Both the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro use the Snapdragon 865 processor with the Adreno 650 GPU, with either 128 or 256 GB of non-expandable UFS 3.0 storage.

The 8 and 8 Pro are constructed similarly to previous OnePlus phones, using an anodized aluminum frame and curved Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back.

The 8's display is carried over from the 7T, a 6.55-inch (166.4 mm) 1080p screen with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 90 Hz refresh rate.

The 8 Pro's display has a 6.78-inch (172.2 mm) 1440p screen with a 19.8:9 aspect ratio and a 120 Hz refresh rate.

Biometric options include an optical (in-display) fingerprint scanner and facial recognition.

OnePlus states both phones will continue to receive software updates until April 2023.

There are four model OnePlus 8 Pro variants available depending on the country of intended use: IN2020 (China), IN2023 (Europe/Asia), IN2021 (India), and IN2025 (NA/USA).

[21] Jon Porter of The Verge remarked that the 8 was "a phone that absolutely delivers flagship Android performance" and called the display "bright, vibrant and buttery smooth", but the camera quality was inferior to the 8 Pro; Tom's Guide and CNET also noted the lack of optical zoom.

[22] The lack of wireless charging and water resistance were criticized, and the macro camera was panned for being of limited use.

[28] After pre-orders delivered, OnePlus 8 Pro owners reported issues with black crush, green and red tints, and image retention resembling display burn-in.

[30][31] In August 2020, users reported a dark bar appearing across the selfie camera.

In October 2020, users reported battery drain issues on the OnePlus 8 Pro after updating to OxygenOS 11.

[32] It was discovered that the 8 Pro's Color Filter camera can see through certain plastics, including clothing, producing an X-ray like effect.