OnePlus Announces the OnePlus 6T
by Andrei Frumusanu on October 29, 2018 2:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
- OnePlus
- OnePlus 6T
Today OnePlus has revealed its half-generation refresh for 2018: The OnePlus 6T. This summer we thoroughly reviewed the OnePlus 6 and I was extremely impressed – ending up as being one of the best smartphones this year.
The OnePlus 6T is an iterative update to the OnePlus 6, as such, there’s a lot of similarities between the new and former models:
| OnePlus 6 | OnePlus 6T | |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 4x Kryo 385 Gold @ up to 2.80 GHz 4x Kryo 385 Silver @ up to 1.77 GHz Adreno 630 @ up to 710 MHz |
|
| Display | 6.28-inch 2280x1080 (19:9) AMOLED |
6.41-inch 2340x1080 (19.5:9) AMOLED |
| Dimensions | 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8 mm 177 grams |
157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm 185 grams |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB / 8GB LPDDR4x | 6GB / 8GB LPDDR4x |
| NAND | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Battery | 3300mAh (12.7Wh) | 3700mAh (14.24Wh) |
| Front Camera | 16MP Sony IMX371, f/2.0, EIS |
|
| Primary Rear Camera | 16MP Sony IMX519 1.22µm pixels, f/1.7, OIS |
|
| Secondary Rear Camera | 20MP Sony IMX376K, 1.0µm pixels, f/1.7 Low-light & Depth |
|
| SIM Size | 2x NanoSIM | |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac 2x2 WiFi BT 5.0, NFC |
|
| Interfaces | USB 2.0 Type-C; 3.5mm audio | USB 2.0 Type-C |
| Launch OS | Android O (8.1) with OxygenOS 5.1 | Android P (9.0) with OxygenOS |
| MSRP Launch Price |
6GB/64GB: ¥3199 / $529 / €519 8GB/128GB: ¥3599 / $579 / €569 8GB/256GB: ¥3999 / $629 / €619 |
6GB/128GB: $549 / £499 / €549 8GB/128GB: $579 / £529 / €579 8GB/256GB: $629 / £579 / €629 |
The OnePlus 6T is still powered by the Snapdragon 845; The OP6 ended up being as one of the fastest devices of the year thanks to OnePlus’ and Qualcomm’s software stack.
OnePlus promises continued excellent performance, and now introduces “Smart Boost”, which seems to be a new RAM file caching system that is currently advertised to work with gaming applications primarily.
In terms of design, the biggest changes of the OnePlus 6T is a redesign of the screen notch. The OnePlus 6T sports a much narrower “teardrop” style notch that houses just the front-facing camera, with the earpiece and sensors being relegated above it now.
The screen is still an AMOLED panel at FHD+ resolution, but OnePlus stretches it from a 19:9 to a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, mostly thanks to a reduction of the bottom chin bezel.
The back of the phone remains largely the same, with the big difference being that there’s no more fingerprint sensor. The OnePlus 6T now sports an under-screen fingerprint sensor on the front, and OnePlus claims it’s the fastest in the industry in terms of unlocking speed.
On the camera side of things, there are no hardware changes, however OnePlus is introducing a new software mode called “Nightscape” that promises to work similarly to Huawei’s night mode or Google’s more recent “night sight”, addressing one of the bigger weaknesses of the OnePlus 6’s camera setup. A positive for current OnePlus 6 owners is that the new mode will also be backported to their devices via a software update.
Settling on no 3.5mm headphone jack
OnePlus notoriously didn’t address this at all in the launch event: The new OP6T no longer offers a 3.5mm headphone jack. While it’s arguable that some of the increased battery capacity, which is now 12% bigger at 3700mAh might have come from a changed internal design, I think it’s more likely due to the 0.4mm thicker design of the new OP6T. The fact that OnePlus doesn’t mention the headphone jack removal in any PR material might indicate they’re possibly aware it’s a mistake that could backfire. Personally I just can’t comprehend why companies are doing this as it’s a very big degradation of device experience with absolutely no benefits.
US availability through T-Mobile
The bigger news about the OnePlus 6T isn’t really the device itself, but the fact that OnePlus now is officially launching the phone in the US, partnering with T-Mobile. Price wise, the OnePlus 6T is just a tad more expensive for its basic model, which is now at a minimum of 128GB, with equal pricing for the higher tier models.
Overall, the OnePlus 6T is a good iterative update. To me personally the OnePlus 6 was a star phone for 2018; the fact that the 6T compromised on the headphone jack is going to have some people want to avoid it. I do look forward to the new “nightscape” camera mode, as computational photography becomes ever more important in the smartphone space.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
35 Comments
View All Comments
Impulses - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
You wrote that whole diatribe and didn't realize PeachNCream was being mega sarcastic? Okay then...Impulses - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
What are the odds that OP ever makes another small(er) phone? I love what they've been doing for years but one-handed use is a big priority for me... Seems like there's all these great midrange and high value quasi-flagships at 6"+, but not so much at <5.5" (let alone closer to 5"). I'd love to throw my money at them if they made something smaller!I don't even care about the headphone jack tbh, I'd rather have it than not, but it isn't a deal breaker since I use BT most of the time on the go (and some dongles sound better w/my IEM than many of the built in jacks with higher output impedance). When my OG Pixel started acting up, I ended up with a Pixel 3 despite the price hike... Only other small-ish phone that really tempted me was the ZX2 Compact.
There's gotta be more of a market for smaller Android phones with high end specs...
abufrejoval - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
One handed use most likely means you're using the phone when you should be driving instead of killing others: Chinese women have even smaller hands and no issues using bigger phones, so you're just holding it wrong.Get a grip! Best of the steering wheel...
patel21 - Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - link
I am also a sucker for 18:9 ratio 5.5" phones without any bezel. And no driving isn't the only scenario where you use the phone single handed-ly, I use it while eating. So if Oneplus creates such phone, I would be all in. Or if Sony prices their Compact series competitively.nicolaim - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
Error in the table "6GB / 8GB / 8GB LPDDR4x".I agree with Impulses that a smaller phone would be good.
I wouldn't buy a phone without a headphone jack.
abufrejoval - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
Only the tragic loss of my OP5 could make me consider this one: It's quite simply fast enough, and lasts long enough on 3000mAh.Only a decent docking station with support for wired Ethernet and lagless 1920x1080 or better external monitor support and SATA SSD compatible storage bandwidth could otherwise bring about decisive change of mind.
Alas those features have been boykotted since the dawn of the very personal computer aka smartphone.
Here to an industry that evidently wants to die with design and bragging rights over utility: Make do without my €€€!
Quantumz0d - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
"Personally I just can’t comprehend why companies are doing this as it’s a very big degradation of device experience with absolutely no benefits"It's really simple - Look at the link below and see how the marketshare for Apple panned out and that's for 2016 and the 2017-2018 you can extrapolate or find it.
https://www.soundguys.com/was-ditching-the-headpho...
Staggering 49Cents/Dollar or every wireless headset.
So Apple created a problem with an expensive solution and the fuel to that is the ecosystem lockdown, people wanted a solution and they paid for it instead of voting with wallet (that never happens in Apple utopia). All the companies followed and creating their own ecosystems - Google is no 1 of the shameless bunch that blatantly blamed Apple and copied them next year, Made For Google with the same Dongle shop they are setting at google store, the latest twist was the wireless charging drama with proprietary certification MFG, just like MFi. It's just a disgrace to Android community.
Razer - Hammerhead, USB C priced very high, for that price I could get a very decent standard headset with more wear and tear lifetime.
Essential - $99 fancy looking USB C again with issues. Android Police has a review of them
Sony, their LDAC ads on the phone pages pointing to their wireless headset at 300+ USD, shame that they are HiFi game, but even there they are ripping off, the MDR EX1000 was put to rest on the incompetence of the XBA Z5 and A series and now the super unobtanium IER Z1R
Motorola - No idea what they are thinking but they have their Mods ecosystem which has battery+jack (Gimped battery in the phone)
HTC - Shot themselves in the balls, they were audio kinds until HTC 10 with undisclosed DAC which is praised a lot at HeadFi and other forums, their dongle is out of stock as well LOL.
One Plus - Bullets trash headset (Boomy very muddy) which is bloated and not working wiht other phones, thanks to Android Police for this info.
With all these solutions to the problem that they created are nowhere near to the Apple level of profit margins with Beats+ Airpods combined. These all OEMs are peasants looking and robbing people at pathetic levels of % margins, Google is shameless to the point of ridiculousness thanks to Notch.
Meanwhile Samsung has a Stylus pen with IP68 (Latest 1 grand iPhone got the rating at last) works underwater, has the fast wireless charging, SD Slot, best in class display, solid camera, top built, with stereo speakers and a headphone jack, Oh a battery bigger than this and camera which trashes this phone as well.
It's a shame that every company is looking to become Apple and shaft the consumers by ditching the standards, this phone is absolute joke. The Oppo R17 has a headphone jack + SD Slot with the same design since OP rehashes or recycles the same.
Add the stupid policy of the new updated Bootloader unlock page for this phone at https://unlockbootloader.oneplus.com/unlock_token
OnePlus is dead and Nexus mantle was assumed by OnePlus 3, one of a kind. T refresh with 1/2 year release shafting is absurd.
thesavvymage - Monday, October 29, 2018 - link
tl;dr to anybody that doesnt want to read this long, rambling comment:Apple took out the headphone jack to make more money and sell more bluetooth. SHOCKER
Many Android OEMs followed suit thinking they could do the same. They cant. Shocker.
People choosing to continue buying iPhones and Airpods/beats means they are being robbed, I guess Tim Cook put a gun to their head and said they must be happy with the decision. Newsflash: most people (myself included) dont care
imaheadcase - Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - link
Umm if only that had any truth. Andriod OEM's don't care about bluetooth, they make zero dollars unlike apple who sells them with phones.There is millions of awesome bluetooth headphones. People complain about no headphone jack just like to complain. Its like people complaining about a notch on a phone, no one really cares.
GreenReaper - Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - link
No jack also means no FM radio. For many, no great loss, except in emergencies; but it's a feature.But the key issue is that it's another thing to buy and charge (and lose battery capacity over time). Not only do you have to buy new headphones, you'll probably have to buy *another* set in a few years' time when the battery dies.
What's good for companies is often not good for you. Of course ultimately the market will decide. Maybe mid-to-low-end phones keep it, which is just fine by me as those are the ones I buy anyway.