All OnePlus Smartphones In Order Of Chronology: From OnePlus One To OnePlus 11

The genesis! One flagship to kill them all! 

The Lord of the Rings reference aside, the OnePlus One kickstarted the brand’s journey in a market segment that was seeking a no-nonsense smartphone. The OnePlus One was created by the nerds for the nerds. Instead of a clunky Android skin that slowed down new phones within months, OnePlus chose the CyanogenMod as its preferred platform, offering a fluid experience and loads of customisation features. With a Snapdragon 801 chipset, a 5.5-inch FHD IPS LCD display and a 3,100mAh battery, this was the dream smartphone for all enthusiasts at the time. The OnePlus One also stood out with its unique design consisting of a sandstone back panel.

On the flip side, the combination of a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera was average, while the concept of fast charging wasn’t even born yet. 

The most shocking aspect, however, was the asking price. A base 16GB OnePlus One was priced at USD 299! It was basically a flagship phone that cost the same as mid-range phones from Samsung and other Android-based brands. For context, you were basically getting a watered-down iPhone 15 for the price of a OnePlus Nord CE 3! No wonder you had to get an invitation from the OnePlus community to buy it. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 2 sits at the top of OnePlus’ rather long list of questionable product decisions.

Just a year after the smash-hit success of the OnePlus One, OnePlus terminated its contract with CyanogenMod, causing an uproar among its community members. However, Oxygen OS was a positive by-product, defining OnePlus’ smartphones for the next couple of years. The OnePlus 2 followed the same formula of packing high-end specs at an unbelievable price but it didn’t quite work as well this time around. For starters, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 wasn’t a stable platform, resulting in a messy user experience. The OnePlus 2 tried to optimise it but it couldn’t get around an inefficient chipset. 

This was unfortunate, considering that the rest of the phone was technologically advanced for its time. It featured a front-mounted fingerprint sensor, a USB-C port (sorry Apple fans, OnePlus did it when it was cooler), a 13-megapixel rear camera with Laser AF, a 3,300mAh battery and an IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The popular sandstone finish was also retained on this one.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The next OnePlus phone in order of chronology is the OnePlus 3, which was a drastic departure from its predecessors. Despite a minor price hike, it sold like hotcakes.

Built around a more reliable Snapdragon 820 platform, the more refined Oxygen OS guaranteed exceptional performance. The designers also let go of the sandstone back panel in favour of a metal unibody design, featuring prominent antenna lines and well-balanced proportions. The battery capacity reduced to 3,000mAh as a result but the new 20W Dash Charger made up for it with quicker charging times. 

A new 16-megapixel single rear camera was good enough for the job. The inclusion of 6GB RAM also made headlines back in the day. However, the biggest upgrade came with the display. Even though it measured 5.5 inches with chunky bezels visible, OnePlus used an OLED panel that impressed tech pundits and customers with its high contrast colours. 

Later, OnePlus released the updated OnePlus 3T featuring the slightly faster Snapdragon 821 chipset, a bigger 3,400mAh battery and a couple of other refinements. This decision paid off for the brand and OnePlus continued with the strategy of launching two phones per year.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus) 

The OnePlus 5 was a true example of how quickly the brand adapted to the constantly evolving competition. It looked dated with its chunky bezels and a fingerprint scanner up front but the rear was where all the changes occurred.

Taking inspiration from the iPhone 7 Plus, the OnePlus 5 featured a dual camera setup, consisting of a 16-megapixel main camera and a 20-megapixel zoom camera with 1.6x optical zoom. The 5.5-inch FHD OLED display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, a 3,300mAh battery, up to 8GB of RAM and 20W wired fast charging made the OnePlus 5 a killer deal despite a notable price hike over its predecessor. 

However, OnePlus was saving the best for later. Which brings us too…

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

While the OnePlus 5T was the midlife update to the OnePlus 5 on paper, in reality, it introduced generational leaps to the smartphone. As a response to the iPhone X’s new edge-to-edge display, OnePlus shrunk the bezels around the 5T’s OLED panel, which now measured 6.1 inches. The fingerprint sensor now went to the back and there were changes to the rear camera as well. Consisting of a 16-megapixel main camera and a 20-megapixel secondary camera, OnePlus used the secondary camera to capture depth data for portrait modes and for taking better pictures in low light. It was equipped with the same Snapdragon 835 chipset previously seen on the OnePlus 5 but retailed at a slightly higher price.

To sum up, the OnePlus 5T was the brand’s solid entry into the premium smartphone segment.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 6 signalled the brand’s intention to further move up the price ladder. With an all-new glass body and an overall premium design, the OnePlus 6 looked no different than any other flagship phone in 2018. The iPhone-inspired display notch looked modern but its presence was highly controversial, considering that OnePlus didn’t equip it with an IR sensor-based face unlock system. For the price, though, the OnePlus 6 seemed like an absolute steal deal. 

The phone was based on the Snapdragon 845 platform and OnePlus gave it all the bells and whistles it deserved such as a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED display, up to 8GB RAM, a 3,300mAh battery with 20W wired charging and the same dual camera system borrowed from the OnePlus 5T. 

The OnePlus 6T was the second launch of the year but it only featured mild upgrades. The only changes with this midlife update were a new 6.4-inch OLED display with a teardrop-style camera notch and an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. This meant that the OnePlus 6T had a cleaner look at the back. While the rest of the specifications remained unchanged, the limited-run OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition got a faster 30W wired charging solution (fitting considering its namesake), a unique colourway and 10GB RAM as standard.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

Next on the list of OnePlus phones in order of chronology is the OnePlus 7 series.

The OnePlus 7 was a milder generation update over the OnePlus 6T but the changes improved the user experience. As part of the annual update, the OnePlus 7 included a Snapdragon 855 chipset, an improved optical fingerprint sensor, a larger 3,700mAh battery (although the wired charging speed was reduced to 20W) and a combination of the new 48-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel depth camera. Despite the new features, many deemed it to be too safe of an upgrade over its predecessor and OnePlus had to go back to the drawing board.

The OnePlus 7T came several months later as a majorly overhauled offering. It had the faster Snapdragon 855 Plus chip, a bigger 3,800mAh battery along with a much faster 30W wired charging solution and a new 6.5-inch FHD+ OLED display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. The design changed drastically on the rear, featuring a humongous circular camera hump hosting a 48-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel ultrawide camera. The phone sold like hotcakes and many OnePlus loyalists consider the OnePlus 7T to be the best smartphone the company has ever made, barring a few who could get the OnePlus 7 Pro.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 7 Pro marked the pinnacle of OnePlus’ smartphone game.

Presented as a blue-collared flagship, the OnePlus 7 Pro had a feature set that put the very best from Samsung and Apple to shame. A massive 6.67-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED display with curved edges and a refresh rate of 90Hz impressed everyone. The star of the show, however, was the display notch or rather the lack of it. OnePlus was among the early players in the industry to get rid of the notch or camera cutout by adopting a pop-up front camera system. When required, the 16-megapixel front camera popped up from the top and did its duty. As a result, when the selfie camera was not needed, users had an immersive fullscreen experience. 

The Snapdragon 855 took care of the performance and a 4,000mAh battery with 30W wired charging sealed the deal. The rear camera included a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel ultrawide camera. 

The OnePlus 7T Pro came out a few months later with the updated Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset but kept the rest of the package intact. A McLaren Edition was also introduced with a new colourway, a tweaked UI and orange accents on its accessories.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 8 series came at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world. These phones were pricier than their predecessors and left no stone unturned to compete with their fancier counterparts.

The OnePlus 8 had a curved edge AMOLED display with a camera cutout, a faster Snapdragon 865 chip with 5G support, a bigger 4,300mAh battery with 30W wired charging and the latest version of Android. The cameras included a 48-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. 

The OnePlus 8 Pro was the more premium variant, offering a bigger OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an IP68 certification of water and dust resistance, a Snapdragon 865 chip and a 4,510mAh battery. The camera setup was upgraded with a new 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a 5-megapixel colour filter camera (which was disabled later after another controversy). The phone even supported 30W of wireless charging and 3W of reverse wireless charging.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 8T marked the signs of OnePlus’ new intentions with its smartphone lineup.

It looked drastically different from its predecessors with a rather conventional design. However, what wasn’t unconventional were its new features. It featured a 6.5-inch flat OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+ colours, a 4,500mAh battery with much faster 65W wired charging and the latest version of Android with OxygenOS. The cameras consisted of a 48-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera.

This was as generic as a OnePlus phone could get. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

The OnePlus 9 series suffered from a fine case of misguided identity.

The OnePlus 9 series came at a time when OnePlus was going through an internal transformation. Oxygen OS was breathing its last (pun not intended!) and the new models were more in sync with Oppo’s product vision. The OnePlus 9 series consisted of a standard OnePlus 9, a beefier OnePlus 9 Pro and an entry-level OnePlus 9R. These phones had a rather generic design and other than the annual spec-sheet upgrade, none of the ‘OnePlus factor’ remained.

The partnership with Hasselblad, however, saw a better-tuned camera system on the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. Wireless charging was standard on both models but the OnePlus 9 Pro got a faster 50W wireless system. The OnePlus 9 also had a plastic frame to keep costs low but both models got the newer Snapdragon 888 chip and the 65W wired charging as standard. 

The OnePlus 9R was an India-exclusive variant with a much lower price to entice buyers seeking the flagship killer experience. It was essentially a repackaged OnePlus 8T with all the features and specs intact but relied on the legendary Snapdragon 870 chip. A OnePlus 9RT was announced later in the year with the newer Snapdragon 888 chip and a revised rear camera system.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

With the OnePlus 10 series, the company had a bit of a rethink. The focus was now on the premium segment and the OnePlus 10 Pro led the way.

Announced in the spring of 2022, the OnePlus 10 Pro had a bold new design that saw its frame extend into the camera hump. The Hasselblad branding was more prominent than ever and its involvement was visible in the camera performance. It also had a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging and IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. For 2022, the OnePlus 10 Pro was a true flagship smartphone in every sense. 

At the same time, the OnePlus 10R was catering to the masses with a much lower price. It was based on the Realme GT Neo 3 and offered a bold plastic unibody design, up to 150W wired charging for its 4,500mAh battery, a 120Hz OLED display and a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Max chipset. 

The OnePlus 10T was announced later as an affordable variant of the OnePlus 10 Pro, offering the more power-efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and 150W wired charging. It even borrowed its design from the OnePlus 10 Pro (except for the curved edge display).

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

In 2023, OnePlus simplified its flagship lineup and went back to its roots (sort of).

The OnePlus 11 is now the new flagship model, replacing the Pro variant from its previous generation. Based on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, this smartphone offers a Hasselblad-tuned triple rear camera system, a 100W wired charging solution that fills up the massive 5,000mAh battery and a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The camera hump’s design is said to be inspired by a black hole (no idea why they would do that). Was that the reason for the lack of IP certification for water resistance and wireless charging? It’ll be truly hilarious if that really was the case (although OnePlus hasn’t confirmed the same).

Nonetheless, that black hole-inspired camera hump housed a combination of the 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera to play with. 

The OnePlus 11R was introduced as a cheaper alternative to the OnePlus 11. It is basically an updated OnePlus 10T with the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, a new OnePLus 11-inspired rear design and slower 100W wired charging. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

In the next few weeks, the OnePlus flagship lineup will now include a high-end foldable smartphone. Expected to be called the OnePlus Open, the device is rumoured to feature a 6.3-inch cover display, a 7.2-inch 2K AMOLED main display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a Hasselblad tuned triple rear camera system, up to 16GB of RAM, a 4,800mAh battery and 67W wired fast charging. This will be OnePlus’ foray into the foldable segment, possibly challenging the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnLeaks x Smartprix)

OnePlus will begin 2024 on a high note with the OnePlus 12 as early rumours have already painted it as being a specs monster.

Expected to be based on the upcoming 3nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the OnePlus 12 will come with a new OLED display with PWM dimming technology, up to 24GB RAM, a massive 5,600mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging and a larger vibration motor. The rear camera system will get an upgraded 50-megapixel Sony sensor, another 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The OnePlus 12 is expected to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S24 and the recently launched Apple iPhone 15 Pro. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnLeaks x Smartprix)