OnePlus 9RT 5G hands-on review

Introduction

The OnePlus 9RT is the successor to the OnePlus 9R launched last year. Like its predecessor, the 9RT is largely an Asia-only device, being launched in China first and now in India.

The 9RT straddles the line between the premium OnePlus smartphones, like the OnePlus 9 and the 9 Pro, and the more budget-oriented Nord series. The reason why OnePlus chose to launch these phones in Asia only is anybody's guess.

The 9RT is a relatively modest upgrade over the 9R, which itself was mostly identical to the 8T. The biggest differences over the 9R are an updated Snapdragon 888 processor and a new triple camera system on the back. The display is slightly larger, and the phone now charges a bit faster. The overall product is very similar to the OnePlus 9 from last year.

While none of that sounds particularly exciting, the OnePlus 9RT is still a reasonably well-specced smartphone for the price. However, it remains to be seen if it works well in the real world. So setting aside our familiarity and preconceived notions of the device aside, we decided to take it for a spin.

OnePlus 9RT 5G specs at a glance:

• Body: 162.2x74.6x8.3mm, 199g; Gorilla Glass 5 front and back, aluminum frame.
• Display: 6.62" AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 397ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm): Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 680); Adreno 660.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11, ColorOS 12.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56”, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 16 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 123˚, 1/3.6", 1.0µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 65W, 100% in 29 min (advertised).
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC.

Unboxing

The OnePlus 9RT comes in a typical OnePlus red packaging that is far taller than it needs to be. Inside, there is the smartphone with a 65W power adapter and a red charging cable. The charger that comes with the 9RT is the same as the one with the 9R and the Nord 2; it supports 65W Warp Charge with the proprietary cable but uses a USB-A connector and thus doesn't support USB-PD fast charging for non-OnePlus devices.

Aside from that, you also get a silicone case, which this time around is entirely black and opaque, unlike the clear or translucent models of the past. Then there's the usual paperwork, stickers, and SIM eject tool inside a sleeve that is hidden under the lid.