How OnePlus 9 Compares With Apple iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S21 Flagships

OnePlus has launched three new smartphones in the OnePlus 9 series: the OnePlus 9 (OnePlus 8T successor), the OnePlus 9 Pro (an upgrade to OnePlus 8 Pro) and the OnePlus 9R--an affordable offering that promises flagship-like experience.

As per tradition, the OnePlus 9 and its Pro variant pack high-end features--they are powered by Qualcomm¡¯s latest Snapdragon 888 chipset, have higher refresh rates and incredibly fast charging--but are priced lower than the competition.

OnePlus 9 vs 9 Pro: Differences

And although both the phones come with the same processor, Hasselblad¡¯s camera tuning, battery capacity and charging speeds, there are plenty of differences between the two.

For starters, the OnePlus 9 Pro features a larger, curved display with variable refresh rate and a higher QHD+ resolution over the OnePlus 9. It also includes a metal frame, mmWave 5G, 360Hz Hyper Touch and is IP68 water and dust resistant.

But the biggest difference is visible on camera: the OnePlus 9 misses out on telephoto camera and optical image stabilisation (OIS) unlike its Pro variant.

These features are too specific and won¡¯t make or break your decision given the price difference between both of them. The OnePlus 9 starts at ?49,999, while the OnePlus 9 Pro costs ?64,999 for the same 8GB + 128GB storage variant.

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OnePlus 9 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 vs iPhone 12

Alright, first things first. The OnePlus 9 doesn¡¯t feature mmWave 5G and IP68 dust and water resistance unlike the standard flagships from Samsung and Apple. But the base 128GB variant of the Galaxy S21 costs ?20,000 more than the OnePlus 9. The iPhone 12, on the other hand, starts at a staggering ?79,900 for 64GB, and goes up to ?84,900 for the 128GB model.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S21+ Review: Best Of Android With A Hefty Price Tag

But let¡¯s talk more about other aspects that should help you make a better decision.

Design

The OnePlus 9 has a curved Gorilla Glass back, a flat screen with minimal bezels and a punch-hole camera in the top left corner. It comes in Winter Mist, Arctic Sky and Astral Black shades and weighs 192g.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus at the front, a plastic back, a flat screen with small bezels and a punch-hole camera in the top center. The Galaxy S21 comes in Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, and Phantom Pink shades and weighs 171g.

ALSO READ: Apple To Now Manufacture iPhone 12 In India, Export Globally

The iPhone 12 comes in Black, White, Red, Green, and Blue shades, is IP68 waterproof and weighs 164g. And although it¡¯s smaller and lighter than the other two, it features the same chunky notch in front.

Display

The OnePlus 9 has the biggest screen of these three phones at 6.55 inches, while the iPhone 12 is the smallest and refreshes at 60Hz--half of what the other two smartphones are capable of. The Samsung S21 has the highest maximum brightness of 1,300 nits. The aspect ratio and resolution differ slightly, but shouldn¡¯t matter to an average consumer.

Camera

The OnePlus 9 has a triple camera setup on the back, with a 48MP f/1.8 main camera, a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one, and a 2MP monochrome sensor for more detailed black and white shots. It features Hasselblad¡¯s camera tuning and software and uses a freeform lens to the ultra-wide camera to minimise distortion of images on the edge. It also gets a 16MP f/2.4 selfie camera.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 also features a triple rear camera, but this one consists of a 12MP f/1.8 main snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and a 64MP f/2.0 telephoto lens that is capable of 3x hybrid optical zoom. It also includes a Single Take shooting mode that automatically creates a variety of styles, angles, and formats with a single button press. There's also a 10MP f/2.2 camera on the front.

The iPhone 12 only has two cameras on the back--a 12MP f/1.6 main snapper and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor. However, it can shoot 4K videos in Dolby Vision HDR and has an impressive Night Mode. It gets a 12MP f/2.2 selfie camera.

Battery life

The OnePlus 9 not only has the biggest 4,500 mAh battery of the lot, but it also supports 65W charging and 15W wireless charging. The Galaxy S21¡¯s 4,000mAh battery can be juiced up at 25W and 15W wirelessly. The iPhone 12, on the other hand, only has a 2,815mAh battery--probably the reason why they restricted screen refresh to 60Hz.

Fun fact: the OnePlus 9 ships with its 65W adapter.

Performance

All three phones pack explosive power. The OnePlus 9 gets the top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, the Galaxy S21 by Samsung¡¯s own Exynos 2100 5G SoC--based on the same 5nm process--and the iPhone 12 is powered by Apple¡¯s latest A14 Bionic chipset. The operating system remains the biggest difference between the iPhone 12 and the other two phones.