vivo NEX 3S 5G vs OnePlus 8 Pro: A Detailed Comparison of 2020 Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the more well-rounded choice. While both phones share the same Snapdragon 865 chipset, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s superior battery endurance, more versatile camera system, and wider availability make it the more practical and reliable flagship.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo NEX 3S 5G | OnePlus 8 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 20, 25, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 78 SA/NSA - IN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 10. Released 2020, March 14 | 2020, April 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, April 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 167.4 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm (6.59 x 3.00 x 0.37 in) | 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 219.5 g (7.76 oz) | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2256 pixels (~363 ppi density) | 1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.89 inches, 119.3 cm2 (~93.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10+ | Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, Funtouch 10.0 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.4, (Color filter camera) |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | 30W wired, 50% in 23 min 30W wireless, 50% in 30 min 3W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Orange | Glacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black |
| Models | V1950A | IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025 |
| Price | About 630 EUR | About 310 EUR |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 428.39 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 853.51 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 486.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 103h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 573276 (v8) GeekBench: 3374 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo NEX 3S 5G
- Waterfall display offers an immersive visual experience.
- 44W wired charging is exceptionally fast.
- Unique and eye-catching design.
- Potentially limited availability.
- Battery life likely inferior to OnePlus 8 Pro.
- Camera system less versatile than OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus 8 Pro
- Excellent battery life (103h endurance rating).
- Versatile camera system with ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
- Fast wired and wireless charging options.
- Less visually striking display compared to NEX 3S 5G.
- Software can be divisive for some users.
- Price point higher than some competitors at launch.
Display Comparison
Both the vivo NEX 3S 5G and OnePlus 8 Pro boast displays with an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, indicating excellent black levels. However, the NEX 3S 5G’s defining feature is its waterfall display, offering a more immersive visual experience, though potentially prone to accidental touches. The OnePlus 8 Pro, while lacking the extreme curvature, benefits from a 120Hz refresh rate (not specified for the NEX 3S 5G), resulting in smoother scrolling and animations. This higher refresh rate, combined with likely superior color calibration, gives the OnePlus 8 Pro an edge for media consumption and gaming.
Camera Comparison
The OnePlus 8 Pro’s camera system is significantly more versatile. While both phones feature capable cameras, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s inclusion of an ultrawide lens with a large sensor and a dedicated telephoto lens provides greater flexibility in shooting scenarios. The NEX 3S 5G’s camera capabilities are less detailed in the provided data, but it’s reasonable to assume it focuses on a primary and ultrawide setup. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s image processing, known for its natural color reproduction and dynamic range, further enhances its photographic capabilities. The NEX 3S 5G’s camera is likely competent, but lacks the breadth of features and refinement of the OnePlus 8 Pro.
Performance
Both devices are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+), featuring an identical CPU configuration: an octa-core setup with 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. Therefore, raw processing power is virtually identical. The performance difference will likely come down to thermal management and RAM speed. While both likely utilize LPDDR5 RAM, OnePlus’s reputation for optimized software and cooling solutions suggests it may sustain peak performance for longer periods during demanding tasks like prolonged gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 Pro holds a clear advantage in battery endurance, boasting a 103-hour endurance rating. While the NEX 3S 5G’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s rating suggests a larger battery and/or more efficient power management. The NEX 3S 5G compensates with 44W wired charging, faster than the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 30W wired charging (50% in 23 minutes). However, the OnePlus 8 Pro offers the convenience of 30W wireless charging (50% in 30 minutes) and 3W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the NEX 3S 5G. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s combination of longevity and versatile charging options makes it the more practical choice.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo NEX 3S 5G if you prioritize a truly immersive, nearly bezel-less display and the fastest possible wired charging speeds. This phone is for users who want a statement piece and don't mind potentially limited availability. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you value a consistently excellent camera experience, long-lasting battery life, and a polished software experience with guaranteed updates. It’s the better choice for power users and those seeking a dependable daily driver.