The OnePlus 8T will officially have no Pro model when it launches next month. But this isn't necessarily bad.
The news comes straight from CEO Pete Lau, via a post on Chinese social network Weibo. Using a translator on the text makes it clear that "there is no 8T Pro this year," because OnePlus has other plans.
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Lau says that the OnePlus 8 Pro should be the default choice for enthusiast users. It sounds like the 8 Pro will remain on sale alongside the OnePlus 8T, but what will happen to the standard OnePlus 8 is uncertain.
This was reconfirmed in a statement given by OnePlus to AndroidCentral, where the company said it was "confident the OnePlus 8 Pro continues to be one of the best smartphones in its class."
The statement continues to say: "With the OnePlus 8T, we felt that we could offer an even more competitive option in the premium space by upgrading some key components like the 120Hz display.
"Overall, we think this is going to better balance our product portfolio and offer users even better, smarter options to choose from in each of their respective price categories."
Why no OnePlus 8T Pro?
Last year we saw the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro launch around October. While the OnePlus 7T was a big jump in quality from the OnePlus 7, the OnePlus 7T Pro was only slightly better than the original OnePlus 7 Pro.
With only one 'T' model this time around, it'll allow OnePlus to improve the model that actually needs improving while leaving a more expensive model for users who want to take advantage of its different specs.
Choosing between the OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 8T could be tricky based on the leaks we've heard so far. Take the charging specs for example. The OnePlus 8 Pro offers 30W wired and wireless charging, which is both fast and versatile. While the 8T is not thought to have wireless charging, it will have much quicker 65W wired charging, one of the highest charging speeds we've come across so far.
As mentioned before, the OnePlus 8T will get a 120Hz 6.55-inch display. Previously the OnePlus 8 had a 90Hz display of the same size, so this is a good upgrade. The OnePlus 8 Pro uses a larger 6.8-inch 120Hz display, but that may be good or bad depending on your preference.
OnePlus 8T vs Galaxy S20 FE vs Pixel 5
This fall is seeing a small glut of cheaper Android releases coming to offer a more affordable version of the flagship experience. Aside from the OnePlus 8T, we just had the launch of the $699 Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Our impressions so far are quite positive, with Samsung offering a 120Hz display, triple rear cameras and a big 4,500 mAh battery for a competitive price.
Similarly, tomorrow marks the launch date of the Google Pixel 5, which is offering less powerful hardware than previous Pixels (a Snapdragon 765 chip) in order to focus on competitive pricing. You can also expect some camera upgrades as well as well as a larger battery than the Pixel 4.
As for the OnePlus 8T, its launch is a little further away, and pegged for October 14. But since OnePlus continues to reveal small details on a regular basis, there will be more official news sooner than that.
