The OnePlus 7 Pro is a fantastic device that deserves a ton of praise but right out of the box it lacks a few things here and there — including some key accessories.
We’ve collated a few bits and pieces that round off arguably one of the best value smartphones of 2019 to enhance your enjoyment or simply just get you started. This starter kit addresses a few areas that you might feel the OnePlus 7 Pro needs a little protection or just some neat little extra accessories that round out the entire experience.
Considering that the next-generation ‘Flagship Killer’ has morphed into a flagship of its own, there are still a few compromises. Not least in the battery and port sections, so here is our OnePlus 7 Pro accessories starter kit to ensure that you get the most from your brand new device.
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OnePlus 7 Pro Bumper Case
Laser cut to precision and with that neat fabric soft touch feeling, there is no wonder the Official OnePlus 7 Pro case in nylon is one of the best made for the device — at least in my opinion. Yes, there are cheaper options but there is something about an official phone case that makes it that little bit more special.
I can also vouch for the protection that this case actually offers having dropped my phone down some steps after slipping in the rain. It managed to protect the edges of my phone, meaning no expensive repair bills. An alternative to this case would be from MoKo, who offers a replica option for under $10. If you want the real deal though, you’re only able to pick it up from OnePlus directly at a pretty steep $35.
Spigen Essential F706C 5000mAh Power Bank
As fantastic as the OnePlus 7 Pro is, even after the updates that have rolled out to OxygenOS, I still can’t quite trust the battery to last me through an extended work day. I decided to pick up a small, compact power bank that could give my 7 Pro just enough juice to see me through a long day.
The Spigen Essential F706C is the perfect companion as it’s really compact and has a 5,000mAh capacity — enough to give just over one full charge of the OnePlus 7 Pro. My biggest problem is that I picked up the wrong model, as the main output connection is micro USB, Spigen has a nifty hidden attachment that converts the micro USB connection to USB-C. I made the mistake of picking up the model with a Lightning connection but luckily I do have plenty of micro USB to USB-C dongles lying around.
There is also a USB-A port if you want to charge multiple devices but don’t go in expecting blazing speeds. This power bank only has a 5V output, so it’s trickle charging at best. You can forgive it though thanks to the form factor and pricing, which comes in at under $15.
Xiaomi Redmi AirDots
It would be easy to recommend the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 as arguably one of the go-to audio accessories for your OnePlus 7 Pro but at $99 they aren’t the cheapest Bluetooth buds. It is still a shame that we saw the headphone port fully killed off with last years OnePlus 6T, especially as we are led to believe that OnePlus devices supposedly ‘Never Settle’.
The Xiaomi Redmi AirDots are definitely cheap but they are not terrible by any means. I picked them up as a backup pair of Bluetooth buds to my personal choice the Samsung Galaxy Buds, and despite a few minor issues — like micro USB charging and the weird earbud sync method — they are pretty decent for under $30 on Amazon.
For me, the sound is exceptional given the form factor and the pricing when compared to rival offerings that cost up to triple. Yes, if you spend more, you do get more but as a quick starter pair of buds that you can just throw into a bag and sort of forget about in-between charges, they are awesome. Plus you can get three pairs for the price of one pair of Bullets Wireless.
OnePlus headphone adapter
This is a toss-up, as luckily for users, no OnePlus device requires a USB-C to headphone adapter with a DAC built in. That isn’t how it works with the Google Pixel 3 and the Apple iPad. Those devices require a USB-C to headphone adapter that has a DAC built right into the cable. Which means you might not be able to use the same converter across multiple devices.
It does, however, mean that you can use the Pixel 3.5mm adapter across a multitude of devices but you can’t use the OnePlus adapter on the Pixel and Apple products. It’s a massively confusing and frustrating part of the shift from headphone port to solely USB-C audio — and one where there are genuinely multiple solutions.
I can’t claim to know all of the intricate details of why this is the case but the guys over at PC Worldhave an exceptional article explaining why this is the case for USB-C audio dongles. All this boils down to is that because the audio cable required for OnePlus devices is passive, you can just pick up any USB-C to headphone adapter and get crystal clear audio.
My personal preference is the official OnePlus dongle, if only due to the red and white color scheme. That said, there are plenty of other cheaper options; including replicas with the exact same color scheme and audio experience for under $8. I have even picked up a generic cable though for $3 on eBay to use in my car exclusively and it works just fine.
Whitestone Dome Glass
Now you probably might be aware that most OnePlus devices come with a screen protector already applied. The plastic option that comes pre-installed isn’t exactly comprehensive and I see it as more of a temporary bit of protection. I say temporary as the soft plastic does manage to take all of the scuffs, dings, and scrapes rather than your display.
Whitestone has become one of the go-to high end tempered glass screen protection options on the market for a number of reasons. The process is not the most straightforward at first, as you do need to follow quite a lengthy procedure to get the screen protector on.
Once applied and set though, the Whitestone Dome Glass for the OnePlus 7 Pro is arguably one of the best accessories out there despite the high price-tag. The tempered glass screen protector isn’t actually available right now but pre-orders are open for a late June launch starting at $45.
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