OnePlus 5 vs Apple iPhone 7 Plus: quick look

The OnePlus 5 has just been announced and now is the time to see how it stacks up against other flagships on the market. In this post, we’ll compare the latest from OnePlus with the latest big-screened smartphone from Apple, the iPhone 7 Plus.

We’ll take a closer look at the design of the two devices, specs, price, and more. This will give you a better idea of the differences as well as the similarities between the two, so you’ll be able to decide for yourself which one is better and more suitable for your needs. Without any further delay, let’s get started.

Design

The OnePlus 5 sports an all-new design, so it looks quite different than its predecessor. Just like the 3T and the company’s previous smartphones, the OnePlus 5 has a very simple and minimalist design that arguably doesn’t stand out from the crowd all that much. It features an aluminum unibody and comes in two color options: Midnight Black and Slate Gray.

Looking at the back of the device, we see the OnePlus logo in the middle and the dual-camera setup along with a flash module in the upper left corner. The front, on the other hand, looks a little bit more similar to the OnePlus 3T. The selfie snapper is located on the top left side, while the home button with the embedded fingerprint scanner can be found below the display. One thing that stands out right away is that OnePlus’ flagship has more rounded corners and edges this time around, which the company claims should make it more comfortable to hold and use.

It’s also a bit thinner than its predecessor. At 7.25 mm, it’s actually the slimmest flagship OnePlus has ever produced. For comparison, the 3T is 7.4 mm thick. Not a whole lot of difference, but enough that the company had to opt for a smaller battery, which we’ll talk more about later. Other design elements worth pointing out are the volume rocker on the left side, the textured alert slider above it, and the power button located on the right side of the phone.

Just like OnePlus, Apple is also all about simplicity. We can see that just by looking at the device. It has a metal body, with a dual-camera setup positioned in the top left corner along with a flash module. Sounds familiar, right? As you can see, the iPhone 7 Plus and OnePlus 5 are quite similar in terms of design. Well, at least when looking at the back of the two devices. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely something that’s worth pointing out.

Things do change a bit when moving to the front, where the difference between the smartphones is more noticeable. The iPhone 7 Plus has a circular home button with a built-in fingerprint sensor under the screen. Then there are the bezels. Both feature a 5.5-inch display, but the iPhone is the bigger of the two devices, due to its slightly larger bezels on the top and bottom. When it comes to colors, you can get the iPhone in Jet Black, Matte Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and Red.

There’s no real winner when it comes to design, as this is a very subjective topic. Both smartphones offer a simple design and look quite similar in a lot of ways. This, of course, can either be a good or a bad thing depending on who you ask.

Specs

As expected, the OnePlus 5 features top-of-the-line specs. Just like its predecessor, it has a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with Full HD resolution that’s protected against scratches by the latest Gorilla Glass 5. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset, which is also found in devices like the Galaxy S8 and HTC U11. The smartphone comes in two variants: one with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage and the other with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of space.

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OnePlus has decided to follow the current market trends and equip its flagship with a dual-camera setup on the back. It features a 16 MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, and a 20 MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. According to the company, the OnePlus 5 has the highest resolution dual-camera system on any smartphone. It also has a selfie snapper on board with a 16 MP sensor and f/2.0 aperture.

Unfortunately, the OnePlus 5 packs a 3,300 mAh battery, which is a bit smaller when compared to the one found in its predecessor (3,400 mAh). This is likely due to the slightly thinner form factor. However, OnePlus claims that it will last 20 percent longer than the 3T’s battery thanks to various hardware and software optimizations. It also features the company’s Dash Charge technology, which promises to get the battery to 100 percent in just 90 minutes.

Other things worth mentioning are a fingerprint scanner that unlocks the device in 0.2 seconds and the headphone jack. Sadly, the device isn’t waterproof and doesn’t have a microSD card slot.

Although the iPhone 7 Plus is also a high-end device, it doesn’t offer quite as much as its competitor when it comes to specs. Well, at least in certain areas. It sports a 5.5-inch display with the same Full HD resolution and is powered by the A10 Fusion chipset. It only has 3 GB of RAM, which is either 3 or 5 GB less (depending on the model) when compared to the OnePlus 5. When it comes to storage, you can opt for a 32, 128, or 256 GB variant of the device. Keep in mind that there’s no memory card slot on board either.

Just like the OnePlus 5, the iPhone 7 Plus features a dual camera setup. The smartphone is equipped with a 12 MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.22μm pixel size, phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilization, and quad-LED dual-tone flash. It also sports a secondary 12 MP 56 mm telephoto lens that offers 2x optical zoom without reducing quality. The front-facing selfie snapper has a 7 MP sensor.

What’s interesting is that even though both smartphones are roughly the same size, the iPhone 7 Plus packs a much smaller battery than the OnePlus 5 – just 2,900 mAh. It also doesn’t have the 3.5 mm headphone jack, which means you have to plug in your non-Lightning headphones with the help of an adapter. But unlike its cheaper competitor, Apple’s flagship is dust and waterproof. Thanks to the IP67 rating, it can be submerged in up to one meter of water for a period of 30 minutes.

When it comes to specs, the OnePlus 5 is the clear winner. Well, at least on paper. In reality, both are high-end devices and should handle just about anything you throw at them. The OnePlus 5 has more RAM, a larger battery with Dash Charge technology, and a headphone jack. The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, is waterproof and available with more storage (256 GB model) for all you power users out there.

Software

This is where things get interesting. Software is the biggest difference between the two devices and has a major impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions.

The OnePlus 5 runs the Android 7.1.1 Nougat we all know and love with the company’s OxygenOS on top. Unlike most skins made by Chinese companies, OxygenOS is very clean and offers almost a stock Android experience with the added bonus of a bunch of customization options.

You can, for example, use the capacitive buttons below the display or opt for the on-screen software buttons instead. You can switch between the two with just a tap. Then there’s the option of launching the camera by drawing an O on the screen and the Shelf feature, which gives you access to recent contacts, apps, and more just by swiping right on the home screen.

The OnePlus 5 also come with Reading Mode that filters out blue light and adjusts the sharpness and brightness of the screen to provide a better reading experience. There are a number of other features available including Expanded Screenshots, Auto Night Mode, and Gaming Do Not Disturb Mode, just to name a few.

The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, ships with iOS 10 on board, which is quite different when compared to Android. It doesn’t have an app drawer like the majority of Android devices, so all the apps are placed on the home screen. If you have a lot of them installed on the device, you can place them in folders in order to keep things organized and find the one you’re looking for faster. Although it’s worth pointing out that you can do this on Android as well.

iOS doesn’t offer nearly as many customization options as the Android version found on the OnePlus 5. But it is simple to use, which has always been Apple’s core philosophy. The operating system features Siri as well as Google’s Assistant, while only the latter is present on the OnePlus 5.

The battle between Android and iOS has been going on for ages and we still don’t have a clear winner. In a way, the two operating systems are so different that it’s impossible to say which one is better. If you’re a fan of changing the look and feel of your device and appreciate the more open ecosystem, Android is definitely a better option. But if that’s not really your thing and are just looking for something a bit simpler, iOS might be far more up your alley.

Price

It’s safe to say that the OnePlus 5 offers a lot more bang for the buck than the iPhone 7 Plus. Although it’s the most expensive smartphone OnePlus has ever made, it still carries an affordable price tag based on its specs. The version with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage retails for $479/€499, while the model with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage will set you back $539/€559.

For comparison, the OnePlus 3T was available for $439/€439 (64 GB) and $479/€479 (128 GB).

As you probably know, the iPhone 7 Plus is a lot more expensive. The 32 GB version can be yours for $769, while the 128 and 256 GB models are priced at $869 and $969. This means that the cheapest iPhone 7 Plus is around 60 percent more expensive than the entry level OnePlus 5. In Europe, prices vary from country to country but are normally higher than those in the US.

When it comes to pricing, the OnePlus 5 is the clear winner. Not only is it a lot cheaper than the iPhone 7 Plus, it will also set you back far less than other Android flagships like the Galaxy S8, LG G6, and HTCU11, for example. You’re going to have a hard time finding a better smartphone in its price range, that’s for sure.

Final thoughts

The OnePlus 5 and iPhone 7 Plus are both high-end devices and you can’t go wrong with either one of them. Although they do have a similar design in a way and both feature a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, the two smartphones are quite different from one another.

The OnePlus 5 offers more RAM, has a bigger battery, and runs Android with probably one of the best skins out there. It also has the 3.5 mm headphone jack that you won’t find on the iPhone and is a lot more affordable. The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, offers more storage, is waterproof, and ships with iOS 10 on board.

The decision of which one to get will probably be based on the operating system for most people. iOS fans will instantly opt for the iPhone 7 Plus, while Android lovers will prefer the OnePlus 5. However, when comparing the two devices purely on specs and price, the OnePlus 5 definitely looks like a better option.

Want to learn more about the OnePlus 5? Check out our review!