The OnePlus’ latest flagship phones are marked down at several retailers, as spotted by Android Police, bringing the normally $729 OnePlus 9 down to $649 and the OnePlus 9 Pro (usually $1069) to $969. We think that the more basic 9 is already the better buy than the 9 Pro for most people, and the extra $80 off the retail price makes it an even sweeter deal.
The OnePlus 9 gives up surprisingly few features compared to its more expensive sibling — you still get a Snapdragon 888 processor, display with 120Hz refresh rate, and an excellent 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. You’ll have to make do with an unstabilized main camera, plastic rather than aluminum frame, and slower wireless charging. Considering that you save more than $300 off the price of the premium model, these downgrades feel like things most of us could live with.
A word of caution if you’re ready to add the OnePlus 9 to your virtual cart: while it’s fully compatible with Verizon and T-Mobile 4G and 5G networks, it’s 4G only on AT&T. That’s not a big deal now (actually, you’re probably better off sticking with its 4G at the moment). However, AT&T’s 5G network should improve over the next couple of years as the company starts employing its new C-band frequencies, which the 9 and 9 Pro support.
All modern means of communication rely on glass. From the Gorilla glass on our phones to the infotainment screens on our cars. But when I think of the internet I think of 5G, Starlink satellites, and WiFi, and I never think about the 750,000 miles of fiber optic cables currently running under our oceans: the tiny strands of glass that carry all of our photos, emails, and video chats. It is through these hair-thin strands of fiber that we are able to instantly communicate to almost anyone, anywhere, and it all relies on a 5,000 year old technology: glass.