OnePlus 6T – A sensational smartphone without an exorbitant price

ONEPLUS 6T REVIEW • FROM 499 €

• ADVANTAGES • Stunning screen • Fingerprint scanner in place • Incredibly low price
• THE INCONVENIENTS • Slippery design makes holding a little scary • No charge or waterproof cordless • Headphone port is no longer

Six months after OnePlus shook the world of Android smartphones, they are doing it again with the launch of the OnePlus 6T.

This device now replaces the OnePlus 6 and, if you have this older device, you have every right to feel a little disappointed.

This new flagship product from the Chinese firm is bursting with updates that make it not only the best phone ever made, but it could also be one of the best handsets of 2018.

The OnePlus 6T will be officially on sale from November 6th, but Express.co.uk has been using this flagship product for a few weeks and here is our comprehensive review.

DISPLAY AND DESIGN

OnePlus is used to making very good displays and the 6T continues this tradition.

At 6.41 inches, this OLED display is now larger than its predecessor of 6.28 inches, but do not think it makes it too big in your pocket and cumbersome in your hand.

With OnePlus reducing the number of glasses and reducing the notch, this phone presents the perfect balance between size and ease of use.

The screen itself is filled with colors and the content is bright, crisp and perfectly clear.

Like most OnePlus devices, the 6T's screen is not subtle, but it's hard to complain about anything that offers such a dynamic experience.

There are also many ways to optimize the display with a range of settings, including playback mode and night mode.

You still can not find a permanent option, but OnePlus continues to offer a simple click to display basic notifications, time and date.

Another feature that has improved things is this small, drop-shaped notch that is much less intrusive at the top of the screen.

OnePlus made this tiny black task possible, including a single front camera and moving the speaker on the top edge of the phone.

Even if this notch has been massively reduced, if you still hate it, there is a built-in software that completely hides it via a digitally created black bar.

Other than this glorious screen, the design of the OnePlus 6T is very similar to its predecessor.

The curved glass form factor makes the outfit very comfortable, although the Midnight Black model we've tested feels unsettling, but we're worried about the high risk of falling.

Another thing that you may not like is the missing headset port that has been removed to allow more room inside the phone for additional technology and a larger battery.

OnePlus offers a 3.5mm adapter in the box, but it's not ideal if you have a pair of expensive cans.

One last change that deserves to be mentioned is that there is no fingerprint scanner on the back of the device, which gives an appearance much clearer to the case.

With an entirely edge-to-edge screen and no sign of this important sensor, you may be wondering how to unlock this phone.

OnePlus has added this tip and this new technology means that the Chinese firm is ahead of rivals such as Samsung and Sony.

The new fingerprint sensor

There is no fingerprint scanner visible on the 6T with this security feature now perfectly hidden under the OLED screen.

This new technology means that you simply tap the display to unlock the phone.

It's clever that the device tells you the exact position of the sensor via a bright blue and green pattern on the screen.

We have never been fans of the rear fingerprint reader and it is nice to see him back in his place.

However, the OnePlus solution is not totally faultless.

We've had a fairly good success rate with this integrated scanner, but it's not as fast as the standard scanners that most of us use daily.

You may also have trouble unlocking the 6T if the screen is wet or you have dirty fingers.

Our overall experience with this new feature has been good but we think it needs to be refined before it can be fully recommended.

Fortunately, OnePlus has also included face recognition which, although less secure, works properly and means you should never have a problem unlocking this device.

CAMERA

OnePlus showed a weakness, these are his cameras.

There is nothing wrong with these smartphone sensors, but in the past, they lacked finesse to their more prestigious rivals.

The 6T hopes to solve camera problems with new features to give your photos a perfect look, including an artificial intelligence that adjusts the settings to perfectly match what you're taking.

Both rear cameras and snapper at the front benefit from improved software with face and night scene detection.

There is also a new night mode that illuminates images even when the phone takes pictures in almost total darkness.

All in all, OnePlus did a decent job with the OnePlus 6T cameras and it's certainly an improvement over the company's previous phones.

However, despite these improvements, we are not entirely convinced that this phone can compete with its competitors. Some images taken simply do not have the punch and clarity of an iPhone X or a P20 Pro.

If you want the ultimate smartphone camera, the OnePlus 6T is probably not for you, but that does not mean that this phone is bad.

For most people, this camera will offer everything they need because it is so simple to use.

Pro mode also offers many settings for those who love photography. Many other features include 4K video recording, super slow motion mode and dual LED flash.

With its dual rear cameras, you can also add some DSLR-style depth of field to your photos. The snapper selfie also offers this function.

SPEED AND BATTERY

The OnePlus 6T continues to be powered by Qualcomm's 845 Snapdragon processor and, with Android 9 Pie pre-installed, this device is as fluid as possible.

With 6GB or 8GB of available RAM – and the bloatware-free device – it offers a user experience as good, if not better, than most of its Android rivals.

In fact, some of the most expensive competitors have the impression of walking in molasses.

This device is a total joy to use with all that it is asked to perform without stuttering.

It should be noted that OnePlus did not include expandable memory. So be sure to choose the right device for your future needs.

Those who buy a 6T also benefit from a battery of 3700 mAh, instead of the source of 3300 mAh hidden under the hood of the current flagship product OnePlus 6.

This gives users about 20% more power and certainly means that you'll have life every day without needing to recharge it.

In addition to this extra battery, this new phone is also called Smart Boost.

Smart Boost improves the cold start speed of applications by 5 to 20% and should be a good extra bonus for users who like to play on their smartphones.

The only thing that is lacking in terms of power supply, is the wireless charge, OnePlus still does not bring this technology to its phones.

Fortunately, the Chinese company still offers its quick-charge cap in the box, which can add enough juice for daily use in just 30 minutes.

PRICES AND EXTRAS

In the absence of 64GB version of the available 6T, the starting price is not as low as that which many fans have become accustomed to.

However, at £ 499, it is still a very good deal for what is packed inside.

Even the top-of-the-range 256GB model with 8GB of RAM costs only £ 579, which makes it significantly cheaper than most of its flagship rivals.

All major operators have also adopted the 6T, which means that there is a large choice of contract.

Prices start at around £ 28 per month, which includes 4GB of data as well as unlimited calls and texting.

VERDICT

OnePlus has again succeeded with the 6T.

This phone offers serious high-end features at a price that is hard to believe.

In addition, it now adds a new technology, such as the fingerprint reader, that you can not even find on devices that cost almost double.

The quality of the design and construction continues to impress and the larger screen and the smaller notch add to its appeal.

This larger battery and sleek user experience is another reason to believe that the OnePlus 6T is your phone of choice.

There are compromises to take into account, such as removing the headphone port and the camera still does not have the ultimate quality of a greater number of premium phones.

You will not find either wireless charging or waterproofing, which is annoying but certainly not a decisive factor.

We have always been big fans of OnePlus and the 6T continues to impress.

It offers everything most people want from a smartphone at a price that more people can afford to pay.