4 OnePlus Features Users Love

Even though OnePlus will likely exit international markets soon, there’s still a lot to like about its phones. Additionally, the manufacturer has done an excellent job of staying in the market, compared to its monstrous competition. One reason is its identity: OnePlus runs OxygenOS, a custom skin based on Android, much like One UI, which adds a different flavor to the open operating system. Another element is the impressive hardware, which is excellent for its price.

And this doesn’t just apply to its flagship product; You’ll often see the OnePlus “R” series competing with the best flagships of the same generation (reviewers will often add “flagship killer” next to some OnePlus “R” phones), like the OnePlus 13R, while remaining affordable. But in general, these devices tend to win hearts because they offer interesting and unique features like proprietary fast charging via SuperVOOC, a customizable dashboard with OnePlus Shelf, and abundant battery life, ideal for gaming.

Plus, all of these features have helped create and solidify the brand identity, although it’s hard to justify buying a new OnePlus phone knowing that support remains limited and could get even worse. However, if you find one on sale or already own one, you’ll want to take advantage of OnePlus’ best features while appreciating its cutting-edge innovations that a significant portion will miss.

SuperVOOC, with the correct configuration, can quickly charge a OnePlus device, delivering higher current to safely deliver more power without increasing the voltage. But it comes with an asterisk. You can only get the advertised speeds with SuperVOOC if you have the proprietary charger/cable to use it. These chargers usually don’t come in the box by default, so you’ll need to buy one to get the most out of them.

If you try to use SuperVOOC with a standard cable/charger combo, it won’t charge any faster than is deemed safe. This is because SuperVOOC actually requires the charging pad and a thick cable, rather than your phone, to handle the extra heat and higher current. Additionally, it takes advantage of the device’s dual-cell battery architecture to avoid strain on the battery while delivering power faster. So you don’t have to worry about your hardware getting damaged when using this feature (OnePlus and Oppo phones are designed to handle it).

The OnePlus Shelf is a great way to declutter your home screen. It’s a place to add widgets, pinned apps, notes and memos. You can also use it to quickly find things on your phone, like specific settings, or even use it as a personal calculator. Cards in OnePlus Shelf can also be rearranged and resized. You can make sure everything that appears is just about you by adding and removing cards from the hub.

The big downside to OnePlus Shelf is its widget options: OnePlus doesn’t support third-party widgets (unless they’re officially supported), which could put a bit of a damper on your customization plans. You can, however, pin apps and treat them as shortcuts instead. Official built-in widgets supported by OnePlus Shelf include media and playback controls for Spotify, step counting in OnePlus Health, and utility options like OnePlus Weather, device storage, and data usage trackers.

OnePlus phones have always had a strong reputation for fantastic battery life, and that reputation has only grown stronger since the release of the OnePlus 13. This is mainly due to the silicon-carbon/silicon nano-cell technology they use, which packs high energy density into the size of the phone compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries used in most smartphones. You can see this with the OnePlus 15, which has a capacity of 7,300 mAh, which is quite large for its size. That’s a huge change from other phones, like the Google Pixel 10 Pro, which is only 4,870mAh.

As a daily user, the battery capacity may seem excessive, because even with a lower capacity, like that of the Pixel 10 Pro, you should be able to use your phone comfortably throughout a normal work or school day. Still, for someone who might be interested in gaming or more demanding productivity tasks, the extra battery life is worth it. Then pair it with SuperVOOC charging and you’ll experience virtually no downtime while using it.

While this may be a matter of personal preference – minimalists may prefer Pixel UI, while tech enthusiasts would prefer One UI – others who don’t care for either may prefer other options like OxygenOS. In general, users praise the OnePlus OS for its smooth animations and deeper customization options that aren’t buried in bloat. Some have even drawn parallels, noting that OxygenOS feels similar to iOS, especially with OxygenOS 16. But like many OS skins, it’s an acquired taste, as OxygenOS, while praised for its cleaner feel than One UI, is still criticized for having more bulk compared to what it was before – it’s worth mentioning that previous versions of OxygenOS were closer to stock Android in look/feel, but had underwent some changes after merging with Oppo’s ColorOS.

The new OxygenOS received a mixed reception among long-time fans, as the skin lost its simplicity and suffered from notification bugs/slowdowns like the others. But ultimately, they partially unbundled after receiving feedback, and OxygenOS is still getting some love now, as it still retains the visual, while providing a stable codebase that keeps the underlying software running longer.