The ‘T’ edition smartphones by Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus bring incremental upgrades over predecessors. It is the same case with the new OnePlus 9RT 5G. Though the upgrades bring it closer to the OnePlus 9 (review), it being cheaper is the result of cost cutting measures such as replacing the megapixel-rich and distortion free ultra-wide-angle camera sensor with a regular one, and shedding the Hasselblad colour calibration system entirely. I will come to it later in the camera section of the review, let’s first know what is new in the OnePlus 9RT 5G.
Design
The OnePlus 9RT 5G is a cross between OnePlus 9R and OnePlus 9. The noticeable change here is the new colour themes on the back cover. The phone looks dazzling in the new ‘hacker black’ (review unit) colour theme, reminiscent of sandstone back covers of the early OnePlus models. However, it is not the same in terms of touch and feel. Instead of the grainy and matte texture of the original sandstone back covers, the new iteration feels silky smooth to touch. It also has some glitter to it, which shines differently in different light settings. Apart from new colour themes, the phone’s design is similar to the OnePlus 9R. It is on the heavier side but not unwieldy, has comfortable ergonomics, and boasts sturdy build with Gorilla Glass 5 protection and aluminium frame.