Should OnePlus 3T users go for an upgrade?

The OnePlus 5 is one of the most talked about flagships right now. With the phone going on open sale only yesterday, the demand is higher than ever right now. But what if you already own a OnePlus 3T? Is it wise to switch to the new flagship? Here’s why we think it’s better to stick with the OnePlus 3T for the time being.

OnePlus 5 vs OnePlus 3T

Unoriginal design

The OnePlus 5 is a well-packed flagship, complete with the hardware specs to rival the best in the industry. However, the design here is far from flattering. When you think about a new handset in a popular lineup, you expect there to be a handful of changes on board, especially with regards to the design. However, with the OnePlus 5, you’re getting a design that is eerily similar to the Oppo R11. It’s no secret that OnePlus was formed by some people with interests in Oppo. While this arrangement is not necessarily a problem in a free market, the fact that OnePlus is using an already used design is somewhat disappointing.

A not-so fancy display

We’re in 2017, and OnePlus insists on using a Full HD or 1920x1080 display panel. Funnily enough, the company has maintained the display resolution with all six of its flagships. Even the display size is unchanged. Although the display quality is now Optic AMOLED, the fact that users are getting the same display resolution year after year somehow contradicts the company’s “Never Settle” tagline. The fact that the company is using a 5.5-inch display is not particularly a worry since this is considered to be the perfect size for a mobile display.

Camera leaves a lot to be desired

OnePlus has shown a lot of ambition with the OnePlus 5 as is evident from the camera credentials. The device comes with a dual-camera layout consisting of a standard 16MP (f/1.7) sensor and a 20MP (f/2.6) telephoto lens. Clearly, OnePlus is trying to mimic the Apple iPhone 7 Plus here, and the company succeeds to some extent. However, reviews have suggested that the dual-camera setup can barely hold its own compared to the iPhone 7 Plus. The company’s version of the “Portrait Mode” feature is a bit disappointing as the bokeh effect is not as strong as on the Apple flagship. The 16MP (f/2.0) front camera, however, is pretty impressive and is capable of holding its own against contemporaries.

Lack of water resistance

This is a subjective opinion, but I personally feel OnePlus could have used water resistance in its favor here. Given that this is supposed to be a flagship killer, a feature like this would make this the smartphone to beat in the high-end segment. Perhaps the company will learn from its mistakes and reserve this feature for next year (or the OnePlus 5T perhaps?).

Advisable to wait for the successor

You’re probably better off waiting for the next OnePlus flagship given that there are going to be more upgrades on board. Additionally, if you’re a OnePlus 3T customer right now, you probably got the smartphone sometime in the past 8 months or so. Keeping this in mind, it makes sense to wait for the OnePlus 5 successor. This would also go well in line with the 2-year upgrade cycle which is recommended for mobile devices.