Most phones from 2019 are forgotten. They’re slow, outdated, gathering dust in drawers. But the OnePlus 7 Pro is different. Even in 2025, people are still searching for it, still buying it used, still using it as their daily phone.
Why? Because it was built during OnePlus’s golden era, when the company actually cared about speed, innovation, and user experience. Not profit margins and bloatware.
This review covers what makes the OnePlus 7 Pro special, how it performs today, and whether it’s worth buying in 2025.
What Made the OnePlus 7 Pro a Legend?
The OnePlus 7 Pro launched in 2019 at a turning point. OnePlus was no longer just a “flagship killer” undercutting big brands on price. It was becoming a real flagship competing with Samsung and Apple on innovation.
1. No Notch: The Pop-Up Selfie Camera
The most striking feature was the motorized pop-up selfie camera. Instead of a notch or hole-punch cutting into the screen, the camera popped up when you needed it. This meant the entire 6.67-inch display was uninterrupted.
That sounds gimmicky until you actually use it. The full-screen experience was immersive. No notification badges hiding in a notch. No compromises. Just screen.
Modern phones have accepted the hole-punch design. But many users still prefer the OnePlus approach. Even five years later, this design choice feels ahead of its time.
2. 90Hz Refresh Rate on OLED
In 2019, phones had 60Hz screens. The OnePlus 7 Pro brought 90Hz to an OLED panel—making it the first mainstream smartphone to do so.
What does that mean? Everything felt smoother. Scrolling was buttery. Swiping was responsive. Gaming looked better. Once you used 90Hz, going back to 60Hz felt like moving in slow motion.
This was industry-changing. Today, 120Hz is standard. But the OnePlus 7 Pro proved that high refresh rates on OLED screens actually mattered.
3. Lightning-Fast Storage
The OnePlus 7 Pro was the first phone with UFS 3.0 storage, nearly twice as fast as the UFS 2.1 in competitors like the Galaxy S10+.
Combined with the Snapdragon 855 processor, the 7 Pro was arguably the fastest phone on the planet when it launched. Apps opened instantly. Multitasking was seamless. File transfers were quick.
How Does It Perform in 2025?
You might think a six-year-old phone is slow by now. But the OnePlus 7 Pro is surprisingly capable.
1. Performance: Still Fast for Daily Use
The Snapdragon 855 is old, but it’s still powerful. Compared to modern mid-range processors, it’s 30% to 100% faster for everyday tasks like:
- Browsing the web
- Using social media
- Messaging
- Basic gaming
Heavy gaming on maximum settings? Yes, it will struggle. Games like Genshin Impact at ultra settings can cause frame drops and heat issues. But for normal use, the 7 Pro doesn’t feel slow.
2. Build Quality: Premium Feel
The OnePlus 7 Pro has a curved glass back, curved glass front, and aluminum frame. It feels expensive. It feels solid.
Many modern phones are thinner and lighter, but some feel flimsy in comparison. The 7 Pro has weight to it. It feels like a premium device because it was.
If you drop it, the glass can break (no official water resistance rating). But the overall feel is still better than many phones today.
3. Camera: Good Enough, But Shows Its Age
The triple camera setup includes:
- 48MP main camera — Good for everyday photos
- 16MP ultra-wide — Great for landscapes and group shots
- 8MP 3x telephoto — True optical zoom (better than most modern budget phones)
The photos are good in daylight. But the camera shows its age in:
- Low-light performance (not as good as modern phones)
- Dynamic range (bright and dark areas don’t blend as well)
- Color processing (can look slightly off compared to modern phones)
But here’s the trick: Install the Google Camera (GCam) app. This uses Google’s computational photography to significantly improve photos, especially in low light. Many users do this and get much better results.
The real advantage? The 3x telephoto lens. Many modern budget phones don’t have this. They use a macro lens instead (which is almost useless). The OnePlus 7 Pro’s optical zoom is actually useful.
4. Battery: Decent, But Not Great
The 4,000mAh battery gets you through a full day with moderate use. Heavy use? You’ll need to charge by evening.
Modern phones have bigger batteries and better optimization. The OnePlus 7 Pro’s battery is serviceable, not impressive.
No wireless charging. No fast charging by modern standards (30W was fast in 2019, now it’s slow). But it works.
Why People Still Love It: The Software
Here’s the real reason the OnePlus 7 Pro is still relevant in 2025:
OxygenOS was pure. When it launched, OxygenOS was Android with minimal bloatware. No ads. No unnecessary apps. Just clean, fast software.
Compare that to Samsung’s bloated OneUI or the modern OnePlus (which is basically ColorOS with Oppo’s DNA). The original OxygenOS was special.
Custom ROMs Keep It Alive
OnePlus allowed bootloader unlocking and released the source code. This meant developers could create custom ROMs.
Even though official support ended at Android 12, you can install:
- Pixel Experience (pure Android with Google features)
- LineageOS (lightweight, customizable)
- Other community ROMs
This means you can run the latest Android versions on a 2019 phone. Your data is protected. Your phone stays relevant. The community keeps it alive.
Modern phones lock down the bootloader and restrict custom ROMs. The OnePlus 7 Pro? It’s still open. That’s powerful.
OnePlus’s Golden Era
If you’re a longtime OnePlus fan, you know what happened. Founder Pete Lau and Carl Pei wanted to create genuine flagship phones at lower prices, not cheap phones with flagship features.
In India, the OnePlus 7 Pro outsold iPhones and Samsung flagships. Online gamers preferred it. Tech enthusiasts loved it. It was the phone people actually wanted.
Then, OnePlus merged with Oppo. Bloatware appeared. Ads showed up. The philosophy changed. The magic died.
The OnePlus 7 Pro represents the last of the original OnePlus era when the company cared about enthusiasts, not just profit margins.
What You Lose in 2025
The OnePlus 7 Pro isn’t perfect. You’re missing:
- 5G (irrelevant for most people, but it’s absent)
- Wireless charging (nice to have, not essential)
- Official water resistance (you need to be careful with it)
- Modern camera AI (low-light photos aren’t as good)
- Latest processor (fine for daily use, struggles with heavy gaming)
Who Should Buy the OnePlus 7 Pro in 2025?
Good for:
- People who want a fast, reliable phone without bloatware on a budget, with a classic feel
- Tech enthusiasts who understand its limitations
- Users are comfortable with custom ROMs
- Anyone who values the original OnePlus philosophy
- Budget-conscious buyers looking for value
- People who prefer the pop-up camera design
Not for:
- Those who need 5G
- People who want wireless charging
- Anyone who needs water resistance
- Casual users who want the latest and greatest
- People who want official long-term support
- Anyone who wants features and hardware relevant to 2025
The Final Verdict
The OnePlus 7 Pro costs £300-400 used. For that price, it’s one of the best value phones available.
You’re not getting the latest tech. You’re not getting modern conveniences like wireless charging or water resistance. But you’re getting a fast, reliable phone with a clean OS and an active community.
It’s like owning a classic car. It might not have modern driver-assist technology or the most efficient engine. But the driving experience feels different, more direct, more honest.
The OnePlus 7 Pro represents an era when phone manufacturers actually listened to enthusiasts. When speed and innovation mattered more than profit. When a phone felt like a tool, not a product designed to maximize ad revenue.
Is it worth buying in 2025? Yes, if you understand what you’re getting. It’s not the latest. But it’s still one of the best phones ever made.
Have you used a OnePlus 7 Pro? Share your experience in the comments.
