Day 2: Design/Display Day.
View attachment 629053
Like I mentioned in the unboxing, having the 5T phone front and center upon opening the box is not a bad thing. Pulling it out and turning it on for the first time gives no doubt that it is a premium phone. The way the front and back edges of the phone slant as they meet each other, makes the device feel thin and surprisingly secure in the hand despite being smooth aluminium. Compared to the LG G4 which was one of my previous daily drives, this phone is in an entirely different class. The 5T doesn’t flex or creak and feels completely solid in the hand. Upon first impression, the design and build of the 5T gives no doubt of it’s premium build.
View attachment 629055
View attachment 629058
The next thing that caught my attention about the build was the buttons. I’ve heard other tech reviewers mention buttons in their reviews but never really payed attention. I was always skeptical that buttons could be good or bad enough to mention in a review. However, after just a few hours with the 5T, I knew I had to mention them. They’re tall enough to make them easy to find and when pressed, offer the perfect amount of resistance and “click”. I do have one critique about the buttons however. While I love functionality that the alert slider gives, I have not found it natural or effortless to slide when holding the phone with one hand. Without a case, it’s much easier but I often found myself pressing the power button on the opposite side of the phone. With a case (I’m using the red silicone case from OnePlus seen in the unboxing), it’s even harder to slide, and often I simply hold the phone with two hands and slide it with my fingernail rather than fumble around with it. Over time I expect this button to become more natural, but until this point it’s not something I can consistently get right without looking.
View attachment 629060
I haven’t done a design review justice without talking about the screen. The 5T boasts an 18:9 aspect ratio screen that has become a common denominator among 2017 flagship phones. I absolutely love the thin bezels allowing for a large screen in a relatively small frame. From what I have been able to tell the screen has excellent brightness and beautiful dynamic color range. Upon first turning it on, it stands out and looks beautiful. However, while I understand the choice OnePlus has made in keeping the screen resolution at 1080p, perhaps for increased battery life, and lower price, I must say I can tell the difference between it and my LG G4 from 2015.The difference between the 401 ppi of the 5T, and the 538 ppi of the LG G4, results in icons that are not quite as crisp on the edges, and text that just feels a little soft. I work on a 4K laptop, and have been used to those resolutions for a while. An average user may not notice this, but a 1080p screen in 2017 feels just a little behind. I predict that I will get used to it, and if the battery life and performance remains top notch in the coming months, I’ll be able to forgive this choice for the duration of the phone. However, I would not expect OnePlus to remain at 1080p for it’s next launch.
As a package, the 5T is beautifully designed, and it’s undoubtedly apparent that OnePlus took full attention to detail. The fingerprint sensor is placed in the perfect spot, and looks and feels durable. Also, I may be weird, but I kind of like camera bumps and the one on the 5T looks great! In summary, the 5T has a simple yet beautiful design that doesn’t get in the way of everyday functionality.
Click to expand...
