OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro specs: A tale of two approaches

The OnePlus 8 series marked the OEM’s first of many 2020 releases. OnePlus’s two phones share plenty of features, but they still came with a wide gap in terms of specs and capabilities.

Read more: Our OnePlus 8 Pro review

We’ve got you covered with our rundown of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro specs from the chipset and display to cameras and extra features.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro specifications table

When it comes to the all-important core figures, the OnePlus 8 series is on equal footing for the most part. There’s a Snapdragon 865 processor, 5G connectivity, 8GB to 12GB of RAM, and 128GB to 256GB of fixed storage. But even here, the standard OnePlus variant uses LPDDR4X RAM, while the Pro gets faster LPDDR5 RAM.

The two phones also differ in their displays, with the OnePlus 8 sporting a 90Hz FHD+ OLED panel (6.55-inches). Meanwhile, the OnePlus 8 Pro display yields a 120Hz QHD+ OLED screen (6.78-inches). You’re getting a higher refresh rate than average either way, but the Pro model should deliver a smoother, sharper experience on paper.

Both high refresh rates and 5G connectivity sap power in a big way. OnePlus’s answer is to deliver a 4,300mAh battery in the standard model and a 4,510mAh battery in the OnePlus 8 Pro. Both phones gain 30W wired charging, as we saw on the OnePlus 7T series, but only the Pro variant gets wireless charging (30W) and reverse wireless charging (3W).

The OnePlus 8 Pro also gains IP68 water and dust resistance for the first time in the series, while the standard OnePlus 8 is “splash resistant.” So if you’re prone to dropping your phone in the toilet or want to use your device without fear of water damage in general, the Pro might be for you. There’s a twist: if you buy the OnePlus 8 from US carriers (T-Mobile and Verizon), the phone will be rated IP68 as well. OnePlus said this spec is due to the carriers’ “guidelines and preference.”

Otherwise, both phones offer camera-based face unlock, Oxygen OS atop Android 10, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, and optical in-display fingerprint sensors.

OnePlus 8 series cameras?

The OnePlus 8 Pro camera specs show that it’s the star of the show when it comes to photography, delivering a quad rear camera setup. You’re getting a 48MP IMX689 primary sensor, 48MP IMX586 ultra-wide camera, 8MP 3x hybrid zoom shooter, and a 5MP color filter camera for whacky color shots.

On paper, the 48MP primary camera is one of the most impressive sensors we’ve seen all year, delivering bigger physical pixels than rival 48MP, 64MP, and 108MP cameras. And bigger pixels generally equal better light-capturing capability. The 48MP ultra-wide sensor is also noteworthy and is now compatible with Nightscape Mode.

Meanwhile, the standard OnePlus 8 camera specs are a step down from the Pro variant in every aspect. It has a triple rear camera trio, dropping the color filter camera altogether and swapping out the telephoto lens in favor of a 2MP macro camera.

This isn’t the only downgrade we see for the vanilla model, as you’re not getting that fancy IMX689 primary camera. Instead, you’re stuck with the 48MP IMX586 sensor that first appeared on the OnePlus 7. You also have to settle for a 16MP ultra-wide camera. Otherwise, both phones share the same 16MP selfie sensor, with a slightly wider aperture on the standard variant.

Neither phone sports 8K recording capabilities, so you’ll need to look at the Galaxy S20 series, LG V60, or Xiaomi Mi 10 family if that’s important to you for some reason.

That’s it for our look at the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro specs! What do you make of these new flagships? Let your voice be heard in our poll below!