But now you can’t buy the OnePlus 3. Instead, OnePlus has decided to replace it with an even better version: the OnePlus 3T. The 3T shares many of the same qualities as the 3, including the same materials and design; same size and resolution display; same 6GB of RAM; and same rear camera. But it has an even faster processor, a bigger battery, a better front camera, an option for more internal storage, and a new, darker gray color option. It still doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint and still doesn’t have water resistance, but in other important metrics, it’s a slightly better phone than before. Even at its higher starting price of $439 for a 64GB model ($479 will get you 128GB of storage), the OnePlus 3T is even less of a compromise than its already-excellent predecessor.
I’ve been using a OnePlus 3T for nearly two weeks, comparing and contrasting my experience with it to the OnePlus 3 and other similarly specced phones, including Google’s new Pixel. In terms of speed, the 3T is as fast as anything else and might even be faster, but the differences in real-world use are negligible at best. The rear camera, though now covered in a more durable sapphire glass, is the same as the 3’s, which means it’s good, but doesn’t quite keep pace with the Pixel, iPhone 7, or a Samsung Galaxy S7. The differences are largely felt when the 3T’s camera hunts for autofocus more than the others, though the output also isn’t as impressive.
4K video recording, though available on the 3 as well, is slightly better thanks to improved electronic image stabilization. It’s not as freakishly steady as the Pixel’s video capture, and the autofocus will hunt back and forth during filming, but it’s an improvement over the 3. Likewise, the new 16-megapixel front camera, which replaces the 8-megapixel unit from the 3, is a little better than before, but not dramatically so.
While the processor and camera improvements were hard to see in practice, I certainly noticed the extra stamina afforded by the 3T’s larger battery. It is a 3,400mAh cell compared to the 3,000mAh battery in the 3, yet the thickness and weight of the phone remain unchanged. (OnePlus assures me this will not result in a Note 7-like explosion.) That’s only a 13 percent increase in capacity, but I’ve been able to get extraordinary battery life from the 3T, even when I’ve used it while traveling. Most days I’ve been able to eke out more than five hours of screen time on it before it dies, with location, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LTE all enabled and the screen brightness set to automatic. Most phones, even the better ones, will struggle to meet 4 hours of screen time with my average use before calling it quits.