I'm happy with these changes, though I think the screen is still a dealbreaker for me. I'd be able to tolerate 1440p Pentile AMOLED, but 1080p isn't acceptable without an RGB layout.
Agreed. The screen type is far too often ignored in the resolution discussion. A Pentile AMOLED screen needs a higher resolution to compensate for the unusual and non-uniform pixel distribution than a RGB AMOLED or LCD screen does.
I thought this would have been the case too but ive been quite surprised at how little difference i can notice between my Oneplus 3 and my Galaxy s7 Edge when it comes to resolution. Ive used them both every day (work and personal phones).
Don't ignore the 'benefits' to PenTile, such as improved battery life and obviously reduced cost. When you consider this phone beats $600+ phones on specs alone, the slightly bluer screen (which is often correctable with calibration/software if it bothers you) is passable for most people. I had no problem with the PenTile display in my GS3 and the technology has improved since then.
I think perhaps the problem with the pentile display isn't so much with normal use, it's that it really will impact on VR. When you take the trouble to make a phone daydream compatible and then put a screen like this on it, it's a bit silly really. I understand they're in a market they've helped build where you meet the spec of the big boys but keep costs low but.... they're increasing the price anyway and keeping a perfectly serviceable S820 model available so why not do it properly and have one cheap and one expensive version with the differentiating factor being one is only worth paying for if you want to use VR? The S821 seems to only be a slight upgrade to the S820 and probably won't be noticeable in real world use - it's sole reason for existing is certified daydream compatibility. It seems like a poor compromise to me. This should have been a 1440 screen or at least avoiding a pentile layout if they must keep 1080. I can see why they've done it as it saves costs in hardware and software development, sourcing as well as unit cost but still maddening to see a phone which probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for daydream compromising possibly the most important component of VR.
It may have its benefits, but my biggest issue with it is that it's not truly 1920x1080, and thus shouldn't be allowed to advertise with those numbers. PenTile displays have been invading the advertising space of other displays that do truly achieve their resolutions for a long time now, and the fact that they're allowed to do so I think is why we haven't seen higher-resolution true-RGB AMOLED displays.
It's great that Anandtech is specific that it's PenTile in this article. A lot of tech blog writers don't even indicate that they're aware of this issue. But I think it should be on manufacturers and sellers to make it incredibly clear to consumers what they're buying, so as not to cover up such a substantial difference. So far there hasn't even been so much as an asterisk on these phones' product pages.
Strange. I have no problem with the Pentile display on the OP3. I also have an S6, a HTC 10, and a Le1 Pro. I do not perceive the 1080p AMOLED as inferior in any way to the other higher-res screens. Indeed, I very much like it on sRGB and it's the reason I use the OP3 substantilly more than any of the other phones. In fact, I am pretty much ready to ... settle - ahem! - for it.
I settle for the best - for me - then sell the rest. I only buy them second hand (or major discounts) so I lose little. And I am still shocked hoe radically different the experience of a phone can be. So indulge me...
Very nice price/perf ratio! Even for the 128GB version, the price increase is quite small and tempting. I would normally say 64GB is enough, but just for a few bucks, I could have twice the capacity... hmm. Still half the price of my iPhone 6s+ 128GB
A $40 increase for a small SOC refresh/slight battery bump/FFC tweak doesn't seem like a good value. But $80 for those same changes and an additional 64GB of storage is pretty nice. It's interesting that the rumor about the main driver for the update (display panel shortage) and the associated switch to IPS LCD turned out to be false. The lack of an update for the rear camera that was also rumored is a bit of a bummer, although the image quality might be more of a software problem than a hardware one. Not that it is terrible, but certainly not as good as my 6P.
I don't think they actually changed the volume of the phone or the internal layout so 4000mAh is pretty unattainable without Note7 results.
"it's hard to say whether this is owed to improvements in battery density, or improvements to the phone's internal layout" Maybe they just increased the voltage of the battery from 4.35V to 4.4V for a modest 13% increase in the exact same package. Redesigning the insides of the phone isn't a cost effective solution for such a modest refresh.
I dunno. There has always in the world of tech been a pretty exponential increase in cost at the top end for marginal improvements. It's just that with some very good marketing (mostly from Apple initially) they have managed to make these top end products almost the norm. I think if you want a camera that's as good as it can be, you're going to have to go with one of the more expensive devices as the extra cost is primarily in manpower and time testing and tweaking the camera to operate as you intend in all scenarios. This is one area where Oneplus is going to fall down just because they want to keep the price down. Does this mean the camera is crap? No. It's perfectly serviceable but there are those who will want something that they don't have to fiddle with occasionally to get decent results and that's where the money goes. Things like the slightly weird memory management is another example of this - development requires a lot of time and manpower. The other big flaw is the lack of expandable storage. For me, that's a killer and I expect some other people will feel the same way.
Yep. Well, so long as they keep their promise to release a Nougat update in December. That gave my 5X a considerable improvement in battery life (when not being used) and functionality (mainly being able to reply straight from notifications).
So are you saying that Nougat is good? It seems like too many people have been complaining about it on 5X forums, so I have been holding off the Nougat upgrade on my 5X.
Why, if money - at this level - is not a constraint? The price/quality strategy (the 'sweetspot strategy'), while valid, is not the only reasonable approach. I'll have the best as long as I don't have to cut somewhere else is equally reasonable, if affordable.
Regardless, based on my OP3 experience, I'd recommend this phone even at, say, the price of a HTC 10 or an S7.
In fact even 439USD is still a far cry from the value that was the 300USD Oneplus One (16GB model). My new value phone is the 350USD Huawei Honor 8. One important advantage it has is that support is significantly better, and you can buy a protection plan from Best Buy, which tends to be top notch. If Oneplus phone breaks, you need to send it to wherever their service center is.
After the grand success of OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T (the upgraded version of OnePlus 3), the makers are planning to launch the 4th generation of the series, the OnePlus 4 with even better features and specs. It would give tough competition to iPhones when it releases because of the extraordinary features it would have. To know more about OnePlus 4, its http://www.oneplus4update.com/ just take a look here.
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LtGoonRush - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
I'm happy with these changes, though I think the screen is still a dealbreaker for me. I'd be able to tolerate 1440p Pentile AMOLED, but 1080p isn't acceptable without an RGB layout.kpb321 - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Agreed. The screen type is far too often ignored in the resolution discussion. A Pentile AMOLED screen needs a higher resolution to compensate for the unusual and non-uniform pixel distribution than a RGB AMOLED or LCD screen does.ToTTenTranz - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Yup, Pentile 1080p on a 5.5" puts it rather far away from the ZTE Axon 7 IMO.SetiroN - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
This so much.danielfranklin - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
I thought this would have been the case too but ive been quite surprised at how little difference i can notice between my Oneplus 3 and my Galaxy s7 Edge when it comes to resolution.Ive used them both every day (work and personal phones).
eldakka - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Or shrink the whole phone down to a 5" screen, I'd be happier with that myself.Samus - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Don't ignore the 'benefits' to PenTile, such as improved battery life and obviously reduced cost. When you consider this phone beats $600+ phones on specs alone, the slightly bluer screen (which is often correctable with calibration/software if it bothers you) is passable for most people. I had no problem with the PenTile display in my GS3 and the technology has improved since then.philehidiot - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
I think perhaps the problem with the pentile display isn't so much with normal use, it's that it really will impact on VR. When you take the trouble to make a phone daydream compatible and then put a screen like this on it, it's a bit silly really. I understand they're in a market they've helped build where you meet the spec of the big boys but keep costs low but.... they're increasing the price anyway and keeping a perfectly serviceable S820 model available so why not do it properly and have one cheap and one expensive version with the differentiating factor being one is only worth paying for if you want to use VR? The S821 seems to only be a slight upgrade to the S820 and probably won't be noticeable in real world use - it's sole reason for existing is certified daydream compatibility. It seems like a poor compromise to me. This should have been a 1440 screen or at least avoiding a pentile layout if they must keep 1080. I can see why they've done it as it saves costs in hardware and software development, sourcing as well as unit cost but still maddening to see a phone which probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for daydream compromising possibly the most important component of VR.edit1754 - Friday, November 18, 2016 - link
It may have its benefits, but my biggest issue with it is that it's not truly 1920x1080, and thus shouldn't be allowed to advertise with those numbers. PenTile displays have been invading the advertising space of other displays that do truly achieve their resolutions for a long time now, and the fact that they're allowed to do so I think is why we haven't seen higher-resolution true-RGB AMOLED displays.It's great that Anandtech is specific that it's PenTile in this article. A lot of tech blog writers don't even indicate that they're aware of this issue. But I think it should be on manufacturers and sellers to make it incredibly clear to consumers what they're buying, so as not to cover up such a substantial difference. So far there hasn't even been so much as an asterisk on these phones' product pages.
fred666 - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Clearly not worth the extra money over the non-T.UtilityMax - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
But Oneplus 3 production is already finished, and the OP store is already out of them.zamboni.palin - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Strange. I have no problem with the Pentile display on the OP3. I also have an S6, a HTC 10, and a Le1 Pro. I do not perceive the 1080p AMOLED as inferior in any way to the other higher-res screens. Indeed, I very much like it on sRGB and it's the reason I use the OP3 substantilly more than any of the other phones. In fact, I am pretty much ready to ... settle - ahem! - for it.Spectrophobic - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
What? You mean you don't stare at your phone an inch from your eyes? What's wrong with you???bigboxes - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
You have all those phones. What do you do with them? Lay them out on your bed and swim in them?eldakka - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Or run an intensive benchmark in a loop and stick them in your pockets - instant pocket warmers for those cold days.zamboni.palin - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
I settle for the best - for me - then sell the rest. I only buy them second hand (or major discounts) so I lose little. And I am still shocked hoe radically different the experience of a phone can be. So indulge me...Meteor2 - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
You should probably write reviews ;)WoodyPWX - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Very nice price/perf ratio! Even for the 128GB version, the price increase is quite small and tempting. I would normally say 64GB is enough, but just for a few bucks, I could have twice the capacity... hmm. Still half the price of my iPhone 6s+ 128GBsnakyjake - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Does this have T-Mobile's 700 MHz/Band 12 and LTE Band 66?shabby - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
Just noticed that the front camera on the op3 is the same as the rear camera in the nexus 5... oh what a shitty camera it was.Bob Todd - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
A $40 increase for a small SOC refresh/slight battery bump/FFC tweak doesn't seem like a good value. But $80 for those same changes and an additional 64GB of storage is pretty nice. It's interesting that the rumor about the main driver for the update (display panel shortage) and the associated switch to IPS LCD turned out to be false. The lack of an update for the rear camera that was also rumored is a bit of a bummer, although the image quality might be more of a software problem than a hardware one. Not that it is terrible, but certainly not as good as my 6P.UtilityMax - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Still, the 440USD sticker price is a far cry from the 300USD Oneplus One introduced two years ago. Now that was a value.Aerodrifting - Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - link
I see the battery as the only weakness of this phone. Wish they could put in a 4000 mAh like the xiaomi.close - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
I don't think they actually changed the volume of the phone or the internal layout so 4000mAh is pretty unattainable without Note7 results."it's hard to say whether this is owed to improvements in battery density, or improvements to the phone's internal layout"
Maybe they just increased the voltage of the battery from 4.35V to 4.4V for a modest 13% increase in the exact same package. Redesigning the insides of the phone isn't a cost effective solution for such a modest refresh.
Samus - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
To summarize: anybody spending more than $439 on an Android phone is officially a moron.This is the phone.
philehidiot - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
I dunno. There has always in the world of tech been a pretty exponential increase in cost at the top end for marginal improvements. It's just that with some very good marketing (mostly from Apple initially) they have managed to make these top end products almost the norm. I think if you want a camera that's as good as it can be, you're going to have to go with one of the more expensive devices as the extra cost is primarily in manpower and time testing and tweaking the camera to operate as you intend in all scenarios. This is one area where Oneplus is going to fall down just because they want to keep the price down. Does this mean the camera is crap? No. It's perfectly serviceable but there are those who will want something that they don't have to fiddle with occasionally to get decent results and that's where the money goes. Things like the slightly weird memory management is another example of this - development requires a lot of time and manpower. The other big flaw is the lack of expandable storage. For me, that's a killer and I expect some other people will feel the same way.UtilityMax - Saturday, November 19, 2016 - link
The new OP3T has a version with 128GB priced at under 500USD. This will probably satisfy most people who wanted expandable storage instead.Meteor2 - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Yep. Well, so long as they keep their promise to release a Nougat update in December. That gave my 5X a considerable improvement in battery life (when not being used) and functionality (mainly being able to reply straight from notifications).Meteor2 - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Actually even if they break their promise it doesn't change its position as 'best Android phone'.I would like to see an Anandtech review of the ZTE Axon 7 though.
UtilityMax - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
So are you saying that Nougat is good? It seems like too many people have been complaining about it on 5X forums, so I have been holding off the Nougat upgrade on my 5X.zamboni.palin - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Why, if money - at this level - is not a constraint? The price/quality strategy (the 'sweetspot strategy'), while valid, is not the only reasonable approach. I'll have the best as long as I don't have to cut somewhere else is equally reasonable, if affordable.Regardless, based on my OP3 experience, I'd recommend this phone even at, say, the price of a HTC 10 or an S7.
UtilityMax - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
In fact even 439USD is still a far cry from the value that was the 300USD Oneplus One (16GB model). My new value phone is the 350USD Huawei Honor 8. One important advantage it has is that support is significantly better, and you can buy a protection plan from Best Buy, which tends to be top notch. If Oneplus phone breaks, you need to send it to wherever their service center is.Meteor2 - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
A >10% increase in battery energy density is pretty incredible. Let's just hope it doesn't do a Note 7.Meteor2 - Wednesday, November 16, 2016 - link
Ah, ok. I see that this increase only brings it inline with the capacity of the S7 Edge and Pixel XL.David180 - Monday, January 16, 2017 - link
After the grand success of OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T (the upgraded version of OnePlus 3), the makers are planning to launch the 4th generation of the series, the OnePlus 4 with even better features and specs. It would give tough competition to iPhoneswhen it releases because of the extraordinary features it would have. To know more about OnePlus 4, its http://www.oneplus4update.com/ just take a look here.