After endless rumors leaked on the net in recent months, OnePlus finally announced its OnePlus 3. The new flagship from the Chinese company can be ordered directly from the website of OnePlus and includes a long list of impressive specifications. Pricewise, compared with the flagship of the other manufacturers (think of the Galaxy S7 or iPhone 6s), we can say that is highly competitive: € 399, in fact, it can become a real killer.
Compared to the previous OnePlus 2, improvements have been made in various aspects. The monocoque chassis is made of an aluminum alloy which provides strength and lightness. 2.5D optical AMOLED screen of 5.5-inch features Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) and occupies almost the entire width of the phone (the side having a thickness of 0.75 mm). The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 4, and offers a display of text and clear images even from direct light, thanks to a layer of dual polarization.
The highlight of the OnePlus 3 is represented by the price, and it is possible to have a device with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 6 GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, a fingerprint reader, internal memory of 64 GB (for now the only one available, and unfortunately, not expandable), dual SIM support and battery of 3000 mAh (non-removable). While the screen mentioned in the previous paragraph has 1080p, as opposed to the screen 2K seen in other phones, Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus, is sure that is at the same level as its rivals face daily with normal use.
The available connectivity is WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC and 4G LTE Cat 6, also has a USB Type-C port, audio jack 3.5 mm and AlertSlider button for better management of notifications. The battery is compatible with the Dash Charge technology, which allows to reach to 60% charge in just 30 minutes. The size and weight of this smartphone are 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 mm and 158 grams.
Moreover, the device will be available in two colors: graphite gray and gold. The OxygenOS operating system is based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and Chinese manufacturer offers a user interface and software that includes numerous options. Users can also install an alternative ROM, thanks to the unlocked bootloader. The source code of the Oxygen operating system was published in GitHub.
The biggest change, however, for the OnePlus 3 is that it can be purchased without going through the usual system of invitations made by OnePlus with its previous device. Carl Pei says there are many stocks immediately available and the website will offer its customers realistic delivery deadlines, even if existing stocks are exhausted.