OnePlus releases Lava Red OnePlus 5T for Valentine’s Day

As much as I love smartphones, I wouldn’t consider gifting one to be the most romantic gesture ever, though that isn’t stopping phone companies from pumping out special red editions for this year’s Valentine’s Day. After Huawei revealed a lush red Honor 7X earlier today, OnePlus is now unveiling a Lava Red OnePlus 5T. This is the same device that made its debut in China and India late last year, but now it’s coming to Europe and North America while supplies last.

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I’ve had one of these new red 5Ts in for testing for a few days, and it is unsurprisingly similar (read: identical, except for the color) to the original black phone that OnePlus launched in November. It’s still a very well-designed and engineered piece of hardware. However, in the time since the launch of the black 5T, OnePlus also released an additional Sandstone White edition, which I consider a major upgrade in terms of handling and ergonomics. The white OnePlus 5T has a much grippier texture on the back that makes it easier to handle without a case. Unfortunately, the red OnePlus 5T sticks to the same finish as the original and doesn’t re-create the Sandstone White’s desirable upgrade. The Sandstone White has since sold out with no plans for a reprise.

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