OnePlus 6
review: The matter is settled PART II
IT'S A GOOD CAMERA, BRENT
Finally, a
camera worth singing about
Every smartphone is only as good as its camera, and the OnePlus
6 makes some important changes to shore up that side of things. But to
understand the OnePlus 6's camera setup, we have to go back to the OnePlus 5,
where the dual-sensor combination took shape.
With the 5, OnePlus decided to follow Apple's and
Samsung's lead by giving its second shooter a focal length double that of the
primary, allowing both for "telephoto" shots and, more importantly,
bokeh effects through its portrait mode. Like any feature borne of algorithms,
OnePlus's portrait mode wasn't great at first but improved significantly
through software updates. By the time we got the OnePlus 5T, the feature was
reliable and, more importantly, fun.
But the 5T changed the core idea of the secondary camera,
shooting for better low-light shots with a sensor that only kicked in under
dark conditions. Unfortunately, it didn't work that well for such a task, and
the OnePlus 5T maintained the company's reputation for below-average nighttime
photography.
With the OnePlus 6, the company is taking a
deliberately simple approach — one that's worked for Samsung, Apple, Huawei and
many others. It's increasing the size of the main sensor — it's still 16
megapixels, but the individual pixel size has grown to 1.22 microns from 1.12
in the OnePlus 5 series — which, along with optical image stabilization
(OIS) and a wide ƒ/1.7 lens, should make for much-improved
low-light photography. (The IMX519 sensor found in the OnePlus 6 is brand new
and other than the Oppo R15, which formed the basis for the OP6's design, it's
yet to ship in volume.)
And the 20MP secondary sensor? Well, it's the same one used in
the OnePlus 5T, but its sole purpose is to add depth information for the
phone's much-improved portrait mode. No low-light tricks; no telephoto
gimmicks.
OnePlus can't
make up its mind about the purpose of its phones' secondary camera, so
dedicating it to portrait mode makes sense in a reductive way.
Thankfully, that change paid off. The OnePlus 6 takes incredible
photos in daylight, replete with to-die-for bokeh on stationary subjects and,
thanks to the included optical stabilization, phenomenal action shots. I was
able to capture clear photos of my always-moving dog, that, for one reason or
another, more expensive phones can't get. That's mostly owing to OnePlus's
algorithms, which have always been willing to go to maneuver from one extreme —
super-fast shutter speeds — to another — grain-producing light sensitivity.
The reason this approach doesn't backfire in 2018 the way it did
in previous years is because OnePlus is finally working with hardware that can
keep up with its software tuning.
Specifically, the newer, larger IMX519 sensor captures
more light than on any previous OnePlus, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845's
image signal processor is able to slice off some of that grain in low-light
situations.
Actually, let's talk night photography, because that's
traditionally where OnePlus phones have struggled in the past. Recall the
OnePlus 3 series: both phones had OIS, but were let down by the rest of the
hardware. Here, not so much. In extreme low light, the OnePlus 6 still falls
behind phones with larger sensors or wider apertures like the Huawei P20 Pro
and Galaxy S9, but in situations one would consider "normal" night
shots — a dimly-lit bar, or a street lit by a single overhead lamp — the phone
is neck-and-neck with its more-expensive counterparts. It's a remarkable
achievement, especially given how far behind the OnePlus 5T was in this area.
At the same time, OnePlus must also be commended for
its camera software, which is just as easy-to-use and powerful as ever. The
phone's various modes, from timelapse to slo-mo to the excellent Pro features,
are a swipe away, while video and portrait are accessible in single taps.
That portrait mode suffers from the same edge
detection problems as every other phone, from the Pixel 2 to the iPhone X and
Galaxy S9+, but I'm pleased with how far OnePlus has come in just a year. It
does better with people than, say, dogs or inanimate objects, which isn't
shocking, but unless you're really pixel-peeping, you'll be happy to share the
results on social media. OnePlus says it plans to make further improvements to
the portrait mode in an upcoming update, in addition to bringing it to the
selfie side, but at the time of writing, it's pretty great as-is.
On the front, we're looking at the same 16MP sensor as
the last two generations, because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. (That selfie
camera also enables the excellent and super-fast face unlock feature, which I
use far more than the rear finger biometric.)
As for video, OnePlus outdid itself, choosing to focus
on the fundamentals of the hardware than super slo-mo gimmicks like Samsung and
Sony. Indeed, we have 4K video at 60fps (in addition to 30fps), which despite
lacking the company's excellent electronic stabilization and being limited to
10-minute spurts, is absolutely gorgeous. Dropping to 4K at 30fps, or 1080p at
either 30 or 60 frames per second, engages both electronic and optical
stabilization, and it's a pleasure to look at. It's not quite as holy
sh!t stable as the Pixel 2, but it's close.
Then there's the slow motion modes — 480fps at 720p and 240fps
at 1080p — which are a joy to use and limited to a minute of real-time footage
(translating to over 10 minutes of slo-mo video at 480fps). That's a lot of
breathing room compared to the 0.3 seconds at 960fps on phones like the Galaxy
S9 and Xperia XZ2, and much more practical. It's great to see OnePlus pushing
the Snapdragon 845 as far as it will go while also making practical user
experience decisions.
It can't be overstated how
much of an impact a great camera has on using the OnePlus 6. I use every
phone out there, which makes me more scrupulous than the average consumer.
Saying that I would happily use the OnePlus 6 as my main camera — even without
a second sensor that does anything besides enabling portrait mode — is high
praise, and one that I don't offer lightly. It's not the best camera on the
market — that honor is still reserved for the Huawei P20 Pro — but it's a
remarkable one for the price.
OnePlus 6 cases
As it does
with every phone, OnePlus has announced a bunch of first-party cases in a
number of materials, colors, and levels of protection. From the simple red
silicone to a new ultra-protective and grippy nylon bumper, there's something
for everyone here.
FULL OF OXYGEN
Software
simplicity
I have very little to complain about when it comes to
OnePlus's OxygenOS software. This is about
as unadorned an Android 8.1 experience as you'll find today despite the
addition of a few features that may have a considerable impact, or none at all,
depending on the type of phone user you are.
If you've used a OnePlus phone over the past couple of years,
you know what to expect. But what continues to surprise me is just how fluid
and stable OxygenOS has become — we've seen examples of
"stock" Android on devices like the Essential Phone that are more
buggy than an ant hill. Using the OnePlus 6 has largely been problem-free, with
no major app compatibility issues from the notch, nor the camera instability I
experienced on the OnePlus 5 series.
If you're into
gestures on Android, OnePlus's implementation is as good as you're going to get
right now.
I'm no fan of OnePlus's home screen "Shelf", which is
where Google's Feed should be, but that's a minor nit to pick, especially given
how easy it is to switch launchers. More importantly, OnePlus has shown
considerable restraint in the number of features it's added to the software —
you can count them on one hand, and they're all pretty useful.
The new Gaming Mode isn't something I'm going to use
on a daily basis, but given the phone's inevitable owner demographic, the
addition makes a lot of sense. OnePlus has optimized not just the loading
speeds of the top 100 games in the Play Store (something about caching a
portion of the game in memory upon install), but it's offering extensive and
granular battery controls for those who don't want a PUBG session eating too
much into their uptime. I particularly appreciate the optional "Network
Boost" feature, which prioritizes a game's packets over those of other
apps on the phone.
The only other major software addition isn't really new to the
OP6: the iPhone X-like software gestures that debuted on the OnePlus 5T's Open
Beta last year are now a standard, though opt-in, option for users to navigate
the OS. I gave the gestures — swipe up from the bottom middle to go home, swipe
up from the bottom left or right to go back — my best shot, but ironically
they're better on the 5T because that phone has a larger chin, which positions
the screen edge higher up. That means less traveling for the thumb and less
awkwardness when typing.
I'm going to keep at it to see if I can grow used to
the gestures because the additional screen real estate is wonderful, but at
this point, I'll stick to the what I know and love.
Let's talk about updates, because despite OnePlus's
improvements in this particular column, it's unclear how quickly the OnePlus 6
will receive Android P. The company can't be faulted for the cadence of its dot
updates — bug fixes and minor feature additions — but given its participation
in Google's nascent beta program, there's no excuse for a slow rollout of the
final build.
THE QUESTION IS SETTLED
Should you buy
it? Yes!
If you're in the market for a OnePlus phone, it's likely because
you get great value for your money. Starting at $529, the OnePlus 6 is a $30
bump from the 5T, which itself was a $30 jump from the 5, and so on. That's
been OnePlus's strategy since its first device, the OnePlus One, was released
for $299 in 2014 — slowly up the cost every generation, and improve just enough
to justify it.
If you can wait
it out, and can justify the extra $50, the Silk White model is worth it.
As for the colors, I got a chance to use all three,
including the limited-edition Silk White, which debuts two weeks after the
other two versions in just one configuration. And as much as I like the shiny,
fingerprint-attractive Mirror Black version, and as comfortably familiar as is
the matte-finish Midnight Black model, I'm hoping to get my hands on the Silk
White at some point. The textured white back, coupled with subtle gold accents,
is a sight to behold, and an even better phone to hold.
The Good
·
Great OLED display
·
Much-improved camera
·
Attractive design with high-quality materials
·
Top-notch specs
·
The price is right
·
Software is fast and fluid
·
Headphone jack
The Bad
·
Haptics aren't great
·
Software lacks a few niceties
·
Proprietary Dash Chargers are expensive
·
Wireless charging would have been nice
4.5 out of 5
The OnePlus 6 is a very good phone. It lacks a couple
of features I enjoy on devices that cost considerably more — wireless charging
and a high-quality vibration motor, to be specific — but there's very little
else about it with which I can find fault. At $529, this is the best smartphone
deal in town, and one of the best phones you can buy right now.
DANIEL
BADER
https://www.androidcentral.com/oneplus-6-review?utm_source=ac&utm_medium=generic&utm_content=UUacUsUmU2597&utm_campaign=email
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