The OnePlus 9 series has proved to be a major evolution for the company, especially in the camera department – an aspect that has long been a chink in the armor of its phones. However, the rest of the package is pretty impressive too. Both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro pack a beautiful 120Hz AMOLED display, support blazing-fast 65W charging (an impressive 50W charging in case of the OnePlus 9 Pro), appealing design, and a well-received OxygenOS software that offers deep customization tricks. And yes, just like every other 2021 flagship, the OnePlus 9 series supports 5G.
5G situation is a bit tricky
You can enjoy the perks of 5G, but AT&T is out of the picture right now
Being a bonafide flagship with critical acclaim and positive reception among existing users, you would expect the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro to be 5G compatible with all carriers. However, here in the US, the situation is a tad tricky. Until last week, T-Mobile was the only carrier that offered 5G support for the OnePlus 9 duo. However, Verizon finally certified the OnePlus 9 and its Pro sibling last week to latch on to its 5G network.
However, if you have an AT&T line and want to upgrade to a OnePlus 9 series phone, you’re out of luck. Right now, the two OnePlus flagships don’t haven’t been certified to use AT&T’s 5G network. And so far, the carrier hasn’t made any official announcement if the status is going to change anytime soon. However, if you’re okay with paying the 5G tax, then you can surely go ahead and enjoy AT&T’s 4G LTE network on either the OnePlus 9 or the OnePlus 9 Pro.
But wait, there is one more caveat
You see, only the OnePlus 9 Pro supports mmWave 5G, while the vanilla OnePlus 9 is limited to the slower Sub-6GHz 5G network. So, if you’re a Big Red customer, you will only be able to enjoy the blazing-fast Verizon UW (Ultra Wideband) 5G if you shell out a handsome asking price of $1,069 for the OnePlus 9 Pro.
For the 'real' 5G, you have to buy the OnePlus 9 Pro which costs $1,069
However, if you save some cash and get the OnePlus 9, you will be limited to using Verizon’s more widely available but slower Nationwide 5G network, which relies on spectrum sharing with its existing 4G bands. However, the speeds you get will be significantly slower compared to the UW 5G. In fact, tests have proved that Verizon’s 4G LTE network can outpace its Nationwide 5G, which is kinda ironic.
In case you’re wondering, the OnePlus 9 series is now up for grabs, and you can find details about all the deals in our coverage. Additionally, if you’ve already made the purchase and are searching for protective gear, do check out our list of the best cases for the OnePlus 9 and its Pro sibling as well. And if you’re looking for expert opinion before dropping some serious cash on the OnePlus 9 Pro, check out our review below: