What's good
- Solid build quality
- Crisp, colorful screen
- Great performance
- Price
- Fast, detailed rear camera
- All-day battery life
- Dual SIM support
What's bad
- No microSD support
- Inconsistent front-facing camera
- Proprietary fast charging
The OnePlus 3T has big shoes to fill. With its predecessor topping phone lists on review sites across the Internet, this latest release is more of a subtle improvement than a brand new phone. How are reviewers taking to the new entry in the OnePlus line up?
Reviews are rolling out and we’ve scoured them all to bring you this summary!
Let’s get started!
Reviews were quick to point out that the 3T uses the exact same design as the 3--short of a slightly larger camera bump on the rear. However, that isn’t a bad thing. The 3T’s aluminum unibody chassis features minimal embellishment and reviewers all agreed it feels great in the hand. PC Advisor UK declared that OnePlus “made a 5.5in screen phone slim, svelte and usable with one hand (just).” Digital Trends called the phone “a real beauty.”
One design feature that stood out to reviewers was the Alert Slider. This physical button sits on the side of the device and allows you to change notification volumes and settings without touching the screen. Most reviewers raved about it.
Heading around front, you’ll find a 5.5-inch 1080p Optic AMOLED screen and a front-mounted fingerprint scanner. Reviewers loved the display calibration feature, with many noting that it quickly wrangled the stock color settings from overblown and garrish to pleasing and accurate. While the resolution falls behind other flagships, Alphr describes the screen as “as sharp as you need it to be.”
Powering the phone, you’ll find a 2.35GHz quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor. Paired with 6GB of RAM, reviews used words like “silky” and “buttery” to describe performance. PC Advisor UK applauded the phone, saying, “In a full week of use we experienced absolutely no lag, slow app changes or overheating. It is truly like using a desktop at some times.”
You’ll find models with either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. There’s no microSD storage with the maker opting for dual SIM support instead. Media lovers or gamers might opt for the larger option.
The phone ships with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. However, OnePlus plans to have Android 7.0 Nougat available by the end of 2016. Their Oxygen OS skin was popular with reviewers for its subtlety and convenient improvements to the stock Android experience. Recombu noted, “Android fans will be right at home with the interface, while some of the shortcut tools and gesture support is genuinely useful.”
Reviews for the phone’s cameras are generally positive. GSM Arena called the 16MP rear-facing camera a “solid snapper by any means,” further noting, “It performs consistently and reliably under all conditions. It seldom requires more than a single attempt to capture the desired shot.”
While the 16MP front-facing lens sounds impressive on paper, reviews were scattered. Many felt that the photos shot lacked light balance and the increased resolution only led to more noise. However, they also noted that it was great for video chat or live streaming.
The phone’s 3400mAh battery netted most reviewers a full day of usage with room to spare. The included Dash Charge cable and wall adapter promise a 60% charge in only 30 minutes. Reviewers confirmed that the system works great and the phone stays cool during charging. However, should you need a replacement charger or cable, you’re left waiting for one to ship from OnePlus or settling for slower charge speeds using a third-party option.
Overall, reviews indicate that the 3T is a worthy successor to the OnePlus throne. Alphr summed up opinions well, saying, “It's not quite the outright bargain the OnePlus 3 was, but the OnePlus 3T’s speed, screen quality, decent camera and practical design mean it's set to take over as our favourite smartphone just as soon as the OnePlus 3 is no longer available.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Roydon Cerejo, Gadgets 360On the surface, the OnePlus 3T might seem like a minor upgrade over the OnePlus 3; the key areas being the battery capacity, higher resolution front camera and the faster CPU. However, after using it for the better part of a week, it's clear that the improvements extend to the brighter and more colo...
- What Hi-Fi team, What Hi-FiFlagship killer might be too ambitious a label for the OnePlus 3T, but even as the priciest OnePlus to date, it remains value for money. There’s still plenty to admire, and it’s definitely one to consider if you’re happy to negotiate its occasional shortcomings.
- Josh Noriega, Gadget ReviewOnePlus had a winner with its super refined third iteration flagship smartphone, and while the existence of the incremental 3T may be in question, it builds on a successful formula that gives interested consumers an even tougher bargain to turn down. You simply won’t find another $400 smartpho...
- Chris Barraclough, RecombuThe OnePlus 3T may be meeting some tough competition from the latest series of flagship phones, but this great-value handset can more than hold its own in 2017. That Nougat update adds the best Android features found in the latest phones, while the gorgeous display, dependable and simple-to-use came...
- Zayne Seah, VR-ZoneThe OnePlus 3T is a spectacular smartphone and at its price point, it’s hard to find anything else in the market that can beat its power and user-friendliness. I absolutely loved its battery life and fast-charging capabilities. Its unparalleled speed is just so lovely, especially when coupled...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the OnePlus 3T user manual here.
OnePlus backs up the 3T with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your 3T has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact OnePlus support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find OnePlus's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Ask the Community
No questions for the moment.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- OnePlus 3T Manual (PDF)
Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.