Upcoming Smartphones Worth Waiting For? – Part II

Last week we compared the iPhone 11 Max to the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S11 in the article “Upcoming Smartphones: Worth Waiting For?“. This week, we’re back with a few more brand new releases for you to choose from. For this week’s selection, we’re comparing the OnePlus 7T Pro, Google Pixel 4 XL and ASUS ROG Phone II.  Even though these are not upcoming smartphones, some of our readers may not be familiar with them. Below we go over what makes each of these phones great and whether they’re worth your money.

OnePlus 7T Pro

So fun story, the OnePlus 7T is less expensive than its predecessor, the OnePlus 7 Pro. Released in October, the 7T Pro can be thought of almost as a correction to some of the 7 Pro’s shortcomings. It has several of the same specs that we have come to expect of smartphones, like a 90 Hz fluid display. Combined with 8GB RAM, the 7T has a very smooth, very responsive sensor. The phone’s design is as smooth as they come. The bezel-free screen, combined with its sharp display,  gives it a sleek look. Its storage, at 128GB, does not disappoint either.

The 7T Pro offers a great camera experience. It’s triple camera comes with an ultra-wide 16-megapixel screen, 48-megapixel standard camera, and 8-megapixel telephoto 2x zoom camera. What does all of this mean for you? For one, macro-mode lets you get very close to objects without losing focus for ultra-sharp, close-range shots.  The camera also does a good job of reducing noise. However, do not expect great low-light photos every time.

So what’s the price tag?  The 7T Pro is surprisingly less expensive than its predecessor. At $599, this is a very tempting smartphone. But there are some things you’ll be giving up. Unlike many of its generation, the 7T is not water or dust resistant, nor does it have a great battery life.  It does not support wireless charging either. But with most upcoming smartphones hitting the $1000 mark, the 7T easily offers the most bang for your buck.

Google Pixel 4 XL

Like the 7T (and most other smartphones) the Pixel 4 XL comes with a 90 Hz smooth display. It fares just as well as other smartphones when it comes to speed. An exciting new feature in the Pixel 4 XL –and which we can expect with upcoming Google smartphones– is motion sensor technology. The phone practically feels when you’re around and wakes up, which allows for a very responsive face ID. But that comes at the expense of the fingerprint reader, which Google eliminated this year. So much for maintaining your anonymity!

The Pixel 4 XL excels in the camera department. Even though a dual-camera sounds modest compared with other phones in the market, there are plenty of other camera features to make up for it. The Pixel 4 XL camera has great exposure and even allows you to adjust exposure before taking a shot. This works especially great in low light.  The Pixel 4 XL takes remarkable nighttime photos, with lots of details and very sharp images. 4K video is another great camera feature; add to that the highly stabilized video image.  

The price tag?  $900. Some might argue that Pixel 4 XL is not worth it. One of the phone’s biggest setbacks is that its battery life does not compare well with competitors.  It also takes longer to charge and has relatively low base storage, at 64GB.  

ASUS ROG Phone II

Did you even know that ASUS made smartphones?  If not, you’re not alone. Really. The odds are you wouldn’t know unless you were a gamer.  But before you non-gamers turn your back on the ASUS ROG Phone II, we think this phone may have something to offer.  For one, can you say specs?  This phone boasts the best specs out of every phone we’ve looked at so far.  It’s got 1 terabyte–yes, terabyte–of built-in storage. 120 Hz display, 12GB RAM and a 48-megapixel dual camera, just to name a few.  So you best believe this phone has the fastest response time of all the others. You can literally run through open apps with the scroll of a finger. The sound quality is also marvelous and, surprise surprise, it still has a headphone jack. In keeping with its huge everything pattern, perhaps the ROG Phone II’s best asset is its battery. With normal use, this phone’s battery can last several days without needing a charge.  

The ASUS ROG Phone II clocks in at $900, so is it worth the price?  If you wanted this phone for its gaming abilities, then the specs alone are enough to make it worth the $900. But if you were looking for “normal” phone functions, you may need to take a closer look. The ROG Phone II’s camera doesn’t compare nearly as well with competitors, nor does its display. The phone’s design isn’t the most svelte either, and it’s a bit on the heavy side given its large storage capacity.  

Upgrade Now or Wait for Upcoming Smartphones?

The truth is, technology milestones do not occur on an annual basis. If you feel like your phone is outdated and want to sell your old phone then now is the time.  The odds are that a phone you buy now will be good for at least a few years. We hope the information we presented this week and last have helped you make an informed decision.