OnePlus 6T: 6 Things You Need to Know

So, as you may have heard, OnePlus hosted a little shindig earlier today in New York City wherein they revealed the brand new OnePlus 6T. Well, “brand new” might be a bit of a stretch, because the “T” generation is usually a minor spec bump. That’s partly the case here, as the OnePlus 6T shares much of its DNA with the OnePlus 6, but there are still several notable changes worth mentioning.

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1. Look at That Notch

It’s 2018, so of course this “flagship killer” has a notch. Even the OnePlus 6 before it had a notch, but that one had more of a “conventional” shape. Instead of a slightly rounded rectangle, the OnePlus 6T has more like a rounded triangle? Some people have described it as a teardrop.

The net result is a notch that is decidedly smaller than the previous generation, and perhaps in a more pleasing shape than we saw on the Essential Phone. You’ll also notice that the chin is just a hair thinner too, giving you even more AMOLED screen. You get bumped from 6.28 inches on the 6 to a 6.41 inches on the 6T, growing from a 19:9 aspect ratio to a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. That’s 1080 x 2340 pixels.

2. In-Screen Fingerprint Reader

Ever since we caught a glimpse of the Apex VIVO concept back in February, we’ve been dreaming of in-screen fingerprint readers. That phone demonstrated that the tech could work. But even the most optimistic among us thought it would take a while to filter through to mass production.

And we were wrong, basically.

The Huawei Mate 20 pro already has it, and so does the OnePlus 6T. You still get that super fast face unlock via the front-facing camera, but you can also place your finger over the designated spot on the screen to unlock too. You get a super bright animation under your finger and there you go. Neat-o!

3. Bigger, Better Battery

Even though the two phones appear to be identical in terms of physical dimensions, the 6T is marginally larger than the 6. It’s a bit taller, a smidge thicker, and a hair heavier, but not so much so that most people would notice. This works to accommodate a 12% larger battery: 3700mAh vs. 3300mAh.

It’s not quite as big as the 4000mAh battery on something like the BlackBerry Motion, but it is an improvement. Coupled with a clean OS and a 1080p display, that battery should be able to push you through an average day’s work without breaking a sweat.

4. R.I.P. Headphone Jack

Exactly as rumored, OnePlus has taken the courageous move of removing the headphone jack from the OnePlus 6T. The company has always been pretty good about listening to its customers and I suppose not enough people spoke up to say how much they love the 3.5mm life.

The sacrifice of the headphone jack is due partly to the larger battery and the tech needed for the in-screen fingerprint reader. They take up space, space that can no longer accommodate the headphone jack without making even more design alterations.

To help with the transition, OnePlus is bundling a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box. Unlike the Pixel 3 XL, a set of USB-C headphones are not included.

5. Still No Wireless Charging

In order to undercut the competition on price, certain sacrifices have to made. And one of those sacrifices is the lack of wireless charging. Instead, you still get Dash Charge for up to 20W. That’ll give you a full day’s charge in about half an hour.

6. Same Price, More Storage

Is it still a flagship killer? Considering that so many flagships now break four figures, the OnePlus 6T is comparatively cheap(er). It starts at the same $549 US ($719 Canadian) price point as the OnePlus 6, but you get double the storage at 128GB, plus 6GB of RAM. It’ll also be available in 128GB storage + 8GB RAM and 256GB storage + 8GB RAM configurations for $580 US ($769 CA) and $630 US ($839 CA), respectively. It’ll also be sold through through T-Mobile in the US.

Pre-orders are being taken now and delivery should follow on November 1 in North America, November 6 in Europe. Check the OnePlus website for more information