Everyone expects Snapdragon 888 phones to crush benchmarks, but the leaked OnePlus 9 Pro score is doing the opposite: it’s making people nervous.
Instead of landing in the usual high 600K-to-low 700K range on AnTuTu like other Snapdragon 888 devices, this pre-release 9 Pro run came in at just over 660,000. That’s below some Snapdragon 870 phones. On paper, that sounds bad. In reality, it’s way too early to panic.
What the 660,000 AnTuTu Score Actually Means
According to Tech Maniacs, someone got their hands on a pre-release OnePlus 9 Pro and ran AnTuTu. The result: a bit north of 660,000 points. For context, Snapdragon 888 phones currently dominate AnTuTu’s charts, typically sitting in the low 700,000 or high 600,000 band.
On the same chart, the Redmi K40 with a Snapdragon 870 — essentially a tuned-up version of last year’s flagship silicon — averages around 668,000. That means this early 9 Pro unit is trailing a chip that’s technically a rung below the 888 in Qualcomm’s own lineup.
If you just look at raw numbers, that sounds like the OnePlus 9 Pro is underperforming. But this is pre-release hardware and software, and that matters more than most people think.
Pre-Release Software Is Usually a Mess
Pre-launch firmware is notorious for unstable performance. OEMs often have unfinished thermal profiles, unoptimized GPU drivers, and conservative performance limits in place while they iron out bugs. All of that can drag down synthetic benchmarks.
That’s exactly why this single 660K score shouldn’t be treated as a final verdict. OnePlus still has time between this test and retail units shipping to tweak CPU and GPU scheduling, adjust how aggressively the phone allows the Snapdragon 888 to boost, and balance performance with thermals. We’ve seen similar stories before: devices that benchmark low in early leaks and then jump significantly in final software.
So yes, if retail OnePlus 9 Pro units end up stuck around 660K while rival 888 phones hold a clear lead, that’s a problem. But until we see widespread results from shipping hardware, this is more curiosity than crisis.
“Gaming-Grade” Cooling and That 41ºC Temperature
OnePlus has already talked up the 9 Pro’s so-called 5-layer “gaming-grade” cooling system. Marketing label aside, the only concrete datapoint here is the temperature reported during that leaked AnTuTu run: around 41ºC.
If accurate, 41ºC under a full synthetic load is actually encouraging. It suggests the phone may be prioritizing sustained, cooler performance rather than chasing the absolute highest peak score. Many brands let their 888 phones spike hard in benchmarks, hit higher scores, and then quickly throttle back as temperatures climb.
OnePlus seems to be pitching this cooling solution as a way to keep the Snapdragon 888 under control. If that strategy trades 3–5% in synthetic score for better long-session gaming stability and lower skin temperatures, most users will never notice the benchmark hit in real life.
Of course, that’s the optimistic read. The more skeptical angle is that the chip just isn’t being pushed as hard as competitors are pushing theirs, either by design or due to unfinished tuning. Until we can test sustained performance and real-game behavior, we’re guessing.
Snapdragon 888 Expectations vs Reality
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 sets a high bar. Other phones with the same chip are already hitting high 600K or low 700K scores on AnTuTu, and that creates an expectation: any 888 phone that doesn’t match those numbers looks weak on a spec sheet.
But synthetic benchmarks don’t always translate 1:1 to the experience you feel. The difference between 660K and, say, 700K is noticeable in charts, but it’s rarely night-and-day in daily use. App launches, UI smoothness, and most games are already well within “fast enough” territory across modern flagships.
Where the gap can show up is in the demanding edge cases: long 3D gaming sessions, heavy sustained workloads, or when a phone gets hot and throttles hard. That’s why that 41ºC reading and the focus on a 5-layer cooling system are interesting. If OnePlus nails sustained performance, a slightly lower peak score is a decent trade.
Still, buyers shopping in the Snapdragon 888 flagship space expect parity, not excuses. OnePlus has marketed its phones as performance-first for years. If the 9 Pro ships consistently trailing an 870 device in benchmarks, that’s going to raise eyebrows among enthusiasts who care about raw numbers.
Hasselblad Camera Samples: Hype or Real Progress?
Benchmarks aside, OnePlus is clearly trying to shift the 9 series conversation to cameras. The company shared more official photos from the new Hasselblad-branded setup on the 9 series, following up on an earlier batch.
We don’t have pixel-level analysis here, but the move itself is telling. When a brand partners with a camera name like Hasselblad, it’s signaling that photography is a core focus, not an afterthought. OnePlus needs that: in previous generations, it usually lagged behind Samsung and Google in consistent image quality.
The samples OnePlus posted are meant to sell that narrative — better color science, improved dynamic range, and a more polished look straight out of the camera. Without original files or side-by-side comparisons, it’s too early to say whether this is genuine progress or just carefully curated promo content.
Still, the fact that OnePlus is comfortable putting these shots out ahead of launch suggests a certain level of confidence. They want you thinking “Hasselblad” when you hear OnePlus 9, not “slightly cheaper flagship with okay cameras.”
Waiting for Real-World Verdicts
Here’s where things stand, stripped of the spin:
- OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro are confirmed to run Snapdragon 888.
- The 9 Pro has a 5-layer “gaming-grade” cooling system.
- A pre-release AnTuTu run shows just over 660K — lower than some other 888 phones and even a Snapdragon 870 device like the Redmi K40.
- The temperature during that run was around 41ºC, which hints at conservative tuning or effective cooling.
- OnePlus is heavily pushing Hasselblad co-branded cameras and has shared multiple official photo samples.
Taken together, this paints a cautiously promising picture. The raw benchmark number is underwhelming in isolation, but the thermal behavior is promising and the camera messaging is strong. The real question is whether the final retail firmware can close the performance gap without turning the phone into a hand warmer.
Until the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro are fully unveiled and reviewed with retail hardware, any panic or praise is premature. The Snapdragon 888 is clearly capable. Now it’s on OnePlus to show whether their tuning — and that “gaming-grade” cooling — can deliver where it counts: consistent speed, manageable heat, and camera performance that finally matches their flagship ambitions.
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