All the most important Chinese manufacturers announced at least one top-tier flagship during the last month. OnePlus just came up with the 7T series, while Xiaomi unveiled the Mi 9 Pro and the concept phone Mi Mix Alpha. Just two days ago, Oppo announced the third flagship from its new Reno line-up: the Reno Ace. There are so many devices that we think it is worth making things clear by comparing their specifications by basing on their price tags. Here, we compared OnePlus 7T with Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro and Oppo Reno Ace in order to establish which one is the flagship with the highest value for money.
OnePlus 7T vs Oppo Reno Ace vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro
| Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro | OnePlus 7T | Oppo Reno Ace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 157.2 x 74.6 x 8.5 mm, 196 g | 160.9 x 74.4 x 8.1 mm, 190 grams | 161 x 75.7 x 8.7 mm, 200 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED | 6.55 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Fluid AMOLED | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 10, Oxygen OS | Android 10, Color OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 12 + 16 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.2 | Triple 48 + 12 + 16 MP, f/1.6, f/2.2 and f/2.2 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 48 + 12 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.7, f/2.4, f/2.2 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4000 mAh, fast charging 40W with Quick Charge 4+, fast wireless charging 30W | 3800 mAh, fast charging 30W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 65W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot, reverse wireless charging, 5G (optional) | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
None of these devices offers the most innovative design. They are classic smartphones with waterdrop display, yet they offer premium materials and a high screen-to-body ratio. Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro is my favorite one due to its more compact size and its cleaner glass back accompanied by a 7000 series aluminum frame. I do not like the big round-shaped camera module of the OnePlus 7T as it makes its rear design less minimalistic, but it is definitely more original. Oppo Reno Ace is a beautiful device as well and some may prefer it due to the amazing light effects of its back cover.
Display
Despite it does not reach the level of the OnePlus 7T Pro, the display of the OnePlus 7T is astonishing and it is the best panel in this comparison, at least judging from the specs on the paper. Just like the Oppo Reno Ace, it boasts a high 90 Hz refresh rate, but it should be able to show richer colors and a better image reproduction thanks to the HDR10+ technology, especially with multimedia content. Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro loses the comparison because it lacks the 90 Hz refresh rate, while Oppo Reno Ace sits in the middle.
Hardware/Software
Given that all of these handsets are fueled by the top-tier Snapdragon 855+ chipset by Qualcomm, you should not notice important differences when it comes to their performance. In the most expensive configuration, Oppo Reno Ace should be the fastest one due to its higher memory configuration with up to 12 GB of RAM. But OnePlus 7T may have better software optimization. Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro offers more internal storage (up to 512 GB), but it is not UFS 3.0 storage, unlike OnePlus 7T and Oppo Reno Ace. Note that the Mi 9 Pro is the only one with a 5G variant.
Camera
If we consider the specs on the paper, OnePlus 7T is a more convincing camera phone due to its brighter focal aperture and overall better sensors, but Oppo Reno Ace has an additional monochromatic sensor that is not present on the OnePlus 7T and increases the camera versatility. Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro is the only to lack OIS and it has an inferior camera setup. We will be able to tell you more once we personally tested all of these devices.
Battery
Oppo Reno Ace and Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro have a bigger battery than OnePlus 7T and we believe they will last more on a single charge. At the moment, we can not tell you which one has the longest battery life. But we can tell you that Oppo Reno Ace has the fastest charging technology (65W) while the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro features fast wireless charging and reverse wireless charging (unlike Oppo Reno Ace).
Price
Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro starts from about €471/$520 in its 5G version, Oppo Reno Ace starts from just €380/$420 in China, and OnePlus 7T costs €600/$600 globally, in its base variant. There is not a clear winner of this comparison: it mostly depends on your needs. If you want the best display, amazing performances, and an amazing camera, go for the OnePlus 7T. If you need wireless and reverse wireless charging, as well as the most compact body, choose the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro. If you want the highest value for money, then Oppo Reno Ace is a better option.
OnePlus 7T vs Oppo Reno Ace vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro: PRO and CONS
OnePlus 7T
PROS
- Amazing display
- Slimer design
- Very high performance
- Stereo speakers
- Worldwide availability
CONS
- Smaller battery
- Costlier
Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro
PROS
- Optional 5G
- Compact design
- Fast wireless charging
- Reverse wireless charging
CONS
- No micro SD
Oppo Reno Ace
PROS
- Great display
- Nice cameras
- Affordable price
- Very fast charging
CONS
- Limited availability
