The OnePlus 6T replaces the OnePlus 6. The newer phone looks pretty similar with an all-glass design, but there are some key differences. If you have a OnePlus 6 and want to upgrade or if you want to know how much has really changed, read on. Read our full OnePlus 6T review.
Price and availability
The OnePlus 6T costs £499 and is available directly from OnePlus from 6 November. In the UK it’s also available from O2, EE, Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse. See all of the best contracts in our OnePlus 6T deals article. In the US the phone starts at $549 and you can buy directly from OnePlus or T-Mobile. You can also get it earlier on 1 November. OnePlus no longer sells the OnePlus 6 but you may be able to find it on eBay or stock left in the UK with O2.
Design
Both phones have a similar all-glass design. The backs of both are pretty identical except for the fingerprint sensor on the 6. The 6T has an in-screen fingerprint sensor. The OnePlus 6T has a notch but it’s smaller than on the 6. A small teardrop shape, it’s basically just there to house the single front facing camera, with the earpiece a tiny sliver in the top edge of the phone. The 6’s notch held both of these, so was bigger. The 6T loses the headphone jack but is slightly taller and fatter than the 6, in part to accommodate a larger battery. Both phones have the same curves, alert slider and power button positioning. You be hard pressed to tell these two phones apart if it weren’t for the different notches.
Features and specs
When two phones look this similar, you’ll find that most of the differences are in the specs. Here’s a handy comparison table: As you can see, there are not a lot of differences. Both phones have the same processor, cameras and come in the same two black colours. The 6T has dropped the 64GB storage option, offering 6GB RAM with 128GB storage, or 8GB RAM with 128 or 256GB. Storage on both phones is non-expandable. If you’re on the lookout for a OnePlus 6, make sure you check with RAM/storage model you’re buying. Screen sizes differ with the OnePlus 6T having a huge 6.41in display with a tall aspect ratio of 19.5:9, compared to 6.28in on the OnePlus 6. There’s also a larger 3700mAh battery in the 6T. Neither phone has wireless charging despite both having glass backs. They also share camera components, though OnePlus claims the 6T can shoot better pictures – it’s unclear how, but our review will uncover if this is the case. XXXX review link
Software
Both phones run Android 9 Pie – the 6T out the box, and the 6 is receiving updates globally. OnePlus’s version of Android is pleasingly clean and not much is changed, Unlike on the Pixel 3, you can choose to use the old-style Android navigation buttons, Pie’s new gesture system or even OnePlus’ own gestures that are a tad different. We like the simple app drawer and level of customisation you can make to a OnePlus phone – it works well whether you’re an Android newbie or a seasoned enthusiast.
Verdict
You may find that if you are looking to buy one of these phones that you have to go for the OnePlus 6T as OnePlus no longer sells the 6. If you already have the 6 and are looking to upgrade, you probably don’t need to. The only difference is a bigger battery, slightly larger screen and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. Otherwise you should wait for the next big change in OnePlus design that will probably come just six months after the 6T.
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Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
