Why you shouldn't buy the cheapest OnePlus 7 Pro
Best answer: Don't be enticed by the slightly lower price — you really want to spend an extra $30 and get the OnePlus 7 Pro model for $700. You get more memory and double the storage, which are both huge futureproofing measures, and unlock the opportunity to choose the "Nebula Blue" color option if you wish.
- The one you want: OnePlus 7 Pro (8GB + 256GB) ($700 at OnePlus)
- The cheapest one: OnePlus 7 Pro (6GB + 128GB) ($670 at OnePlus)
What are the differences between OnePlus 7 Pro models?
OnePlus makes things pretty easy when it comes time to buy a 7 Pro. There are three distinct models in terms of the amount of RAM and storage you can get, and each of those dictates which color options you have.
Header Cell - Column 0 | $670 | $700 | $750 |
---|---|---|---|
RAM | 6GB | 8GB | 12GB |
Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 256GB |
Color | Mirror Gray | Mirror GrayNebula Blue | Nebula Blue |
The base model for $670 has a respectable 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but only comes in the Mirror Gray color. The $700 model, for just $30 more, gives you 2GB more RAM and double the storage to 256GB. Plus, you unlock the option to get the cool two-tone Nebula Blue color, which is distinctive and really stands from a sea of monochrome phones. Bump up $50 more to get an insane 12GB of RAM, but no additional storage — and you actually lose the option of choosing Mirror Gray, oddly.
Which OnePlus 7 Pro model is the best value?
The sweet spot here is the $700 model, and it's such a great deal that I would advise everyone to spend the few extra dollars for it over the base version. For that little $30 bump, you're getting 2GB of RAM to help with multitasking and heavy gaming — both today and into the future when apps are even more resource-intensive. Plus, you're getting double the storage, which we can always find a use for; and remember, the OnePlus 7 Pro doesn't have a microSD card slot to add storage later.
There's no doubt that the standard OnePlus 7 Pro with 6GB of RAM will run OxygenOS and everything you want to do just fine — but that's right now, not a couple years from now when you may still be using the phone. And why limit yourself to 128GB of storage when you could have 256GB and likely never worry about filling it up. The base OnePlus 7 Pro is okay, but this is is a tiny price to pay for that peace of mind.
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Whether or not you care to get the Nebula Blue color is obviously completely personal preference, but having the option is a nice little perk you get when you make the smart decision to spend a little extra for the RAM and storage. Nebula Blue has a matte finish to its glass back that makes it a little more slippery than Mirror Gray, but that may be worth it to get the benefit of fewer smudges on the back and being able to look at that awesome two-tone blue fade.
So when you're already willing to spend $670 on a phone, it shouldn't be a stretch to think you can spend $700 and get a considerable boost in memory and storage that'll treat you well now and into the future. Steer clear of the base model OnePlus 7 Pro, and treat yourself to the true base model at $700.
Spend a little more, get a lot more.
For just $30 more than the base model, you can get 2GB of extra RAM and double the storage. Plus, you can choose to get the stunning Nebula Blue color option if you wish. That's a great deal, and even at a total of $700 the OnePlus 7 Pro is still an amazing value compared to the rest of the market.
Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.