Skip to main content

New sandstone white OnePlus 5T is so pure, it’ll make your heart ache

Fans of colourful phones were disappointed when OnePlus launched the one-color-only midnight black OnePlus 5T, and then disappointed again when they discovered the lava red and Star Wars special edition OnePlus 5T phones were sold only outside the United States and the United Kingdom. OnePlus hasn’t forgotten about us, though. Our limited version of the OnePlus 5T is now here, and it’s very special indeed. It comes in sandstone white, mixing the unique tactile texture anyone familiar with the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2 will recall fondly, with the crisp, pure white color of the company’s first phone.

White was once a must-have smartphone color, but has recently fallen from grace, with manufacturers choosing gold, black, and some considerably brighter hues to make devices stand out. Seeing the OnePlus 5T in sandstone white reminds us why this is a shame. It’s a beauty. OnePlus says it’s the most expensive finish it has ever made, which is quite an achievement considering it has used ceramic on the OnePlus X in the past. It’s also a laborious process. There are four stages — aprimer, a white masking layer, sandblasting, and a UV layer for improved tactility — which adds 75 minutes to the time it takes to make each sandstone white OnePlus 5T.

Recommended Videos
OnePlus 5T White
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The result? A pure white smartphone that feels more like subtly polished stone than sandpaper. This is a good thing. You could practically rub down painted walls with the back of the OnePlus 2, and while there is a texture to the sandstone white, it’s much less abrasive, providing grip, comfort, and a sleek new look. It’s less slippery than the midnight black model, and we didn’t feel the need to put it in a case. We have a feeling the white back could get grubby over time, however.

Giving it a matte finish was a great decision, as was putting a thin sliver of chrome around the fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone. It now looks like part of the phone, unlike its appearance on the midnight black model. OnePlus has added a splash of color by treating the alert slider to an aluminum polishing process, giving it a sparkling red finish.

Otherwise, the sandstone white OnePlus 5T is the same as the midnight black model. It only comes in the 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage configuration, and costs the same at $560 or 500 British pounds. It’s a limited model, and OnePlus says it’ll only be available while stocks last. Our phone came with Android 7.1.1 and the October 2017 Android security update, plus the latest  stable version of OnePlus’s OxygenOS. This is version 4.7.4 and includes alterations to the camera app, and improvements to the face unlock feature.

If you haven’t already bought a OnePlus 5T — and it’s a phone we highly recommend — the sandstone white version is the one to buy right now. The OnePlus 5T sandstone white can be purchased from OnePlus’s website from January 10.

Andy Boxall
Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.
Your OnePlus 13 case comes with something odd you shouldn’t throw away
The wireless charging insert that comes with the OnePlus 13's case.

If you buy an official case for your OnePlus 13, you’ll find something unexpected in the box. It’s a sliver of flexible plastic, shaped like something you hang on a hotel room door when you don’t want the maid to come in, and although your first instinct will be to throw it away with the rest of the packaging, don’t do it.

You may end up needing it.
What does it do?
The OnePlus 13 with Sandstone case and wireless charging insert Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
There may be yet another new OnePlus phone coming — and it’s small(ish)
A person holding the OnePlus 12.

OnePlus recently launched the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R globally, but rumors suggest it might have another phone up its sleeve. Leaks point to a smaller "OnePlus 13 Mini" on the horizon.

It was initially teased in December by Digital Chat Station, a reliable Chinese leaker. Specs for this compact powerhouse have now surfaced from the same contact (via Android Headlines). It is believed that the OnePlus 13 Mini could be a rebranded Oppo Find X8 Mini, a device that launched in China last year.

Read more
This is the OnePlus Open’s new red color, and it’s absolutely stunning
OnePlus Open Apex Edition Crimson Shadow red resting on a gray table.

"Wow, it really pops out," is what rang up in my head as I approached my desk where the new OnePlus Open's Apex Edition lay. Admittedly, this wasn't my first impression of the phone, and I only arrived a few hours after having fiddled with it, trying to inspect it for differences from the black variant I have been using since the launch last year. But given the spontaneity of the sensation, I took it as authentic. Perhaps that's what OnePlus aims with this phone: to make heads turn and eyes fixated.

The OnePlus Open is one of the finest foldables to buy in the U.S., other than the Samsung Galaxy Fold. It has better ergonomics than other sideways-opening foldables, and it is backed by superior Hasselblad cameras and faster wired charging. Most importantly, the OnePlus Open can be told apart by its design, which is primarily made of faux leather and a large, round camera module.

Read more