The OnePlus 5 is finally here and it's as impressive as how numerous leaks and rumors perceived it to be. Based on what's been unveiled so far, the flagship killer does have the tools to challenge the likes of Apple and Samsung.
Right off the bat, the OnePlus 5 can either be commended or ridiculed for its design. In fact, Forbes described the OnePlus 5 as an "Android-powered iPhone." As rumors had it, the OnePlus 5 looked a lot like the iPhone 7 plus. While the iPhone is brilliantly designed, the fact that OnePlus failed to utilize a unique design may come back to haunt them. Despite this issue, the build of the OnePlus 5 is impressive. It utilizes an aluminum body that makes it feel like a premium smartphone.
Another possible knock on the OnePlus 5 is its decision to skip the trend of slim bezels. Despite that, however, the OnePlus 5 still looks good as the display features large yet equally sized bezels at the top and bottom.
What makes the OnePlus 5 a worthy competitor of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the upcoming iPhone 8 is its amazing specifications. Like other high-end Android phones, the OnePlus 5 is powered by the latest Snapdragon 835 processor. What sets it apart is its RAM which comes in 6GB and 8GB. Its bigger Ram makes it more powerful than other flagship smartphones.
And then there's the camera. The OnePlus 5 has a dual camera system not seen on the Galaxy S8. It comes with a 16MP f/2.0 primary camera and a 20MP f/2.6 secondary shooter with a true 2x optical zoom and a depth mode feature capable of taking DSLR-like shots. Plus, its 16MP front-facing camera is way better than other front-facing cameras in the market today.
Battery life is an important factor for any smartphone and the OnePlus 5 passed this one with flying colors. Tom's Guide tested the OnePlus 5's battery by surfing over T-Mobile 4G LTE non-stop and the smartphone lasted an impressive 13 hours and 6 minutes.
For only $479, the 6GB RAM/64GB memory version of the OnePlus 5 is indeed worth every penny. The higher end 8GB/128GB, meanwhile, is worth $539. The midrange smartphone is available in midnight black or slate gray.
