OnePlus has become very popular by making smartphones that are sold at very low rates. The company offers its trademark flagship smartphone experience at prices that are decidedly nowhere near the flagship-level.
Although, these phones have been a major attraction to smartphone buyers, the OnePlus phones failed to impress. Based on reviews, OnePlus 1 offered great performance but fell short in the design, battery and camera departments. The OnePlus2 had bugs in the software and fingerprint sensor, amongst other quirks. Based on the OnePlus X review, it is still the company’s most affordable phone.
As it turns out, OnePlus has been paying attention to the users problems. The company recently announced an end to its highly-criticised invite system and has now launched the phone that it hopes will take it into a new future of easy availability of its affordable flagships. The OnePlus 3 is being sold at a cost of Rs. 27,999. But does this phone have what it takes to beat other smartphones of a similar kind with similar cost and features? Read the review below to find out.
Firstly, let us take a look at the OnePlus 3 specifications-
- 5.5-inch screen
- 1,920 x 1,080 pixel display (401ppi)
- Dimensions: 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.4mm
- Weight: 158 grams
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- Adreno 530 GPU
- 6GB RAM
- 64GB storage (32GB variant may be offered in some markets)
- 16MP main camera
- 8MP selfie camera
- USB-C port (Dash Charge 5V/4A)
- 3,000mAh battery
- Fingerprint scanner
- NFC
- Dual-SIM
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Oxygen OS (Android 6.0.1)
Sound impressive? It surely impressed us!
Design
With a design similar to that of HTC One, the large camera sensor is in the middle, with the antenna lines running around it. The fingerprint sensor from the OnePlus 2 has also returned, and the whole front of the handset looks identical to its predecessor. The OnePlus 3 is available in two colors which are rose gold and graphite.
Specifications
The OnePlus 3 has a 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Regarding processing power, it packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip – the same processor that can be found in many top-end handsets, including US versions of the Galaxy S7. This will ensure some very impressive performance, especially, when used alongside a 6GB RAM.
Regarding display, the OnePlus 3 is a treat. Though OnePlus has kept the resolution at 1080p; the 5.5-inch screen has been made using AMOLED technology. That means each pixel emits its own light, as opposed to LCD, which uses a backlight to illuminate the pixels. It should result in deeper blacks, more vibrant colors, and better energy efficiency.
The 5.5-inch screen is the same form factor as the iPhone 6S Plus. Unfortunately, the Full HD display won’t be as VR-capable as QHD rivals, like the Galaxy S7.
Camera
OnePlus now comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera. That’s more than the Galaxy S7 but, as we’ve seen with several phones this year, more pixels doesn’t always mean better photos and more focused shots.
The front camera of the OnePlus 3 is an eight megapixel camera which is more megapixels than you’ll find on top-end handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Software
The OnePlus 3 is going to run Android 6.0.1 with OnePlus’ Oxygen OS skin overlaid.
The release comes far too soon for Android N, which is set to be the next version of Google’s OS. You can install N on a bunch of Nexus device right now, but it’s very much a beta and will not be released for consumer devices until later this year.
Battery
The OnePlus 2 worked for a day-and-a-half of usage between charges. That was thanks to a 3,300mAh battery, paired with reasonably efficient components like a Full HD display and the Snapdragon 810. The OnePlus 3 has a slightly smaller 3,000mAh battery, but seeing as it hasn’t made the jump to a QHD or 4K panel, we expect to see similar battery life.
Final Verdict
All in all, the OnePlus3 is a great phone and surely as good as other smartphones in its budget and specification types. We give the OnePlus 3 a big Thumbs Up.
