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MagyarOnePlus 6T McLaren Edition Smartphone Review
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 Max, Huawei P20 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, and Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium.
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.
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.
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 | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Average of class Smartphone (16.9 - 1368, n=69, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Average of class Smartphone (32.7 - 953, n=70, last 2 years) | |
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Display
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.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 435 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.79 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 5.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
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)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 227.3 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 227.3 Hz (Likely 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 19046 (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.
Display 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. » 45 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (22.3 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 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (35.1 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.
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 4.1 - 4.4 | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2272 - 2500, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (783 - 8424, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7754 - 9231, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 21505, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10876 - 14489, n=25) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 14785, n=64, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark for Android | |
| Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7998 - 13211, n=26) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9875 - 19297, n=4, last 2 years) | |
| Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7360 - 9868, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (5279 - 13282, n=28, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (58 - 89, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (98 - 152, n=28) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (19 - 497, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (33 - 75, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 161, n=187, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (54 - 83, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 331, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21 - 59, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 143, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (32 - 61, n=28) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 223, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (246366 - 299878, n=27) | |
| AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition | |
| OnePlus 6T | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | |
| Huawei P20 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (162183 - 242953, n=23) | |
The browser benchmark results were also identical between the two devices.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (27.5 - 414, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71) | |
| OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (22.5 - 90.9, n=25) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0) | |
| Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 74261, n=193, last 2 years) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71) | |
| OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3991 - 18275, n=28) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68) | |
| Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2154 - 11204, n=28) | |
| OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition (Chrome 71) | |
| OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (414 - 10031, n=167, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12) | |
* ... 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 Edition | OnePlus 6T | Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus | Huawei P20 Pro | Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | Average 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -6% | -4% | 153% | -10% | 140% | 293% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 733 | 735 0% | 819 12% | 832 14% | 749 2% | 819 ? 12% | 1183 ? 61% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 253.3 | 204.4 -19% | 204.9 -19% | 196.7 -22% | 171 -32% | 331 ? 31% | 743 ? 193% |
| Random Read 4KB | 145.1 | 138.5 -5% | 129.7 -11% | 144.3 -1% | 136 -6% | 161.9 ? 12% | 208 ? 43% |
| Random Write 4KB | 22.3 | 22 -1% | 22.74 2% | 160.5 620% | 21.75 -2% | 135.1 ? 506% | 217 ? 873% |
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.
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.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.5 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 52.9 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °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.
Speakers
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.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 50% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Apple iPhone Xs Max audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 26% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
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.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.6 / 1.3 / 2.1 Watt |
| Load |
4.5 / 8.6 Watt |
    
| |
| 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% | -4% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.6 | 0.7 -17% | 1 -67% | 0.68 -13% | 0.84 -40% | 0.67 -12% | 0.862 ? -44% | 0.883 ? -47% |
| Idle Average * | 1.3 | 1.1 15% | 1.4 -8% | 0.95 27% | 1.54 -18% | 2.5 -92% | 1.728 ? -33% | 1.487 ? -14% |
| Idle Maximum * | 2.1 | 2.1 -0% | 1.7 19% | 1.09 48% | 1.57 25% | 2.51 -20% | 2.07 ? 1% | 1.701 ? 19% |
| Load Average * | 4.5 | 4.2 7% | 4.6 -2% | 4.58 -2% | 2.47 45% | 4.3 4% | 4.87 ? -8% | 4.26 ? 5% |
| Load Maximum * | 8.6 | 8.3 3% | 6.7 22% | 5.16 40% | 2.49 71% | 6.87 20% | 9.27 ? -8% | 7.1 ? 17% |
* ... 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.
| 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
Cons
Verdict
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
Pricecompare
