A few years back, OnePlus entered the smartphone market with its affordable smartphone OnePlus One with a great hardware for a low price. Today, the company is matured enough to compete with the well-known flagships like LG G6, Samsung Galaxy S8, and others. Even though each generation made the device a lot more expensive, OnePlus 5 has still got the power and improved considerably.

OnePlus 5 was launched back in June in two colors – Slate Gray and Midnight Black, now adding the third one in Gold option. OnePlus 5 is now available in Soft Gold color with a White front. This is for people who love Gold color phones with White color on the front.

OnePlus 5 Specifications

Display: 5.5-inch Full HD Optic AMOLED display (1920 x 1080 pixels resolution), 2.5D curved glass, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, DCI-P3 color coverage

5.5-inch Full HD Optic AMOLED display (1920 x 1080 pixels resolution), 2.5D curved glass, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, DCI-P3 color coverage Software: OxygenOS 4.5.0 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat

OxygenOS 4.5.0 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat Fingerprint Scanner: Yes, on Home button

Yes, on Home button CPU: Up to 2.45 GHz octa-core Kyro 280 processor, 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 64-bit

Up to 2.45 GHz octa-core Kyro 280 processor, 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 64-bit DSP Processor: Qualcomm Hexagon 682 DSP

Qualcomm Hexagon 682 DSP GPU: Adreno 540

Adreno 540 Memory: 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM

8 GB LPDDR4X RAM Storage: 128 GB UFS internal storage (111 GB usable), no MicroSD slot

128 GB UFS internal storage (111 GB usable), no MicroSD slot Rear Camera: 16 MP f/1.7 + 20 MP f/2.6 (IMX398 + IMX350), telephoto lens, Portrait Mode, Smart Capture, Fast AF, dual-tone LED flash, 4K video @30fps, 1080p video @60fps, 720p video @120fps

16 MP f/1.7 + 20 MP f/2.6 (IMX398 + IMX350), telephoto lens, Portrait Mode, Smart Capture, Fast AF, dual-tone LED flash, 4K video @30fps, 1080p video @60fps, 720p video @120fps Front Camera: 16 MP f/2.0, Screen Flash, 1080p video @30fps

16 MP f/2.0, Screen Flash, 1080p video @30fps Connectivity: USB 3.1 (Type-C), 3.5 mm port, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS

USB 3.1 (Type-C), 3.5 mm port, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS Cellular: 4G network, VoLTE-enabled, 2x nano SIM (GSM)

4G network, VoLTE-enabled, 2x nano SIM (GSM) Battery: 3,300 mAh (non-removable), Dash Charge technology

3,300 mAh (non-removable), Dash Charge technology Dimensions: 154.2 mm x 74.1 mm x 7.3 mm

154.2 mm x 74.1 mm x 7.3 mm Weight: 153 grams

153 grams Colors: Slate Gray (64 GB), Midnight Black (128 GB), Soft Gold (64 GB)

Slate Gray (64 GB), Midnight Black (128 GB), Soft Gold (64 GB) Price: ₹32,999 (6 GB RAM | 64 GB Storage), ₹37,999 (8 GB RAM | 128 GB Storage)

OnePlus’ key strategy we know so far is to offer the best and up to date specifications for a lesser price. In terms of specifications, OnePlus 5 sticks to the plan by providing the latest Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 835 which is the fastest Snapdragon SoC till date. Based on 10nm tech which eventually draws less power, the octa-core SoC can be maxed out at 2.45 GHz with its Kyro 280 cores. An 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM and a 128 GB UFS 2.1 storage complete the top-end package for its Midnight Black edition, the Soft Gold version can offer a 6 GB RAM and 64 GB storage alternative and that’s ₹5,000 cheaper comparatively.

On top of it, its Oxygen OS version 4.5.8 is clean and free from bloatware. Since Oxygen OS mainly relies on the stock interface, it does have its custom features in it. It is based on the Android 7.1.1 Nougat. While everything is powered up with an average 3,300 mAh battery, things might not be that great when there is a powerful CPU like Snapdragon 835. Nevertheless, it still has the Dash charging to help you, however, it’s a wipe for bleeding.

The company has stepped up with a new design, more refined and polished. Not much has changed in the looks since we already did a review of the OnePlus 5 Midnight Black. The new OnePlus 5 adds a Gold color touch to it. The front has a white space instead of the usual black and that just looks all fine. The phone is less angular, due to its rounded corners, holding it is comfortable, it feels solid and feels great in the hands. The pricing is just the same as the 64 GB Slate Gray OnePlus 5.

OnePlus 5 uses the same old full HD resolution AMOLED panel display while the competitors are moving to the 2K display. We saw a similar priced Honor 8 Pro with a 2K panel which also adds the compatibility of the Google’s Daydream VR. Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6 have beyond Quad HD resolution, hence, ahead in the game. The good thing here in the display is it’s covered with the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with 2.5D curved edges.

One more thing to add up, we realized neither OnePlus 5 is waterproof nor water-resistant. Although many have tried simple tests under water and fortunately, the phone survived, there is no official documentation about its IP67 ratings. According to the tests, OnePlus 5 is actually water-resistant, but the company didn’t want to advertise it.

Surprisingly, for the first time, OnePlus 5 comes with dual cameras. On flipping the phone, you will find two cameras on the top left corner along with LED flash. Here’s another highlight of the OnePlus 5 apart from the top-class hardware, it has dual cameras. The two sensors, one with 20 MP and the other being 16 MP, are able to get you the bokeh effect from its Portrait mode. Yes, that’s the main feature of the camera, the Portrait mode which separates the face from the picture and blurs the background like you see on those professional DSLR cameras.

The camera does capture 4K videos but this time, OnePlus 5 lacks an OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), rather offers EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization). As it provides the basic camera interface, the OnePlus 5 camera doesn’t let you change the focus after the image has been taken, unlike the HUAWEI and Honor smartphones that can do the job. In addition to the Portrait mode, the camera should provide all the basic modes.

For the rest, the sides come with three physical buttons, a power button, and volume rockers. The bottom holds a type-C USB port, 3.5 mm port for headphones, loudspeakers and a microphone. Another microphone is alongside the rear cameras. OnePlus 5 supports two 4G nano SIMs with no option to expand the storage via MicroSD card.

That said, for people who prefer a Gold variant, OnePlus 5 Soft Gold is now available. OnePlus 5 is great at what it is, yet pricing seems not convincing. If you own a previous generation OnePlus, it would be a wise decision to keep it unless you are too keen on it. As said earlier, OnePlus 5 is more of an evolution rather than revolution. You can refer our OnePlus 5 review for more details.

Which color do you prefer if you had a chance to buy OnePlus 5?