Monday, 9 July 2018

Honor 7X

Huawei Honor 7X

The Huawei Honor 7X is an Androidsmartphone manufactured by Huawei as part of the Huawei Honor X series. It was first announced in October 2017 in China.[1] It was later re-branded as the Huawei Mate SE in the United States.[2]

Huawei Honor 7XManufacturerHuaweiSeriesHonorPredecessorHuawei Honor 6XTypeTouchscreensmartphoneForm factorSlate


The company knew that following on from the Honor 6X was going to be a hard thing to do for them especially since the trend of narrowing bezels on smartphones will catch up to the mid-range segment by next year. So, does the Honor 7X innovate enough to make it another great affordable phone?

Honor 7X price and release date

  • Honor 7X launch prices start from Rs 12,999
HONOR 7X SPECS

Weight: 165g
Dimensions: 156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6mm
OS: EMUI 5.1 (Android 7.0 Nougat)
Screen size: 5.93 inches
Resolution: 1080 x 2160 (18:9 aspect ratio)
CPU: Kirin 659
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB
Battery: 3,340mAh
Rear camera: 16MP + 2MP
Front camera: 8MP 

The price for the Honor 7X in India starts from Rs 12,999 for the 32GB variant while users will have to shell out Rs 15,999 for the 64GB variant. The smartphone is available on Amazon India exclusively from December 7 through a flash sale.

AdvertisementAdditionally, users will also be able to select between Blue, Gold and Black colour optionsDesign and display
  • Aluminum unibody finish feels premium 
  • 5.93-inch Full HD+, 18:9 aspect ratio display

Honor 7X is uses a single block of metal that looks and feels very premium for a Rs.12,999 phone. Even though the rear of the phone has a flat profile, which compliments its 7.6mm thickness, it doesn't exactly sit in the hand comfortably as a slightly curved back would have. That being said, the smartphone does look attractive with its aluminum chassis which might not be as pleasant as the glass back on other flagship smartphones, say the Honor 9, but does just fine in this price bracket.  

The fingerprint sensor is located on the rear of the handset, and we found it easy to reach when holding the phone. The fingerprint sensor is quick to identify the touch input and unlocks in a jiffy. 

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The bottom edge houses a 3.5mm headphone jack along with a micro USB port beside the speaker grill. The left side of the smartphone has the hybrid dual SIM card slot which can either be used for two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card.

At 165 gms and measuring 156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6 mm, the Honor 7X does feel like more than just value for money.

We have to commend Huawei and Honor for the 5.93-inch display that they have managed to cram into a body that would traditionally accommodate a 5.5-inch screen.

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The FullHD+ (2160x1080 pixels) display as such provides a great experience overall and we found it to be bold and vibrant. Now, the 18:9 aspect ratio with a pixel density that equals to 407ppi, the screen isn’t anything like on a flagship smartphone, but at this price, it is more than what anyone could ask for.

Apps on the smartphone will run at 16:9 aspect ratio by default and users will get a pop-up of running a particular app in full screen 18:9 aspect ratio. To avoid that, there is an option in Display settings through which a user can enable the fullscreen mode on different apps.

The Honor 7X also comes with an Eye Comfort mode in Display settings to filter out excessive blue light along with options to modify the colour temperature and brightness.

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Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo (shortened and referred to as Echo) is a brand of smart speakers developed by Amazon.com. The devices connect to the voice-controlled intelligent personal assistantservice Alexa, which responds to the name "Alexa". This "wake word" can be changed by the user to "Amazon", "Echo" or "Computer".[1][2] The device is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic and other real-time information. It can also control several smart devices acting as a home automation hub.

Amazon Echo

The first-generation Amazon Echo

DeveloperAmazon.comManufacturerAmazon.comTypeSmart speakerRelease dateNovember 6, 2014Operating systemFire OSInputVoice commandsWebsiteAmazon Echo (US) 
Amazon Echo (UK) 
Amazon Echo (Germany) 
Amazon Echo (India)

Amazon had been developing Echo devices inside its Lab126 offices in Silicon Valley and Cambridge, Massachusetts since at least 2010 in confirmed reports. The device was part of Amazon’s first attempts to expand its device portfolio beyond the Kindle e-reader.[3]The Echo was prominently featured in Amazon's first-ever Super Bowl ad in 2016.[4]

The first-generation Echo was initially limited to Amazon Prime members or by invitation, but became widely available in the United States on June 23, 2015.[5] Press speculated that it would make its Canadian debut in mid-to-late 2016, after Amazon posted job listings for developers for Alexa and co-hosted a hackathon in Toronto.[6] The Echo became available in the United Kingdom on 28 September 2016.[7][8] Additionally, the Alexa voice service is available to be added to other devices and other companies' devices and services are encouraged to connect to it.[9]

FeaturesEdit

See also: Amazon Alexa

Overview of operationEdit

In the default mode, the device continuously listens to all speech, monitoring for the wake word to be spoken, which is primarily set up as "Alexa" (derived from Alexa Internet, the Amazon-owned Internet indexing company). Echo's microphones can be manually disabled by pressing a mute button to turn off the audio processing circuit.[3]

Echo devices require a wireless Internet connection in order to work. Echo's voice recognition capability is based on Amazon Web Services and the voice platform Amazon acquired from Yap,[10] Evi, and IVONA[11] (a Polish-based specialist in voice technologies used in the Kindle Fire).[12]

The smart speakers perform well with a 'good' (low-latency) Internet connection which minimizes processing time due to minimal communication round trips, streamable responses and geo-distributed service endpoints. While the application is free, an Amazon account is required, and setup is not possible without one.

Available servicesEdit

Echo devices offer weather from AccuWeather and news from a variety of sources, including local radio stations, iHeartRadioBBCNPR, and ESPN from TuneIn.[13] Echo can play music from the owner's Amazon Music accounts[14] and has built-in support for the Pandora and Spotifystreaming music services[15] and has support for IFTTT and Nest thermostats.[16] Echo can also play music from streaming services such as Apple Music, and Google Play Music from a phone or tablet. Echo maintains voice-controlled alarms, timers, shopping and to-do lists and can access Wikipedia articles. Echo will respond to your questions about items in your Google calendar. It also integrates with Yonomi,[17] Philips HueBelkin WemoSmartThingsInsteon, and Wink.[18][19]Additionally, integration with the Echo is in the works for Countertop by Orange Chef, Sonos,[20] Scout Alarm, Garageio, Toymail, MARA, and Mojio.[21] Questions like "Who is Kim Kardashian?" are answered by reading the first few lines of the corresponding Wikipedia article.[22]

It does not appear to be capable of playing music streamed from a local UPnP/DLNA media server.[citation needed]

Echo devices also have access to 'skills' built with the Alexa Skills Kit. These are third-party-developed voice experiences that add to the capabilities of any Alexa-enabled device (such as the Echo). Examples of skills include the ability to play music, answer general questions, set an alarm, order a pizza, get an Uber, and more. Skills are continuously being added to increase the capabilities available to the user. The Alexa Skills Kit is a collection of self-service APIs, tools, documentation and code samples that make it fast and easy for any developer to add skills to Alexa. Developers can also use the "Smart Home Skill API",[23] a new addition to the Alexa Skills Kit, to easily teach Alexa how to control cloud-controlled lighting and thermostat devices. All of the code runs in the cloud – nothing is on any user device. A developer can follow tutorials to learn how to quickly build voice experiences for their new and existing applications.[24]

Voice systemEdit

The devices have natural lifelike voices resulting from speech-unit technology.[25][additional citation(s) needed] High speech accuracy is achieved through sophisticated natural language processing(NLP) algorithms built into the Echo's text-to-speech (TTS) engine.[citation needed]

Software updatesEdit

As with all Alexa devices, the functionality of Echo smart speakers periodically evolves as Amazon releases new software for it. Most new releases fix bugs in addition to including enhanced functionality. New releases are pushed to the devices on a gradual basis so it may take several days to a week or more for a particular device to be updated. Because much of Echo's intelligence lies in the cloud, significant functional enhancements can be made to Echo without updating the software version it is running. For example, in April 2015, the Echo added the ability to give live sports scores without updating the software version running on the device.[26]

VariantsEdit

EchoEdit

Amazon Echo (first generation)

Amazon Echo unpacked, January 2015

Release date

November 6, 2014(Amazon Prime and invited members)June 23, 2015 (released in the U.S.)September 28, 2016(released in the U.K.)October 26, 2016(released in Germany)

Introductory priceUS$179.99 
GB£149.99
EUR€179.99ConnectivityWiFi and BluetoothWebsiteAmazon Echo (US) 
Amazon Echo (UK) 
Amazon Echo (Germany)Amazon Echo (second generation)Release date

October 31, 2017(released in the U.S.)

Introductory priceUS$99.99ConnectivityWiFi and BluetoothWebsiteAmazon Echo (US) 
Amazon Echo (UK) 
Amazon Echo (Germany) 
Amazon Echo (India) 
Amazon Echo (Canada)

The first-generation Amazon Echo consists of a 9.25 inch (23.5 cm) tall cylinder speaker with a seven-piece microphone array.[3] The Echo hardware complement includes a Texas Instruments DM3725 ARM Cortex-A8processor, 256MB of LPDDR1 RAM and 4GB of storage space.[27] As of July 2017, the first-generation Echo maintained an 83% scoreon GearCaliber, a review aggregator.

Although the Echo is intended to be voice-controlled at the unit, a microphone-enabled remote control similar to the one bundled with the Fire TV is available for purchase. An action button on top of the unit is provided for user setup in a new location, and the mute button allows the microphones to be turned off.[28] The top half-inch of the unit rotates to increase or decrease the speaker volume. The Echo must be plugged in to operate since it has no internal battery.[29]

Echo provides dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming and Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice control of connected mobile devices.[30]

Limited editionsEdit

As part of a holiday promotion, Seattle Seahawks player Marshawn Lynch drove the Treasure Truck around Seattle in December 2016 selling a limited-edition beast-mode Echo with a custom skin.[31] The beast-mode version was a first-gen Echo that responded to a user's commands with Marshawn Lynch's voice, instead of the Alexa voice.[32]

In November 2017, a Product Red version of the 2nd-gen Echo was announced as a limited edition item.[33]

AvailabilityEdit

As of February 2018, the second-generation Echo is available in 36 countries.

 Austria Australia Belgium Bolivia Bulgaria Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Ecuador El Salvador Estonia Finland Germany Greece Hungary Iceland India Japan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands New Zealand Panama Peru Poland Portugal Slovakia Sweden United Kingdom United States Uruguay

Echo DotEdit

The black Amazon Echo Dot (second generation) sitting idle on a wood surface

In March 2016, Amazon unveiled the original Amazon Echo Dot,[34] which is a hockey puck-sized version of the Echo designed to be connected to external speakers due to the size of the onboard speakers, or to be used in rooms such as the bedroom as an alternative to the full-sized Echo. Beyond these distinctions, the Amazon Echo Dot possesses the same functions as the original Amazon Echo.[35]

External third-party portable batteries[36] are available for the Dot.

The second generation of the Amazon Echo Dot became available on October 20, 2016. It is priced lower, has improved voice recognition, and is available in black and white. The Echo Spatial Perception (ESP) technology allows several Echo and Dot units to work together so that only one device answers the request.[citation needed] As of November 2017, the Echo Dot maintained a 78% score on GearCaliber, based on 23 reviews.[37]

Amazon TapEdit

The Amazon Tap https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

The Amazon Tap is a smaller portable version of the Echo.[38] The Tap can do the same things as the Echo; however, as it is battery-powered, it is also portable.[39] Initially the user had to press an activation button on the front of the Tap to speak commands. However, a February 2017 software update allows the option of activating the Tap with an activation word, just like the Echo and the Dot.[40]

Echo LookEdit https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

In April 2017, the Amazon Echo Look was introduced as a camera with Alexa built-in, for US$20 more than the first-generation Echo.[41https://amzn.to/2zsVmFAThe device can provide artificial intelligence outfit recommendations, take photos, and record videos; in addition to the features available on the Echo.[42]https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA offers Amazon Alexa's key feature plus a camera to take full-length photos and 360-degree videos with built-in AI for fashion advice.[43]https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA 44https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA As a consumer product, it helps catalog your outfits and rates your look based on “machine learning algorithms with advice from fashion specialists.[45]https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

As of April 2017, the device is available for purchase by invitation-only in the U.S.[46]

Echo Show https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

Main article: Amazon Echo Show https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

The Amazon Echo Show

In May 2017, Amazon introduced the Echo Show, which features a tactile 7-inch LCDscreen that can be used for playing media, making video calls (5 MP front camera), and other features.[47] The Echo Show was offered for purchase at a price of $229.99 on June 28, 2017 and was initially only available in the U.S.[48]

Echo Spot https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

The Amazon Echo Spot

On 27 September 2017, Amazon launched the Echo Spot, a hemispherical device that has the same functions as an Echo Show.[49] The device has a 2.5-inch circular screen, and looks like an alarm clock. The device sells for $129.99.[50]

Echo Plus https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

On 27 September 2017, Amazon announced the Echo Plus, which released on 31 October 2017. It shares design similarities with the first-generation Echo, but also doubles as a smart home hub, connecting to most common wireless protocols to control connected smart devices within a home.[51] It incorporates 7 second-generation far field microphones and noise cancellation, while also supporting Dolby Sound.

AccessoriesEdit https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

Along with the second-generation Echo, Amazon announced two new accessories. The Echo Buttons can be used while playing games on Echo devices, such as Jeopardy!.[52] The Echo Connect is a small adapter that plugs into any Echo and a home phone line, allowing the Echo to make voice calls through your home phone number.[53]

Privacy concerns

Limitations

See alsoEdit

Google HomeHomePodINVOKE https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

References https://amzn.to/2zsVmFA

Further reading

External links

Last edited 1 day ago by JoelRabinovitch

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Saturday, 7 July 2018

Oneplus 6(Top selling cellphone in India)

The OnePlus 6 mobile features a 6.28" (15.95 cm) display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and runs on Android v8.1 (Oreo) operating system. The device is powered by Octa core (2.8 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 385 + 1.8 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 385) processor paired with 6 GB of RAM. As far as the battery is concerned it has 3300 mAh. Over that, as far as the rear camera is concerned this mobile has a 16 MP camera Exmor RS sensor supporting a resolution of 4616 x 3464 Pixels and the front snapper is powered by a Exmor RS sensor. Other sensors include Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope. So, does it have a fingerprint sensor? Yes, it does. For graphical performance that can make games run smoothly, this phone has got a Adreno 630 GPU. On board storage is at 64 GB with the option to expand the memory by No. Design is one of the most important factors when it comes to mobiles. This phone is 7.7 mm slim and weighs 177 grams.

Critic Rating

3.5/5

Top Features

*Value for money
*Reliable battery performance
*Impressive processing performance

NEW DELHI: Smartphones brands have always been under pressure to offer users ‘best-in-class’ devices. The race to become the industry leader has resulted in companies launching smartphones with FaceID, dual-rear cameras, bezel less displays and other such technologies. However, most of these smartphones - at least the initial variants- have been launched at eye-watering prices. Here OnePlus has largely maintained its image of launching what it calls ‘flagship killer’ at relatively affordable prices. The five-year-old company recently raised the curtains over its latest flagship smartphone OnePlus 6.

There’s no doubt that OnePlus 6 has been enjoying the headlines since past few months, something that helped make it one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year. It had the hype, it had celebrities promoting it and now it's out in the open, challenging some of the big names in the market.

OnePlus 6 review: A worthy competitor?

Robin Sinha | Updated : May 24, 2018, 01.45PM IST
OnePlus 6 review: A worthy competitor?

Critic Rating

3.5/5

Top Features

*Value for money
*Reliable battery performance
*Impressive processing performance

NEW DELHI: Smartphones brands have always been under pressure to offer users ‘best-in-class’ devices. The race to become the industry leader has resulted in companies launching smartphones with FaceID, dual-rear cameras, bezel less displays and other such technologies. However, most of these smartphones - at least the initial variants- have been launched at eye-watering prices. Here OnePlus has largely maintained its image of launching what it calls ‘flagship killer’ at relatively affordable prices. The five-year-old company recently raised the curtains over its latest flagship smartphone OnePlus 6.

There’s no doubt that OnePlus 6 has been enjoying the headlines since past few months, something that helped make it one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year. It had the hype, it had celebrities promoting it and now it's out in the open, challenging some of the big names in the market.

For starters, OnePlus 6 was unveiled on May 16 in London and May 17 in Mumbai, India. This time, the smartphone comes in three colour variants - Midnight Black, Mirror Black and Silk White. There's also a Marvel Avengers Limited Edition variant. All of them also differ when it comes to RAM and storage capacities. The 6GB RAM + 64GB version costs Rs 34,999, while the 8GB + 128GB variant will make hole in your pocket worth Rs 39,999. The Avengers special edition comes with 8GB RAM but is also the only one to sport 256GB inbuilt storage.


Design

Although sporting a 'new'design, OnePlus 6 didn't really get us all excited initially. At first glance, it looks like the OnePlus 5T except for the dual rear cameras that are now placed at the centre instead of the top left corner. If you were expecting a major overhaul something similar to what we saw between the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 5, you're in for a slight disappointment.

It feels the same as OnePlus 5T in hand but for those moving to the OnePlus 6 from a different-branded device, this could be a rather good change.

OnePlus stresses on the fact that the smartphone, unlike any other OnePlus handsets before, uses a glass-coated back panel. We did find the glass design better in the Midnight Black and Silk White variant than the glossy look used in Mirror Black and the special edition Marvel Avengers edition because of the amount of fingerprints the latter models attract. If you're someone who wants to keep his/her smartphone clean and spotless all the time, the latter two may not be good options.



Thankfully the size of the phone remains the same so no stress there. And OnePlus is not yet ready to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack, because according to the company 'community’ and 'fans’ wanted it. Now, this is may be good news for some buyers, and not-so-good for others. Good news because customers can use a 3.5mm headphone, which is still widely used and bad news because the industry is slowly moving towards everything ‘wireless’ and smartphones are adopting USB Type-C port for both audio output and charging but OnePlus 6 seems left behind being a flagship. Of course, all of this is subjective.

Nonetheless, some changes you will see in the OnePlus 6 is that the Alert Slider has moved to the right side (thankfully), volume controllers are on the left and the ever so controversial 'notch’ is finally here. We’re glad that Oneplus has finally moved the Alert Slider to the right, making it more accessible than before. This layout basically makes all of them (alert slider, volume controllers and the power button) easier to reach single-handedly.

The Mirror Black variant that we received could also prove to be a terribly slippery device at times but then we got as many as six cases in the box, including the classic Sandstone cover (which we are using right now). Also what might be a let down is the absence of any kind of IPxx water resistance or dust resistance rating. OnePlus however, says that it is still usable in rain. So dunking it in water is likely to spoil the device.


Display ‘notch’ is another head turner this time. More on it below.

Display

OnePlus 6 uses the Optic Amoled screen panel that is good to look at. The colours are not as vibrant as the one seen in Samsung Galaxy flagships (but those too don't appear natural many a times). The videos and images do pop up and the blacks are deep enough to blend with the black screen bezels or even hide the notch. Yes, you have the option to hide the notch in the OnePlus 6, in case you were wondering. It is also possible to select which apps can use the fullscreen mode or not.

If you ask us, we’re not a big fan of the notch design as most of the apps are not optimised for them and don’t really use it in a better manner. But as Pei described weeks ahead from the launch of OnePlus 6, this was the best option to give users an expanded screen while keeping the front-facing camera and the speaker intact. The notch also includes an LED notification indicator that one can notice when receiving a notification or while charging the device.



The 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED display with sRGB supports DCI-P3 colour space that is there in OnePlus 3 and all the later models. With an expanded screen you get a 19:9 aspect ratio, that is usually helpful in viewing videos and clicking well-spanned images. Also, there is a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection so we’re hoping it may survive a couple of drops.

There’s no path-breaking or flagship-killing display feature in OnePlus 6 though. It has the same Adaptive Mode, Reading Mode, Night Mode and Lift Up Display. Reading mode is also there that desaturates the entire screen turning it into monochrome.

Performance

Performance is a section where OnePlus smartphones have been kind of nailing it for quite some time. The OnePlus 6 is no exception. It makes use of one of the most powerful mobile chip available in the industry - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 so as expected, there are no lags or any kind of slow down while opening apps or moving between them. Instead, the UI animations and app launches, as OnePlus claims, are snappier. For an end user it’s difficult to say as you won’t be able to make out a difference. However, those coming from Samsung Experience, MIUI or any other interfaces may able to spot the change. What boosts complex, heavy tasks is 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, which in our case is still an overkill. 6GB RAM would also do the same task at the same speed. In addition to a powerful octa-core processor and ample RAM you get Adreno 630 GPU handling some of the graphic-intensive apps and games such as Mortal Kombat, Modern Combat and more.



What makes OnePlus 6 a delight to use is the OxygenOS. The handset has Android 8.1 Oreo-based 5.1.3, which is as new as it gets and has all the features one would expect from the latest flagship. The new OxygenOS arrived while we were reviewing the device so in all probability you will get this out of the box. It brings Android security patch to May, adds configuration for showing or hiding the notch, support for super slow motion at 480fps and other camera-based features.

For those coming from different UIs, the OxygenOS might be a pleasant surprise as it is fast, customisable to some extent and near stock Android by design. In case you missed it, you can even run Android P beta version on OnePlus 6.

Two other key features Oneplus is touting are the new Gaming Mode and new navigation gestures. The Gaming mode, which until OnePlus 5T was known as the Gaming DND Mode, has been improved as it automatically lowers the amount of data for other apps and throttles the data assigned for the game being played. As for gestures, the OnePlus 6 now gives you an option to replace the stereotypical navigation bar and instead use swipe up gestures for the same. This feature can be activated from the Settings app and is comparatively easy to learn. Swiping up from sides will take you a step back while swiping up from centre will minimize whatever app is opened at that time. Swiping up from the centre without lifting your finger will open the multi-window screen.

For the sake of numbers, OnePlus 6 as expected got an impressive 261397 score on Antutu, which is one of the best scores in the list, along with 2401 and 8974 for single and multi-core scores.



Camera

A major chunk of performance lies with how the camera of the smartphone works and OnePlus 6 does a decent job in it. In theory, the smartphone is just a slight upgrade over the OnePlus 5T. It has the same 16MP+20MP dual rear cameras except for a better Sony sensor. The primary 16MP Sony IMX519 has f/1.7 aperture and the secondary 20MP Sony IMX376K sensor too has the same aperture. The pixel size has also been increased in the primary sensor by 0.10um, which hardly makes any difference to your resulting shots. Nonetheless, the camera is quick to capture moving subjects with good amount of sharpness and clarity.

Some credit of this also goes to the company’s Smart Capture technology that digitally sharpens the image. The software feature suggests the best mode to click a sharp image based on the environment in which it is being clicked.

Although we didn’t really see a drastic difference in daylight shots in general, some of the night shots actually came out good. The low aperture and the slightly larger pixel size work in tandem to deliver some of the best low-light shots according to us. The resulting images, unlike seen in some of the smartphones in the given price segment, are sharp and not smooth in order to hide the noise. But if you do want the best camera performance, this might not be the preferred one as smartphones like Galaxy S9+, Google Pixel 2 and even the Huawei P20 Pro do a better job. However, the price tag makes OnePlus 6 a good proposition.



OnePlus 6 review: A worthy competitor?

Robin Sinha | Updated : May 24, 2018, 01.45PM IST
OnePlus 6 review: A worthy competitor?

Critic Rating

3.5/5

Top Features

*Value for money
*Reliable battery performance
*Impressive processing performance

NEW DELHI: Smartphones brands have always been under pressure to offer users ‘best-in-class’ devices. The race to become the industry leader has resulted in companies launching smartphones with FaceID, dual-rear cameras, bezel less displays and other such technologies. However, most of these smartphones - at least the initial variants- have been launched at eye-watering prices. Here OnePlus has largely maintained its image of launching what it calls ‘flagship killer’ at relatively affordable prices. The five-year-old company recently raised the curtains over its latest flagship smartphone OnePlus 6.

There’s no doubt that OnePlus 6 has been enjoying the headlines since past few months, something that helped make it one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year. It had the hype, it had celebrities promoting it and now it's out in the open, challenging some of the big names in the market.

For starters, OnePlus 6 was unveiled on May 16 in London and May 17 in Mumbai, India. This time, the smartphone comes in three colour variants - Midnight Black, Mirror Black and Silk White. There's also a Marvel Avengers Limited Edition variant. All of them also differ when it comes to RAM and storage capacities. The 6GB RAM + 64GB version costs Rs 34,999, while the 8GB + 128GB variant will make hole in your pocket worth Rs 39,999. The Avengers special edition comes with 8GB RAM but is also the only one to sport 256GB inbuilt storage.



We have been using the OnePlus 6 Mirror Black 8GB/128GB variant since a week and here’s what this Rs 39,999 handset offers.

Design

Although sporting a 'new'design, OnePlus 6 didn't really get us all excited initially. At first glance, it looks like the OnePlus 5T except for the dual rear cameras that are now placed at the centre instead of the top left corner. If you were expecting a major overhaul something similar to what we saw between the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 5, you're in for a slight disappointment.

It feels the same as OnePlus 5T in hand but for those moving to the OnePlus 6 from a different-branded device, this could be a rather good change.

OnePlus stresses on the fact that the smartphone, unlike any other OnePlus handsets before, uses a glass-coated back panel. We did find the glass design better in the Midnight Black and Silk White variant than the glossy look used in Mirror Black and the special edition Marvel Avengers edition because of the amount of fingerprints the latter models attract. If you're someone who wants to keep his/her smartphone clean and spotless all the time, the latter two may not be good options.



Thankfully the size of the phone remains the same so no stress there. And OnePlus is not yet ready to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack, because according to the company 'community’ and 'fans’ wanted it. Now, this is may be good news for some buyers, and not-so-good for others. Good news because customers can use a 3.5mm headphone, which is still widely used and bad news because the industry is slowly moving towards everything ‘wireless’ and smartphones are adopting USB Type-C port for both audio output and charging but OnePlus 6 seems left behind being a flagship. Of course, all of this is subjective.

Nonetheless, some changes you will see in the OnePlus 6 is that the Alert Slider has moved to the right side (thankfully), volume controllers are on the left and the ever so controversial 'notch’ is finally here. We’re glad that Oneplus has finally moved the Alert Slider to the right, making it more accessible than before. This layout basically makes all of them (alert slider, volume controllers and the power button) easier to reach single-handedly.

The Mirror Black variant that we received could also prove to be a terribly slippery device at times but then we got as many as six cases in the box, including the classic Sandstone cover (which we are using right now). Also what might be a let down is the absence of any kind of IPxx water resistance or dust resistance rating. OnePlus however, says that it is still usable in rain. So dunking it in water is likely to spoil the device.


Display ‘notch’ is another head turner this time. More on it below.

Display

OnePlus 6 uses the Optic Amoled screen panel that is good to look at. The colours are not as vibrant as the one seen in Samsung Galaxy flagships (but those too don't appear natural many a times). The videos and images do pop up and the blacks are deep enough to blend with the black screen bezels or even hide the notch. Yes, you have the option to hide the notch in the OnePlus 6, in case you were wondering. It is also possible to select which apps can use the fullscreen mode or not.

If you ask us, we’re not a big fan of the notch design as most of the apps are not optimised for them and don’t really use it in a better manner. But as Pei described weeks ahead from the launch of OnePlus 6, this was the best option to give users an expanded screen while keeping the front-facing camera and the speaker intact. The notch also includes an LED notification indicator that one can notice when receiving a notification or while charging the device.


The 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED display with sRGB supports DCI-P3 colour space that is there in OnePlus 3 and all the later models. With an expanded screen you get a 19:9 aspect ratio, that is usually helpful in viewing videos and clicking well-spanned images. Also, there is a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection so we’re hoping it may survive a couple of drops.

There’s no path-breaking or flagship-killing display feature in OnePlus 6 though. It has the same Adaptive Mode, Reading Mode, Night Mode and Lift Up Display. Reading mode is also there that desaturates the entire screen turning it into monochrome.

Performance

Performance is a section where OnePlus smartphones have been kind of nailing it for quite some time. The OnePlus 6 is no exception. It makes use of one of the most powerful mobile chip available in the industry - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 so as expected, there are no lags or any kind of slow down while opening apps or moving between them. Instead, the UI animations and app launches, as OnePlus claims, are snappier. For an end user it’s difficult to say as you won’t be able to make out a difference. However, those coming from Samsung Experience, MIUI or any other interfaces may able to spot the change. What boosts complex, heavy tasks is 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, which in our case is still an overkill. 6GB RAM would also do the same task at the same speed. In addition to a powerful octa-core processor and ample RAM you get Adreno 630 GPU handling some of the graphic-intensive apps and games such as Mortal Kombat, Modern Combat and more.



What makes OnePlus 6 a delight to use is the OxygenOS. The handset has Android 8.1 Oreo-based 5.1.3, which is as new as it gets and has all the features one would expect from the latest flagship. The new OxygenOS arrived while we were reviewing the device so in all probability you will get this out of the box. It brings Android security patch to May, adds configuration for showing or hiding the notch, support for super slow motion at 480fps and other camera-based features.

For those coming from different UIs, the OxygenOS might be a pleasant surprise as it is fast, customisable to some extent and near stock Android by design. In case you missed it, you can even run Android P beta version on OnePlus 6.

Two other key features Oneplus is touting are the new Gaming Mode and new navigation gestures. The Gaming mode, which until OnePlus 5T was known as the Gaming DND Mode, has been improved as it automatically lowers the amount of data for other apps and throttles the data assigned for the game being played. As for gestures, the OnePlus 6 now gives you an option to replace the stereotypical navigation bar and instead use swipe up gestures for the same. This feature can be activated from the Settings app and is comparatively easy to learn. Swiping up from sides will take you a step back while swiping up from centre will minimize whatever app is opened at that time. Swiping up from the centre without lifting your finger will open the multi-window screen.

For the sake of numbers, OnePlus 6 as expected got an impressive 261397 score on Antutu, which is one of the best scores in the list, along with 2401 and 8974 for single and multi-core scores.



Camera

A major chunk of performance lies with how the camera of the smartphone works and OnePlus 6 does a decent job in it. In theory, the smartphone is just a slight upgrade over the OnePlus 5T. It has the same 16MP+20MP dual rear cameras except for a better Sony sensor. The primary 16MP Sony IMX519 has f/1.7 aperture and the secondary 20MP Sony IMX376K sensor too has the same aperture. The pixel size has also been increased in the primary sensor by 0.10um, which hardly makes any difference to your resulting shots. Nonetheless, the camera is quick to capture moving subjects with good amount of sharpness and clarity.

Some credit of this also goes to the company’s Smart Capture technology that digitally sharpens the image. The software feature suggests the best mode to click a sharp image based on the environment in which it is being clicked.

Although we didn’t really see a drastic difference in daylight shots in general, some of the night shots actually came out good. The low aperture and the slightly larger pixel size work in tandem to deliver some of the best low-light shots according to us. The resulting images, unlike seen in some of the smartphones in the given price segment, are sharp and not smooth in order to hide the noise. But if you do want the best camera performance, this might not be the preferred one as smartphones like Galaxy S9+, Google Pixel 2 and even the Huawei P20 Pro do a better job. However, the price tag makes OnePlus 6 a good proposition.



One of the major additions in the camera this time is the Optical Image Stabilisation or OIS. The tech, which can be found in most of the flagship smartphones these days, was missing until now. The previous model came with EIS. Now, with OIS, you can expect stable videos and sharper shots of a moving subject. Also, the secondary rear camera has PDAF for better tracking of the subject in videos.

Talking about videos, the smartphone has definitely improved and stays at par with some high-grade smartphones out there. The video stabilisation, like we mentioned above, is taken care by OIS, giving a good output. Low light videos are not as bad as we expected but is also not one of the best ones we’ve seen. It does the job though so users won’t be disappointed. The overall video recording performance is fluid and they do look good on large screen as well.

What’s new and improved this time is that the device can now record 4K resolution videos at 60fps, which is something that we saw in the Samsung Galaxy S9+ earlier this year. Also, while the OnePlus 5T came with 120fps slow motion video recording support, the OnePlus 6 now comes with 240fps at fullHD resolution and 480fps at HD resolution. Unfortunately, the 960fps support is not there.

While the rear cameras have seen a slight upgrade, the front-facing camera stays almost the same as that in the OnePlus 5T. It has the same 16MP Sony IMX371 sensor with f/2.0 aperture. The only change here is that the sensor now includes EIS for digitally stabilising videos. On the software front there is a new Portrait effect feature that lets you add some new effects in the blurred background. For selfie lovers this should come as a welcome change.



The overall UI is easy to use and not a major takeoff from that of the stock Android. We felt the number of tweaks was not as much but for a general user it should fulfil nearly all the basic demands.

Battery

OnePlus 6 battery performance is not bad given it has the same 3300mAh capacity onboard as in OnePlus 5T. The smartphone, on a single charge, can run for over 12 hours easily on an average use. End users won’t get much to complain here as the battery delivers over 6 hours of on-screen time. This is because of the less power consuming FullHD+ resolution screen and an efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor.

In addition, you get a bunch of battery-saving features as well. These include from your regular battery optimisation for each app to the Battery Saver mode wherein the OnePlus 6 switches off vibration, location services and other background tasks. You can also set it up to activate automatically when the handset hits 5% battery or 15%. Some visual battery icon customisations are also there, something we have already seen in the OnePlus 5 and 5T.

While everything is positive on the battery side, one of the features we think OnePlus could’ve included was wireless charging. The company executive, at the time of the launch did explain that the firm didn’t bring it as the charging rate is nowhere close to the standards set by OnePlus Dash Charge. However, being a flagship smartphone and considering every other flagship from different companies have it, the company could’ve at least introduced the feature and maybe improved upon it in the later version (maybe in OnePlus 7, who knows).



As for Dash Charging, the technology is one of the major plus points of the smartphone. It even works while the smartphone is in Gaming Mode as all the heating up takes place in the adapter instead of the phone.

Verdict

OnePlus 6 definitely nearly has all that it takes to compete with other flagships in the market. The keyword here being 'nearly'. As one can still see the Chinese smartphone brand cutting corners in the form of misses like water-resistance build, no wireless charging, same front-facing camera and battery. But on the brighter side you get some of the crucial features such as OIS, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, slow-motion video recording and even the gigabit LTE connectivity support.

In addition to this, some nifty features include an improved Gaming Mode, easy navigation gestures and more that act as a cherry on the cake. All these are likely to generate a positive ripple in the market. Fans also may not find it a massive upgrade over the OnePlus 5T but then for someone moving from a Samsung, Xiaomi or any other non-stock Android smartphone, this may be a good deal.

It's difficult to consider it as one of the perfect smartphones in the market but the price tag at which it comes is surely attractive.

Specifications

Summary

  • PERFORMANCEOcta core
  • DISPLAY6.28" (15.95 cm)
  • STORAGE64 GB
  • CAMERA16 MP
  • BATTERY3300 mAh
  • RAM6 GB

Special Features

  • FINGERPRINT SENSOR POSITIONRear
  • OTHER SENSORSLight sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope
  • FINGERPRINT SENSORYes

General

  • QUICK CHARGINGYes
  • OPERATING SYSTEMAndroid v8.1 (Oreo)
  • SIM SLOTSDual SIM, GSM+GSM
  • MODEL6
  • LAUNCH DATEMay 21, 2018 (Official)
  • CUSTOM UIOxygen OS
  • BRANDOnePlus
  • SIM SIZESIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano
  • NETWORK4G: Available (supports Indian bands) 3G: Available, 2G: Available
  • FINGERPRINT SENSORYes

Multimedia

  • LOUDSPEAKERYes
  • FM RADIONo
  • AUDIO JACK3.5 mm

Performance

  • CHIPSETQualcomm Snapdragon 845
  • GRAPHICSAdreno 630
  • PROCESSOROcta core (2.8 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 385 + 1.8 GHz, Quad core, Kryo 385)
  • ARCHITECTURE64 bit
  • RAM6 GB

Design

  • THICKNESS7.7 mm
  • WIDTH75.3 mm
  • WEIGHT177 grams
  • WATERPROOFYes Splash proof
  • HEIGHT155.7 mm
  • COLOURSMidnight Black, Mirror Black, Silk White

Display

  • DISPLAY TYPEOptic AMOLED
  • ASPECT RATIO19:9
  • SCREEN TO BODY RATIO83.55 %
  • PIXEL DENSITY402 ppi
  • SCREEN PROTECTIONCorning Gorilla Glass v5
  • SCREEN SIZE6.28 inches (15.95 cm)
  • SCREEN RESOLUTION1080 x 2280 pixels
  • TOUCH SCREENYes Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch

Storage

  • INTERNAL MEMORY64 GB
  • EXPANDABLE MEMORYNo

Camera

  • SETTINGSExposure compensation, ISO control
  • CAMERA FEATURESFixed Focus
  • IMAGE RESOLUTION4616 x 3464 Pixels
  • SENSORExmor RS
  • AUTOFOCUSNo
  • SHOOTING MODESContinuos Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR)
  • RESOLUTION16 MP Front Camera
  • PHYSICAL APERTUREF2.0
  • OPTICAL IMAGE STABILISATIONYes
  • FLASHYes Screen flash
  • VIDEO RECORDING1920x1080 @ 30 fps, 1280x720 @ 30 fps

Battery

  • USER REPLACEABLENo
  • QUICK CHARGINGYes Dash charge
  • TYPELi-Polymer
  • CAPACITY3300 mAh

Network Connectivity

  • WIFIYes Wi-Fi 802.11, a/ac/b/g/n/n 5GHz, MIMO
  • WIFI FEATURESWi-Fi Direct, Mobile Hotspot
  • BLUETOOTHYes v5.0
  • VOLTEYes
  • USB TYPECYes (Doesn't support micro-USB)
  • USB CONNECTIVITYMass storage device, USB charging
  • NFCYes
  • NETWORK SUPPORT4G (supports Indian bands), 3G, 2G
  • GPSYes with A-GPS, Glonass
  • SIM 14G Bands:TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) / 2100(band 34) / 1900(band 39) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 700(band 28) / 1900(band 2) / 1700(band 4) / 850(band 5) / 700(band 17) / 850(band 18) / 850(band 19) / 800(band 20) / 1900(band 25) / 850(band 26) / 700(band 29) / 2300(band 30)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz 4G Speed: 150 Mbit/s ? 1024 Mbit/s ? (LTE category 16)3G Speed: HSDPA 42.2 Mbit/s ?, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s ?GPRS:Available EDGE:Available
  • SIM SIZESIM1: Nano, SIM2: Nano
  • SIM 24G Bands: TD-LTE 2600(band 38) / 2300(band 40) / 2500(band 41) / 2100(band 34) / 1900(band 39) FD-LTE 2100(band 1) / 1800(band 3) / 2600(band 7) / 900(band 8) / 700(band 28) / 1900(band 2) / 1700(band 4) / 850(band 5) / 700(band 17) / 850(band 18) / 850(band 19) / 800(band 20) / 1900(band 25) / 850(band 26) / 700(band 29) / 2300(band 30)3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz 4G Speed: 150 Mbit/s ? 1024 Mbit/s ? (LTE category 16) 3G Speed: HSDPA 42.2 Mbit/s ? GPRS:Available EDGE:Available
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