OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Affordable flagship meets best flagship

The

Samsung Galaxy S9

has enjoyed its place at the top of 2018's flagship phones so far, with its huge feature list and high-end performance. But, a challenger is approaching and it's called

OnePlus 6

.

The OnePlus 6 has just launched, bringing an all-glass design, along with the expected performance boosts over the

OnePlus 5T

, plus a few unexpected changes - all of which don't place it favorably against Samsung's phone.

We're going to dive in, looking at these two phones in particular to see how they compare in terms of display technology, overall design, and what kind of power we're dealing with under the glass.

As always, stay tuned for the final OnePlus 6 review to see if it's the right phone for you.

Watch our hands on OnePlus 6 video below

Design

The OnePlus 6 and Samsung Galaxy S9 both feature an all-glass design, covered around its edges with a metal trim where you'll find an assortment of buttons.

Overall, these two phones are more similar than different, with their respective bottom-mounted headphone jacks, rear-mounted fingerprint sensors, and wide aspect ratios.

The OnePlus 6 is a bit larger than the S9, with a 6.28-inch screen compared to Samsung's smaller 5.8-inch phone. That doesn't make one better than the other, it's just a matter of taste.

Moving around the design of each phone, the S9 gets the edge by having two speakers, although one fires down. OnePlus retaliates with its signature alert slider, now moved to the side right from the phone. Ultimately, the S9 maintains its lead with its IP68 weather resistance.

Display

The differences here are clear, both in size and resolution.

OnePlus opted for a 6.28-inch AMOLED display with Full HD resolution. The screen-to-body ratio is the highest in the company at 84%, achieved thanks to its notch.

Samsung continues what it started in S8 with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display that renders content at 2960 x 1440. You won't find a notch here, but suddenly you won't get as much screen to admire than on the OnePlus 6.

Both phones use AMOLED technology, which gives them richer colors and deeper contrast than LCD options like the

LG G7 ThinQ

The S9 is the clear winner in terms of resolution potential, even though it comes out of the box with Full HD mode enabled.

OnePlus sticking to 1080p might be inconvenient for some, but it helps the company keep prices low and battery high throughout the day. However, we don't know how much OnePlus can do. a bigger phone until Full HD starts to look a bit outdated.

bones and power

Android Oreo

takes center stage on both phones, but not for long (hopefully). While we can only assume that

Android-P

will make its way to the S9 at some point (the S8 only recently received its overdue Oreo update), the OnePlus 6 has Android P beta support out of the box.

Here is

how to download android p beta

on your OnePlus 6

You'll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor on both phones, putting them ahead of the pack compared to other flagships that didn't release a 2018 version, like the

Google Pixel 2

and

Phone essential

.

From there, OnePlus leaves Samsung's standard 4GB RAM with 64GB storage option in the dust with 6GB RAM (with the option to upgrade up to 8GB RAM for $50/60 £).The OnePlus 6 also comes with 64GB of inbuilt storage (with microSD support), but if you opt for the RAM upgrade you'll also get a ROM upgrade, doubling the storage to 128 GB.

The current apps and games available on the Google Play Store shouldn't show much of a gap between the Galaxy S9 and the latest OnePlus phone, but the future will be more favorable for the OnePlus 6.

Camera and battery

Although more on an equal playing field with the

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Here's how the OnePlus 6 compares to the smaller option in terms of optical and battery capabilities.

OnePlus 6 has a dual-lens camera system on the rear, oriented vertically in the middle of the phone. Comprised of 16MP and 20MP lenses, the former of which has an f/1.7 aperture and OIS to prevent camera shake when shooting. video recording. It uses the cameras for depth of field to make your portraits look stunning.

By direct comparison, the S9 only has one camera lens, but it's quite capable. Its 12MP sensor offers a hybrid aperture, going up to f/1.5 and up to f/2.4 to capture the range of lighting scenarios with aplomb.

Both phones can record 4K resolution at 60fps and shoot in super slow motion The S9 can record up to 960fps at 720p, while the OnePlus 6 manages 480fps at high definition, which makes us think it is also in 720p.

Moving on to the battery, the OnePlus 6 has an immediate advantage due to its larger size. As of the latest phone, it offers a 3,300 mAh battery that supports Dash Charge. Despite its glass construction, it there's no wireless charging to enjoy here.

The smaller S9 has a 3000mAh battery that supports Qualcomm's fast charging standard, Quick Charge. Unlike OnePlus, Samsung is quite used to making phones that support wireless charging, it's so here in full form if you need that feature. Keep in mind it's slower than wired, but it's much easier to set and forget.

Price and availability

OnePlus has long maintained its lead over traditional flagship phones with its low prices. In recent years, OnePlus has gradually increased its price, although it is still very competitive.

OnePlus 6 starts at $529 (£469, around AU$708) for the standard version which offers 6GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM. The Galaxy S9 starts at $729, so the price difference is quite significant.

Considering you can upgrade the OnePlus 6's RAM and storage while being considerably cheaper than Samsung's latest only works in its favor.

Moving on to availability, Samsung's phone is widely available around the world and works with just about every carrier and carrier under the sun. The OnePlus 6, meanwhile, will launch on May 22, Americas first. of the North and in Europe.

The new OnePlus phone is sure to roll out to other regions soon, but it's worth bearing in mind that historically its phones only work with GSM carriers, which really isn't something to keep in mind. keep in mind if you live in the United States.

Carry

Both the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the OnePlus 6 have a lot to offer. Some are better at a particular task or better equipped to handle whatever the future throws at them, and neither will leave you with regret. of the buyer.

However, the OnePlus 6 offers excellent value for money. This way, it retains its title of “Flagship Killer”, as long as its lack of wireless charging and waterproofing is not fatal for you.

Cameron Faulkner

Cameron is a writer at The Verge, specializing in reviews, deals coverage, and news. He has written for magazines and websites including The Verge, TechRadar, Practical Photoshop, Polygon, Eater, and Al Bawaba.

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