When it comes to value flagships in 2021, the than their OnePlus 9 Pro and S21 Ultra siblings. However, with the OnePlus 9 and Galaxy S21 offering extremely similar spec sheets and price tags within spitting distance of one another, deciding which to buy is easier said than done.
Both phones launched in early 2021, and in a lot of ways, it's hard to tell the difference between them. Both devices have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 120Hz AMOLED displays, plenty of RAM/storage, and battery life that can get s through a full day of use on a single charge. In other words, the OnePlus 9 and Galaxy S21 each have the makings of a great Android handset.
That's especially impressive for OnePlus because just a few short years ago, going toe-to-toe with a company like Samsung was only something it could dream about. Now, however, the OnePlus 9 is matching (and besting) Samsung's latest device in more ways than one. After using both phones side-by-side and getting a good feel for where each one shines, here's how the OnePlus 9 overcomes the Galaxy S21. And where OnePlus still drops the ball.
How The OnePlus 9 Is Better Than The Galaxy S21
After a few weeks of testing both devices, there's one key reason why the OnePlus 9 has been getting more use instead of the Galaxy S21. While this is probably one of the most subjective topics to talk about, OnePlus's OxygenOS software is by far and away more enjoyable than the One UI interface found on the Galaxy S21. Both phones are powered by Android 11 at their core, but OnePlus and Samsung have both taken it upon themselves to heavily customize all aspects of the software — thus resulting in two very different smartphones.
In the case of the OnePlus 9, what OnePlus has done with its OxygenOS UI is perfect in almost every single way. The overall design of the software is still very reminiscent of stock Android, meaning the home screen, settings, and other elements are clean and simple. Compared to the One UI software on the Galaxy S21 that can often feel rather bloated, this makes the OnePlus 9 more -friendly and more enjoyable to interact with for day-to-day use. However, just because the software is clean doesn't mean OnePlus hasn't added a heap of extra features/settings that add legitimate value to the whole experience. Virtually every element of OxygenOS can be customized to some degree by the . When that's added together with things like reading mode, game mode, and more, it ends up being one of the best Android interfaces currently available.
There's also something to be said about how fast and fluid OxygenOS is. While the OnePlus 9 and Galaxy S21 have the same processor and display refresh rate, the OnePlus 9 regularly feels snappier than Samsung's phone. OnePlus often hypes up the smoothness/responsiveness of OxygenOS, and to be honest, those claims are accurate. The Galaxy S21 is a speedy and capable smartphone, but thanks to all of the extra optimizations OnePlus has made with OxygenOS, the OnePlus 9 does stand out as the quicker device.
Outside of software, the other big advantage of the OnePlus 9 is its Warp Charge 65T wired charging system. When using the included power brick and cable that comes with the OnePlus 9, the phone can charge from 0-100% in just 29 minutes. It's a spec that many s are bound to glance over and not think too much of, but after using the OnePlus 9 for a few weeks on end, Warp Charge has quickly become difficult to live without. When the OnePlus 9's battery starts getting low, plugging it in for a few minutes will boost it back up to 100% in almost no time at all. It's something that can legitimately change smartphone usage and charging habits for the better, making it one of the OnePlus 9s' best traits.
What The Galaxy S21 Still Does Well
With all of that said, OnePlus isn't ready to dethrone Samsung quite yet. While the OnePlus 9 has been a lot of fun to use for all of the reasons mentioned above, there are also a few reasons why it may be a difficult recommendation to a lot of shoppers. First and foremost, the OnePlus 9's camera system isn't as robust as what's found on the Galaxy S21.
Its 48MP primary camera takes good photos when there's ample lighting, but thanks to the lack of optical image stabilization, low-light photos can be extremely challenging. There's also no telephoto camera, with the secondary cameras being the 50MP ultra-wide sensor (which is excellent) and a 2MP monochrome sensor (which is mostly useless). By comparison, the Galaxy S21's 12MP primary camera does have optical image stabilization, its 12MP ultra-wide camera is very solid, and there's a 64MP telephoto camera for getting 3x optical zoom shots. All of this results in the S21's camera package being more functional and reliable, and considering how important camera quality is to some shoppers, that's a big win for Samsung.
Another big win for the Galaxy S21 is how Samsung handles software updates. While One UI may have its faults, Samsung does a fantastic job of backing it up with long-term . The Galaxy S21 is guaranteed to receive three years of major OS updates and four years of security patches, whereas OnePlus doesn't offer any guarantee in this regard. Updates tend to be fast and reliable for new releases, but as time goes on and new models come up, the usually takes a turn for the worse.
Finally, there are some little quirks with the OnePlus 9 that Galaxy S21 shoppers just don't have to worry about. Only the T-Mobile variant of the OnePlus 9 has IP67 water resistance, whereas all models of the S21 come with this. The OnePlus 9 also lacks 5G on AT&T and for reverse wireless charging, two things that are available on the Galaxy S21.
OnePlus Is Quickly Catching Up To Samsung
While the OnePlus 9 may not have the best cameras or a strong outlook for future updates, it's a phone that's continued to be a joy to use despite those flaws. For someone that really values top-notch Android software, unmatched performance, and ridiculously fast charging speeds, it's worth putting up with the areas in which the OnePlus 9 stumbles a bit. It may not be the go-to smartphone for shutterbugs, but in regards to daily use of running apps, browsing the web, watching videos, playing games, and charging up in between, the OnePlus 9 experience is easy to like.
Even better is that the OnePlus 9 manages to undercut the Galaxy S21 when it comes to price — coming in at just $729 while the S21 retails for $799. When all of that's said and done, the OnePlus 9 comes out as a solid option as far as 2021 smartphones are concerned. The Galaxy S21 may have more mainstream appeal between its better cameras, brand awareness, and fierce marketing, but for anyone willing to give the OnePlus 9 a try, they'll be hard-pressed to be disappointed.
Source: OnePlus