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OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition Smartphone Review

The Thrill of Speed. The McLaren Edition is a slightly redesigned model with a new charging technology based on the OnePlus 6T. Accessories are aplenty, but is the special edition worth the $150 premium over the regular device? Find out in our review.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition

OnePlus has been very active in exploring possibilities for special editions of its smartphones. Whether it was French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Star Wars, or Marvel’s Avengers: Every single model released in the past three years became available as a special edition in cooperation with a well-known brand sooner or later. Until recently, the changes were only cosmetic and limited to external features only, for example a differently colored back cover or a special protective case.

The new OnePlus 6T is very different, though. This year’s brand partner is sports car manufacturer McLaren, and the special edition is deemed a “salute to speed”. Consequently, the updates are not limited to external features only, although the new model contains carbon underneath the rear glass and McLaren Orange highlights, the internal hardware is also affected. The special edition is equipped with more RAM and an exclusive brand-new fast-charging technology called Warp Charge capable of charging with up to 30 W.

All these are good and valid reasons for us to take a closer look at the device and compare it to the cheaper OnePlus 6T. Its other competitors are identical to the original review unit - Apple iPhone XS MaxHuawei P20 ProSamsung Galaxy S9 Plus, and Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium.

OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (6 Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 8 x 2.8 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55 (Kryo 385)
Graphics adapter
Memory
10 GB 
Display
6.41 inch 19.5:9, 2340 x 1080 pixel 402 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 256 GB 
, 245 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: audio output via USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, USB-C, USB-OTG
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G, 3G, 4G (B1/​B2/​B3/​B4/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B12/​B13/​B17/​B18/​B19/​B20/​B25/​B26/​B28/​B29/​B30/​B32/​B34/​B38/​B39/​B40/​​B41/​B46/​B66/​B71), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.2 x 157.5 x 74.8 ( = 0.32 x 6.2 x 2.94 in)
Battery
14.06 Wh, 3700 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Warp Charge 30 charging technology
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix f/​1.7, phase-detection autofocus, OIS, dual LED flash, videos 2160p@60fps (main camera); 20 MP, f/1.7, field of depth (secondary camera)
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/​2.0, videos 1080p@30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker at the bottom, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, Warp Charge 30 power supply, USB-C cable, SIM tool, protective carbon shell, McLaren book, trophy, 24 Months Warranty, LTE Cat 16/​13 (1,000Mbps/​150Mbps), fanless
Weight
185 g ( = 6.53 oz / 0.41 pounds), Power Supply: 120 g ( = 4.23 oz / 0.26 pounds)
Price
700 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Like with all the other special editions before, the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition’s case differs from the original model. In this particular case, however, it is not necessarily immediately obvious what the differences are, especially when looking at it head-on, as its black front is identical to the regular OnePlus 6T. Looking at it from the side we notice the first differences: The Special Edition features an orange stripe along the entire side - McLaren Orange, that is. At the rear the differences are even more pronounced. In addition to the carbon layer embedded immediately below the glass cover, the entire bottom half is framed in that very same orange color.

Like the OnePlus 6T the case is made mostly out of glass in order to ensure superb signal reception for the internal antennas. Like the original, the Special Edition is not IP-certified, meaning that we advise against using it under water. Size, weight, and sturdiness are identical to the regular 6T.

OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition

Size Comparison

158 mm / 6.22 inch 80 mm / 3.15 inch 11.9 mm / 0.4685 inch 236 g0.52 lbs158.1 mm / 6.22 inch 73.8 mm / 2.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 189 g0.4167 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 77.4 mm / 3.05 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 208 g0.4586 lbs155 mm / 6.1 inch 73.88 mm / 2.91 inch 7.65 mm / 0.3012 inch 174 g0.3836 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Like the OnePlus 6T the Special Edition also lacks the 3.5-mm audio jack, but at least it includes a USB-C to 3.5-mm adapter. In regards to RAM, the Special Edition has upped the ante quite significantly: A whopping 10 GB of RAM can be found on the device, and 256 GB of storage space is ample as well. The regular model can also be had with 256 GB of storage space, and the price difference between that model and the Special Edition was $70 at the time of writing. At $700, the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is no longer the affordable flagship killer that OnePlus so famously started out as, and it is within reach of many of its competitors.

Software

OnePlus has always made an effort to provide timely security patches even for its older phones. Granted, given the manufacturer’s very limited lineup this should be easier to achieve than for manufacturers with a plethora of different smartphone models. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition comes with Android 9 and security patches as of December 2018, and thus it was up to date at the time of writing. The software has only been modified slightly, for example to include a system-wide dark mode, a game mode, and a reading mode that sets the entire display to black & white. As usual, the software is pleasantly fast.

The software modifications specific to the McLaren Edition are scarce. By default, the contrast color is set to orange and a McLaren AR app for an in-depth augmented reality experience with the included books is preinstalled on the device.

Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Software OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition

Communication and GPS

The communication modules have remained unchanged from the regular OnePlus 6T, and our Wi-Fi tests connected to the same Linksys EA8500 router yielded very similar results. All things considered, Wi-Fi performance was acceptable.

The cellular modem is also identical, and neither LTE bands nor data speed specifications have changed. Like the base model, the McLaren Edition shows very strong cellular reception, particularly indoors. It supports VoLTE and VoWi-Fi, although both depend on carrier support and can be limited to certain providers.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
647 MBit/s +32%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
602 MBit/s +23%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Mali-G72 MP18, Exynos 9810, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
519 MBit/s +6%
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Adreno 630, SD 845, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
489 (439min - 508max) MBit/s
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
474 (241min - 497max) MBit/s -3%
Huawei P20 Pro
Mali-G72 MP12, Kirin 970, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
437 MBit/s -11%
iperf3 receive AX12
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
677 MBit/s +7%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Mali-G72 MP18, Exynos 9810, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
652 MBit/s +3%
Huawei P20 Pro
Mali-G72 MP12, Kirin 970, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
635 MBit/s 0%
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Adreno 630, SD 845, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
633 (619min - 639max) MBit/s
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
629 (621min - 638max) MBit/s -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
624 MBit/s -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -41%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø632 (619-639)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø489 (439-508)
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors

We were unable to obtain GPS lock indoors; however, the device was very fast to locate us outdoors at an accuracy of 5 m.

Like every device, we took the McLaren Edition on our biking trip around the block in order to determine how well the device handled real-world sat-nav and tracking scenarios. As expected, the Special Edition performed very similarly to the regular OnePlus 6T. In other words: It was not 100% accurate but more than just usable for everyday navigation.

GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – woods
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – woods
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overpass
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overpass
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – overview
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – overview
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – woods
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – woods
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – overpass
GPS OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – overpass

Telephony and Call Quality

The telephone app has been slightly updated visually but still includes support for a dark mode and continues to put an emphasis on frequently called contacts by listing them first.

Like the regular OnePlus 6T, the Special Edition also suffered from very noticeable ambient noise during phone calls.

Cameras

Sample photo taken with the front-facing camera
Sample photo taken with the front-facing camera

The cameras are the same as on the OnePlus 6T, and the Special Edition sports the same dual-camera setup at the rear with optical image stabilization. Thanks to their different focal length they support a hybrid zoom combining optical and digital zoom. Strictly speaking, this camera setup can also be found on an even earlier OnePlus smartphone, the OnePlus 6. Its strengths are landscape and low-light photography. The latter does not even require using the night mode since the camera was good enough to capture more than decent photos under less than ideal lighting conditions.

Videos are recorded in 4K resolution at up to 60 FPS but they are limited to just five minutes in length. Image quality is decent.

The front-facing camera took crisp and colorful photos.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

Like the OnePlus 6T, text on red backgrounds was slightly blurry. Otherwise, the test photo was very crisp considering the lighting conditions in the laboratory. Colors were slightly too dark and muddy overall.

Test chart
Test chart
Test chart details
Test chart details
ColorChecker: Reference color is in the lower half of each square
ColorChecker: Reference color is in the lower half of each square

Accessories and Warranty

Included in the box is a Warp Charge 30 power supply. It is not only larger than the already fairly clunky regular OnePlus power supplies, but at 120 g it is also very heavy. It is more or less the same size as a small Ultrabook power supply but capable of providing 30 W of power for super fast charging. An orange USB-C cable, a protective cover made of carbon, a USB-C to 3.5-mm adapter (also orange), and a SIM tool are also included in the box.

A book with additional information about McLaren and the cooperation process between them and OnePlus can also be found in the box. The included McLaren AR app is required in order to experience the augmented reality edition of this book. Last but not least a small Plexiglas trophy was included as well.

Input Devices & Handling

The regular 6T surprised us with a very precise touchscreen, a slider to mute the device, and an embedded in-screen fingerprint reader. The McLaren Edition is no different.

The fingerprint reader’s accuracy has been improved over the last few weeks through regular software updates. It is now supposed to learn and therefore improve over time, and we can attest to that claim. While the fingerprint reader was fairly slow at the beginning of our review period, unlocking was significantly faster after a few days already. We would not have minded a fingerprint reader at the back of the device, but the embedded in-screen reader worked flawlessly once we got used to it.

Keyboard (landscape)
Keyboard (landscape)
Keyboard (portrait)
Keyboard (portrait)

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The display has also remained identical to the OnePlus 6T. It is still based on AMOLED technology with a waterdrop notch at the top for the front-facing camera. Resolution and brightness are identical to the stock model, which means that its competitors remain brighter. The display resolution was decent but we should note that some of its competitors offer higher-resolution displays.

435
cd/m²
437
cd/m²
451
cd/m²
437
cd/m²
435
cd/m²
440
cd/m²
437
cd/m²
446
cd/m²
457
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 457 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 441.7 cd/m² Minimum: 2.03 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 435 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.79 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
143.5% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.252
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.41
OnePlus 6T
Optic AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.41
Apple iPhone Xs Max
OLED, 2688x1242, 6.50
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Super AMOLED, 2960x1440, 6.20
Huawei P20 Pro
OLED, 2240x1080, 6.10
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
LCD-IPS, 3840x2160, 5.80
Screen
33%
53%
43%
50%
31%
Brightness middle
435
437
0%
656
51%
565
30%
569
31%
477
10%
Brightness
442
442
0%
659
49%
571
29%
578
31%
453
2%
Brightness Distribution
95
95
0%
88
-7%
96
1%
95
0%
86
-9%
Black Level *
0.33
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.79
2.21
67%
1.7
75%
2.3
66%
1.3
81%
2.1
69%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
14.93
4.27
71%
2.8
81%
4.8
68%
2.1
86%
8.2
45%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.4
2.1
61%
1.7
69%
1.9
65%
1.6
70%
1.6
70%
Gamma
2.252 98%
2.307 95%
1.998 110%
2.16 102%
2.31 95%
2.28 96%
CCT
7588 86%
6353 102%
6487 100%
6332 103%
6401 102%
6425 101%
Contrast
1445

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 227.3 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 227.3 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 227.3 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

When taken into our lab and put through its paces with a spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software the results differed only slightly from the 6T. We only measured the standard color profile on both devices, but the McLaren Edition supports various other color modes to adjust the display to one's liking. Among others, these are a reading mode and a night mode that is supposedly easier on the eyes in the dark.

CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN grayscale
CalMAN colors
CalMAN colors
CalMAN color space
CalMAN color space
CalMAN saturation
CalMAN saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 48 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3 ms rise
↘ 3 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outdoors, the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition lacks a brightness boost that many other smartphones feature in order to increase brightness in already very bright environments. Despite this omission it remained fairly usable, at least on overcast days.

Viewing angles were very good thanks to its AMOLED display.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

In terms of performance the McLaren Edition has received a major RAM upgrade when compared to the regular OnePlus 6T; however, the SoC remained the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 as before. Accordingly, benchmark results only differed slightly and the McLaren Edition was just as fast as the regular OnePlus 6T. The added RAM only becomes noticeable once you start doing many things simultaneously.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
2420 Points
OnePlus 6T
2384 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4774 Points +97%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3776 Points +56%
Huawei P20 Pro
1922 Points -21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2457 Points +2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2272 - 2500, n=27)
2416 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +109%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
8906 Points
OnePlus 6T
8995 Points +1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
11244 Points +26%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
8963 Points +1%
Huawei P20 Pro
6756 Points -24%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8522 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7754 - 9231, n=27)
8705 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +52%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
13260 Points
OnePlus 6T
13341 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6202 Points -53%
Huawei P20 Pro
8025 Points -39%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
14417 Points +9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10876 - 14489, n=25)
13578 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points -20%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
10984 Points
OnePlus 6T
10590 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
5822 Points -47%
Huawei P20 Pro
8115 Points -26%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
9858 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7998 - 13211, n=26)
10123 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +37%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
8689 Points
OnePlus 6T
8487 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
5319 Points -39%
Huawei P20 Pro
6982 Points -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8178 Points -6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7360 - 9868, n=27)
8368 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +25%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
64437 Points
OnePlus 6T
64534 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
77599 Points +20%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
39745 Points -38%
Huawei P20 Pro
30176 Points -53%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
64152 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (34855 - 65330, n=27)
61139 Points -5%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
84459 Points
OnePlus 6T
84998 Points +1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
159735 Points +89%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
46610 Points -45%
Huawei P20 Pro
33472 Points -60%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
81502 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (53794 - 85487, n=27)
80548 Points -5%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
35217 Points
OnePlus 6T
35022 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
27717 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
26226 Points -26%
Huawei P20 Pro
22441 Points -36%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
36762 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (15614 - 37475, n=27)
33322 Points -5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
6374 Points
OnePlus 6T
6336 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
5205 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3895 Points -39%
Huawei P20 Pro
3223 Points -49%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5492 Points -14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4363 - 6454, n=27)
5811 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points -44%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
8248 Points
OnePlus 6T
8272 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
7055 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4637 Points -44%
Huawei P20 Pro
3335 Points -60%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8219 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5637 - 8312, n=27)
7763 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points -53%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3551 Points
OnePlus 6T
3483 Points -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2713 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2496 Points -30%
Huawei P20 Pro
2885 Points -19%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2541 Points -28%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2124 - 3668, n=27)
3115 Points -12%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points -15%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
6368 Points
OnePlus 6T
6310 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
6667 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4018 Points -37%
Huawei P20 Pro
3360 Points -47%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5438 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4034 - 6568, n=27)
5761 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +42%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
8415 Points
OnePlus 6T
8397 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
10374 Points +23%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4797 Points -43%
Huawei P20 Pro
3503 Points -58%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
7609 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5228 - 8451, n=27)
7671 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +87%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3439 Points
OnePlus 6T
3374 Points -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2961 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2561 Points -26%
Huawei P20 Pro
2940 Points -15%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2721 Points -21%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2110 - 3763, n=27)
3094 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +26%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
4721 Points
OnePlus 6T
4734 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3544 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3256 Points -31%
Huawei P20 Pro
2996 Points -37%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4734 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3197 - 4734, n=27)
4388 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points -43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
5246 Points
OnePlus 6T
5241 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3726 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3582 Points -32%
Huawei P20 Pro
3017 Points -42%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5190 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3488 - 5246, n=27)
4919 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points -49%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3496 Points
OnePlus 6T
3537 Points +1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3027 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2469 Points -29%
Huawei P20 Pro
2926 Points -16%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3620 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2118 - 3703, n=27)
3217 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points -11%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
5200 Points
OnePlus 6T
5189 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4121 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3420 Points -34%
Huawei P20 Pro
3070 Points -41%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4555 Points -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3512 - 5200, n=28)
4607 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +26%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
5869 Points
OnePlus 6T
5877 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4828 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3792 Points -35%
Huawei P20 Pro
3109 Points -47%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5651 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4133 - 8206, n=28)
5439 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +59%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3717 Points
OnePlus 6T
3681 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2723 Points -27%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2546 Points -32%
Huawei P20 Pro
2942 Points -21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2713 Points -27%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2185 - 3764, n=28)
3088 Points -17%
Average of class Smartphone (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +12%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
60 fps
OnePlus 6T
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
60 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
60 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
60 fps 0%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
60 fps 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (58 - 89, n=27)
62.1 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +39%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
151 fps
OnePlus 6T
152 fps +1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
226 fps +50%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
147 fps -3%
Huawei P20 Pro
121 fps -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
150 fps -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (98 - 152, n=28)
142.5 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +61%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
59 fps
OnePlus 6T
59 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
59 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
45 fps -24%
Huawei P20 Pro
54 fps -8%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
58 fps -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (33 - 75, n=27)
54.4 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +21%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
79 fps
OnePlus 6T
59 fps -25%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
107 fps +35%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
74 fps -6%
Huawei P20 Pro
61 fps -23%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
71 fps -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (54 - 83, n=27)
73.1 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +75%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
50 fps
OnePlus 6T
53 fps +6%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
58.9 fps +18%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
24 fps -52%
Huawei P20 Pro
36 fps -28%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
56 fps +12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21 - 59, n=27)
45.3 fps -9%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +20%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
56 fps
OnePlus 6T
59 fps +5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
69.3 fps +24%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
47 fps -16%
Huawei P20 Pro
39 fps -30%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
58 fps +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (32 - 61, n=28)
53.9 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +73%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
31 fps
OnePlus 6T
31 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
31 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
14 fps -55%
Huawei P20 Pro
22 fps -29%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
37 fps +19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (13 - 37, n=27)
27.7 fps -11%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +38%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
34 fps
OnePlus 6T
35 fps +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
40 fps +18%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
28 fps -18%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -32%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
35 fps +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (25 - 35, n=27)
33.4 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +72%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
34 fps
OnePlus 6T
34 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
47 fps +38%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -32%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
40 fps +18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (16 - 40, n=17)
29.1 fps -14%
Average of class Smartphone (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +27%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
37 fps
OnePlus 6T
37 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
36.8 fps -1%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -38%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
38 fps +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (29 - 38, n=16)
35.2 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +70%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
21 fps
OnePlus 6T
22 fps +5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
32.1 fps +53%
Huawei P20 Pro
14 fps -33%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
25 fps +19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (12 - 25, n=17)
18.6 fps -11%
Average of class Smartphone (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +53%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
14 fps
OnePlus 6T
14 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
16.3 fps +16%
Huawei P20 Pro
8.6 fps -39%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
14 fps 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (11 - 31, n=17)
15.6 fps +11%
Average of class Smartphone (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +79%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
293768 Points
OnePlus 6T
294488 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
302955 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
250577 Points -15%
Huawei P20 Pro
207959 Points -29%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
246366 Points -16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (246366 - 299878, n=27)
277434 Points -6%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
227630 Points
OnePlus 6T
228939 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
222290 Points -2%
Huawei P20 Pro
179709 Points -21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
226124 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (162183 - 242953, n=23)
225534 Points -1%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
4330 Points
OnePlus 6T
4458 Points +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4895 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3302 Points -24%
Huawei P20 Pro
3271 Points -24%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4288 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3291 - 4693, n=26)
4111 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +32%
System (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
8138 Points
OnePlus 6T
8156 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
11675 Points +43%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6413 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro
5965 Points -27%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8418 Points +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4417 - 8613, n=26)
7644 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +18%
Memory (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3907 Points
OnePlus 6T
4344 Points +11%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
1815 Points -54%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2625 Points -33%
Huawei P20 Pro
4050 Points +4%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3704 Points -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2193 - 5296, n=26)
3649 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +59%
Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
7926 Points
OnePlus 6T
7969 Points +1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
15659 Points +98%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6370 Points -20%
Huawei P20 Pro
3725 Points -53%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
7743 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5846 - 8001, n=26)
7797 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +75%
Web (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
1395 Points
OnePlus 6T
1398 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
1731 Points +24%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
1109 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro
1273 Points -9%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
1400 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (1009 - 1613, n=26)
1344 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +7%

Legend

 
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
OnePlus 6T Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Apple iPhone Xs Max Apple A12 Bionic, Apple A12 Bionic GPU, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus Samsung Exynos 9810, ARM Mali-G72 MP18, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Huawei P20 Pro HiSilicon Kirin 970, ARM Mali-G72 MP12, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash

The browser benchmark results were also identical between the two devices.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
273 Points +214%
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71)
87 Points
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
86.1 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (22.5 - 90.9, n=25)
80.3 Points -8%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
71.2 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
69.6 Points -20%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
58.3 Points -33%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
43114 Points +155%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +97%
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71)
16902 Points
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
16824 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3991 - 18275, n=28)
15153 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
14760 Points -13%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
13360 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
11584 Points -31%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
3852 ms * -64%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
3179 ms * -35%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2154 - 11204, n=28)
2905 ms * -24%
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71)
2348 ms *
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
2282 ms * +3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
2060 ms * +12%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +29%
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
603 ms * +74%

* ... smaller is better

By default, the McLaren Edition is equipped with 256 GB of storage space. Our regular 6T review unit came equipped with 128 GB UFS 2.1 memory. Both devices were similarly fast.

OnePlus 6T McLaren EditionOnePlus 6TSamsung Galaxy S9 PlusHuawei P20 ProSony Xperia XZ2 PremiumAverage 256 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-6%
-4%
153%
-10%
151%
397%
Sequential Read 256KB
733
735
0%
819
12%
832
14%
749
2%
826 ?(496 - 984, n=22)
13%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
100%
Sequential Write 256KB
253.3
204.4
-19%
204.9
-19%
196.7
-22%
171
-32%
358 ?(198.5 - 914, n=22)
41%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
326%
Random Read 4KB
145.1
138.5
-5%
129.7
-11%
144.3
-1%
136
-6%
166.6 ?(108.4 - 265, n=22)
15%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
67%
Random Write 4KB
22.3
22
-1%
22.74
2%
160.5
620%
21.75
-2%
141.5 ?(22.1 - 280, n=22)
535%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1093%

Gaming

A quick test with Angry Birds 2 and Arena of Valor proved that the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is well suited for gaming. Thanks to its modern GPU we expect it to remain very capable for a long period of time, and we don’t expect to see any games that will not run smoothly on the device anytime soon.

Controls were very smooth, and both the touchscreen and the orientation sensor worked flawlessly and fast.

Angry Birds 2
Angry Birds 2
Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor

Emissions

Temperature

The McLaren Edition remained slightly cooler than the regular OnePlus 6T, which might be due to improved temperature management in the software. Nevertheless, the device still gets very warm but remains far from any critical temperature thresholds.

Max. Load
 43.5 °C
110 F
40.6 °C
105 F
36.2 °C
97 F
 
 42.9 °C
109 F
39.8 °C
104 F
36.7 °C
98 F
 
 41.8 °C
107 F
39.6 °C
103 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 43.5 °C = 110 F
Average: 39.7 °C = 103 F
35.9 °C
97 F
37.6 °C
100 F
42.6 °C
109 F
35 °C
95 F
37.1 °C
99 F
38.4 °C
101 F
34.8 °C
95 F
37.4 °C
99 F
39.4 °C
103 F
Maximum: 42.6 °C = 109 F
Average: 37.6 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  43.2 °C = 110 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.5 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat map rear
Heat map rear
Heat map front
Heat map front

Speakers

Pink Noise
Pink Noise

Like the OnePlus 6T, the Special Edition only features a single mono speaker at the bottom of the device. As expected, sound performance was identical between the two. Audiophiles will remain disappointed due to the raspy and rough high-frequency spectrum at high volume levels. Another disadvantage is that OnePlus users will most likely have to say goodbye to the 3.5-mm headphone jack for good.

Fortunately, the included adapter worked flawlessly and the device also supports audio output via Bluetooth.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs204028.82533.542.13139.542.14035.133.35031.630.86324.625.58027.128.1100262612519.828.116018.542.620018.853.825017.355.731516.258.840015.260.950015.260.463014.460.380015.263.6100014.466.6125013.968.7160013.772200013.672.3250013.573.1315013.472.3400013.471.1500013.469.9630013.368800013.467.11000013.466.81250013.556.51600013.539.4SPL62.626.281.9N15.60.850.5median 14.4median 60.9median 66.2Delta3.312.715.740.441.73634.540.928.533.230.441.14224.734.524.624.622.930.22038.717.545.718.849.818.951.11749.915.655.918.955.614.653.312.856.512.759.81264.31166.71168.91169.410.768.210.962.910.961.61162.711641161.911.158.111.152.862.324.877.215.60.637median 12.7median 56.5median 57.14.98.920.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseOnePlus 6T McLaren EditionApple iPhone Xs Max
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 66.2% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 66.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 66.2% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (119.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 96% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone Xs Max audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 57.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 57.1% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 57.1% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (121.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 89% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 97% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life

Power Consumption

All things considered, power consumption was at a level comparable to the regular OnePlus 6T. Compared with its competitors it was neither the most efficient nor the most demanding. In other words: It was average.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.6 / 1.3 / 2.1 Watt
Load midlight 4.5 / 8.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3700 mAh
OnePlus 6T
3700 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3500 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
2%
-7%
20%
17%
-20%
-18%
-12%
Idle Minimum *
0.6
0.7
-17%
1
-67%
0.68
-13%
0.84
-40%
0.67
-12%
0.862 ?(0.42 - 1.8, n=26)
-44%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-49%
Idle Average *
1.3
1.1
15%
1.4
-8%
0.95
27%
1.54
-18%
2.5
-92%
1.728 ?(0.67 - 2.9, n=26)
-33%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-12%
Idle Maximum *
2.1
2.1
-0%
1.7
19%
1.09
48%
1.57
25%
2.51
-20%
2.07 ?(0.87 - 3.5, n=26)
1%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
22%
Load Average *
4.5
4.2
7%
4.6
-2%
4.58
-2%
2.47
45%
4.3
4%
4.87 ?(3.56 - 7.41, n=26)
-8%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-23%
Load Maximum *
8.6
8.3
3%
6.7
22%
5.16
40%
2.49
71%
6.87
20%
9.27 ?(6.2 - 12.3, n=26)
-8%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
4%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition offers an increased battery life over the regular OnePlus 6T. This is most likely due to improvements in software - after all several updates have been published since our original review. With more than 15 hours, the McLaren Edition should easily last long enough to get you through two full days of extensive use.

A highlight of the Special Edition is its Warp Charge 30 technology, a fast-charging technology exclusive to the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The charger can deliver up to 30 W of power, which could result in massive heat generation and accordingly thermally induced performance issues while charging. Fortunately, OnePlus has always handled things differently and integrated the entire charging management logic and associated heat generation into the power supply instead of the smartphone itself, resulting in larger than average power supplies. The Warp Charge 30 is quite bulky but capable of charging the phone from near empty to 100% in less than 1.5 hours in return. While charging you can literally watch the charge level climb, and just 10 minutes of charging will prolong battery life significantly.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
15h 05min
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
3700 mAh
OnePlus 6T
3700 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3500 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Battery Runtime
-4%
-18%
-42%
-18%
-40%
WiFi v1.3
905
865
-4%
742
-18%
521
-42%
744
-18%
547
-40%
Reader / Idle
1936
1305
1343
1727
1347
H.264
903
801
674
784
520
Load
261
223
237
345
235

Pros

+ very powerful
+ plenty of RAM
+ up-to-date fast software
+ decent battery life

Cons

- no IP-certification
- fingerprint reader slow at first
- Wi-Fi performance could be better
- VoLTE not universally available

Verdict

In review: OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. Review unit courtesy of OnePlus Germany.
In review: OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. Review unit courtesy of OnePlus Germany.

McLaren fans will certainly be thrilled by the prospect of a McLaren Special Edition phone. It features the necessary orange trimming on the case, accessories, and even in the software. The racing feeling is rounded off by the carbon protective case. In addition to these bells and whistles the McLaren Edition also comes with plenty of storage space, lots of RAM, and a brand-new fast-charging technology called Warp Charge 30, which is capable of charging the smartphone rapidly at the cost of a larger power supply.

The in-screen fingerprint reader seemed to be faster and more reliable than on the original OnePlus 6T, and we suspect this to be courtesy of the software improvements made in the time between our original test and today. However, it is still not as fast as a regular case-mounted sensor.

At $700, the price has entered the sphere of high-end smartphones but the McLaren Editions falls short on various aspects. For one, the display could feature a higher resolution, and we would have also expected stereo speakers as well as a waterproof case at this price point. In return, the qualities that OnePlus has become famous for remain: pure Vanilla Android, a robust and good-looking case, a fast operating system, and frequent as well as timely updates.

The OnePlus 6T was already very good. The McLaren Edition charges faster, is equipped with much more memory, and it is adorned with orange highlights. If you like the design there are really no reasons not to get one.

Unlike in the olden days, the price-performance ratio is not exceptional anymore but still remains decent. However, this might turn out to be of less significance for the McLaren Edition anyway: A Special Edition is a limited edition smartphone that not everybody will own. You definitely get that with the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition.

OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition - 01/03/2019 v6(old)
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
90%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
47 / 60 → 79%
Weight
89%
Battery
98%
Display
83%
Games Performance
69 / 63 → 100%
Application Performance
78 / 70 → 100%
Temperature
87%
Noise
100%
Audio
62 / 91 → 68%
Camera
88%
Average
81%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition Smartphone Review
Florian Schmitt, 2019-01- 4 (Update: 2019-01- 5)