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Verdict
OnePlus achieved great things with the OnePlus 5, improving on a phone line that previously focused on low prices to produce a fantastically optimized powerhouse of a handset that offers one of the best Android experiences on the market.
The company may have increased the price here, and fans of the brand will be disappointed by that, but it's now offering a fully rounded device that blows much of the competition out of the water.
While the price may not be as low as previous OnePlus devices, it is still much lower than the rest of the competition.
Who's this for?
The OnePlus 5 is still a phone that's designed for fans of the brand, and perhaps more so than ever, sporting a truly premium design and all of the features we’ve come to expect from the high-end yet cheap handset.
But this is also a device for anyone who's looking to spend a little less without losing out on some of the best features out there.
The OnePlus 5 isn’t as beautiful as the Galaxy S8, or as easy to use as the iPhone 7, but it offers much of the same experience for around $250/£200/AU$300 less than those devices – and that makes it worth snatching up.
If you’re looking for a device that can shoot phenomenal images, run the latest games and apps with ease, and look great at the same time, you just found it.
Should you buy it?
In short, you can't anymore. It's been replaced by the OnePlus 5T and you'll be lucky to find the OnePlus 5 for sale anywhere now.
That's not a big problem though, as the 5T adopted the same price tag, while offering more.
Don’t love the look of the OnePlus 5? Here are some other phones you may want to buy:
OnePlus 5T
The can't buy the OnePlus 5 anymore because it was replaced by the OnePlus 5T - which you can buy.
The 5T has the same price tag as the 5, but offers a larger display with thinner bezels, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, improved dual-camera setup on the back and face unlock smarts.
It's a win-win and the 5T doesn't look out of place alongside the best phones from Samsung, Apple, LG, HTC and Sony.
- Read our in-depth OnePlus 5T review
Samsung Galaxy S8
Before you go any further, know the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a lot more expensive than the OnePlus 5. It’s around $730/£690/AU$1,200, which is significantly more than the latest from OnePlus, but it offers a lot more for that extra money.
Samsung's Infinity Display makes this phone look completely different to anything on the market. It’s essentially all display on the front, and it looks absolutely beautiful, and remarkably better than the screen on the OnePlus 5.
The top-of-the-range internals are all here too, but you also get the benefits of an iris scanner, a fantastic 12MP rear shooter and a waterproof design.
- Read our Samsung Galaxy S8 review
Huawei P10
OnePlus's fellow Chinese phone manufacturer, Huawei, also opted for a dual-lens snapper on the rear of its latest flagship phone.
The Huawei P10 comes with a 5.2-inch Full HD display, and offers up the latest from the company's processor software too, to offer top-of-the-range spec that’s similar to the OnePlus 5's in a few ways.
This is a phone that's difficult to buy in the US, but if you live in Australia or the UK you’ll be able to buy it now – and you may find it an acceptable alternative to the OnePlus 5.
- Read our Huawei P10 review
iPhone 7 Plus
The latest phone from Apple has failed to set the world alight, but it’s still a stunning handset that offers the best iOS experience yet.
It runs the latest iOS software, has a dual-lens rear snapper similar to the OnePlus 5's and comes with some incredible spec and a striking design.
This won’t fit in your hand as well as the OnePlus 5, though, and it'll cost you a touch more than the latest phone from OnePlus.
- Read our iPhone 7 Plus review
First reviewed June 2017
