There’s really no lack of options out there for good smartphones, with the vast majority of us falling into one of two camps: team iPhone or team Android (though the Google Pixel is now picking up steam, too). That doesn’t stop some much smaller-time brands from getting in on the smartphone action, however, and in some cases even improving on the everyday designs. For proof, see the OnePlus 6t.
We wrote about the OnePlus 5t when it dropped, and it appears that OnePlus hasn’t lost steam, releasing the 5’s successor this past week. (That’s definitely faster turnaround than it takes Apple to release their new renditions of the iPhone, which are becoming pretty rote right about now).
The new 6T runs off Android, just like the previous generations of the phone, and is the first OnePlus phone to work on Verizon and is their first phone that you can buy directly from the carrier (as opposed to having to buy it from OnePlus themselves). It’ll also work on T-Mobile.
The OnePlus 6T doesn’t look much different from the 6; it has a just-barely larger screen (6.4”) with the same resolution, the same Snapdragon 845 processor, and a very similar camera (both front and rear-facing). Improvements include a slightly-larger 3700Mah battery, as well as perhaps the coolest new feature: a fingerprint sensor for locking and unlocking the phone, integrated right into the display. That’s something we’ve yet to see on other phones and is definitely the OnePlus 6T’s calling card.
The screen is also Gorilla Glass, which should help it avoid much of the cracking and shattering so many other smartphones are prone to. And instead of the traditional large notch up top for the camera, there is just a small cut-out about half the size. In terms of in-phone upgrades, the 6T also has a new “nightscape mode,” which gives improved photography performance in low-light.
One major complaint have is that sadly, there is no headphone jack. That’s what irks us the most about recent iPhones, and we’re disappointed to see another phonemaker following their lead.
If you’d like one, the 6T starts at $549 – a very respectable price for a smartphone, for sure. It’ll be out soon.
