samsung and Apple sell.
For the full deep dive on all of the OnePlus 5's features, you'll need to read our review. For y'all who are TL;DR (seriously, come onnnn), here's all that you need to know about the phone, and why you should care about it.
1. It feels incredible
Ignore the fact that it looks very similar to an iPhone 7 Plus. A phone is more than just its appearance. How it feels is just as important, and the OnePlus 5 feels incredible. Though it has the same 5.5-inch display, the OnePlus 5’s smaller footprint and its subtle curves make it a pleasure to hold in your hand and use. And, it has a headphone jack. Boom!
2. Reading Mode will save your eyes
Studies suggest the blue light emitted from LCD screens can have a negative impact on your health, and severely hinder your ability to fall asleep. Phones with “night modes” adjust the color temperature of the screen to warmer tones to emit less blue light, and that’s great, but the OnePlus 5’s “Reading Mode” goes even further.
Turn this setting on (you can also assign which apps automatically activate this feature) and the screen fades from color to black and white with a warmer color temperature. It’s like you’re reading a newspaper or on an e-reader, and it’s made my eyes feel a whole lot less strained.
3. Portrait mode is hot fire
Yeah, yeah, it’s another feature copied from the iPhone 7 Plus. When you’ve reviewed as many phones as I have, you’ll get used to all the rampant copying — everyone copies (even Apple).
All that really matters is photos look great. The regular 16-megapixel with f/1.7 lens takes amazing photos even in low light, but it’s the secondary 20-megapixel f/2.6 telephoto lens that takes your photos to a whole new level. Not only does it enable 2x optical zoom, but it also takes “Portrait mode” shots that blur out the background and make your photos really pop. Like the iPhone 7 Plus’ Portrait mode, the OnePlus 5’s version isn't perfect, but it’s still really good and should get better over time.
4. It’s sooo powerful and fast
Tech nerds, this is your phone. Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 6GB RAM with 64GB of storage or 8GB RAM with 128GB of storage, 3300 mAh battery that lasts 20% longer than the OnePlus 3T, and Android 7.1.1 Nougat. 16-megapixel selfie camera, 16-megapixel rear main camera and 20-megapixel telephoto camera.
If these specs make you hot and bothered -- good! -- because they come together to make the OnePlus 5 a ridiculously powerful, feature-packed, fast, and responsive phone. It feels faster than a Galaxy S8 and smoother than Google’s Pixel.
5. Fingerprint sensor is wicked responsive
Fingerprint sensors have become really good over the last few years that pretty much all of the ones on flagships are excellent. The OnePlus 5’s front-positioned fingerprint sensor is — as on the OnePlus 3T — fast AF and unlocks in 0.2 seconds. It’s almost too quick, but I’ll take it.
6. Price destroys every other flagship
Besides building bitchin’ hardware, OnePlus has always stood for value. It sells premium phones without the premium price tag. Compared to an unlocked 64GB Galaxy S8 ($725) or 32GB — there’s no 64GB — Google Pixel XL ($770) or iPhone 7 Plus ($770), a 64GB OnePlus 5 costs hundreds less at $480. Even the 128GB OnePlus 5 ($540) costs way less than Apple, Samsung, or Google’s flagships. Use all the money you saved and put it towards into your piggybank for another day.
Raymond Wong is Mashable's Senior Tech Correspondent. He reviews gadgets and tech toys and analyzes the tech industry. Raymond's also a bit of a camera geek, gamer, and fine chocolate lover. Before arriving at Mashable, he was the Deputy Editor of NBC Universal's tech publication DVICE. His writing has appeared on G4TV, BGR, Yahoo and Ubergizmo, to name a few. You can follow Raymond on Twitter @raywongy or Instagram @sourlemons.
