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OnePlus 6 announced: Snapdragon 845, all-glass design
The OnePlus 6 offers high performance for a modest price, which is exactly what you’d expect from the Chinese brand. Under the hood you get flagship-level specs, including some crazy high storage and RAM configurations.
The phone is more about refinement than throwing new features into the mix. This means a move towards more modern design trends, including the infamous notch.
Here’s what you need to know about the OnePlus 6.
Goodbye metal, hello glass
The OnePlus 6 ditches the metal design seen in its predecessor, following the more common trend of an all-glass Gorilla Glass 5 body. The new material feels great and looks very attractive.
The rear camera has moved from its upper left position to the center. The fingerprint scanner swaps its circular shape for an oval one.
On the front, you’ll essentially find nothing but screen. The top and bottom bezels are as minimal as possible, though there is a small notch that contains necessary components like the front-facing camera.
The latest specs are all here
The OnePlus 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 845. This is the same chipset found in pretty much every 2018 flagship. You also find 6 to 8GB RAM, 64 to 256GB storage, dual-SIM support, and a 3,300mAh battery with the company’s well-known Dash fast-charging technology onboard. The OnePlus 6 also still retains the headphone jack, a welcome move for those audiophiles among us.
Just like the OnePlus 5T, there’s no microSD card slot. Of course, with such large storage options, it’s less of an issue.
One area where OnePlus isn’t quite up to par with flagship competitors is the display. The gorgeous 6.28-inch AMOLED 1080p display looks great, featuring a 19:9 aspect ratio. A 1,080 x 2,280 resolution isn’t exactly industry leading, but it should still provide a solid experience. The lower resolution also generally results in better battery performance, which is at least a bit of a consolation here.
Read: Full OnePlus 6 specs
The camera gets a few new tricks
OnePlus didn’t just move the camera’s position and call it a day. The new camera configuration has 16 and 20MP cameras with f/1.7 aperture. That might sound similar to the OnePlus 5T, but this time the pixel size has increased by 19 percent to 1.22 mμ to help with low light performance.
The main camera also now includes optical image stabilization (OIS), which should aid in taking smoother video and more stable photos. There’s also slow-motion video modes allowing for 720p at 480fps and 1080p and 240fps. Lastly, 4K gets an upgrade with the ability to shoot up to 60fps.
None of these changes are massive, but they should hopefully result in a better camera experience.
The front-facing camera is 16MP, similar to its predecessor. It will gain a selfie portrait mode, coming in a software update soon after launch.
No water resistance rating
Just like the OnePlus 5T, there’s no official resistance rating though OnePlus internally tested the phone to ensure it could be used in the rain, dropped in a small puddle, or put into other similar situations without users having to worry.
An official water resistance rating would have increased the price, but it’s still one of those extras we can’t help but feel should have been baked in this time around.
Android 8.1 Oreo onboard, with Android Pie via OTA
OxygenOS continues to be one of the best parts of the OnePlus experience. It’s clean, stock-like, and as close to Google’s vision of Android as you’ll find outside a Pixel.
The device launched with the version of Oxygen OS based on Android 8.1 Oreo. However, the OnePlus 6 was also a part of the Android P Beta program, so users didn’t have to wait until the official Android P launch to get their hands on Google’s latest OS improvements. The latest version of Oxygen OS based on Android 9.0 Pie has since rolled out to the device as well.
Price and availability
The OnePlus 6 released on May 22nd in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. The base model of the phone with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage was priced at $529, while the 8GB RAM and twice the storage set you back an additional $50. Apart from the Mirror Black edition that is an option with both, the higher-end model was also available in Midnight Black and Silk White.
OnePlus followed up the launch of OnePlus 6 with the OnePlus 6T, and there’s already a growing excitement surrounding the upcoming OnePlus 7. Since OnePlus tends to stop production of previous generations almost as soon as a successor is released, this, unfortunately, means that the OnePlus 6 is quite difficult to get your hands on.
The OnePlus 6 is officially unavailable in most markets where OnePlus operates. However, it can still be found on Amazon for $529 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage iteration.