OnePlus has a clever launch cycle: release a flagship shortly after Mobile World Congress, and give that same model a refresh after every other brand unveils their final flagship of the year.

This strategy has given OnePlus a chance to scout the competition before launching its annual smartphones. Considering that the company puts all its eggs in only two premium flagships per year, a single error can spell doom for the brand.

Although OnePlus more or less mastered this formula, releasing one success after another, last year’s models felt a little stale. Not only did the features fall a bit flat, the design of the OnePlus 5 and 5T were replicas of sister brand OPPO’s own flagships.

We’re now at an interesting time in the OnePlus 6’s life. Three months in, we can get a better grasp of its place in the market; at the same time, we’re only three months away from a possible OnePlus 6T update.

The questions are plenty and time is running out, so let’s get down to it.

Is this still the fastest phone on the planet?

A bunch of A-list smartphones have launched since the OnePlus 6 first came to existence, but none have reached the level of speed this thing has.

For one, the OnePlus 6’s Snapdragon 845 processor is still the fastest chip in the market, and its combination of 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage (though mine only comes with 128GB) is beat only by the just-released Galaxy Note 9 which has up to 8GB and 512GB, respectively.

But hardware is only one part of the equation; software plays an equal if not more important role since that’s what you directly interact with. Having used most of the high-end Android smartphones this year, I can attest to the OnePlus 6’s Oxygen OS being the snappiest of them all, followed only by the Mi Mix 2S and its well-optimized MIUI skin.

Whether I’m playing heavy-duty games like Life is Strange or simply browsing the web, nothing fazes this phone. I can only imagine it getting faster once OnePlus starts rolling out Android 9 Pie to its products. The OnePlus 6 is still stuck on Android 8.1 Oreo. While it’s not bad by any means, I wish OnePlus were as fast as Essential in this regard.

Are the cameras good enough?

We were fortunate enough to take the OnePlus 6 around the world to truly test its set of cameras. The company doesn’t promote its imaging prowess that much, but a pair of 20- and 16-megapixel shooters on the back and a 16-megapixel selfie camera in front aren’t anything to belittle.

Like the rest of the interface, the cameras are blazing fast from opening the app to focusing and taking the shot. Even entering the gallery is incredibly snappy. The image quality speaks for itself; DxOMark gave the OnePlus 6 a respectable score of 96, praising the cameras’ autofocus, color reproduction, and exposure.

We agree for the most part and have these photos of our travels to share:

Certainly not the best you could hope for in terms of overall quality, but definitely acceptable in day-to-day snaps. I wish OnePlus will continue to push software updates to improve the camera performance, because I feel like some adjustments in post-processing will bring it to the next level.

Even though the secondary rear camera doesn’t have a telephoto lens, you can instantly zoom in by 2x while inside the default camera app. But because this is software-assisted, there’s some quality loss. I used this only in certain cases wherein I couldn’t walk any closer to a subject.

The app itself is a joy to use because of how simple it is. My three most-used modes — video, photo, and portrait — are all within swiping distance, and additional options like slow-motion, pro mode, and panorama are found below them. It can sometimes be simplistic to a fault, however. There’s no easy way to change the resolution of your images or videos, and shortcuts to in-app functions are limited.

Can it last over a day?

Battery life is something which the OnePlus 6 is simply okay at. Software updates since the phone’s launch have optimized its energy consumption, but there’s been no major improvement since then.

From my personal experience, which involves lots of web browsing, photo taking, and short gaming sessions, the 3300mAh battery lasts a little less than a day for me. It’s not much of a surprise since the smallish battery has to power such powerful specs and the large display, but you may have to carry a powerbank with you on certain occasions.

The speaker, USB-C port, and audio port are at the bottom

OnePlus’ signature alert slider is on the right side

On the bright side, we have Dash Charge to fix all our issues. OnePlus’ proprietary fast charging tech is still as fast as ever, bringing this phone from zero to a hundred percent in less than one and a half hours. In addition, the body won’t heat up while topping up, making things more comfortable for your hand during usage.

The only downside is having to bring the bundled charger with me wherever I go. Without it, I can’t take advantage of the fast charging. It’s the same sort of hassle as packing a micro-USB cable for the non-USB-C devices I still own.

Does its pricing hold up against the competition?

OnePlus has steadily been increasing its pricing since first entering the market. Their phones are no longer the sub-US$ 500 premium offerings the company was once known for. And yet, other brands have been guiltier in this regard.

We’re gradually accepting the fact that US$ 1,000 is turning into the norm for a truly flagship experience. This suddenly makes the OnePlus’ pricing seem tame in comparison, considering their products deliver the same speed and quality — if not better.

The time, date, and battery percentage show when you pick up the phone

OnePlus’ primary competition lie in the lineups of Xiaomi and ASUS. For instance, the Mi 8 and Mi Mix 2S offer similar specs at slightly lower prices. At the same time, the ZenFone 5Z is sold at an attractive price as well for what it comes with.

Fortunately for OnePlus, these alternatives are more difficult to come by, making its latest device the go-to affordable flagship in most regions. In addition, expect the OnePlus 6 to go down in price once the impending successor arrives in a few months.

What could OnePlus do better?

Spending an extended time with a device not only gives you a chance to enjoy all its features, but also dissect its flaws. For the OnePlus 6, there are a few that have to be addressed.

For one, and this may be my biggest gripe, the lone down-firing speaker is lackluster. For a smartphone that’s marketed as a multimedia powerhouse, the audio experience has a lot to be desired. On top of the weak output, bass doesn’t have the strength to power through the overly dominant highs. Whenever I play games or watch videos on this phone, earphones have always been a must.

A grippy case solves the slippery glass problem

Finally, we have to talk about the overall design. While it’s unusual for me to mention aesthetics this late into a review, this is also a telling sign that it’s not a highlight. This is OnePlus’ re-introduction to glass backs (after the discontinued OnePlus X), and I must say it’s not that great. It’s slippery and doesn’t add to the functionality since there’s no IP-rated water resistance or wireless charging, which you’d find on other phones with glass bodies. As for the front, it’s your typical notched look — nothing I would fawn over.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

What’s so great about the OnePlus 6 is that none of its drawbacks are deal breakers. During my long-term usage, these cons could either be remedied by a simple fix or ignored altogether. And whenever I do wish it could perform better, I remind myself of how much it costs.

With a starting price of US$ 529 for the base model with 6GB of memory and 64GB of storage, you get so much at nearly half the price of other flagship smartphones. You could argue that Xiaomi and Honor offer better bangs for the buck at this price range, but they cater to different audiences with more specialized feature sets.

If you want the fastest-possible phone without going near the US$ 700 mark, this is your best bet. While there’s been lots of new competition in the past couple of months and more to come from the likes of Huawei and Google, nothing has thus far reached what the OnePlus 6 excels at.

The only thing hindering this is the possibility of the OnePlus 6T launching by November, like the 5T did in 2017. But if it’s anything like last year’s model, the upgrade will be incremental and nothing worth splurging on when coming from the non-T variant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE-FSKWxL9g