For a smartphone like the OnePlus 3T that deserves to be called a smartphone, let me start this review with a conclusion. You may not think much about the brand OnePlus as our market now is dominated by staple brands like Apple and Samsung. Don’t get me wrong, OnePlus is not an unknown brand. As we asked around, a lot of people know the brand and even said that this is, specifically the OnePlus 3T, their best smartphone ever. Yes, we are starting this review with the conclusion that this may be your best smartphone ever. Read on to know more.
Looking at it, it may seem like any other smartphones out there. Aside from being sleek and elegant looking, this phone is a combination of beauty and brains. Powered by a QUAD-code Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820, it has a 6GB RAM coupled with 64GB internal memory. Not only that, the display is an impressive 5.5 inch optic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (401 ppi).
They say that the best camera is the one you have with you. This is why most people consider smartphone camera quality as a major factor when deciding what to get. This won’t disappoint. With 16MP at F2.0 main camera and 8MP F2.0 secondary camera, it gives you amazing flexibility whether you want to take photos using any of the two as both are capable of producing impressive photos. Video-wise, it can take 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps.
Like any other smartphone battery life out there, you can pretty much expect a similar, less than stellar battery life BUT, take note, there is one huge difference — Dash Charging. Simply put, this so called Dash Charging feature is a feature only found in select OnePlus models. OnePlus 3T has it. This allows the phone to be fully charged in a short amount of time. From around 57%, I got the battery to 81% in just 12 minutes! This somewhat solves the less than stellar battery performance that almost all smartphones face. Take note though that you have to use the provided charger and cable to be able to use the Dash Charging feature.
Another thing that impressed us is how accurate the fingerprint scanner was. We can probably estimate that they got the fingerprint right 95% of the time. That is a good enough accuracy, as good as those “staple” branded smartphones. Operating system-wise, this OnePlus 3T is running the latest Oxygen OS35.1 based on the Android 6. Marshmallow. Basically, it means that you are getting a phone with a somewhat stock like Android OS but with a lot of customizations that is not spammy or obtrusive. Customizations includes a night mode, launching the flashlight by drawing a V or O pattern on your screen and many more!
For the camera and video samples, I suggest that you check the actual output for you to judge. If you ask us, we are happy with the results! Check them out below:
So far, we are impressed. Here’s some more things you need to know:
PROS
Great build quality
Performance is smooth and responsive
Great camera
Dual SIM
Fast fingerprint sensor
Fast charging (DASH Charging)
Better battery performance compared to other smartphones
CONS
No expandable storage
Single bottom speaker
Might be too thin for some people
Unconventional to start a review with a conclusion? Yes. That is how unconventional this so-called smartphone is. It’s a phone that will not instantly get the attention of people but once they have tried it, it’s hard not to love it. Check out the specs below:
Weight: 158g
Display: 5.5 inch Optic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels with 401 ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 4
152.7 x 74.7 x 7.4 mm
64 GB, 6 GB RAM
Photo: 16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash,
Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, Auto HDR
Secondary camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.2″ sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, 1080p
The 64GB OnePlus 3T in Gold is now priced at Php 19,990 at Digital Walker, with 1 year official local warranty.
More photos of the OnePlus 3T: