More OnePlus 9RT and OnePlus Buds Z2 details appear before launch day

Global availability to be confirmed

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We know that theOnePlus 9RTand theOnePlus Buds Z2are getting their official unveiling on October 13, and as that date draws closer, we’ve got a mix of confirmed details and unconfirmed leaks to share before the big day.

OnePlus has confirmed (viaGSMArena) that the OnePlus 9RT will indeed run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, as expected. We also now know it’ll have top-end LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 internal flash storage, as well as a 120Hz display. The 4,500mAh battery will charge at a maximum of 65W.

Another couple of officially confirmed tidbits for you: there will be two or three color options with this phone, depending on region, and sales will start on October 19. At this stage it looks unlikely that the phone will go on sale anywhere outside of China and India.

[1/3] OP9RT5GStorage and RAM variants by region:In China:- Hacker Black: 8/128, 8/256, 12/256- Nano Silver: 8/128, 8/256, 12/256- Teal: 12/256In India:- Hacker Black: 8/128, 12/256- Nano Silver: 8/128, 12/256Android 11Qualcomm SM8350OLED w/ VRROctober 9, 2021

Noise cancelling buds

Tipster Evan Blass hasweighed into say that 8GB and 12GB of RAM configurations will be available, with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Blass also predicts a triple lens 50MP+16MP+2MP rear camera, and says that the available colors will be black or silver (with an extra teal option in China).

Then there are the OnePlus Buds Z2, which may be available more widely than the OnePlus 9RT. OnePlus has now gone on record (viaGSMArena) as saying they will offer 40dB of noise reduction to help block out the outside world.

We’ve also got shots of the packaging for the wireless earbuds, courtesy again ofEvan Blass, so there’s not much left for OnePlus to announce when Wednesday rolls around – but we will of course keep you updated with all the news as it breaks.

Analysis: OnePlus is finding its feet again

It’s been a busy year or two for OnePlus, with co-founder Carl Peiquitting the companyanda merger with Oppoto contend with. Add in a global pandemic and chip shortage and it’s understandable that the traditional OnePlus device release schedule has been moved around from what we’d normally expect.

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Most significantly,there’s no OnePlus 9T: we usually see a T series refresh later in the year, but OnePlus canceled the phone and didn’t give a definitive reason why – we’ve just listed a few, but no one knows for sure why the phone didn’t ever arrive.

With the imminent launch of the OnePlus 9RT, the follow-up to theOnePlus 9R, we know that OnePlus is at least committed to more phones for the Indian and Chinese markets. It would seem the rest of us are going to have to wait for theOnePlus 10.

We’re hoping that OnePlus is able to get back on course with a regular and predictable release schedule in 2022, because it’s one of the best at launching well-specced phones at affordable price points – and we’ve not even mentioned the value-for-moneyOnePlus Nordseries.

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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