OnePlus 3 Review: The real 2016 flagship killer

[RustyTech]

Like you, these are important features for me, but saying it shouldn't be called a Flagship Killer if these aren't important to you, implies you don't know what the term means. A Flagship Killer is a phone that gives you everything a Flagship does, but for much less money. In many of the performance criteria shown in thios review, this phone BEAT all the Flagships! The camera seems to be as good as anything out there (second best at every quantifiable item, never to the same phone). The size and look is excellent. Flagship Killer. The first one I'd ever give that name to personally.

The term "features important to me" is a very personal term that predominately would apply only to me but not necessarily to anyone else. Not only do I say that "they" are important to me, but I also specifically mentions the exact features I'm referring to; in this case the microSD slot and Removable Battery.
You speak in generality and so I'm not able to answer you.

Although, what does this mean:
"A Flagship Killer is a phone that gives you everything a Flagship does, but for much less money."

 

[madboyv1]

good explanation

Nice write up for those that didn't know the difference. I had a basic understanding of the differences between the two and that they achieved practically the same way, just differently (I actually prefer the way Dash Charge works, and is safer assuming you're not dealing with knock offs like Apple accessories are plagued with). What I meant in my statement was referring to the lack of available devices and power accessories (for the car, or multi tap for instance) compared to QC3, and of course if you want spare cables/AC adapters/Car adapters be prepared to pay a lot for them, with the single tap car DC plug being $30 from oneplus's site as an example.

I've been up for a new phone for years now and was gonna get an HTC 10 on plan, but the One Plus 3 is quite tempting even still, just means none of the QC3 chargers I've gotten in preparation will work at the peak load.

 

[Nobina]

I care about removable battery, it's not a deal breaker but past 3 phones I had didn't have that feature and there were times when I really wanted to pull the battery out cause I experimented with some stuff. Even if I didn't tinker I would still like my phone to have a removable battery in case I need to replace it or something.

As for the SD card well it's a hassle to transfer all the files to another phone than to just put your SD in a new phone and you're good. SD cards are pretty cheap and extra internal storage costs quite a lot.

 

[Nobina]

Mr successful youtuber:

Please let me know how the swapable battery helps you achieve more 4k recording, versus a mophie battery pack as you are implying in the post.

Also, I would say you require a dedicated device for your needs, it makes no sense to prefer an iphone for what you are doing.

I have a Sony NX5u THAT DOES NOT take video or pictures as well as iPhone 6s Plus.

FURTHERMORE, that camera weighs so much - when this iPhone fits in my pocket.

If you take a look at the videos I made in the Seychelles (the REAL SEYCHELLES part 1 - 5) you'll see the color quality is fabulous and optical image stability work well.

I am going to use iPhone 7 Pro to make several travelogues.

Montevideo/ Buenos Aires
Taj Mahal
Palau

Removable batteries are in NO WAY as efficient for me as Mophie 8x - partly because I can charge more than one device if needed on the go.

iOS/ iMovie is EXCELLENT and has made me so much money on Youtube I would never switch to this junk up there ^

At least give TechSpot some money if you're gonna advertise here with your stupid videos nobody will ever watch.

 

[OcelotRex]

I fully appreciate that having a removable battery is a necessity for some people, in fact back in the day (3 years ago) it was a must, but for the vast majority, removable batteries are a non issue these days.

At least give TechSpot some money if you're gonna advertise here with your stupid videos nobody will ever watch.

Remember - they make $2,000 a month on their youtube channel...

 

[p51d007]

I've been in the service business for over 40 years.
To me, that is one of the key aspects of purchasing something. If you can't stand behind
what you sell, what are you to do if you have an issue?
OnePlus has yet to deliver on support. Their support is pretty much zero. If you have a bad
unit, or have a problem that requires returning to the company, it's a maze of confusing emails,
live chats or they say they never received it. If you get a good one, then their are the constant
software updates. Generally, the OnePlus device starts to "get good" about 3 months after release.
It's their support that suffers, not as much as the device.

 

[Scorpus]

How it is a worse phone is strictly your subjective opinion rather than an objective fact.

Not really. The OnePlus 3 has better battery life from its battery, which is what I value highly because I don't (and most people don't) carry a second internal battery for hotswapping. And if you are carrying a second battery you could just carry a battery pack which is more versatile and can be much higher capacity (and cost less, and don't require turning off the phone, and are easier to charge).

The OP3's display is better in many ways (AMOLED v LCD, color accurate mode, better contrast) aside from peak brightness. Performance is better, particularly throttling and storage which are key features. Sure, the S820 performance is the same, but the OnePlus 3 hits its peak for much longer. It's also worth mentioning that a number of the features the G5 has (USB C, fingerprint, wireless support) are all also features of the OnePlus 3.

The OP3 has better software and build, though those are subjective qualities. I agree the G5 has a better camera.

So in the end you're spending more money for two or three extra features: expandable storage, better camera, hotswappable batteries. That's fine, because you've identified those features as important. But it doesn't make a phone better across the board.

 

[AjaxDono]

Battery life is the single most important spec for me and they downgraded to 3000. Wish they had gone the other way and included a 5000mah battery. This phone will last till just after 2pm. No bueno. I'm out.

 

[Kibaruk]

I have a Sony NX5u THAT DOES NOT take video or pictures as well as iPhone 6s Plus.

I've seen comparisons of video recorded by i6s+ vs gopros and they are way better suited for that, without spending two of your fat check for one of them, but then that could be only me. Do some research, more expensive and bigger does not equals better...

If you take a look at the videos I made in the Seychelles (the REAL SEYCHELLES part 1 - 5) you'll see the color quality is fabulous and optical image stability work well.

I won't be looking at your videos, not because I'm not interested in the topic or anything (btw I don't know) but because with your earlier reply I thought you were an ars, kudos!

I am going to use iPhone 7 Pro to make several travelogues.

Mother of convenience right?

Removable batteries are in NO WAY as efficient for me as Mophie 8x - partly because I can charge more than one device if needed on the go.

That's what everyone is saying so far, so yeah.

iOS/ iMovie is EXCELLENT and has made me so much money on Youtube I would never switch to this junk up there

Good for you! Why someone would be interested in knowing you have a youtube channel (Way to go on advertisement, I think you won't get a single hit from techspot btw) and that this phone doesn't suit your needs? Like, seriously? What was your logic thinking behind that? You know what, I truly don't care so do as I never asked anything =)

 

[Bigtruckseries]

I have a Sony NX5u THAT DOES NOT take video or pictures as well as iPhone 6s Plus.

I've seen comparisons of video recorded by i6s+ vs gopros and they are way better suited for that, without spending two of your fat check for one of them, but then that could be only me. Do some research, more expensive and bigger does not equals better...

If you take a look at the videos I made in the Seychelles (the REAL SEYCHELLES part 1 - 5) you'll see the color quality is fabulous and optical image stability work well.

I won't be looking at your videos, not because I'm not interested in the topic or anything (btw I don't know) but because with your earlier reply I thought you were an ars, kudos!

I am going to use iPhone 7 Pro to make several travelogues.

Mother of convenience right?

Removable batteries are in NO WAY as efficient for me as Mophie 8x - partly because I can charge more than one device if needed on the go.

That's what everyone is saying so far, so yeah.

iOS/ iMovie is EXCELLENT and has made me so much money on Youtube I would never switch to this junk up there

Good for you! Why someone would be interested in knowing you have a youtube channel (Way to go on advertisement, I think you won't get a single hit from techspot btw) and that this phone doesn't suit your needs? Like, seriously? What was your logic thinking behind that? You know what, I truly don't care so do as I never asked anything =)

If you don't understand what I'm doing then you never will.

As long as the money keeps flowing - it won't really matter.

iPHONE 7 PRO 256GB IT IS!!!

 

[Lionvibez]

No removable battery!
No expansion slot!

They've basically KILLED the biggest attraction to Android over iOS.

I personally prefer iOS to Android.

I prefer the performance of Apple NAND flash to memory cards.

I bought a Mophie 8X for $150 which allows me to recharge my iPhone 6s Plus 128GB while I'm recording 4K video for my Youtube channel.

Once I get iPhone 7 Pro 256GB, I'll be able to record 4K video for 6 hours straight.

right now I have 30GB of files/documents which leaves me with less than 100GB to make videos. That means I can't make more than 3 hours in 4K or risk having no space to finalize in iMovie.

With iPhone 7 Pro 256GB, I can still have up to 40GB or apps/documents and settings...yet have a RIDICULOUS 200GB for recording my Youtube videos.

My Youtube earns over $2000 a month.

It's worth it.

this phone up there is just not worth my time.

Sounds like you need a real computer and real video equipment over a small cell phone.

You know professional grade equipment if this is being used to generate income.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I have two batteries for my phone (got the second cheap on ebay (OEM)), but I rarely use it simply because I'd have to wait for my battery to die, remove it and replace it with the charged/dead battery, use/charge it, remove it, charge the other battery, use it and repeat. Not exactly convenient keeping the second battery full. And it's not like there are any reputable companies selling quality chargers for batteries without using the phone.

Swapping batteries made sense when batteries were physically larger and weak. Those days are over.
SD cards make sense with 8GB - 32GB capacities. Those days are numbered.

That is all.

 

[DaveBG]

A phone with no removable battery is a joke to me too. People argument is that manufacturers are moving away from removable batteries and we need to adapt but that is exactly what they want us to do. Once the battery fails (which is the first thing that fails in any phone) you buy new one. Nope ... I will buy only phone with removable batteries. My Galaxy S 1 still works on its second battery for calls strictly and will not be replaced any time soon.

 

[OcelotRex]

A phone with no removable battery is a joke to me too. People argument is that manufacturers are moving away from removable batteries and we need to adapt but that is exactly what they want us to do. Once the battery fails (which is the first thing that fails in any phone) you buy new one. Nope ... I will buy only phone with removable batteries. My Galaxy S 1 still works on its second battery for calls strictly and will not be replaced any time soon.

I too have a Samsung epic 4g (the sprint branded s1). Its utterly worthless as a device compared to $20 ZTE handsets That can be purchased at Walmart. An OEM battery costs more than a cheap Android handset. I'd suggest buying $100 phones like the Moto e instead of stretching out the life of a 6 year old phone.

 

[OcelotRex]

I have two batteries for my phone (got the second cheap on ebay (OEM)), but I rarely use it simply because I'd have to wait for my battery to die, remove it and replace it with the charged/dead battery, use/charge it, remove it, charge the other battery, use it and repeat. Not exactly convenient keeping the second battery full. And it's not like there are any reputable companies selling quality chargers for batteries without using the phone.

Swapping batteries made sense when batteries were physically larger and weak. Those days are over.
SD cards make sense with 8GB - 32GB capacities. Those days are numbered.

That is all.

My issue was how to charge the spare battery without the desk cradle. The cradle and spare battery were expensive and only charged in one place well.

Modern battery packs can charge off any USB power brick and an power many different devices. When coupled with a solar charger they can go completely off grid for days/weeks.

I get the argument about repairs or defective handsets I just don't give it much creedence. Either the device is cheap enough to be replaced or go with a brand who doesn't have the issue or is popular enough to be replaced.

 

[Archean]

Removable batteries have not been a flagship requirement for a few years now, that's just reality. The lack of a microSD slot may be less forgivable for some so this wouldn't be your choice of smartphone, but for a $400 handset I'd rather that be the tradeoff and not build and overall hardware quality (or software), which is what Tim concludes for such high marks and I agree.

Also, I would like to agree, have a 32gb phone and I would like to consider myself a power user, who has learned to not have all the unnecessary crap people normally carries, and at this time and age (I love that phrase) who carries all their photos and music IN the device, however whomever does deserves to loose it.

Removable batteries have not been a flagship requirement for a few years now, that's just reality. The lack of a microSD slot may be less forgivable for some so this wouldn't be your choice of smartphone, but for a $400 handset I'd rather that be the tradeoff and not build and overall hardware quality (or software), which is what Tim concludes for such high marks and I agree.

I'm using N5 for a while now, and haven't maxed out its 64GB storage, despite, considering myself a power user, who use it for work as well as entertainment on the go. In fact, when I'm traveling I always keep mUSB 64GB drive handy with all the videos etc. I may want to watch on the go. So microSD may not be a deal breaker for many.

What irates me most about Samsung/LG/Sony etc. (and a plus for Apple and in General MS) OS updates, are painfully slow to roll out, e.g. I only got MM 6.0.1 about 1+ month ago, so close to A7 release, which is almost ready to roll out in near future. Hence, IMHO this is the most important factor (after performance/build quality/experience etc.) which may be essential decision driver for an informed buyer.

@Julio
Would it not be prudent to consider greater role of OS update history for each vendor in final review ratings of any new smartphone (e.g. mark 25 out 100 rating points just for OS upgrades history/efficiency)? Just a suggestion for consideration nothing more.

 

[Julio Franco]

Trust me, we do take it into consideration and usually mention it in the reviews (hence the love Nexus handsets get for pure Android and fast updates), however there is a limitation on how subjective those OS updates are.

To give you one example: Samsung doesn't sell direct in the US, only through carriers and they all update at different times. Some are rather good, others not so much, some used to be horrible but have corrected course. Then how we could factor that to account for European ISPs, and other regions. Here I'm stuck with an AT&T Galaxy S7 that won't update OTA if I'm not in the States

So ultimately I'd say Android core OS updates is something that should be fixed by Google to be less manufacturer dependent and especially not at all linked to carriers.

 

[Archean]

+1 on core OS + Security updates mechanism which Google must control instead of relinquishing it to OEMs.

Unfortunately, I'm with you on that AT&T update issue, hence, I need to sideload updates on my N5 (IF or whenever they become available)

 

[Jibberish18]

I bought the OP3 and used it for the trial 15 days and then bought an Axon 7 which I am currently using. The Axon 7 is going back today and I'm ordering the OP3. They are both GREAT phones with strengths and weaknesses. I don't think you can go wrong with either or but I would recommend that people try both because you may be surprised at what you prefer (for example the audio equipment in the Axon 7 being amazing just wasn't correct for me. It sounded no better, in fact worse than the OP3 when connected to a 3.5mm jack and the speakers are indeed loud but the MotoX is also very loud and Atmos is a gimmick just like boom sound. It's basically "Loudness" from back in the 90's) Battery life on the Axon 7 is FANTASTIC. That part I will miss very much because the OP3 drains quickly when you're doing average things here and there. Unless the updates improved things.

If anyone has an specific questions please let me know.

 

[Kibaruk]

I bought the OP3 and used it for the trial 15 days and then bought an Axon 7 which I am currently using. The Axon 7 is going back today and I'm ordering the OP3. They are both GREAT phones with strengths and weaknesses. I don't think you can go wrong with either or but I would recommend that people try both because you may be surprised at what you prefer (for example the audio equipment in the Axon 7 being amazing just wasn't correct for me. It sounded no better, in fact worse than the OP3 when connected to a 3.5mm jack and the speakers are indeed loud but the MotoX is also very loud and Atmos is a gimmick just like boom sound. It's basically "Loudness" from back in the 90's) Battery life on the Axon 7 is FANTASTIC. That part I will miss very much because the OP3 drains quickly when you're doing average things here and there. Unless the updates improved things.

If anyone has an specific questions please let me know.

You should probably try out samsungs Adapt Sound technology, not sure if it's available in other phones or if it has another name, to me at least made a huge impact on my music listening.

 

[Jibberish18]

You should probably try out samsungs Adapt Sound technology, not sure if it's available in other phones or if it has another name, to me at least made a huge impact on my music listening.

I actually found out today that you can go into the ATMOS settings and sort of tweak some of the sound settings for each Sound Type (Movie, Games, etc) so I may have put my foot in my mouth. I was listening to a bunch of stuff and I will admit that movies can sound really cool since when it comes to a movie I want a spacial sound with effects coming from all over. But music still sounded meh. Being able to mess with the equalizer helped. Still, out of the package, the OP3 sounds so much more impressive to me. My wifes iPhone 6 also sounds overall beter connected to a 3.5mm jack.

 

[Kibaruk]

I actually found out today that you can go into the ATMOS settings and sort of tweak some of the sound settings for each Sound Type (Movie, Games, etc) so I may have put my foot in my mouth. I was listening to a bunch of stuff and I will admit that movies can sound really cool since when it comes to a movie I want a spacial sound with effects coming from all over. But music still sounded meh. Being able to mess with the equalizer helped. Still, out of the package, the OP3 sounds so much more impressive to me. My wifes iPhone 6 also sounds overall beter connected to a 3.5mm jack.

The amazing thing about Adapt Sound is that on setup, it will beep at different frequencies and ask you if you heard it, adapting the sound specially to your headset and ear.

 

[meric]

These phones are good and cheap and all but whenever I see a screen size of 5.5 inches I really don't like it. I like Xiaomi mi5's design better, though OP3 looks like a much better phone overall. Thin designs with around 5 inch displays attract me more and I know many people think like me. Are there any other "flagship killers" like this?

 

[Jibberish18]

These phones are good and cheap and all but whenever I see a screen size of 5.5 inches I really don't like it. I like Xiaomi mi5's design better, though OP3 looks like a much better phone overall. Thin designs with around 5 inch displays attract me more and I know many people think like me. Are there any other "flagship killers" like this?

I hear ya. Although I think having a nice big screen is a very nice thing for a number of reasons, I will say that recently going back to my HTC One M7 (4.7") is sort of a relief while I have to wait for my OP3 to arrive. The fact that it feels so tiny in the hand compared to the 5.5" phones is great.

 

[shark975]

Problem with saying it's such a great value is I got a S6 edge plus from best buy for 399. Since the S7 is now out. Off contract of course.

The thing is an absolutely beautiful beast monster and I doubt the oneplus 3 can top it in any meaningful way (this is in the real world, not the stupid phone reviewer world where anything a year old and 5% slower is old trash). Plus, I just trust Samsung's quality much more than a chinese manufacturer. It also has the 1440P screen, which I dont know if that's the reason, but the screen is unreal. Long after new phone smell wore off, I still marvel at the screen. It basically looks like a painting.