The OnePlus 6 appears like probably the most polished, premium smartphone the agency has made in its brief existence.
It boasts an all-glass design, bringing it in step with big-name flagships such because the Samsung Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, a big 6.28-inch show full with the on-trend notch, twin rear-facing cameras, each fingerprint and face unlock, and as much as 256GB of storage.
There are a number of core enhancements over the OnePlus 5T (and OnePlus 5) that it replaces, and whereas it might not break any new floor when it comes to options, the OnePlus 6 has a lovely package deal that retains it related in 2018.
OnePlus 6 launch date and availability
- OnePlus 6 launch date: Might 22
- Coming to North America, UK, Europe and India first
The OnePlus 6 launch date is ready for Might 22 in North America, Europe and India, with the handset arriving in a number of different nations (together with China, Hong Kong, Sweden, Finland and Denmark) quickly after.
For many who simply can’t wait till then, or who need to be one of many very first to get their fingers on the brand new OnePlus 6, a restricted variety of handsets can be that can be purchased at a sequence of pop-up occasions around the globe on Might 21.
Within the UK the OnePlus 6 can be obtainable completely on contract from O2, and SIM-free from OnePlus’ personal web site. Pre-orders at O2 are already open, so should you’re already bought you possibly can plant your flag now.
Watch our OnePlus 6 fingers on video under
OnePlus 6 worth
- Least expensive OnePlus 6 has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage
- Most costly OnePlus 6 has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
The OnePlus 6 worth begins at $529 (£469) for the 64GB/6GB configuration, which is costlier that the OnePlus 5T, which began at $499 (£449) for a similar RAM and storage.
Then you might have the 8GB/128GB variant with a worth of $579 (£519), which once more is a $20 (£20) improve over the 5T.
Lastly, there’s the highest finish 8GB/256GB mannequin which formally takes the title of the most costly OnePlus smartphone ever. This OnePlus 6 worth for this configuration is $629 (£569).
That is nonetheless cheaper than the likes of the Galaxy S9, iPhone 8 and Sony Xperia XZ2, however should you’re searching for one thing extra reasonably priced you could need to take a look at the Honor 10.
Design
- Premium, all-glass design utilizing Gorilla Glass 5
- Alert slider has switched sides
- Improved water resistance and headphone jack retained
The very first thing you discover whenever you choose up the OnePlus 6 is that it feels completely different to earlier flagships from the agency, because it boasts a glass back and front relatively than the all-metal unibody that’s been in place because the OnePlus 3.
It’s Gorilla Glass 5 back and front, with the toughened safety hopefully which means it received’t simply smash – however there’s no getting away from the truth that steel doesn’t smash. For many who are extra accident-prone the excellent news is that OnePlus gives a clear silicon cowl within the field should you really feel the handset wants somewhat further safety and grip.
This isn’t the primary time OnePlus has utilized a glass physique on a tool, with the OnePlus X additionally having the premium end, however that is the agency’s first ‘flagship’ handset to get the therapy.
OnePlus claims that it’s improved the water resistance on the OnePlus 6 over its predecessors, however the telephone doesn’t carry an IP score to ensure its survival when absolutely submerged in water.
OnePlus 6 fingers on gallery
Reasonably, OnePlus says its supplied on a regular basis, real-world safety for extra probably situations, similar to being caught in a rain bathe or accidently dropping your telephone into water and shortly pulling it out. Submerge this telephone at your individual threat.
At 155.7 x 75.four x 7.75mm the OnePlus 6 is just about the identical dimension because the 5T; it’s a contact thicker and wider, however not fairly as tall, which is spectacular contemplating the rise in display screen dimension right here.
At 177g it’s additionally heavier than the 5T, which tipped the scales at 163g. Holding the 2 telephones in both hand the OnePlus 6 does really feel barely weightier, however there’s not a lot in it.
The ability/lock key sits on the best of the handset, and above you’ll discover OnePlus’ in style alert slider, permitting you to simply change between silent, vibrate and loud modes.
This has historically been on the left of the handset, however OnePlus has determined to modify it with the SIM tray on the 6 after suggestions from its group in regards to the slider being tough to entry when utilizing flip-style covers.
The SIM tray has area for 2 nanoSIMs, and each slots enable for a 4G connection, which suggests you possibly can profit from most information speeds on two seperate networks.
On the rear you’ll discover the fingerprint scanner under the protruding dual-camera stack; nevertheless you’ll discover that this has been shrunk.
Reasonably than a circle, OnePlus has opted for a smaller, oval-shaped scanner right here. We’re instructed there are just a few causes for this, however the one OnePlus was prepared to inform us was that somebody on the staff remarked that having a circle under the digital camera bump appeared like an exclamation mark.
OnePlus maintains that its fingerprint scanner can unlock the 6 in zero.2 seconds, however it’s not the one biometric tech in play right here. The OnePlus 6 additionally comes with face unlock, and through our temporary time with the handset it seems to be fast, however possibly just a bit slower than the fingerprint choice.
There’s excellent news on the bottom of the handset too, as OnePlus has stored the headphone jack, permitting you to plug in your three.5mm equipment with out the necessity for an adapter.
There’s additionally a single down-firing speaker, which is somewhat disappointing as it may be simply lined by your hand when held in panorama, and also you don’t get the stereo good thing about a two-speaker setup.
One thing else that’s new for the OnePlus 6 is the selection of colours, with three choices obtainable from launch. That’s a break from custom, as prior to now OnePlus has launched with only a single shade and launched extra hues later, nevertheless, which colours are on provide will rely upon which RAM/storage configuration you go for.
It’s nonetheless attainable that we may see extra colours arrive for the OnePlus 6 sooner or later, however from the outset it’ll be obtainable in Mirror Black and Midnight Black, with the limited-edition Silk White arriving shortly after.
The Mirror Black mannequin, which is the colour we’ve been hands-on with right here, boasts a highly-polished, highly-reflective glass rear which is actual fingerprint-magnet, and it’s the one shade the entry-level 6GB of RAM/64GB of storage choice is out there in.
The Midnight Black OnePlus 6 has a extra matte end, because of the layer under the glass being perforated with 1000’s of holes to create a deep sheen. That is the one shade choice for the top-end 8GB/256GB configuration.
The 8GB/128GB model of the telephone is out there in each black finishes, and in addition within the third shade choice, Silk White. This has one more completely different end to the Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear because of a layer of ‘powdered pearl’ beneath, giving it a extra ceramic appear and feel.
Show
- OnePlus’ biggest-ever show at 6.28 inches
- Full HD, Full Optic AMOLED panel with 19:9 facet ratio
- 84% screen-to-body ratio thanks partly to notch
The OnePlus 6 show is among the huge new options on the telephone. Actually, it’s the largest show the agency has ever squeezed right into a telephone, with the 6.28-inch Full Optic AMOLED panel eclipsing the 6.1-inch providing discovered on the 5T.
OnePlus has continued to help the now-popular 19:9 facet ratio too, providing you with a taller show that gives up extra on display screen whenever you’re scrolling lists similar to your Twitter feed.
Whereas the show could also be larger, the decision stays the identical at ‘simply’ Full HD. That’s 2280 x 1080 to be precise, which ensures it retains the 402 pixels-per-inch density of earlier OnePlus flagships.
Nevertheless, in a world the place QHD is quick changing into the norm on the prime finish of the cell market, the display screen decision on the OnePlus 6 is a key space the place the agency has appeared to chop a nook in an try and hold prices down.
With the discount in bezel above and under the display screen the OnePlus 6 additionally boasts a 84% screen-to-body ratio that can probably please followers of outright show actual property. Nevertheless this has come at a worth: the inclusion of a divisive ‘notch’ on the prime of the display screen.
It’s smaller than the notch on the iPhone X, however bigger than the camera-sized cut-out of the Essential Phone, lining up fairly carefully with the implementation on the Huawei P20.
OnePlus tells us that the notch wasn’t merely added as a ‘me too’ function although. A spokesperson for the agency instructed TechSwitch “[OnePlus] absolutely appreciates the pattern for lowering bezels and rising screen-to-body ratio. [We] thought lengthy and arduous over the choice [to include the notch].
“We need to ship the expertise that at the moment works the most effective and we’ve got to make certain of the expertise we put into our gadgets, as we solely make one [device] at a time.
“[The notch] works the most effective in the meanwhile. In the end it’s not in regards to the notch, it’s in regards to the display screen.”
Whether or not you’re for or in opposition to the notch it serves a helpful function on the OnePlus 6, housing the front-facing digital camera, earpiece, LED notification mild and ambient mild sensor.
For many who actually don’t just like the notch pattern, you possibly can successfully ‘cover’ it on the OnePlus 6 by turning the display screen both aspect of it black to create one steady bar, though the function enabling you to take action will arrive through a software program replace after launch.
The selection is yours then, however there’s something relatively satisfying about seeing your wallpaper wrap round both the aspect of the notch. Or possibly that’s simply us.
Slide the OnePlus 6 out of its packaging and also you’ll see that it comes with a factory-fitted display screen protector, which is all the time good, though it does detract barely from the general look of the telephone, in addition to being a little bit of a dust- and fingerprint-magnet.
It’s simple sufficient to take away, and doing so immediately makes the OnePlus 6 look extra premium, however you’re then exposing the show to potential scratches and scuffs, so don’t swiftly whip it off as quickly as you get it out the field.