The OnePlus 7 Pro is the company’s first true flagship phone. Despite a massive jump in price when compared to the OnePlus 6 T though, the OnePlus 7 Pro is still cheaper than the $749 iPhone XR while taking on the likes of the more expensive iPhone XS and XS Max. We have already seen how the OnePlus 7 Pro fares against the iPhone XS series, but what about the cheaper $749 iPhone XR? How do the two handsets compare?
When compared to the iPhone XR, the value advantage of the OnePlus 7 Pro is not that massive. But is it still a more attractive proposition? Or does it make more sense to spend the extra moolah and buy the iPhone XR instead?
iPhone XR vs OnePlus 7 Pro Comparison: How Are they Different?
Design
Both phones feature an aluminum chassis which is sandwiched Gorilla Glass panels at the front and rear. While both phones offer premium build quality, the OnePlus 7 Pro is in a league of its own. Despite being available in only three different color shades compared to the six of the iPhone XR, it is a better-looking device both from the front and the rear. The front of the OnePlus 7 Pro has a bezel-less look thanks to the pop-up selfie camera. The rear also has a unique look and it changes colors subtly depending on the angle the light falls on it. In comparison, the iPhone XR’s design looks outdated.
The iPhone XR does have one advantage — it offers IP67 certification meaning it is dust and water-resistant. The OnePlus 7 Pro lacks any IP certification, though OnePlus does claim that the phone can survive a drop in a bucket of water. Both phones feature stereo speakers.
Display
- OnePlus 7 Pro: 6.7-inch QHD+ 90Hz Fluid AMOLED, HDR10
- iPhone XR – 6.1-inch Liquid Retina LCD display, 1,792×828 pixels
There’s a massive difference between the two handsets in terms of display — both in quality and size. The iPhone XR comes with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina LCD display with a resolution that’s just a wee bit higher than 720p. It is among the best LCD panels around in a smartphone but pales in comparison to the Fluid AMOLED panel of the OnePlus 7 Pro.
Apart from being massive in size at 6.7-inches, it has better contrast, colors, viewing angles, and contrast ratio which are inherent advantages of OLED panel over LCD. It is also HDR10 compliant which means you can stream content from Netflix and Prime Video with better colors and details
The bigger deal perhaps is that the OnePlus 7 Pro’s AMOLED display has a 90Hz refresh rate. This means UI interaction and touch response on the OnePlus 7 Pro are notably smoother when compared to the iPhone XR.
Chipset
- OnePlus 7 Pro: Snapdragon 855
- iPhone XR: A12 Bionic
The iPhone XR features Apple’s 7nm A12 Bionic chipset, while the OnePlus 7 Pro features Qualcomm’s 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset. Despite being the first 7nm chip to the market last year, the A12 Bionic chip is an absolute beast. The performance of the A12 Bionic chipset is at least a generation or two ahead of the Snapdragon 855.
This does not mean that the Snapdragon 855 is a weak chipset. It is among the fastest chip available in the Android ecosystem and it can easily run any heavy apps or games you throw at it. The OnePlus 7 Pro is also the first Android smartphone in the market to ship with a speedy UFS 3.0 NAND. The faster NAND will ensure the OnePlus 7 Pro never shows any hints of lag while under heavy load or opening heavy apps and games.
RAM and Storage
- OnePlus 7 Pro: Up to 256GB UFS 3.0 Storage, 6/8/12GB RAM
- iPhone XR: Up to 128GB storage, 3GB RAM
Another area where the OnePlus 7 Pro just makes more sense over the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR is available in 64GB and 128GB storage variants. It also comes with 3GB RAM. Now compare that to the OnePlus 7 Pro whose base variant comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage — that’s 2x of what the iPhone XR offers. The handset is also available with 256GB storage and up to a massive 12GB RAM.
Camera
- OnePlus 7 Pro: 48MP f/1.6 aperture with OIS, 16MP 117-degree ultra-wide angle sensor, 3x 8MP optical zoom
- iPhone XR: 12MP f/1.8 aperture with OIS
The triple cameras on the OnePlus 7 Pro offer flexibility while the iPhone XR can capture better photos. The ultra-wide angle shooter on the OnePlus 7 Pro allows one to capture scenes with an entirely different perspective when compared to the iPhone XR. It also offers 3x optical zoom which the iPhone XR lacks.
The iPhone XR makes up for the lack of its flexibility with a superior 12MP shooter. The difference is especially noticeable in low-light scenarios where photos from the OnePlus 7 Pro have more noise and lack details when compared to the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR can also capture better videos than the OnePlus 7 Pro.
Connectivity
- OnePlus 7 Pro: 1.2Gbps LTE modem, VoLTE, Dual-SIM,Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
- iPhone XR: Cat. 12 LTE, VoLTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
The iPhone XR really lags behind the OnePlus 7 Pro in terms of connectivity. While it does offer all the usual connectivity options, it lacks Gigabit LTE which means it cannot offer the same LTE speeds as the OnePlus 7 Pro. This also has a negative effect in areas of poor network reception where the OnePlus 7 Pro will do a much better job at holding on to a signal.
Biometrics
- OnePlus 7 Pro: In-display fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- iPhone XR: Face ID
The OnePlus 7 Pro offers in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock. In comparison, the iPhone XR only offers Face ID. While Face ID is more secure than the in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock on the OnePlus 7 Pro, it is slower and not as convenient to use.
Battery
- OnePlus 7 Pro: 4000mAh, 30W Wrap Charging
- iPhone XR: 2658mAh, 5W charging, Qi wireless charging, 18W USB-PD fast charging support
The iPhone XR has the longest battery life of all the three iPhones launched by Apple in 2018. With a lower resolution LCD display, the iPhone XR offers battery life that it is notably longer than the likes of the iPhone XS and XS Max. The OnePlus 7 Pro with its 4000mAh battery also offers decent battery life but the 90Hz display consumes a lot of battery. There’s an option to run the display at 60Hz mode under which the battery life of the phone sees a notable improvement.
The impressive aspect of the OnePlus 7 Pro is its 30W Wrap Charging. With the bundled 30W charger, the OnePlus 7 Pro can charge from 0-50 percent in just 30 minutes. In comparison, the iPhone XR will take almost an hour to reach the same level. The OnePlus 7 Pro does lack wireless charging but the faster wired charging more than makes up for it.
The iPhone XR can also charge from 0-50% in just 30 minutes but it requires one to buy an 18W USB-C charger and an expensive USB-C to Lightning cable along with it.
Pricing & Availability
- OnePlus 7 Pro: Starts from $669
- iPhone XR: Starts from $749
The OnePlus 7 Pro is a more flexible handset than the iPhone XR. In some aspects, the OnePlus 7 Pro is better than the iPhone XR but the latter excels in some other key departments. There is already a difference of $80 in the base variants of the OnePlus 7 Pro and iPhone XR. However, the OnePlus 7 Pro offers more value for money since it comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage while the iPhone XR only comes with 64GB storage.
The iPhone XR does offer IP67 certification, Face ID, and a superior primary camera. It is also available on all major networks and retailers in the United States and almost every other market in the world.
When compared to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the iPhone XR offers more value for money. However, when one looks at the OnePlus 7 Pro, the entire equation changes and the iPhone XR’s value for money ratio just does not look attractive.
What are your thoughts on the OnePlus 7 Pro? Will you buy it over the iPhone XR? Drop a comment and let us know!
