OnePlus has updated its already outstanding flagship mobile phone, improving battery life, software and speed. It adds up to one of the most effective smartphones one the market now offered. Here’s our OnePlus 3T best smartphone 2017 review.
OnePlus is a company that doesn’t very like its reputation within the itinerant business as a plucky upstart. Yet that’s what it is, competing as it should with the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google for the crown of the best mobile phone within the world. The OnePlus 3, launched in Summer 2016, was a sublime mix of style and performance for over £300 however still, here’s our OnePlus 3T review. See also: best smartphone 2017.
So it’s odd that simply 5 months later OnePlus has over production of the explicit mobile, adhering to it’s saying of ‘never settle’ and discharged this upgraded version of the same phone, the OnePlus 3T. The company that prides itself on taking note of its fans’ reaction to its products has with boldness dared to update a mobile that folks have had for fewer than 0.5 a year. Will the move gain new fans while annoying existing ones, or both?
It’s hard not to compare this phone, when reviewing it, to the OnePlus 3. Since there are only five months between iterative updates to a high-end phone, we need to compare the two to totally understand reasons why.
Update 2 February 2017:
OnePlus has been caught cheating popular criteria such as Geekbench and GFXBench with its OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. XDA-Developers accuses OnePlus of having designed the processor to automatically switch into overdrive mode when a popular benchmark is detected (you can investigate full story here). OnePlus has confirmed the practice and apologised, stating that "In order to give users a better user experience in resource intensive apps and games, especially graphically intensive ones, we implemented certain accessories in the neighbourhood and Nougat builds to trigger the processor to run more aggressively. The trigger process for benchmarking apps will not be present in upcoming OxygenOS builds on the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. inches
For now, you can see our benchmark results below as accurate as they were run on OxygenOS before the changes were implemented. Also note that with the flagship-level hardware onboard both phones should be decent performers, and behaved therefore during real-world testing best smartphone 2017.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: PRICE AND WHERE TO BUY
The OnePlus 3T is available SIM-free and unlocked directly from OnePlus. Click here to view it – it’ll cost you £399 for the 64GB version and just £40 more for the £439 128GB version, which is now available to preorder. Both area unit presently offered in the bronze colour, which is slightly black than the carbon version of the OnePlus three.
The Soft Gold version is very fashionable too but is solely offered in 64GB.
In the UK you'll be able to get the OnePlus 3T from O2 on a 24-month contract deal, for both the 64GB or 128GB models. Keep in mind it’s only offered on O2’s Refresh tariff that enables you to upgrade your mobile additional frequently.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: DESIGN AND BUILD
Even the ‘s’ iterations of apple iPhones have as’ sealed on the back, but in this case, there's fully no style amendment from the OnePlus three to the OnePlus 3T. The only amendment is within the black colour choice, the greyish that on the raise is a bit black than the previous model. The forthcoming Soft Gold option is specifically similar and creatively indistinguishable from its five-month previous brother. This reinforces that OnePlus sees the 3T as a small tune for the road, hoping as it does to not frustrate loyal fans that shelled out for a three. The 3T it's good to grasp retains an extremely mean style, with build quality to rival any premium mobile phone maker within the land. It does what Apple has still unsuccessful in doing and created a five. 5in screen phone slim, svelte and operational with one hand (just).
Apparently carved out of one joint of space-grade aluminium alloy the OnePlus 3T measures 153 x 75 x 7. 4mm and weighs 158g. The frame of the mobile houses a power/lock button on the right edge, a USB-C port, speaker, microphone stand and 3. 5mm headphone jack on the bottom and a volume rocker and OnePlus’ excellent Alert Slider on the left, leaving the top edge flat, curved and smooth. With a front facing fingerprint code reader that utilises haptic feedback as opposed to a physical button, this is a phone that screams ‘use me’ from the second you take it out the box.
In that box, it also already features a screen defender pre-applied, handy if you want to use it with one. The only lines that break the dark gunmetal individuals review unit are the aerial lines and the OnePlus logo that sits beneath a 16Mp camera that protrudes ever so slightly from the outer shell. Front side facing camera sits next to the earpiece and is also an amazing 16Mp, something we’ll explore later.
At the launch event for the OnePlus 3T, co-founder Carl Pei explained that the company is always vying to do better; he used Apple’s design as a benchmark and the phone is one of the best-looking units on the market, rivalling the matte black iPhone 7 Plus in the looks department, which is no mean accomplishment. It does, however, remain slightly slippy, and is a phone that could be destroyed with one drop onto the tarmac. We recommend one of OnePlus’ subtle but grippy cases that fit both this and the older OnePlus 3.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: SPECS, HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
Much of the 3T's spec page remains the same as its predecessor but there are also some important renovations. Let's take a look.
OnePlus 3T screen.
Despite initial rumours, the OnePlus 3T has exactly the same display as the OnePlus 3. It’s a 5. 5in Optic AMOLED with Full HI-DEF (1920x1080) resolution and 401ppi. By a unique entry, OnePlus continues to ship a screen that recreates colours more vibrantly than most, but with the Oxygen OPERATING-SYSTEM skin of Robot that it runs this feels right; the mobile and feel of the software that the screen runs are right at home with the swallowing colours and bright whites.
There’s the option to calibrate the colours to your tastes, though, and this is one example of the granularity of Robot helping the OnePlus 3T more than most turn into a truly personal device.
OnePlus 3T processor, memory and storage
The OnePlus 3T’s renovations are mostly all internal, and while they’re all welcome, it took a good full week of use to see why it’s come to be. We’ve used the OnePlus 3 for a few months, so can draw decent comparisons – straight off, you need not upgrade for fear of missing out on processor power, speed or battery life if you own the older model best smartphone 2017.
Having said that the 3T is faster, yet only substantially so if you are really hammering it at full pelt. It joins the Google Pixel and Pixel XL in having Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 821 processor, the current best of mobile phone chips. While only the most graphically intensive games and busiest of multitasking days will make the 820 sweat, the 821 is faster on the OnePlus 3T. Going from the 3 to the 3T, the difference is noticeable if incredibly subtle.
In a full week of use, we experienced absolutely no lag, slow request changes or overheating. It is truly like using a desktop at some times and even has more RAM than some of those computers with 6GB on board. Pair that with Adreno 530 graphics and you have an obscenely powerful mobile phone in your pocket – alongside your fat wallet full of the money you’ve saved by choosing it.
Our criteria show the OnePlus 3T runs equally with the best smartphones one the market out there, though remember these criteria don’t represent real-world use. The phones in this graph are the absolute best you can get right now, and broadly all perform to the same unbeatable standards.
The OnePlus 3T is available with 64GB of internal storage, but bear in mind there’s no Sd card slot machine. The fact you simply have to be compelled to pay £30 additional to urge notable 128GB shows you that Apple charging £100 additional for that jump in storage for the iPhone seven is unnecessarily high. For most, spending that additional cash is well worthwhile.
OnePlus 3T fingerprint code reader and other specs
The fingerprint code reader is on the front bottom face of the device, which is still where these sensors work best, despite Sony while using the side and Huawei among others the spine. The button is non-moving and provides the perfect level of feedback when unlocking the device or using a compatible request like Robot Pay to verify your identity. Unlike the iPhone 7, it doesn’t feel like the whole phone is clicking down – it’s way better here.
Tapping the same sensor acts as a home button and is so good that whenever we try phones with physical buttons it feels wrong. The best devices change our habits for the good, and the OnePlus 3T has the best fingerprint sensor/home button combo of any current mobile phone on the market.
OnePlus 3T battery life best smartphone 2017.
The non-removable battery clocks in at 3, 400mAh, a improve from the 3, 000 of the OnePlus 3. The internals are exactly the same dimensions but the battery is denser, hence the increase. In general use, the phone will last a full daytime which is about average. We left the house most days at 8 am with 100%, and by the time we rolled in from look at about 6. 30 pm the OnePlus 3T had about 30% left in the fish tank.
This has been with all the device as our primary email sender and using apps like Slack, Spotify, Pocket, WhatsApp, train timetable apps, GPS battery-drainers like Google Maps and several others throughout the day. The battery percentage chugs down at the expected rate, and we didn’t experience any dramatic unexpected fall-off.
On one particularly busy Google Maps outing in Barcelona despite if 12 hours on the go the battery was sitting at 15%, and that was with the phone used to navigate, take photos and video and more besides. Obviously, it depends on what you’re doing on the device, but for all but the most intensive users, the OnePlus 3T will last the whole day no questions asked and lighter users should be able to get a decent portion into a second day with the 3T.
Included in the box is OnePlus’ Sprinkle Charger. The packet and cable, only when used together (important to note this point) charge the device to 60 percent in a half-hour. This is OnePlus’ claim, and it rings true – Sprinkle Charge is extremely good. It means you need not charge your 3T overnight, instead of giving it a quick boost when you get up in the morning. There's also a Sprinkle Charger for your car in the shop.
By Henry Burrell | 10 Feb. 18
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW
OnePlus is a company that doesn’t much like its reputation in the mobile phone business as a plucky upstart. Yet that’s what it is, competing as it must with the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google for the crown of the best mobile phone in the world. The OnePlus 3, launched in Summer 2016, was a sublime blend of design and performance for over £300 but nevertheless, here’s our OnePlus 3T review. See also: Best phones 2017.
So it’s odd that just five months later OnePlus has ended production of the particular mobile, adhering to it’s saying of ‘never settle’ and released this upgraded version of the same phone, the OnePlus 3T. The company that prides itself on listening to its fans’ reaction to its products has boldly dared to update a mobile that people have had for less than half a year. Will the move gain new fans while annoying existing ones, or both?
It’s hard not to compare this phone, when reviewing it, to the OnePlus 3. Since there are only five months between iterative updates to a high-end phone, we need to compare the two to totally understand reasons why.
Update 2 February 2017: OnePlus has been caught cheating popular criteria such as Geekbench and GFXBench with its OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. XDA-Developers accuses OnePlus of having designed the processor to automatically switch into overdrive mode when a popular benchmark is detected (you can investigate full story here). OnePlus has confirmed the practice and apologised, stating that "In order to give users a better user experience in resource intensive apps and games, especially graphically intensive ones, we implemented certain accessories in the neighbourhood and Nougat builds to trigger the processor to run more aggressively. The trigger process for benchmarking apps will not be present in upcoming OxygenOS builds on the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. inches
For now, you can see our benchmark results below as accurate as they were run on OxygenOS before the changes were implemented. Also note that with the flagship-level hardware onboard both phones should be decent performers, and behaved therefore during real-world testing.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: PRICE AND WHERE TO BUY
The OnePlus 3T is available SIM-free and unlocked directly from OnePlus. Click here to view it – it’ll cost you £399 for the 64GB version and just £40 more for the £439 128GB version, which is now available to preorder. Both are currently available in the Gunmetal colour, which is slightly black than the Graphite version of the OnePlus 3.
The Soft Gold version is very fashionable too but is only available in 64GB.
In the UK, you can get the OnePlus 3T from O2 on a 24-month contract deal, for both the 64GB or 128GB models. Keep in mind it’s only available on O2’s Refresh tariff that allows you to upgrade your mobile more regularly.
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ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: DESIGN AND BUILD
Even the ‘s’ iterations of apple iPhones have as’ stamped on the back, but in this case, there is absolutely no design change from the OnePlus 3 to the OnePlus 3T. The only change is the black colour option, the greyish that on the raise is a touch black than the old model. The forthcoming Soft Gold option is exactly the same, and creatively indistinguishable from its five-month-old brother.
This reinforces that OnePlus sees the 3T as a small tune for the line, hoping as it does to not frustrate loyal fans that shelled out for a 3. The 3T it's good to know retains a highly skilled design, with build quality to rival any premium mobile phone maker in the land. It does what Apple has still failed to do and made a 5. 5in screen phone slim, svelte and operational with one hand (just).
Apparently carved out of one joint of space-grade aluminium alloy the OnePlus 3T measures 153 x 75 x 7. 4mm and weighs 158g. The frame of the mobile houses a power/lock button on the right edge, a USB-C port, speaker, microphone stand and 3. 5mm headphone jack on the bottom and a volume rocker and OnePlus’ excellent Alert Slider on the left, leaving the top edge flat, curved and smooth. With a front facing fingerprint code reader that utilises haptic feedback as opposed to a physical button, this is a phone that screams ‘use me’ from the second you take it out the box.
In that box, it also already features a screen defender pre-applied, handy if you want to use it with one. The only lines that break the dark gunmetal individuals review unit are the aerial lines and the OnePlus logo that sits beneath a 16Mp camera that protrudes ever so slightly from the outer shell. Front side facing camera sits next to the earpiece and is also an amazing 16Mp, something we’ll explore later.
 |
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: SPECS, HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
Much of the 3T's spec page remains the same as its predecessor but there are also some important renovations. Let's take a look.
OnePlus 3T screen
Despite initial rumours, the OnePlus 3T has exactly the same display as the OnePlus 3. It’s a 5. 5in Optic AMOLED with Full HI-DEF (1920x1080) resolution and 401ppi. By a unique entry, OnePlus continues to ship a screen that recreates colours more vibrantly than most, but with the Oxygen OPERATING-SYSTEM skin of Robot that it runs this feels right; the mobile and feel of the software that the screen runs are right at home with the swallowing colours and bright whites.
There’s the option to calibrate the colours to your tastes, though, and this is one example of the granularity of Robot helping the OnePlus 3T more than most turn into a truly personal device.
OnePlus 3T processor, memory and storage
The OnePlus 3T’s renovations are mostly all internal, and while they’re all welcome, it took a good full week of use to see why it’s come to be. We’ve used the OnePlus 3 for a few months, so can draw decent comparisons – straight off, you need not upgrade for fear of missing out on processor power, speed or battery life if you own the older model best smartphone 2017.
Having said that the 3T is faster, yet only substantially so if you are really hammering it at full pelt. It joins the Google Pixel and Pixel XL in having Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 821 processor, the current best of mobile phone chips. While only the most graphically intensive games and busiest of multitasking days will make the 820 sweat, the 821 is faster on the OnePlus 3T. Going from the 3 to the 3T, the difference is noticeable if incredibly subtle.
In a full week of use, we experienced absolutely no lag, slow request changes or overheating. It is truly like using a desktop at some times and even has more RAM than some of those computers with 6GB on board. Pair that with Adreno 530 graphics and you have an obscenely powerful mobile phone in your pocket – alongside your fat wallet full of the money you’ve saved by choosing it.
Our criteria show the OnePlus 3T runs equally with the best smartphones one the market out there, though remember these criteria don’t represent real-world use. The phones in this graph are the absolute best you can get right now, and broadly all perform to the same unbeatable standards.
The OnePlus 3T is available with 64GB of internal storage, but bear in mind there’s no Sd card slot machine. The fact you just need to spend £30 more to get a notable 128GB shows you that Apple charging £100 more for that jump in storage for the iPhone 7 is unnecessarily high. For most, spending that more money will be well worth it.
OnePlus 3T fingerprint code reader and other specs
The fingerprint code reader is on the front bottom face of the device, which is still where these sensors work best, despite Sony while using the side and Huawei among others the spine. The button is non-moving and provides the perfect level of feedback when unlocking the device or using a compatible request like Robot Pay to verify your identity. Unlike the iPhone 7, it doesn’t feel like the whole phone is clicking down – it’s way better here.
Tapping the same sensor acts as a home button and is so good that whenever we try phones with physical buttons it feels wrong. The best devices change our habits for the good, and the OnePlus 3T has the best fingerprint sensor/home button combo of any current mobile phone on the market.
OnePlus 3T battery life
The non-removable battery clocks in at 3, 400mAh, a improve from the 3, 000 of the OnePlus 3. The internals are exactly the same dimensions but the battery is denser, hence the increase. In general use, the phone will last a full daytime which is about average. We left the house most days at 8 am with 100%, and by the time we rolled in from look at about 6. 30 pm the OnePlus 3T had about 30% left in the fish tank.
This has been with all the device as our primary email sender and using apps like Slack, Spotify, Pocket, WhatsApp, train timetable apps, GPS battery-drainers like Google Maps and several others throughout the day. The battery percentage chugs down at the expected rate, and we didn’t experience any dramatic unexpected fall-off.
On one particularly busy Google Maps outing in Barcelona despite if 12 hours on the go the battery was sitting at 15%, and that was with the phone used to navigate, take photos and video and more besides. Obviously, it depends on what you’re doing on the device, but for all but the most intensive users, the OnePlus 3T will last the whole day no questions asked and lighter users should be able to get a decent portion into a second day with the 3T.
Included in the box is OnePlus’ Sprinkle Charger. The packet and cable, only when used together (important to note this point) charge the device to 60 percent in a half-hour. This is OnePlus’ claim, and it rings true – Sprinkle Charge is extremely good. It means you need not charge your 3T overnight, instead of giving it a quick boost when you get up in the morning. There's also a Sprinkle Charger for your car in the shop.
Not only does this encourage a means to charge your phone (sometimes lithium-ion batteries decline with overnight overcharging) while allowing you to top up very quickly, but also more importantly means you won’t panic about running out of juice for all but the most phone-focussed of days – and that is something that every mobile phone user wants, bar none.
The slight downside is that this fast charging only works together with the included combo of plug and cable. Any other USB-C cable will charge it, but at a slower rate. OnePlus sells the Sprinkle Power Bundle for £27. 53.
OnePlus 3T cameras
The slim outer shell of the 3T means the camera protrudes slightly. This is a satisfactory pay-off for what is a wonderful sensor: a 16Mp lens with f/2. 0 aperture and a LED flash. It’s also capable of shooting video at 4K resolution or 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second. We used the camera extensively in Barcelona, and the results were breathtaking.
The panorama mode sewed together a mountain view exceptionally well, giving full detail to the scene. A football match in gloomy weather was modelled well with no blur and in a low-lit church, the camera modelled colour and shadow to a top-notch level.
The front-facing 16Mp camera is an upgrade on the 8Mp of the OnePlus 3, and is one of the highest resolution selfie cameras on the market, matching as it does the megapixel count of the raise one. It’s a notable upgrade, but one that only the most die-hard of selfie fans will notice. However, it did improve products you can video calling considerably, and will benefit those into Snapchat stories and similar services.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: SOFTWARE
Refreshingly the software update that the OnePlus 3T cruises with changes the user experience in all the right ways to represent a clean, intuitive and pleasant to use Robot version that is every bit as good as Google’s own version. By basing its Robot skin Oxygen OPERATING-SYSTEM closely to stock Robot Marshmallow 6. 0, OnePlus has been able to make small tweaks that don’t completely change the way we used the device, but enough to notice positive improvements day to day.
An update to Robot 7. 0 Nougat began going out for the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T at the end of 12,, ahead of many of its challenges. Note that we have reviewed this phone running Marshmallow, not Nougat.
Oxygen OPERATING-SYSTEM 3. 5. 1 is the new version when compared to the 3. 2. 7 we had installed on the older OnePlus 3 at the time of writing. Nevermind the decimals, here are the differences. Menus, in settings, for example, look cleaner with no lines between options, a neater top bar and a bluer default font from the green of the 3. To be honest, they are minor changes, like the layout of the notification bar that you pull down from the top of the screen. In the comparison pictures below you can see the changes (OnePlus 3 on the left, OnePlus 3T on the right).
The OnePlus 3T sensibly combines a physical slider with profile changes too quickly switch between modules. Here, the three-position switch goes between Silent, Do not Disturb and Ring. These are customisable and are for putting your phone into a quieter mode for meetings or when you go to bed for example. This is different to how the slider laboured on the OnePlus 3, where it went between Silent, Priority Announcements and All Announcements. The functions are basically the same, but again have some software tweaks within the settings menu.
All in all, the alert slider is a great idea, improving on New iPhone silencer switch, and is a button you’ll miss if you use other phones afterwards.
The best thing about these tweaks is the direction they simply blend into the OPERATING-SYSTEM and are intuitive, polite renovations. OnePlus confirmed that the 3 and the 3T will both receive updates to Robot Nougat 7. 0 in 12, 2016. Really is endless there is more of the same incremental updates rather than a full overhaul because of Oxygen OPERATING-SYSTEM 3. 5. 1 is very good indeed. Nor would it not add up for OnePlus to work so hard on an upgrade that most users would only see for one month.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: CAN I UPGRADE FROM THE ONEPLUS 3 TO THE ONEPLUS 3T?
So it’s ab crunch time; you bought a OnePlus 3 in Summer and five months later, do you upgrade? Well, no, you shouldn’t in our opinion. The OnePlus 3T may have, in some recoverable format, a better processor, bigger battery and better selfie camera but if you own the 3, it isn’t worth spending another £400 for those features. If you can sell your old device for a good price then perhaps you’d be convinced, however, if the company has done the 3T this fast, it surely can’t be a whole lot longer until we see a OnePlus 4 best smartphone 2017.
The OnePlus 3 has, like the newer 3T, 6GB RAM and come 12, will also run Robot Nougat. Sure, we love the changes to the 3T and the Gunmetal colour is awesome, but you can’t even notice with a case on and in everyday use, you can barely notice the difference in speed. You can just about tell the battery life is better, though, but it was already excellent on the OnePlus 3. Don’t panic – you don’t need to upgrade unless you want a OnePlus phone with 128GB of storage.
ONEPLUS 3T REVIEW: CAN I GET THE ONEPLUS 3 OR THE ONEPLUS 3T?
This is a harder question, and one that ran with a time limit – OnePlus has ceased production, so once they’re gone, they’re gone and the 3T will be the only phone the company still sells. On the day the 3T sent available in Europe, the OnePlus 3 was completely had sold out concerts on the company's website.
At the time of writing, however, the OnePlus 3 was still available on contract from O2. There was can guess this is the last way in the UK to get the old model brand new: otherwise, look to eBay.
At the RRP, if you only need 64GB and want to save £70, the OnePlus 3 remains a highly skilled joint of hardware which is to be more than adequate at the high end of the market for at least another year and a half. That £70 could buy you OnePlus’ new Bullets earphones, the state case and a spare Sprinkle Charge Bundle with the change to spare.
However, if you want 128GB onboard storage, you’ll have to go for the OnePlus 3T, setting you back £439. It’s also the best way to get hold of the Soft Gold colour if you prefer – the OnePlus 3 has sold out of this colour, while the 3T will soon be stocked in it. So you’ll have to wait if you prefer Gold to Gunmetal, but the 3T is the way to go.
Yet for those similarities, we’re still inclined to recommend the OnePlus 3T. It has a more substantial battery, turbo fast rates and a selfie camera that means video calls are actually worthwhile experiences. While nitpicking indeed, the software updates are also extensive, and the overall experience is (just) better than the five-month-old, soon-to-be-gone OnePlus 3. It’s an odd dilemma to have from a company that had until now made your buying choice very simple.
n a few weeks you’ll only be capable of getting a OnePlus 3T, but for now, there’s a decision to be suitable for prospective buyers.
The OnePlus 3T will be unfairly compared, for now at least, to the phone that came before it. So let’s ignore it. Without attention, the OnePlus 3T is everything an advanced mobile phone should be; slim, fast, and responsive, with above average battery life and cameras that produce stunning images. And then there’s the price. OnePlus may not like being known for it, but £399 remains an absolutely amazing cost for the phone on offer.
As long as you don’t want an iPhone, this Robot mobile stands hand and hand with the Samsung Galaxy S7 as the best example of a mobile phone now available – once we’ve all got over that it came a little sooner than we had expected.
