OnePlus 3T

OnePlus 3 was released six months ago and was a favorite for mid-range phones. It was released with a full HD 5.5-inch display and AMOLED LCD, Android Marshmallow and Snapdragon 820. It is an impressive, jaw-dropping phone with a carbon-fiber-style case that looks sleek and slim. It was a fairly decent phone for its price range which trumped the other OnePlus phones until recently. The company has released another flagship phone replacing OnePlus 3 with OnePlus 3T. For those unsuspecting onlookers, they could be mistaken for twin phones that came out the same time, with the same specifications. This new release is a little more expensive than its predecessor due to some changes under the hood. However, those who do have the OnePlus 3 have no need to worry. Their phones are far from obsolete.

OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T may appear similar, but they have some significant differences. Here are things that could make you think twice:

• Speed

The previous version OnePlus 3 has outperformed a lot of the flagship phones like Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10, and LG G5, but the newly released 3T has outperformed the three making it a faster, more efficient twin. Thus, the use of a faster processor. The original used a Snapdragon 820 processor, while the newer 3T makes use of the Snapdragon 821. Both smartphones have 6GB of RAM, which is twice the RAM of the average cellphones, including some high-end premium Androids.

With some tests, the camera pulls up and takes a picture in seconds, navigate through websites without lag, and the keyboard is more responsive. Filling up the 64GB with apps, videos, and photos may bog your system down a little. The older model only has 64GB of secondary storage. In contrast, the 3T offers the consumer the choice between 64GB and 128GB of storage.

• Battery

You will also get a bigger battery capacity of 3400 mAh compared to the OnePlus 3’s 3000 mAh which will last longer than expected. In one test conducted, the 3T plus lasted longer by two-and-a-half more hours than the three which is equivalent to 16 hours and 56 minutes of continuous video playing on airplane mode. OnePlus still utilized the Dash Charging technology that can charge the phone up to 57 percent without overheating or causing an explosion. Although a full change may take 20 minutes longer than the OnePlus 3, the 1 hour and 35 minutes charging time is still impressive with the added time can be accounted for the increase in capacity. Please note that your mileage might vary depending on other factors, including what apps are running, and the operating environment.

• Camera

Another minor update that gives a big improvement is the selfie or the front-facing camera. The OnePlus 3 only has an 8-megapixel sensor from Sony. This was doubled to 16 megapixels for the 3T with a sensor from Samsung. The selfies are expected to look better, smoother, and sharper even under very low light. Only the back facing camera has Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). The company also states that the image stabilization on the videos was also improved; something that you would be the judge of. The 4K video is supposed to be better due to the addition of video image stabilization.

The back-facing camera now has a ruby glass cover, to prevent scratches. However, the quality of the images has stayed the same.

• Software

There were also some tweaking done with the software to get more gesture controls, customization, encryption and phone security, and a better file manager app for easier navigation. Additional gestures include sliding three fingers down to mute a call or take screenshots that you can take a look at. The 3T also has a way to change icons and assign a password for each app to ensure your security and personalization. One thing that will be noticeable is the Shelf page where the quick-access for apps and contacts were completely revamped. It may appear completely new from what you have been used to, but it definitely will not cause obstruction; only the idea that it is reminiscent of the new Apple update, iOS 10. All this was due to the update in the smartphone UI to OxygenOS 3.5.1 from the previous 3.2.8.

On another note, users will be able to upgrade the 3 and the 3T to Android 7 Nougat once that is available for OnePlus phones.

The OnePlus 3T has been called the best performing mid-range phone model. When you consider the price, at $439 for the 64GB storage model and $479 for the 128GB storage, this is a bargain. It has a single piece aluminum chassis which makes it rugged and durable. It has a fingerprint scanner conveniently located in the front, compared to most fingerprint scanners which are located at the back. The whole body makes it easy to use with one hand, even if it does have a 5.5-inch screen.

The OnePlus 3T is a mid-season release which addresses some perceived problems for the product line. For one, the original has only 64GB of storage. In contrast, most cell phones either have a maximum internal memory of 128GB or are expandable with microSD cards of up to 256GB. The Snapdragon 821 is a welcome improvement. However, it is possible that the original design did not take into account using the 821 instead of the 820. The battery is a great upgrade, even with some upgraded hardware.

If you are into the newest thing, then jumping from the 3 to the 3T wouldn’t be a problem. For those who are more price conscious and would opt for the more affordable option, you wouldn’t be missing much with the 3.