[GTO]

A lot of BHPians commented on the camera being the main differentiator. I realised that on Saturday night at a party I threw. It was on the terrace so light was limited. Big crowd and all kinds of phones were there. The S9's camera blew everything else away in terms of image quality. There was no contest.

[Turbo_Charger]

That's due to largest camera apperture of f/1.5 in a smartphone currently on the market. Coupled with Optical Image Stabilization it results the images to be blur free & (relatively) noise free as the camera can capture much more light compared to other phones. Glad you are happy with your purchase.

Originally Posted by Chrome6Boy

For crying out loud, the new iPhone facial recognition feature has been around on Android since 4 years ago albeit implemented poorly.

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

This right there is a proof that you have no idea what you are talking about.

The 3D Infrared Face Detection technology used in iPhone X was first seen in Microsoft Kinnect. Apple bought the company behind it and miniaturized it to make it possible to be used in a phone.

[sukrit7]

After 27 months, I finally switched from the Oneplus3 to the OnePlus6T and I'm kind of miffed at the fact that I'm not particularly excited about it! In this piece, I detail the 'upgrade' & tell you what to expect if you're making a similar decision.

Frankly, the OnePlus6T is too little of an upgrade considering that I am switching from a device close to three years old. This is not to say that it isn’t a great phone. It has its pros which I will delve into from time to time, but first let us address the cons.

Build Quality and Weight

The first thing I noticed was an increase in weight. The OnePlus6T is substantially heavier than the OnePlus 3 as it weighs in at 185 grams as opposed to 158 on the OnePlus3. I loved how light the OnePlus 3 felt when picked up and can’t say the same for the 6T.
In terms of build quality, the OnePlus 3’s aluminum built easily dealt with whatever I threw at it. For the last year, I have used it without a case, and it continues to look great, despite a few falls. The OnePlus6T obviously looks better, but I’m sure I can’t be as careless with it. The glass back, despite using the latest in gorilla glass tech can’t match the strength of aluminum.

#Unlock the Speed(?)

On unboxing, I was quite excited by the on-screen fingerprint scanner, but over the last few days, I've concluded that it is, in fact, slower than the one on my OnePlus 3. Not just that, it isn't always active as the one on the OnePlus 3. Often, I end up using face - unlock, which is equally quick on both phones. Do note that the OnePlus 6T does not come with 3D facial recognition, or an Iris scanner so it isn’t more secure either.

In terms of speed, both phones feel equally fast and can hold many running applications. It is only when gaming that you can notice a substantial difference in performance. I play rarely, and if you fall in this category, you’re not going to notice the benefit brought about by the Snapdragon 845.

Display

The quality of the screen is not substantially better. They’re both great screens, but I can’t say that the 6T blows my mind in terms of quality. Where there is a substantial difference is in the screen to body ratio. The two phones have very similar dimensions, but the 6T packs a massive 6.41-inch screen. This makes the 5.5-inch screen on the 3 look quite pale.

Camera

The cameras are significantly better, but this is evident more when there’s low light. I use the Google Camera port from the pixel on my OnePlus 3 and find that it manages decent portraits as well as long as there’s sufficient light. When there isn’t, the onePlus3 is no match at all. Pictures come out grainy and dull. The OnePlus6T also includes a night mode which prolongs exposure times, but I can’t say it works brilliantly all the time. The selfie camera on the OnePlus3 was always average, and in comparison, the OnePlus6T manages great shots.

Audio

The headphone jack is missing on the OnePlus6T, although a dongle is included. I don’t mind this too much, but I also don't sense a difference in audio output between the phones. OnePlus argues that removing the jack freed up space for a bigger battery, and I have to say that the battery is a massive improvement. I’ll get to this point in the next paragraph. Both phones have a single speaker which has led to criticism since dual firing speakers were expected. Personally, I don’t use phone speakers very often, however, I must add that the OnePlus6T sounds considerably better. It has a lot more punch when compared to the tinny sound on the 3T. It is louder and cleaner.

Battery

The battery life on the OnePlus 3 was always average, and 27 months in, I could barely get through a day. In comparison, the OnePlus6T has excellent battery life through a larger battery pack and some software tweaks. Even with extremely heavy use, the phone easily gets through the day, and with moderate use, I can touch close to two days.

Both the OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 6T utilise dash charging. The feature, however, is no longer the novelty it was back in 2016 and it would have been nice if OnePlus had provided faster charging, if not wireless charging.

Conclusion

Perhaps mobile technology has reached a stage where there isn’t enough innovation to offer year on year. Oddly, a different way to look at it would be to say that OnePlus remains one of those companies that allow you to utilise your phone for close to three years. The extended software cycle is a clear indication – the fact that the OnePlus 3 is due for an Android Pie update makes this clear. In addition, unlike most other companies, OnePlus does continue to introduce newer features to its older models. The OnePlus 6, for example is getting nightscape as well as studio lighting. The OnePlus 3 received Face Unlock almost a year and a half after being introduced.

So. Would I make this upgrade again? No. The OnePlus6T is a great phone, but it is not the value for money proposition that some of the earlier models were. I cannot say that I was forced to upgrade (I could have just replaced my battery with a new one) – there’s nothing that the older OnePlus 3 misses out on. If you still have the 3, or the 3T, hang on to it!

[bigron]

The thing is, OP 6 was such a complete product to begin with that an 'upgraded T' model was not really warranted. They gave in to precedent of releasing a 'T' model and to adopt any new design language, in this case the water drop notch that is the flavor of the season. To small a change and may I even say un-necessary to call an upgrade.
I know a few people using the 6 and not to excited about the T and are holding on till the OP 7 is launched.

[ani_meher]

Thanks for the review. I think it is testament to OnePlus that even their 2-3 year old phones stand shoulder to shoulder with latest phones.

[sridhu]

Not dissing you or anything but maybe you dont really need the capabilities offered by the newer phones. A good mid range phone probably is more than enough for your requirements.

I would submit that that is true for 90% of the users, including me. Higher end phones are being bought only for bragging rights.

That being said, innovation seems to have plateaued out too. Mostly the phones dont need the higher horse power of new processors. I think the focus will shift to better battery life, greater integration and improved UI.

[landcruiser123]

Here's a thread to which your post might belong to.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadge...h-speed-6.html (Are smartphones peaking in terms of tech & speed?)

It is true that flagship phones are peaking in terms of what they offer today compared to what they offered a couple of years back. Except for the camera and battery life, there are simply not too many upgrades for flagship smartphones.

p.s. For the better battery life, a neighbor used a dash charging adapter for his car.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by sridhu

maybe you dont really need the capabilities offered by the newer phones. A good mid range phone probably is more than enough for your requirements

I am a prolific smartphone user and I find that a simple, no-nonsense 10k device more than meets my expectations. Easier on the pocket, easier to replace. Today, the gap between phones at the two edges of the market has really dwindled.

But that doesn't mean everyone will/should be satisfied buying an entry/mid level phone. The smartphone scene is akin to the food scene: a ₹30/plate chitranna eaten at a food cart parked over a drain is as (or more) likely to satiate one's hunger as is a ₹3,000/person gourmet meal at an upscale restaurant. However, it's a matter of one's preference; the depth of the pocket and willingness to delve deep into it.

Unlike cars, mobile phones do not offer much or different in terms of features, usability or speed at the two ends of the spectrum. That said, not everyone buys for the bragging rights. Many people still believe that price is proportional to quality and peace of mind - a belief that isn't too true in the real world scenario.

[arunphilip]

Almost every use case of mine would be satisfied by a midrange/upper-midrange phone, except for one - I am a terrible photographer. And therefore, I need all the help I can get, with good cameras & good software on the phone! That has been the only reason I've gone in for flagships, although even then I wait for a discount period. Take away the need for a camera in my pocket, and I'd happily spend <20k for a device I can then be careless about.

[Traveler]

I agree that 90% users will be okay with the budget segment and satisfy most of the needs. However the remaining 10% is where it gets interesting. Business users for example are better off with a standard product like Pixel or a Galaxy S series. The reason is that enterprise software like webex, work profile for Android etc are certified and tested against these benchmark phones. Try running webex and there are issues with sound quality etc. Plus the screen display quality is definitely much above the usual run of the mill budget phones. I speak from personal experience having used all sorts of phones from most of the brands.

Camera quality and water proofing is again something that you will find lacking in the budget segment.

Things like NFC enabled payment and wireless charging are other things missing as well.

Ability to play full HD content is also available only on premium phones.

I think at the end of the day it all depends on what all you intend to use the phone for. A heavy power user would likely be more happy with a top of the line phone that offers all of the above.

[ar@v1nd]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

After 27 months, I finally switched from the Oneplus3 to the OnePlus6T and I'm kind of miffed at the fact that I'm not particularly excited about it! In this piece, I detail the 'upgrade' & tell you what to expect if you're making a similar decision.

So. Would I make this upgrade again? No. The OnePlus6T is a great phone, but it is not the value for money proposition that some of the earlier models were. I cannot say that I was forced to upgrade (I could have just replaced my battery with a new one) – there’s nothing that the older OnePlus 3 misses out on. If you still have the 3, or the 3T, hang on to it!

+1 to this. I have the same feeling after upgrading from OnePlus 3T to an Asus Zenfone 5 for pretty much the same reasons (battery dying on the 3T).

I believe the processor speed, RAM, storage and display of a mid range phone (such as Redmi Note5 Pro) are really good enough for 99% of the population. If only they could provide a top class camera sensor with image stabilization (OIS) it would have been a good enough package. The only reason I'm ready to spend more than 20K for a phone is the camera.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by ar@v1nd

The only reason I'm ready to spend more than 20K for a phone is the camera.

I must say, I agree here. It is simply not practical to carry a dedicated camera everywhere and to spend 2X or sometimes 3X for a better screen/camera is simply not worth it.

Good phone cameras in decent budget are still hard to come by.

[BoneCollector]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

If you still have the 3, or the 3T, hang on to it!

Thanks for a crisp comparison. I'm in the same boat as yours, although mine is sinking slowly. I've been using a One Plus 3T since last April. The battery doesnt last long now, it needs charge 2-3 times during the day. I'm ok with that also. But since last month, the WiFi has stopped working altogether. It doesn't get switched on. And due to this, I can't use the hot-spot of my phone. This issue is the one which is troubling me. I checked with One Plus support and if this is some hardware issue, I might have to get some parts replaced plus battery. I'm not keen on getting it repaired, had it been only battery issue, I would have got it replaced. Because of all these, I'm planning to change and upgrade to 6T, 6GB RAM variant. What do the members suggest?

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

The smartphone scene is akin to the food scene: a ₹30/plate chitranna eaten at a food cart parked over a drain is as (or more) likely to satiate one's hunger as is a ₹3,000/person gourmet meal at an upscale restaurant

Guess that's pushing the comparison really right up the wall, as they say. However, I agree with the general view that today's smartphone market is so fragmented that the satiation level or comparative differences between a budget phone / mid-range phone and the flagships is diminishing very quickly, given the variety of brand positioning and the price hit strategies adopted by various companies.

Originally Posted by Traveler

Business users for example are better off with a standard product like Pixel or a Galaxy S series. The reason is that enterprise software like webex, work profile for Android etc are certified and tested against these benchmark phones.

Completely agree here. If we differentiate between a business or a power user and a regular user, the flagship phones usually cater to or are positioned towards the power users. And this is also about the fact that power users tend to "demand" or "need" various softwares/apps like the one you mentioned.

Originally Posted by ar@v1nd

The only reason I'm ready to spend more than 20K for a phone is the camera.

Guess, when one hears about AI and other "new-age" technologies that are being deployed in smartphone cameras these days, most of the differentiation comes down to how good the camera can be. And, that's also the reason why one would have to spend a sizeable amount on these gadgets.
On a related note, got to know that Samsung will shortly announce the launch of the world's first quad camera smartphone - called the Galaxy A9.
Links - First. Second.

[ar@v1nd]

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

Thanks for a crisp comparison. I'm in the same boat as yours, although mine is sinking slowly. I've been using a One Plus 3T since last April. The battery doesnt last long now, it needs charge 2-3 times during the day. I'm ok with that also. But since last month, the WiFi has stopped working altogether. It doesn't get switched on. And due to this, I can't use the hot-spot of my phone. This issue is the one which is troubling me. I checked with One Plus support and if this is some hardware issue, I might have to get some parts replaced plus battery. I'm not keen on getting it repaired, had it been only battery issue, I would have got it replaced. Because of all these, I'm planning to change and upgrade to 6T, 6GB RAM variant. What do the members suggest?

Hope you tried a full reset of the phone to check that it's not a software issue? If it is indeed a hardware issue, repair could be expensive depending on what parts need replacing. You may even get ridiculous quotes like 16.6K for the motherboard see below.

https://www.oneplus.in/support/repai...details?code=6

In that case I think it makes sense to dispose of it.

With a defective WiFi selling it off (on say OLX) also would also be a problem. If your conscience doesn't bother you, you could just exchange it while purchasing your OnePlus 6T. I think they check the screen and touch etc but not WiFi or other stuff.