We reviewed the OnePlus 3 in August 2016, and never expected another upgrade from OnePlus so soon. The OnePlus 3T, as we can perceive, has been launched to address competition with the help of the new Snapdragon 821 processor and a larger internal memory.
Design and Build Quality
The OnePlus 3T is built identical to the OnePlus 3, with the same unibody metal finish and ‘space-grade aluminium alloy’. The new device is slightly thicker (well, technically) than the previous model, measuring 7.35mm. The oval-shaped fingerprint sensor is at the front. The phone has a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button on the left side, similar to the iPhone. The device has bottom facing speakers. Overall, the phone provides a premium feel.
Key Features
The OnePlus 3T features several improvements over the OnePlus 3. The new device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (Kryo) quad-core processor with two cores clocked at 2.35 GHz and the other two at 1.6GHz. The phone has 6 GB of RAM and internal memory of 128GB (a 64GB model is also on offer). The new CPU supports fast charging and OnePlus has bundled a 5V, 4A Dash charger, one of the fastest available in the market. The 3T also includes a larger capacity battery of 3400mAh (non-removable) compared to the 3000mAh of the OnePlus 3. The phone uses an Adreno 530 GPU for excellent gaming and graphics performance. The OnePlus 3T runs on Android Marshmallow customised with the latest Oxygen OS.
Another major improvement of the OnePlus 3T over the OnePlus 3 is the new 16 megapixel front facing camera with a Samsung sensor in the former in place of the 8 megapixel model of the latter. The front camera has a fixed focus and is capable of recording videos at up to 1080p HD quality at 30fps. The rear camera remains the same with a 16 megapixel Sony sensor. This camera features Optical Image Stabilisation, Electronic Image Stabilisation and Phase Detection Autofocus. It also allows you to capture images in Raw format. Videos can be recorded at up to 4K quality at 30fps. Slow-motion movies can be captured in 720p HD quality at 120fps. The 3T uses a 5.5 inch, 401 ppi Optic Amoled display providing Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution. The screen is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 layer.
The phone uses a reversible Type-C USB cable for data and charging. The OnePlus 3T uses a dual nano-SIM slot with both SIMs supporting 4G LTE networks. The smartphone also includes a 3.5 mm audio jack and dual-microphone with noise cancellation. Connectivity options are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou. The 3T measures 152.7×74.7×7.35 mm and weighs 158g.
Ergonomics
The OnePlus 3T looks and feels exactly like the OnePlus 3, and is quite sleek and light. The size is perfect for one-hand operation. The display is crisp and clear, though not as vibrant as some of the flagship devices. The fingerprint sensor and buttons provide a positive feel. The metal back side is slippery, though we cannot complain about it since this is the case with most metal-backed phones.
Performance
The OnePlus 3T performed remarkably well and we did not feel any lag or heating in the device. The battery lasted really long, providing enough power to last for a day on moderate use. With the Dash charger, the phone charges amazingly fast, taking only about an hour to charge from near-zero to full.
The camera performed well, though we observed slightly higher noise level in this device compared to the OnePlus 3. The camera produced images with a native print size of 8.7 x 15.5 inches at 300ppi. At 25 percent, the images were reasonably noise-free up to ISO 400. ISO 1600 and 3200 were extremely noisy. Enlarged to 50 percent, we observed noise at all ISOs, but the images were were usable up to ISO 200. The camera produced colours true to the original, especially under natural light. Thought it produced characteristic casts under artificial light, it could be corrected in post processing. The images were quite sharp out of the box.
Value for Money
The OnePlus 3T carries a price tag (MRP) of Rs.34,999 for the 128GB, while the 64GB variant retails at an MRP of Rs.29,999. The OnePlus 3T is exclusively available on Amazon. |SP
FINAL SCORE 87%
Design and Build Quality 18/20
Key Features 17/20
Ergonomics 18/20
Performance 17/20
Value for Money 17/20
PLUS
• Brilliant design
• Excellent performance
• Ultra-fast charging
• Competitive camera
• Good value for money
MINUS
• Noisy images at higher ISO
• Price
VERDICT
The OnePlus 3 has been a great device, and the OnePlus 3T takes it a step further, though with cosmetic improvements. The slight bump in battery capacity and the front camera improvement are not reasons to upgrade from the OnePlus 3. Nevertheless, a good buy for new customers.
Sujith Gopinath
