OnePlus 6 Arrives May 22, Will Start at $529

OnePlus 6 Arrives May 22, Will Start at $529

OnePlus announced its latest flagship smartphone today, and as expected, the OnePlus 6 features a near bezel-less display with a notch.

“With the OnePlus 6, we focused on one thing above all else,” OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei said during the device’s launch event today in London. “Speed. This is the fastest flagship experience that OnePlus has ever created.”

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Also as expected, the OnePlus 6 delivers flagship-level specs and then some at very affordable prices, in keeping with the company’s strategy. It utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, Adreno 630 graphics, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 64, 128, or 256 GB of storage depending on the model, and a Sony dual-camera system with both OIS and EIS and f/1.7 apertures. The device supports 40 global bands of cellular connectivity, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and it comes with both fingerprint and facial unlocking functionality. There’s no wireless charging, but it supports fast charging like previous OnePlus handsets. Yes, it also has a headphone jack.

But the biggest news, in many ways, is the display: The OnePlus 6 features a 6.28-inch “full optic” 2280 x 1080 AMOLED screen at a tall 19:9 aspect ratio. This is OnePlus’s largest display yet, Pei noted, but the phone itself is no bigger than its predecessor, the 5T, thanks to the edge-to-edge design. And because you can remove the on-screen navigation bar and use gestures instead, you can gain even more usable space.

Pei defended OnePlus’s use of an iPhone X-like notch, which intrudes into the middle top of the display by noting that this design provides as much screen as possible without compromising on the functionality that users expect.

The OnePlus 6 will be available in three colors—Mirror Black, Midnight Black, and Silk White—and in various configurations that range from 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage for $529 to a high-end model with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage for $629. To put this pricing in perspective, an iPhone X with 64 GB costs $999, while a Samsung Galaxy S9+ with 64 GB of storage costs $840.

The OnePlus 6 will be available for purchase on May 22. And yes, I will be reviewing it.

 

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Conversation 27 comments

  • John Craig

    16 May, 2018 - 5:12 pm

    <p>But…..I just got my 5T like 6 months ago. What the hell man :(</p>

    • Chris

      16 May, 2018 - 7:33 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#276389"><em>In reply to John_Craig:</em></a></blockquote><p>I got my Samsung Galaxy S8 three months before the S9 launched…</p>

      • Daekar

        17 May, 2018 - 6:31 am

        <blockquote><a href="#276432"><em>In reply to c.hucklebridge:</em></a></blockquote><p>We always buy used phones, so we're always a generation behind. Everything is so good now that it doesn't matter anymore. The big feature I was drooling over while using a Galaxy S5 was Samsung Pay, and now that I have that in my S7 there hasn't been another feature released exclusive to the new phones that I actually care about.</p><p><br></p><p>I'm actually dreading getting a new phone because it seems like all the flagships have gotten so fragile. Probably better off keeping this one until I can't.</p>

    • rameshthanikodi

      17 May, 2018 - 9:10 am

      <blockquote><a href="#276389"><em>In reply to John_Craig:</em></a></blockquote><p>the 5T is still an excellent phone. With no notch.</p>

  • curtisspendlove

    16 May, 2018 - 5:43 pm

    <p>Embrace the notch. EMBRACE IT!!!</p>

  • zself

    Premium Member
    16 May, 2018 - 7:29 pm

    <p>Not on Verizon. </p>

  • skane2600

    16 May, 2018 - 7:59 pm

    <p>A bit silly to say a "hole" in your display isn't a compromise. One can debate whether it's a worthy compromise or not, but a compromise it certainly is.</p>

  • Daekar

    16 May, 2018 - 8:14 pm

    <p>A big blank space in an area that should be screen is a compromise. Period. Seriously, these companies are making Samsung look like their engineers are made of self-duplicating gold… can NOBODY else make a notchless screen?</p>

    • PhilipVasta

      16 May, 2018 - 10:50 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#276438"><em>In reply to Daekar:</em></a></blockquote><p>It's amazing to me that companies with multiple levels of management, that make (and spend) millions of dollars, can behave in such a childish manner. I mean, almost the ENTIRE INDUSTRY copied Apple with this notch.</p><p><br></p><p>Look, Apple makes generally excellent products, and can be a force for good in pushing the tech industry in good directions, i.e., first-class touch experience, seamless biometric authentication, etc. But the notch isn't some superior way of doing a screen, it's just different. And all of these companies act like stupid little lemmings and blindly copy the style. It's unbelievable.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      17 May, 2018 - 3:28 am

      <blockquote><a href="#276438"><em>In reply to Daekar:</em></a></blockquote><p>I agree, up to a point. I use my phone in portrait mode 99% of the time and the middle of the top of the screen is generally blank, where the notch would be, with service icons on the left and notification icons on the right… That means the phone has to be bigger to accommodate the screen + camera/sensor bundle for the 1% of the time that I use the phone in landscape mode…</p><p>I still don't like the notch per se, but I can see some sense behind it, for users who stick in portrait mode, it makes the device that little bit smaller. It isn't a compromise I am currently willing to take, but I do understand it.</p>

      • Daekar

        17 May, 2018 - 6:28 am

        <blockquote><a href="#276634"><em>In reply to wright_is:</em></a></blockquote><p>That's a fair assessment, and I'm sure that the Apple designers went through the same logic – they decided that the utility and other design benefits of making the notch concession overcame the aesthetic and exeriential detriment that came with it. I disagree just like you, but that doesn't make my opinion the only right answer.</p>

  • ids

    Premium Member
    17 May, 2018 - 1:45 am

    <p>@thurrott are you getting one to review? Post Lumias I'm still rocking a One Plus 5 and never noticed anything about it being slow.. In fact I can't complain about anything really (most unlike me) </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • innitrichie

    17 May, 2018 - 6:00 am

    <p>I have a OnePlus 5T and have to say I'm thoroughly satisfied with the device. The fact it runs very close to stock android appealed to me, and it really performs beautifully well. </p><p><br></p><p>Where the 5T will fall short for a lot of people is the camera and camera software. It's generally lousy at taking pictures and selfies. But it doesn't bother me because most of the pictures I take with a smartphone are receipts or meter readings. I'll be interested to see if they've genuinely improved photography with the OnePlus 6. It isn't just the hardware, the OP camera software and processing has been shown as contributing significantly to the poor quality of photos. (sideloading apks of other camera packages makes a big difference) They didn't really emphasize any improvements in these key areas during the keynote yesterday.</p>

    • ids

      Premium Member
      17 May, 2018 - 6:16 am

      <blockquote><a href="#276676"><em>In reply to innitrichie:</em></a></blockquote><p>I havent noticed the quality so much perhaps its my failing eyesight ! They are not as clear as my older Lumias (1020 then 950) but ill take being able to take pictures when I hit the damn button.</p><p><br></p><p>What apps have you found that are decent sideloaders ? I tend to use the OP camera app and have used the Open Camera app as well.</p>

  • RoHo

    Premium Member
    17 May, 2018 - 8:12 am

    <p>My 3T is working flawlessly, no need to upgrade for my needs. Good to know one plus is continuing to raise the bar at reasonable prices. </p>

  • Tony Barrett

    17 May, 2018 - 9:31 am

    <p>Seems like phone manufacturers have given up on who can make the slimmest phone, now they've moved onto who can give us the max screen to body ratio, but the notch – please no. It just looks like nobody else has any idea and are just copying the iPhone X. The notch is horrible – an eyesore and an excuse for bad design. Personally, I'd never buy a phone that had one. I'm all for maximizing screen size, but not with one of those things.</p>

  • dcdevito

    17 May, 2018 - 12:34 pm

    <p>I think the best part of this phone will be its Project Treble compatibility and most likely getting Android P when it launches. If the camera is really good this will be a great phone.</p>

  • krayziehustler

    17 May, 2018 - 12:52 pm

    <p>OnePlus and every manufacturer has to justify the notch with something other than a selfie camera. </p><p><br></p><p>I bought the iPhone X at launch and the notch never bothered me because you need the notch in order for FaceID to work and that has a ton of cameras and sensors. If all you are putting in your phone is a selfie camera, then they are just bucking to the trend for no reason and no benefit.</p><p><br></p><p>Another thing to note, that is Apple apps get more care and are updated more often to support the notch. I can see many apps on Android wasting space because the developer hasn't updated his app to support a notch or the phone doesn't get Android P to do it for you.</p>

  • Alexander Rothacker

    Premium Member
    17 May, 2018 - 3:58 pm

    <p>While this is a good value compared to today's Flagship phones I remember the days when a top-of-the-line iPhone was $650. </p>

  • ponsaelius

    17 May, 2018 - 3:59 pm

    <p>I think this looks a great flagship device. For most normal people "good enough" starts at a mid price point and this is a little above that. </p><p><br></p><p>The flagship $1000 phones are first and foremost fashion items. The technology is not needed for most people. The camera probably remains the biggest differentiator for higher prices. However, most people are not taking the photos that need that kind of price difference. That's why iPhone 6s users often don't feel the need to upgrade.</p><p><br></p><p>The PC industry hit the point where most users could do most things without a premium device some years ago. The phone is now entering that phase too. There will always be a market for really expensive devices or people who are prepared to pay for specific features. I think the Oneplus 6 along with number of others are "good enough" for most people.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • rameshthanikodi

    17 May, 2018 - 5:29 pm

    <p>that looks like one of the more pleasant notches i've seen. I'm still mad that this is a trend though, and I blame Apple making this an OK thing.</p>

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    17 May, 2018 - 8:39 pm

    <p>why so much ram? Is it really useful? Seems like a waste… with memory prices so high I rather have a cheaper device with 4gb which I think would be plenty. </p>

  • TheFerrango

    18 May, 2018 - 2:46 am

    <p>if any company were to make a phone with a sliding mechanism that hides the "notch components" (speaker, ffc) and then pops up only when needed, then they'd have my interest</p>

  • Rob_Wade

    18 May, 2018 - 9:27 am

    <p>They can kick out fancy new hardware every day, but Android itself is such a lame OS. It's impossible to make it as capable and convenient as Windows Phone/Mobile. There is virtually no hands-free capability, which is something I rely on all day, every day.</p>

    • Bats

      22 May, 2018 - 8:15 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#277127"><em>In reply to Rob_Wade:</em></a></blockquote><p>LOL..What? No hands free? For an Android phone? Seriously? There is a reason why Windows Phone failed. You can't do squat with it. Not just that, it can't do 5% of what Android phone can do. </p>

  • craigsn

    Premium Member
    18 May, 2018 - 11:03 am

    <p>Does this support expandable storage (micros SD)?</p>

  • RonH

    Premium Member
    19 May, 2018 - 7:20 am

    <p>I believe that Apple was not the first to have the notch. Wasn't it the <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent;">Essential Phone?</span></p>

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