OnePlus Ace 5 Pro: The Power Player That Won’t Quit (But Makes Some Compromises)
Let’s cut to the chase: The Ace 5 Pro is like that friend who shows up to a marathon in hiking boots. It’s overbuilt in all the right ways, but you can’t help noticing the extra weight. Here’s what that engineering mindset gets you in real life.
The Screen: A Flashlight Masquerading as a Display
That 4,500-nit peak brightness isn’t just a number – it’s a “sunlight? What sunlight?” flex. I used this thing under midday Arizona rays, and it laughed at the desert sun. The 120Hz LTPO AMOLED isn’t just smooth; it’s smart smooth. Scroll through Twitter? 120Hz. Stare at a static recipe? Drops to 1Hz like it’s conserving energy for winter. But here’s the rub: that 6.78-inch size combined with 203g makes one-handed use feel like wrist day at the gym.
Performance: The Terminator of Android Phones
The Snapdragon 8 Elite isn’t playing games – it’s ending them. I threw Genshin Impact at max settings while recording 4K video (because why not?), and the phone barely broke a sweat. That vapor chamber cooling system? It works. The back gets warm, not nuclear. But here’s the secret sauce: 16GB of RAM in the top model. I left 42 Chrome tabs open overnight just to test it – woke up to zero reloads. This thing’s a multitasking beast.
Battery Life: The Energizer Bunny’s Nightmare
6,100mAh sounds big on paper. In practice? Two days. Real two days. Not “I forgot to charge it overnight” two days, but “binge-watched three episodes of The Witcher during my commute” two days. And when you do need juice? The 100W charger hits 80% in 15 minutes flat. But OnePlus made a strange choice here – no wireless charging. At this price? That stings.
The Camera: Good, Not Great
Let’s be real – that 2MP macro sensor is window dressing. But the main 50MP Sony IMX906? It’s surprisingly capable. Low-light shots have less noise than a library, and the OIS makes handheld night mode actually usable. The 16MP selfie cam’s fine if you’re not chasing TikTok fame. Video nerds will love the Dolby Vision support, but miss the lack of 8K recording.
The Software Quirk You Can’t Ignore
ColorOS 15 on Android 15 is… an acquired taste. It’s cleaner than Samsung’s One UI, but the lack of Google services out of the box (thanks to China ROM) means you’re sideloading the Play Store. Once set up, it’s smooth – but that initial setup? It’s like IKEA furniture without the pictograms.
Who’s This For?
- The Road Warrior: That battery and charging combo is a business traveler’s dream
- Mobile Gamers: This handles emulators like a champ
- Spec Junkies: That 3nm chip will future-proof you for years
Look elsewhere if: You need pro-level cameras, love wireless charging, or hate tinkering with software setups.
My Verdict: The Contender
Here’s the tea – at €568, this punches way above its weight class. The Snapdragon 8 Elite alone makes rivals like the Pixel 9A look underpowered. But those compromises? They’re real. No IP68 rating stings when you’re paying flagship-adjacent prices. The macro camera is basically a party trick.
Would I buy it? If I needed raw power and battery life above all else? In a heartbeat. The charging speed alone is life-changing if you’re always on the move. But if you’re married to Google’s ecosystem or need the absolute best cameras? Wait for the international version – or look at the Nothing Phone (3).
The Ace 5 Pro isn’t perfect, but it’s unapologetically honest about what it is: a workhorse with a spec sheet that doesn’t quit. Just bring your own charger – and maybe a wrist brace.
