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OnePlus 6T Smartphone Review

The 6T element. OnePlus has announced its latest flagship killer, which is subtly different from its predecessor that we reviewed back in August. Notably, the 6T has a larger display thanks to its smaller notch, but it has dropped the headphone jack. OnePlus has carried over the same cameras from the 6 and has kept pricing broadly the same, although the base model is now $20 more expensive. That additional outlay gets you double the storage though, so it is not just an arbitrary price rise. Find out in our detailed live review whether the OnePlus 6T is as much of a bargain as its predecessors were.
Update: Review completed.
OnePlus 6T

It is that time again, OnePlus has released a new flagship smartphone; cue established manufacturers shaking in a corner somewhere. OnePlus devices are generally great value for money with premium hardware, but they typically lack a few features that more expensive flagships offer. OnePlus’ Oxygen OS tends to run leaner than other custom versions of Android and only makes light changes at that. In short, recent OnePlus smartphones have been great all-round devices and it is no wonder that the company has gone from strength to strength. The company sold one million OnePlus One devices during their production run. Five years later, OnePlus had sold over one million OnePlus 6’s within twenty-two days of the device’s release. The company has stuck to its method of selling one smartphone at a time throughout that period and they continue to be the company’s main source of revenue despite dipping their toes into televisions and backpacks.

The OnePlus 6T is a modest upgrade over the OnePlus 6. OnePlus has increased the device’s screen-to-body ratio by shrinking its notch, and it has moved the fingerprint sensor beneath the screen. The other upgrades are more minor, whether that be its improved Gorilla glass or its larger battery. The 6T comes in the same colours as its predecessor and largely costs the same too. The base model costs $20 more, but OnePlus has doubled the storage to 128 GB. The midrange version also costs £10 more in the UK for some reason. These pricing alterations aside, OnePlus’s latest flagship remains miles cheaper than its competitors.

We have chosen to compare the OnePlus 6T against flagships smartphones such as the Apple iPhone XS, the Google Pixel 3, the Huawei P20 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. It is worth noting that the OnePlus 6T costs at least several hundred dollars less than all our comparison devices.

OnePlus 6T (6 Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 8 x 2.8 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55 (Kryo 385)
Graphics adapter
Memory
6 GB 
Display
6.41 inch 19.5:9, 2340 x 1080 pixel 402 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, Optic AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 128 GB 
, 115 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Audio output over USB Type-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Compass, Fingerprint sensor, Gyroscope, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM, UMTS, LTE: Band – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71, 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-Ion, OnePlus Fast Charge
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix Main camera - Sony IMX 519, 20 MP, OIS, f/1.7, 1.22 μm pixel size. Secondary sensor: Sony IMX 376K, f/1.7, 1 μm pixel size
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix Sony IMX 371, 16 MP, f/2.0, 1 μm pixel size
Additional features
Speakers: 1, Keyboard: Virtual keyboard, Fast charger, USB Type-A to Type-C cable, USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter, Silicone case, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, LTE: Cat. 16 downloads - 1 GBit/s; Cat. 13 uploads – 150 MBit/s, fanless
Weight
185 g ( = 6.53 oz / 0.41 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The 6T is difficult to distinguish from its predecessor unless you know what you are looking for. OnePlus has moved the fingerprint sensor from the back case to beneath the display and shifted its logo higher up in its place, which creates a cleaner look than the 6’s rear case. Likewise, OnePlus has increased the 6T’s screen-to-body ratio to 86% by shrinking the notch and moving the earpiece to the top edge of the frame. The notch now resembles a teardrop, while its predecessor’s looks more rectangular and is noticeably larger. We will continue to see notched displays until the technology needed for in-screen cameras and sensors becomes commercially viable.

The 6T continues with its predecessor’s simple, yet stylish design that feels good in the hand. The device is 8 g (0.03 oz) heavier than the 6 and has a marginally larger footprint. OnePlus has not added IP dust or water protection though, so do not try your hand at underwater photography with your shiny new 6T.

Our test device is as sturdy and well-built as its predecessor too. Unfortunately, there are some rough edges between materials, particularly between the display and frame, that do not feel as premium as the rest of the device. Initial torture tests demonstrate that the OnePlus 6T will withstand being bent and scratched.

The 6T has a Gorilla Glass 6 display, which is designed to survive more severe drops than previous versions. However, some YouTube videos have shown that is no more scratch resistant than the supposedly inferior Gorilla Glass with which OnePlus equipped the 6.

The back is made from glass too, and is available in a glossy or matte black finish. OnePlus refers to these as Midnight Black and Mirror Black respectively. The company regularly releases limited edition colour variants too, although none were announced with the device’s official unveiling.

Sadly, OnePlus has removed the headphone jack and replaced it with a reportedly decorative second speaker grille. The company has justified the jack’s removal by claiming that it took up too much space internally and that 60% of their users use wireless headphones. The latter reason disregards 40% of their userbase though. Fortunately, there is a USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter in the box. However, it remains a shame that OnePlus have followed other manufacturers in ditching a widely used and useful port.

OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T

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 77.4 mm / 3.05 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 208 g0.4586 lbs155.7 mm / 6.13 inch 75.4 mm / 2.97 inch 7.75 mm / 0.3051 inch 177 g0.3902 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

OnePlus currently advertises four versions of the 6T:

  • Mirror Black – 6 GB RAM & 128 GB storage - $549 (£499)
  • Mirror Black – 8 GB RAM & 128 GB storage - $579 (£529)
  • Midnight Black – 8GB RAM & 128 GB storage - $579 (£529)
  • Midnight Black – 8GB RAM & 256 GB storage - $629 (£579)

By contrast, the cheapest OnePlus 6 costs $529, which is $20 cheaper than the cheapest 6T. However, the former only came with 64 GB of storage, and a 128 GB OnePlus 6 cost $579. So, while the 6T has a slightly higher starting price, it effectively costs $30 less to get the same storage capacity albeit with 2 GB less RAM. Oddly, the 8 GB/128 GB options cost £10 more in the UK than their predecessors and yet the price has not changed between generations for the US market.

The 6T has no microSD card expansion, but it is a Dual-SIM device. The device supports NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 too, but OnePlus still equips its devices with a slower USB 2.0 Type-C port. The company claims that fewer people now transfer large volumes of data over a wired connection, so equipping the device with a faster USB 3.1 port would apparently be redundant.

Left-hand side: SIM slot, Volume rocker
Left-hand side: SIM slot, Volume rocker
Right-hand side: Power button, Mute switch
Right-hand side: Power button, Mute switch
Underside: Microphone, USB Type-C port, Speaker
Underside: Microphone, USB Type-C port, Speaker
Topside: Microphone
Topside: Microphone

Software

There had been reports that Oxygen OS would be receiving a complete redesign. However, OnePlus has since confirmed that most new changes are because of the move to Android 9 Pie, rather than being an Oxygen OS-based UI refresh. We did not notice many differences during testing apart from the new gesture-based control and that the on-screen volume controls have moved to the bottom of the display. These are both features of stock Android 9 Pie though.

Oxygen OS sticks close to a stock Android experience save for a few handy additions. OnePlus includes a system-wide dark mode, for example, which even affects the Phone app. Moreover, you can choose an accent colour from the complete RGB spectrum, while the reading mode changes the display to black and white, which should help when reading eBooks or documents.

Our test device has Android security patch level 5 September 2018 installed at the time of writing, which is reasonably recent. We expect that OnePlus will issue a security update in line with the device’s official release on November 7th or shortly thereafter. The company has been quick to release new security updates with previous devices and keeps them updated with new versions of Oxygen OS for years after their initial release. Hence, we expect OnePlus to regularly update 6T for at least a few years.

Overall, the OS on our test device feels snappy despite being pre-release software. It is particularly fun to navigate through menus and endless settings options without any delays.

The OnePlus 6T’s display colour options
The OnePlus 6T’s display colour options
The 6T’s default app drawer…
The 6T’s default app drawer…
…and default home screen
…and default home screen

Communication & GPS

The 6T’s Wi-Fi paper specifications are identical to those of the OnePlus 6 and still support all modern Wi-Fi standards. However, our comparison tables below make for frightful reading. Our test device currently achieves over 500 MBit/s slower transfer speeds than its predecessor when connected to our reference Linksys EA8500 router and tested with iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests. 

Websites still load quickly despite its handicapped Wi-Fi performance though. Moreover, the 6T has consistent Wi-Fi performance even when using it at some distance from a router. We saw comparable Wi-Fi speeds when testing the device around 10 metres (~3ft) and three walls away from the router compared to when we used it in the vicinity of the Linksys EA8500.

Reassuringly, OnePlus has confirmed that the next software release will increase our test device’s Wi-Fi performance to OnePlus 6 speeds. Retail versions of the OnePlus 6T should have none of the Wi-Fi speed issues that our pre-release test device currently has.

As with its predecessor, the 6T supports numerous LTE frequencies so you should have no issues with finding LTE coverage in even distant countries. The device supports up to 1 GBit/s download and 150 MBit/s upload speeds over LTE too. Additionally, our test device maintained decent LTE reception throughout testing in built-up areas and even in buildings.

The 6T supports VoLTE and VoWiFi, but these technologies will only work on carriers that specifically support them for the device. Carriers typically list which devices for which they support VoLTE and VoWiFi on their websites. Vodafone Germany does not list the 6T as a supported device, for example, which means that the functionality will not work on that network. However, 02 Germany does, so you should have no issues with making calls over Wi-Fi or to any VoLTE-enabled device over 4G.

Unfortunately, we could not verify how well VoLTE works as our test device would switch to HSPA as soon as we made a call. We suspect that this is a network-related issue though, and not something amiss with the device itself.

Please note: VoLTE and VoWiFi are not activated by default. You must first enable the buttons within Settings before you can switch them on. The instructions on how to do this can be found here. These are for the OnePlus 6, but they work for the 6T too

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
647 MBit/s +36%
OnePlus 6
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
612 MBit/s +29%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
602 MBit/s +27%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Mali-G72 MP18, Exynos 9810, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
519 MBit/s +9%
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
474 (241min - 497max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
677 MBit/s +8%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Mali-G72 MP18, Exynos 9810, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
652 MBit/s +4%
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
629 (621min - 638max) MBit/s
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
624 MBit/s -1%
OnePlus 6
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
609 MBit/s -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -40%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
OnePlus 6T; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø629 (621-638)
OnePlus 6T; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø466 (241-497)
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: At a window
GPS test: At a window
GPS test: Outside
GPS test: Outside

The 6T cannot locate us when using the device inside buildings with concrete ceilings. This does not improve when using the device next to a window either. Effectively, our test device can only find our location when we step outside, upon which it achieves a satellite fix with up to 3 metres (~10 ft) accuracy. Moreover, Google Maps found our location quickly and maintained decent accuracy throughout testing, while the compass immediately shows which way we are facing.

We also took the 6T on a bike ride with our Garmin Edge 520 to measure how closely OnePlus’ new device could keep to the route plotted by a professional navigation system. Our test device deviated by around 170 metres (~186 yd) over 5.34 km (~3.3 mi), which is acceptable. The main reason for this discrepancy is that the 6T lacks the cornering accuracy of the Garmin and often takes shortcuts between corners that the Garmin does not. The 6T plotted us on the correct side of the road when we cycled up to the bridge, which is not what every smartphone can achieve. Overall, the 6T is accurate enough for general navigation tasks, but we would recommend looking to a dedicated device if you need more precise location accuracy.

GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Cycling through a grove
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Cycling through a grove
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Overview
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Overview
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Cycling through a grove
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Cycling through a grove
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Bridge
GPS test: OnePlus 6T – Bridge

Telephone Features & Call Quality

The Oxygen OS phone app looks and feels like the Google equivalent, except that the latter also has a dark mode. The app always starts on the quick selection page, which displays call history and starred contacts. The keypad is hidden behind a circular button at the bottom of the display.

Unfortunately, the call quality over the earpiece is only average at best. Call partners are always audible, and the earpiece gets loud enough to even make calls in noisy environments, although all calls contain too much background noise for our liking. The microphone works well though, and always reproduced our voice clearly. Calls over speakerphone sound ok too, although they are also burdened by plenty of background noise. The microphone struggles to pick out voices too, so we would recommend speaking louder over speakerphone than you would when making a call over the earpiece.

Cameras

Photo taken with the front-facing camera
Photo taken with the front-facing camera

OnePlus has equipped the 6T with the same cameras that they used in its predecessor. The 6T has a 16 MP front-facing Sony IMX 371 sensor, while its dual rear-facing cameras are Sony IMX 376K and IMX 519 sensors, the latter of which supports optical image stabilisation (OIS).

The company has collaborated with photographer Kevin Abosch to further optimise its camera software, particularly in portrait mode. The 6T takes better low-light photos than its predecessor too, although HDR photos look identical.

The front-facing camera, which now sits within a teardrop-shaped notch, produces colourful and sharp pictures. Bright areas tend to suffer from a lack of detail, but overall the camera produces photos that could fool us into thinking that they had been taken with a rear-facing camera. OnePlus has not included an LED flash to help brighten selfies taken in low-light, but the device compensates for this by using the display as a quasi-flash instead.

The main camera has its shortcomings too. Foreground objects are not as well exposed as they are by more expensive competitors such as the iPhone XS Max, a difference that is particularly noticeable when comparing full-size photos side-by-side. Subjectively, photos look sharp and we even liked the photos that the main camera produced in low-light conditions. Overall, the 6T’s main camera is a step above that which OnePlus used on the 5T; photos look much sharper, while scenes are captured in more detail too.

OnePlus has been beating its drum about the quality of the 6T’s cameras in low-light conditions, so we decided to put our device to the test, the results of which you can see at the bottom of our gallery. Our conclusions after a one-hour photo session at dusk is thus: HDR and long exposure photos look great when shot in Pro mode, but the special night mode is superfluous. Photos taken in the latter mode often look like those shot in Pro mode, but the results were inconsistent with some photos coming out sharper, while others looked blurrier. OnePlus has also integrated Google Lens directly within the default camera app.

The 6T can record videos in up to 4K at 60 FPS, but videos are limited to five minutes when shot at these settings. Videos look good overall and the sensor effortlessly alters the exposure to changing lighting conditions. The default camera app can also record videos in up to 240 FPS at 1080p or 480 FPS at 720p for a slow-motion effect, although the 6T can only record these videos for up to a minute. The videos will have significantly longer runtimes because of the higher FPS though. Videos shot at these frame rates look good overall and you can edit videos to change which sections are played back in slow motion should you wish.

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
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with night mode disabled
Photos taken with night mode enabled
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T
Photo taken at 1x zoom
Photo taken at 2x zoom
Photo taken with the OnePlus 6T

We also subjected our test device to further camera tests under controlled lighting conditions. The main camera takes sharp photos in these conditions too, although colours are generally darker than the reference colours. Moreover, text set against red backgrounds tends to have blurrier edges than that which is surrounded by blocks of other colours.

A photo of our test chart
A photo of our test chart
Our test chart in detail
Our test chart in detail
ColorChecker: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour
ColorChecker: The lower half of each area of colour displays the reference colour

Accessories & Warranty

The 6T comes with a quick charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a USB Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter, a silicone case and a SIM tool. All cables are well-made and are adorned with OnePlus’ signature red and white colours. OnePlus cables and chargers are also generally robust and long-lasting in our experience.

There are no headphones in the box, but the company sells its Bullets V2 USB Type-C headphones for $19.95 (£15.99) and a wireless version for $69 (£69). OnePlus also offers numerous other accessories on its website including an array of cases costing from $20.95 (£17.95) to $29.95 (£27.95) and additional chargers or cables among others. All accessories that will be available for the 6T and their prices are listed on OnePlus’ website.

The 6T comes with a twenty-four month manufacturers warranty. OnePlus also lists the prices of spare parts and repair costs on their website, which is helpfully more transparent than other manufacturers. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter
USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter
OnePlus Bullets V2
OnePlus Bullets V2
OnePlus Bullets Wireless
OnePlus Bullets Wireless
OnePlus Fast Charge power supply
OnePlus Fast Charge power supply

Input Devices & Operation

Our test device has Google GBoard pre-installed as its default keyboard, which functions just like on other devices. Other keyboards are available to download from the Google Play Store should you prefer a different keyboard app.

The touchscreen quickly and accurately reproduced our inputs throughout our tests. The touchscreen is evenly precise across the entire display too.

OnePlus continues to equip its devices with a mute switch, the likes of which we only see with iPhones; no other mainstream Android manufacturer implements mute switches on their devices. Its execution is better than Apple’s in our opinion as it allows users to cycle between silent, vibrate or loud mode whereas the Apple equivalent has only two settings. We find its inclusion particularly useful when we want to put our phone on silent but keep the device in our pocket, for example during a meeting.

One big change between the OnePlus 6 and the 6T is the fingerprint sensor. OnePlus have reportedly been testing in-screen fingerprint sensors since last year’s 5T, but the technology has not been ready enough for commercial use until now. The technology has matured since then though, and has made its way to the 6T. The device uses a green light to improve fingerprint recognition as previous in-screen sensors have lacked the speed and accuracy of other fingerprint sensors.

Unfortunately, the fingerprint sensor is not much better than the ones we have tested on the Vivo Nex Ultimate, the Porsche Design Huawei Mate RS or the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Our test device’s in-screen fingerprint sensor is much slower and less accurate than those that OnePlus used on the 5T or 6.

We hope that OnePlus can improve its reliability with software updates. However, on current impressions, we would have preferred the company to have stuck to a rear-mounted sensor and continue to develop an in-screen alternative that is at least on par with its traditional counterparts. Moreover, you can only unlock the device from standby with the always-on display (AOD) deactivated. If you choose to use the AOD, then you will have to wake the device before unlocking it.

The 6T also supports facial recognition using the front-facing camera. The technology is not as sophisticated as Apple’s Face ID, although we could not spoof it by holding up pictures of our face. The face unlock is also less secure than the 6T’s fingerprint sensor, but it is considerably faster and more reliable at recognising us. The technology only struggles at night, but that is not surprising as it is only using the front-facing camera and is not supported by any other hardware such as an infrared sensor.

Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The 6T has a 6.41-inch display that runs at a 2,340x1,080 native resolution. The 6T’s display is 60 pixels taller than the one that OnePlus used in its predecessor for reference. The 1080p resolution is lower than many modern flagship devices, but we think that this is sharp enough for most users. 

OnePlus has once again used an Optic-AMOLED panel, which has broadly the same display values as the one in the OnePlus 6. Our test device achieved an average maximum brightness of 442 cd/m² irrespective of whether we turned on the ambient light sensor. The panel is noticeably more evenly lit than the one in its predecessor, but overall all differences are within manufacturing tolerances.

433
cd/m²
440
cd/m²
454
cd/m²
436
cd/m²
437
cd/m²
444
cd/m²
438
cd/m²
443
cd/m²
450
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 454 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 441.7 cd/m² Minimum: 1.93 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 437 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.21 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.307
OnePlus 6T
Optic AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.41
OnePlus 6
Optic AMOLED, 2280x1080, 6.28
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Super AMOLED, 2960x1440, 6.20
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
LCD-IPS, 3840x2160, 5.80
Apple iPhone Xs Max
OLED, 2688x1242, 6.50
Huawei P20 Pro
OLED, 2240x1080, 6.10
Screen
-6%
9%
-10%
28%
30%
Brightness middle
437
430
-2%
565
29%
477
9%
656
50%
569
30%
Brightness
442
437
-1%
571
29%
453
2%
659
49%
578
31%
Brightness Distribution
95
87
-8%
96
1%
86
-9%
88
-7%
95
0%
Black Level *
0.33
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.21
2.3
-4%
2.3
-4%
2.1
5%
1.7
23%
1.3
41%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.27
4.6
-8%
4.8
-12%
8.2
-92%
2.8
34%
2.1
51%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.1
2.4
-14%
1.9
10%
1.6
24%
1.7
19%
1.6
24%
Gamma
2.307 95%
2.28 96%
2.16 102%
2.28 96%
1.998 110%
2.31 95%
CCT
6353 102%
6160 106%
6332 103%
6425 101%
6487 100%
6401 102%
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 240 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 240 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We measure a 125 Hz pulse-width modulation (PWM) frequency across the entire luminosity range, which may cause eye strain or headaches for those who are PWM sensitive. Unfortunately, the device must use PWM to change display brightness because the AMOLED display has no backlight that could adjust luminosity.

The lack of backlighting has its benefits though. AMOLED displays can individually switch off pixels, which gives the 6T a theoretically infinite contrast ratio and allows it to display absolute black tones. We also used a spectrophotometer and the CalMAN analysis software to assess the colour accuracy of the 6T’s “Standard”, “sRGB” and “DCI-P3” display colour modes. The “sRGB” mode is the most colour accurate, like its predecessor, although the colours look slightly cooler than they do when the display is set to “Standard”. The “sRGB” mode covers practically all the sRGB colour space, but then again CalMAN is not 100% reliable at determining colour space coverage. Overall, the 6T has a relatively colour accurate display in any display mode, but it cannot match more expensive devices such as the Huawei P20 Pro

CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – Standard
CalMAN: Greyscale – Standard
CalMAN: Greyscale – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Space – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Space – Standard
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – sRGB
CalMAN: Greyscale – sRGB
CalMAN: Greyscale – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Space – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Space – sRGB
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – DCI P3
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy – DCI P3
CalMAN: Greyscale – DCI P3
CalMAN: Greyscale – DCI P3
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – DCI P3
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – DCI P3
CalMAN: Colour Space – DCI P3
CalMAN: Colour Space – DCI P3

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
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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
12 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6 ms rise
↘ 6 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The 6T is generally usable outdoors, but the display’s glossy finish catches plenty of reflections in direct sunlight. Some of our comparison devices have brighter displays too, which helps to combat any reflections that would otherwise make the display harder to read. We would have liked OnePlus to have equipped the 6T with a slightly brighter display, but this is being picky.

The 6T has great viewing angles too. We did not notice any brightness or colour distortions even at acute angles.

Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at minimum display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at minimum display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at medium display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at medium display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at maximum display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T outdoors at maximum display brightness
Using the OnePlus 6T with the ambient light sensor enabled
Using the OnePlus 6T with the ambient light sensor enabled
Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles
 
 
 

Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC powers the 6T, with which OnePlus also equipped the 6. Initial benchmarks show that the 6T is on par with other Snapdragon 845 powered devices such as the Xperia XZ2 Premium. The device feels snappy in daily use, while the ample amount of RAM ensures that there are no lags or stutters even with multiple apps open. The flagship-level SoC also means that you will have no restrictions on what you can download from the Google Play Store for years to come.

The Snapdragon 845 integrates an Adreno 630 GPU, which handles graphics. The GPU supports all modern graphics APIs, and its performance in our test device is comparable to that of other Adreno 630 powered devices.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
2384 Points
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3776 Points +58%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2457 Points +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4774 Points +100%
Huawei P20 Pro
1922 Points -19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2272 - 2500, n=27)
2416 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +112%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
8995 Points
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
8963 Points 0%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8522 Points -5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
11244 Points +25%
Huawei P20 Pro
6756 Points -25%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7754 - 9231, n=27)
8705 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +51%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
13341 Points
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6202 Points -54%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
14417 Points +8%
Huawei P20 Pro
8025 Points -40%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10876 - 14489, n=25)
13578 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points -21%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
10590 Points
OnePlus 6
9630 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
5822 Points -45%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
9858 Points -7%
Huawei P20 Pro
8115 Points -23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7998 - 13211, n=26)
10123 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +43%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
8487 Points
OnePlus 6
8282 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
5319 Points -37%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8178 Points -4%
Huawei P20 Pro
6982 Points -18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7360 - 9868, n=27)
8368 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +28%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
64534 Points
OnePlus 6
62241 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
39745 Points -38%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
64152 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
77599 Points +20%
Huawei P20 Pro
30176 Points -53%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (34855 - 65330, n=27)
61139 Points -5%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
84998 Points
OnePlus 6
81269 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
46610 Points -45%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
81502 Points -4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
159735 Points +88%
Huawei P20 Pro
33472 Points -61%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (53794 - 85487, n=27)
80548 Points -5%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
35022 Points
OnePlus 6
34191 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
26226 Points -25%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
36762 Points +5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
27717 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro
22441 Points -36%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (15614 - 37475, n=27)
33322 Points -5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
6336 Points
OnePlus 6
6304 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3895 Points -39%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5492 Points -13%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
5205 Points -18%
Huawei P20 Pro
3223 Points -49%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4363 - 6454, n=27)
5811 Points -8%
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
8272 Points
OnePlus 6
8252 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4637 Points -44%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8219 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
7055 Points -15%
Huawei P20 Pro
3335 Points -60%
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
3483 Points
OnePlus 6
3452 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2496 Points -28%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2541 Points -27%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2713 Points -22%
Huawei P20 Pro
2885 Points -17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2124 - 3668, n=27)
3115 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points -14%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
6310 Points
OnePlus 6
6267 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4018 Points -36%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5438 Points -14%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
6667 Points +6%
Huawei P20 Pro
3360 Points -47%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4034 - 6568, n=27)
5761 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
8397 Points
OnePlus 6
8014 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
4797 Points -43%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
7609 Points -9%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
10374 Points +24%
Huawei P20 Pro
3503 Points -58%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5228 - 8451, n=27)
7671 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +88%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
3374 Points
OnePlus 6
3555 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2561 Points -24%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2721 Points -19%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2961 Points -12%
Huawei P20 Pro
2940 Points -13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2110 - 3763, n=27)
3094 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
4734 Points
OnePlus 6
4673 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3256 Points -31%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4734 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3544 Points -25%
Huawei P20 Pro
2996 Points -37%
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
5241 Points
OnePlus 6
5212 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3582 Points -32%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5190 Points -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3726 Points -29%
Huawei P20 Pro
3017 Points -42%
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
3537 Points
OnePlus 6
3432 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2469 Points -30%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3620 Points +2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3027 Points -14%
Huawei P20 Pro
2926 Points -17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2118 - 3703, n=27)
3217 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points -12%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
5189 Points
OnePlus 6
4937 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3420 Points -34%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4555 Points -12%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4121 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro
3070 Points -41%
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
5877 Points
OnePlus 6
5547 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3792 Points -35%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
5651 Points -4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4828 Points -18%
Huawei P20 Pro
3109 Points -47%
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
3681 Points
OnePlus 6
3566 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2546 Points -31%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
2713 Points -26%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2723 Points -26%
Huawei P20 Pro
2942 Points -20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2185 - 3764, n=28)
3088 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +13%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
60 fps
OnePlus 6
60 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
60 fps 0%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
60 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
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
152 fps
OnePlus 6
150 fps -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
147 fps -3%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
150 fps -1%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
226 fps +49%
Huawei P20 Pro
121 fps -20%
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 +60%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
59 fps
OnePlus 6
58 fps -2%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
45 fps -24%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
58 fps -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
59 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
54 fps -8%
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
59 fps
OnePlus 6
66 fps +12%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
74 fps +25%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
71 fps +20%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
107 fps +81%
Huawei P20 Pro
61 fps +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (54 - 83, n=27)
73.1 fps +24%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +134%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
53 fps
OnePlus 6
54 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
24 fps -55%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
56 fps +6%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
58.9 fps +11%
Huawei P20 Pro
36 fps -32%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21 - 59, n=27)
45.3 fps -15%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +14%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
59 fps
OnePlus 6
56 fps -5%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
47 fps -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
58 fps -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
69.3 fps +17%
Huawei P20 Pro
39 fps -34%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (32 - 61, n=28)
53.9 fps -9%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +64%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
31 fps
OnePlus 6
32 fps +3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
14 fps -55%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
37 fps +19%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
31 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
22 fps -29%
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
35 fps
OnePlus 6
35 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
28 fps -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
35 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
40 fps +14%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -34%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (25 - 35, n=27)
33.4 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +67%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
34 fps
OnePlus 6
35 fps +3%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
40 fps +18%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
47 fps +38%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -32%
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
37 fps
OnePlus 6
38 fps +3%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
38 fps +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
36.8 fps -1%
Huawei P20 Pro
23 fps -38%
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
22 fps
OnePlus 6
23 fps +5%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
25 fps +14%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
32.1 fps +46%
Huawei P20 Pro
14 fps -36%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (12 - 25, n=17)
18.6 fps -15%
Average of class Smartphone (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +46%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
14 fps
OnePlus 6
14 fps 0%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
14 fps 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
16.3 fps +16%
Huawei P20 Pro
8.6 fps -39%
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%
Basemark GPU 1.1
1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
32.86 fps
OnePlus 6
28.35 (16.41min - 60.76max) fps -14%
Huawei P20 Pro
11.8 (5.55min - 28.23max) fps -64%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21.3 - 32.9, n=5)
27.5 fps -16%
Vulkan Medium Native (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
29.68 fps
OnePlus 6
26.15 (15.32min - 59.39max) fps -12%
Huawei P20 Pro
10.52 (5min - 27.66max) fps -65%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (15.8 - 29.7, n=5)
22.8 fps -23%
1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
35.34 fps
OnePlus 6
35.26 (20.31min - 62.64max) fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
24.45 (9.63min - 65.63max) fps -31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (24.5 - 35.3, n=5)
30.9 fps -13%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
294488 Points
OnePlus 6
266686 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
250577 Points -15%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
246366 Points -16%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
302955 Points +3%
Huawei P20 Pro
207959 Points -29%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (246366 - 299878, n=27)
277434 Points -6%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
228939 Points
OnePlus 6
230421 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
222290 Points -3%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
226124 Points -1%
Huawei P20 Pro
179709 Points -22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (162183 - 242953, n=23)
225534 Points -1%
VRMark - Amber Room (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
4716 Score
OnePlus 6
4710 Score 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
1980 Score -58%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4598 - 4731, n=4)
4689 Score -1%
Average of class Smartphone (1010 - 10071, n=14, last 2 years)
5281 Score +12%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
4458 Points
OnePlus 6
4308 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3302 Points -26%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
4288 Points -4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
4895 Points +10%
Huawei P20 Pro
3271 Points -27%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3291 - 4693, n=26)
4111 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +28%
System (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
8156 Points
OnePlus 6
8228 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6413 Points -21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
8418 Points +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
11675 Points +43%
Huawei P20 Pro
5965 Points -27%
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
4344 Points
OnePlus 6
3799 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
2625 Points -40%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3704 Points -15%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
1815 Points -58%
Huawei P20 Pro
4050 Points -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2193 - 5296, n=26)
3649 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +43%
Graphics (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
7969 Points
OnePlus 6
7949 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
6370 Points -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
7743 Points -3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
15659 Points +96%
Huawei P20 Pro
3725 Points -53%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5846 - 8001, n=26)
7797 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +74%
Web (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
1398 Points
OnePlus 6
1386 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
1109 Points -21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
1400 Points 0%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
1731 Points +24%
Huawei P20 Pro
1273 Points -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (1009 - 1613, n=26)
1344 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +6%
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
OnePlus 6T
1201 Points
OnePlus 6
1169 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
1481 Points +23%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
2407 Points +100%
Huawei P20 Pro
887 Points -26%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (1169 - 1201, n=5)
1179 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (177 - 6114, n=61, last 2 years)
2145 Points +79%

Legend

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

Web browsing feels as fast as its predecessor, which initial benchmarks confirm. Consequently, the 6T scores higher in browser benchmarks than the Xperia XZ2 Premium and the Galaxy S9 Plus, but it is still blown away by the iPhone XS Max. In daily use, complex HTML 5 websites such as Google Interland load quickly and run smoothly.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
273 Points +217%
OnePlus 6 (Chrome 66)
87.7 Points +2%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
86.1 Points
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (22.5 - 90.9, n=25)
80.3 Points -7%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
71.2 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
69.6 Points -19%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
58.3 Points -32%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
43114 Points +156%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +98%
OnePlus 6 (Chrome 66)
17026 Points +1%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
16824 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3991 - 18275, n=28)
15153 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
14760 Points -12%
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 * -69%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
3179 ms * -39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2154 - 11204, n=28)
2905 ms * -27%
OnePlus 6 (Chrome 66)
2445 ms * -7%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
2282 ms *
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
2060 ms * +10%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +27%
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
603 ms * +74%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
155 Points
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=118, last 2 years)
130.7 Points
OnePlus 6 (Chrome 66)
98 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (19 - 103, n=17)
90.2 Points
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
75 Points
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
69 Points
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
64 Points
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
347 Points +33%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
260 Points
OnePlus 6 (Chrome 66)
252 Points -3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (96 - 291, n=23)
246 Points -5%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
211 Points -19%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
182 Points -30%
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Samsung Browser 7.0)
164 Points -37%

* ... smaller is better

The performance of the 6T’s UFS 2.1 storage is also on par with the OnePlus 6 and is comparable to that of more expensive devices. Apps load quickly, while the device access data without delay.

OnePlus 6TOnePlus 6Samsung Galaxy S9 PlusSony Xperia XZ2 PremiumHuawei P20 ProAverage 128 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-1%
2%
-4%
161%
138%
428%
Sequential Read 256KB
735
726
-1%
819
11%
749
2%
832
13%
763 ?(427 - 1011, n=112)
4%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
100%
Sequential Write 256KB
204.4
201.4
-1%
204.9
0%
171
-16%
196.7
-4%
295 ?(13.6 - 719, n=112)
44%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
427%
Random Read 4KB
138.5
137
-1%
129.7
-6%
136
-2%
144.3
4%
152.4 ?(92.6 - 239, n=112)
10%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
75%
Random Write 4KB
22
21.8
-1%
22.74
3%
21.75
-1%
160.5
630%
130.6 ?(18.2 - 290, n=112)
494%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1109%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
79.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
34.18 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
76 ?(13.4 - 88.3, n=43)
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
67.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
30.23 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
59.6 ?(8.4 - 72.4, n=43)

Games

The 6T is well suited for playing games. On the one hand, the device is powerful enough to render most complex games at 60 FPS without any frame rate spikes. On the other hand, our test device is a good fit in our hands, while the touchscreen and positional sensor worked well perfectly during our testing. Moreover, games are quick to load and navigating through menus feels pleasantly smooth.

OnePlus also includes a game mode that automatically optimises RAM and processor performance for games. The mode optimises some games automatically, but we found that we had to manually optimise other games. Frustratingly, the pop-up appears not only when starting a game, but also when switching back to it from within Recents. The menu is easy to dismiss though. The game mode allows you to deactivate the auto-brightness, notifications and optimise network performance.

The OnePlus game mode pop-up menu
The OnePlus game mode pop-up menu
Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Asphalt 9: Legends
Asphalt 9: Legends
Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
 SettingsValue
 high60 fps
 minimal60 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Asphalt 9: Legends
 SettingsValue
 High Quality30 fps
 Standard / low30 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Arena of Valor
 SettingsValue
 min60 fps
 high HD60 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test

The 6T gets hot to the touch when operating under sustained load. We recorded our test device reaching a maximum of 48.6 °C (~119 °F) at the top right of the display, which is just shy of our critical 50 °C (~122 °F) mark. The device will feel uncomfortably hot when playing games, especially if you then put it in your pocket after you have finished. Fortunately, surface temperatures are much cooler at idle; by contrast, our test device reaches a maximum of 30.3 °C (~87 °F) in the same spot as where it almost hits 50 °C (~122 °F).

High surface temperatures coincide with high internal temperatures, which we would typically associate with thermal throttling as passively cooled devices try to prevent themselves from overheating. We confirmed this by running a GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 benchmark on a loop, by the end of which our test device could only muster two-thirds of its initial performance. Interestingly, the OnePlus 6 managed its temperatures and performance under load better than our test device; this could be because of the latter’s pre-release software though.

Max. Load
 48.6 °C
119 F
45.2 °C
113 F
41.7 °C
107 F
 
 46.8 °C
116 F
44.5 °C
112 F
42.3 °C
108 F
 
 45.8 °C
114 F
43.9 °C
111 F
41.8 °C
107 F
 
Maximum: 48.6 °C = 119 F
Average: 44.5 °C = 112 F
36 °C
97 F
38.9 °C
102 F
42 °C
108 F
36.1 °C
97 F
39.4 °C
103 F
38.9 °C
102 F
37.1 °C
99 F
40.3 °C
105 F
41.5 °C
107 F
Maximum: 42 °C = 108 F
Average: 38.9 °C = 102 F
Power Supply (max.)  42.2 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 44.5 °C / 112 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 48.6 °C / 119 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 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.3 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load

Speakers

Pink Noise speaker test
Pink Noise speaker test

The 6T has a single speaker that sits behind the left grille on the underside of the device. The speaker essentially sounds identical to the one in the OnePlus 6, except that it reproduces more mid-range tones. Unfortunately, the speaker still distorts at high volumes too. We would recommend listening to audio at medium volume for the best listening experience, but overall the speaker is not the OnePlus 6T’s best feature.

The decision to remove the 3.5 mm jack will undoubtedly annoy some people, the reasos for which we covered in greater detail at the start of this review. At least OnePlus includes a 3.5 mm adapter, which is more than can be said for Apple. The included adapter works well and outputs clean audio. We had no issues with connecting our test device to external headphones or speakers over Bluetooth either.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2030.3292538.131.33128.5284031.428.55036.634.26324.628.68024.126.510020.523.11251927.316016.939.920019.151.425016.652.431513.9554001559.550014.659.163012.357.480011.858.6100011.863.8125011.968.6160011.469.5200011.270250011.573.3315011.370.5400010.968.7500010.568.6630010.766800010.665.21000010.566.41250010.655.71600010.638.9SPL64.357.22480.5N16.810.40.545.3median 11.8median 59.1median 12.3median 62.9Delta3.710.411.717.622.924.324.224.125.12522.230.227.739.917.420.717.517.214.918.61419.514.732.112.243.413.649.513.153.910.857.29.754.29.357.19.6628.2668.168.1869.97.771.37.875.17.874.47.869.47.864.47.857.48.159.78.157.98.147.98.129.257.920.681.69.90.343.5median 8.2median 57.2median 62.63.91519hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseOnePlus 6TOnePlus 6
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
OnePlus 6T audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 62.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (116.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

OnePlus 6 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 62.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 62.6% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 62.6% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (108.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The 6T consumes slightly more power than its predecessor, the biggest difference of which is its 24% higher maximum consumption at idle. Other flagship smartphones such as the Galaxy S9 Plus and the P20 Pro are more power efficient overall, but the 6T consumes power more sparingly than the average of Snapdragon 845 powered devices that we have tested.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.07 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.7 / 1.1 / 2.1 Watt
Load midlight 4.2 / 8.3 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
3700 mAh
OnePlus 6
3300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3500 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
8%
19%
-26%
-8%
15%
-21%
-14%
Idle Minimum *
0.7
0.6
14%
0.68
3%
0.67
4%
1
-43%
0.84
-20%
0.862 ?(0.42 - 1.8, n=26)
-23%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-28%
Idle Average *
1.1
1
9%
0.95
14%
2.5
-127%
1.4
-27%
1.54
-40%
1.728 ?(0.67 - 2.9, n=26)
-57%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-32%
Idle Maximum *
2.1
1.6
24%
1.09
48%
2.51
-20%
1.7
19%
1.57
25%
2.07 ?(0.87 - 3.5, n=26)
1%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
22%
Load Average *
4.2
4.3
-2%
4.58
-9%
4.3
-2%
4.6
-10%
2.47
41%
4.87 ?(3.56 - 7.41, n=26)
-16%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-32%
Load Maximum *
8.3
8.6
-4%
5.16
38%
6.87
17%
6.7
19%
2.49
70%
9.27 ?(6.2 - 12.3, n=26)
-12%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
1%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The 6T has a 3,700 mAh battery, which is 400 mAh larger than the one in its predecessor. OnePlus maintains that removing the headphone jack has allowed them to include a larger battery although that has yet to be confirmed. The combination of a larger battery and Android 9 Pie related improved battery efficiencies help the 6T last an impressive fourteen hours and twenty-five minutes in our Wi-Fi battery life test. By contrast, its predecessor runs out of battery one hour and forty-three minutes sooner, while the Galaxy S9 Plus checks out at an astounding five hours and forty-four minutes earlier than our test device.

OnePlus now refers to its charging technology as “OnePlus Fast Charge”. Several companies have trademarked the word “Dash”, which prevents OnePlus from referring to the technology as “Dash Charge”.

Fortunately, only the name has changed. The included charger recharges our test device fully in just over an hour, while ten minutes charge should net you hours of use. OnePlus’ strategy has always been known to ditch frivolities, which somewhat explains the 6T’s lack of wireless charging.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
32h 16min
WiFi Websurfing
14h 25min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 03min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 21min
OnePlus 6T
3700 mAh
OnePlus 6
3300 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
3500 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-9%
-26%
-30%
-18%
-2%
Reader / Idle
1936
1806
-7%
1343
-31%
1347
-30%
1305
-33%
1727
-11%
H.264
903
791
-12%
674
-25%
520
-42%
801
-11%
784
-13%
WiFi v1.3
865
762
-12%
521
-40%
547
-37%
742
-14%
744
-14%
Load
261
246
-6%
237
-9%
235
-10%
223
-15%
345
32%

Pros

+ powerful
+ plenty of storage and RAM
+ decent GPS accuracy
+ current and fast software
+ 60 FPS gaming
+ impressive battery life
+ robust case

Cons

- no headphone jack
- slow Wi-Fi speeds (currently)
- in-screen fingerprint sensor is unreliable
- no microSD card slot
- VoLTE not supported on all networks that carry the device
- average speaker
- case is not water or dust resistant

Verdict

The OnePlus 6T review. Test device courtesy of OnePlus Germany.
The OnePlus 6T review. Test device courtesy of OnePlus Germany.

Yes, the OnePlus 6T is a true flagship killer that packs in the essentials while also having great battery life. Regional price differences aside, the 6T has a marginally higher starting price than its predecessor, but you do get double the storage for only $20 more. Unfortunately, the in-screen fingerprint sensor is slower and less accurate at recognising fingerprints than its predecessor’s rear-mounted sensor.

We would have explained the most important factors of the 6T earlier, but there is still much more to tell about the device. For example, the 6T retains the blazingly fast OS, built-in dark mode and minimalist design of its predecessor’s while also delivering better battery life thanks to its larger battery. Fast charging still works outstandingly.

The OnePlus 6T is an elegant and robust flagship that combines good performance with class-leading battery life. However, its notch, lacklustre in-screen fingerprint reader and OnePlus’ decision to remove the headphone jack prevent us from recommending the 6T over its predecessor.

The OnePlus 6T is probably not a worthwhile upgrade for OnePlus 6 owners, particularly as its biggest new feature provides less utility than what it is supposedly replacing. We expect that the technology underpinning in-screen fingerprint sensors will mature considerably in the next twelve to eighteen months, but currently, the added convenience of having a fingerprint sensor under a display does not outweigh the drawbacks. OnePlus equips the 6T with much of its predecessor’s hardware too, so the differences that you do notice may only be software related, or worse, just a placebo.

The smaller notch is not a reason to switch either, particularly as OnePlus has removed the headphone jack. In short, the OnePlus 6T is a great smartphone that puts other more expensive smartphones to shame. However, we would recommend sticking with its predecessor if you already own it and to consider it if you are thinking of buying its successor.

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

Chassis
90%
Keyboard
70 / 75 → 93%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
47 / 60 → 78%
Weight
89%
Battery
97%
Display
90%
Games Performance
54 / 63 → 85%
Application Performance
78 / 70 → 100%
Temperature
85%
Noise
100%
Audio
62 / 91 → 68%
Camera
88%
Average
80%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Florian Schmitt, 2018-10-30 (Update: 2019-02-26)