Face Off: OnePlus 2 vs. Honor 6 Plus vs. Motorola Moto X Play

When comparing smartphones, it's easy to get lost in comparing subjective qualities. Instead of focusing on looks, we want to find out which smartphone is better built. Starting with the OnePlus 2, the back cover is removable, though a screwdriver is required for access to the battery. The cover itself is actually quite thin and easy to damage relative to the stronger aluminum and plastic design of the phone. Normally, these covers can be very flimsy and cheap as commonly found on inexpensive smartphones, but OnePlus has avoided the issue by offering versions with sandstone, Kevlar, and wooden textures. Construction quality is very good as we can notice no creaking or twists when attempting to bend the device. The heavier weight of the OnePlus 2 compared to the Honor 6 Plus and Moto X Play gives it a more substantial feel as well.

The Honor 6 Plus couldn't be more different than the OnePlus 2 in terms of design and material. It has no removable cover and its use of both fiber glass and plastic is not very common for smartphones. The Huawei phone comes noticeably thinner as a result compared to the OnePlus 2 and Moto X Play, but suffers from creaking and very slight twists when attempting to bend it. Customization options are far fewer than what the other two competitors offer.

Lastly, Motorola's phone is made almost entirely of plastic with rubberized surfaces for an improved grip. It is also the only device out of the three with a splash-resistant case. While the back cover is removable similar to the OnePlus 2, it is again purely for aesthetic purposes for users to change colors and designs as the battery remains integrated. Anyone who has held a Nexus 6 in person will have a good idea of the quality of the Moto X Play. Despite its all-plastic makeup, resistance to twists and depressions is very good thanks partly to its thicker size.

Users won't need to worry about case quality between the OnePlus 2, Honor 6 Plus, or Moto X Play. However, it is worth noting that the Honor definitely feels more susceptible to screen cracks if dropped. With quality being largely the same, we prefer the OnePlus 2 for accessibility with a simple screwdriver and averse use of glues.

Winner: OnePlus 2

OnePlus, Huawei, and Motorola are taking different approaches to improving camera quality on the OnePlus 2, Honor 6 Plus, and Moto X Play, respectively. On the OnePlus 2, the manufacturer is sticking with a basic 13 MP camera with laser auto-focus for split-second focusing. Its Optical Image Stabilizer (IOS) aids in reducing blurred pictures. Unfortunately, pictures tend to have a blue cast and are simply not as sharp as on the costlier Galaxy S6 or LG G4. The laser auto-focus can also be quite distracting when shooting videos as it attempts to focus and re-focus constantly. Picture quality is actually pretty good in low-light conditions with less noise than expected.

For the Honor smartphone, Huawei has equipped two 8 MP rear cameras that promise sharper pictures in low-light conditions. The separate images are automatically combined to create a final 13 MP image. While colors do appear more natural than on the OnePlus 2, sharpness is again not as good as the Galaxy S6 or LG G4.

Motorola has tackled the camera with raw power and no trickery; The Moto X Play uses a large 21 MP rear camera. While megapixel count isn't everything, sharpness is actually quite impressive on the Motorola, so the high megapixel count is certainly put to good use. On the flip side, colors are overexposed to the point where leaves on trees can appear homogeneous instead of individual elements with defined edges. This is only noticeable upon closer inspection with high magnification. Otherwise, overall quality in both bright and dim conditions edges out both the OnePlus 2 and Honor 6 Plus.

Winner: Motorola Moto X Play

Unlike on notebooks, the primary means of interfacing with smartphones is through the display. Thus, first impressions are everything for a smartphone. These three in comparison all offer exceptional 1080p displays, so we're here to cherry pick the best one.

First, the display on the OnePlus 2 has been significantly improved over the original. Contrast has doubled, colors are much more accurate, and the backlight is slightly more powerful. It is also the only phone in this comparison to sport Gorilla Glass 4 as opposed to Gorilla Glass 3 for improved resistance to cracks. However, CalMAN readings show that Orange colors tend to be pale and appear more Yellow than they ought to be. Its 90 percent sRGB coverage is very good and better than most high-end notebooks as well.

Next, the Honor phone is the least accurate of the three smartphones with higher DeltaE deviatons. Color temperature is also slightly cooler, so overall picture quality has a more prominent Blue tint. The manual White Balance feature does little help the phone reach the same quality levels as the OnePlus 2. Measured contrast, however, is slightly higher on the Honor with its deeper Black levels.

Color accuracy on the Moto X Play lies comfortably between the OnePlus 2 and Honor 6 Plus. In general, colors tend to appear oversaturated during our CalMAN tests. The smartphone's trump card in this Face Off is its incredibly bright backlight of almost 650 nits, which is brighter than most consumer smartphones in the market including the iPhone 6 Plus. This makes the Motorola a better choice for outdoor use.

While the OnePlus 2 and Honor 6 Plus carry slightly more accurate colors and higher contrast, respectively, the significantly brighter display is much more desirable for everyday use.

Winner: Motorola Moto X Play