OnePlus 9 first look reveals radical new design

(Image credit: OnePlus)

last updated 8 December 2020

The OnePlus series of phones has become one of the standard-bearers when it comes to top-quality devices, so it isn’t surprising that fans are already clamouring for a glimpse of the OnePlus 9. Fortunately, their wishes have been granted, as a new render supposedly shows what the next flagship device will look like when it hits shelves in 2021.

The new renders show quite a different design compared to the recent OnePlus 8 Pro, instead being much closer to the design of the OnePlus 8T. The triple camera setup is positioned to the side of the phone and not the centre as has been the case on many OnePlus devices.

On the front of the device, there is only the single front-facing camera to distract from the clean design of the screen. There’s no buttons or annoying notches to be seen here.

91mobiles is behind the renders, and also claims to have further information on the OnePlus 9 from inside sources.

Arguably the most interesting leak is around the screen, with the OnePlus 9 supposedly set to pack a larger panel than the OnePlus 8T, which clocked in at 6.55-inches. It will also be fully flat, getting rid of the curved edges that can be found on the OnePlus 8. The source also rebuffed claims that the screen will feature a 144Hz refresh rate, and will instead be a 120Hz panel.

Also contradicting earlier reports is the suggestion that the new OnePlus 9 series will only feature two models and not three as was expected previously.

The OnePlus 9 is expected to launch by mid-March 2021, which is slightly earlier in the year than the usual May window the flagship devices occupy, so you might want to start thinking about those upgrade plans now so you will be in prime position to grab one when it launches next year.