OnePlus 3T vs. Google Pixel XL: Bargain bin

27 December 2016
Episode 2 of our Bargain bin comparisons pits the Google Pixel XL against the OnePlus 3T. The first Phone by Google versus the Flagship killer, generation 3.5. The droid priced to match the iPhone against a high-end phone that won't break your bank.

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  • AnonD-442781
  • H5C
  • 29 Dec 2016

Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016I was talking of long term support. What google does is ... moreAs I said, you missed this part.

"That said, the myriad of added features and the community behind the Oxygen OS do offset some of those Pixel advantages, to some users at least"

And having the latest version of android has a lot of under the hood changes. Including vulkan, less touch latency, etc.

It isn't just a few months. Marshmallow is a year old. The software part is obviously talking about the software.

    • S
    • Slayer
    • mXU
    • 28 Dec 2016

    Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016I was talking of long term support. What google does is ... moreGoogle's minimum support period is stated as 2 years so likely their phone will be supported for up to 4 years. Who keeps a phone beyond 2 years anyway? Tech is dated after six months, it is the nature of technology and exponential development of it! It's illogical to expect 4 year old processors to support modern day demands....project 4 years forward and imagine what will be on offer by then.

      • S
      • Slayer
      • mXU
      • 28 Dec 2016

      Canada, 28 Dec 2016Google is following Apple. A 32gb phone. Really? Why not a ... moreSurely the answer is simple, buy the 128GB version. BTW, OP is only offering the 128Gb version with the 3t and then only the graphite version, the soft gold one is limited to 64Gb only....

      Another point to note, in the UK, all versions are on back order, last time I looked the estimated shipping date/period is a 5 week wait. Deal breaker, in my view. To be a TRUE flagship killer, the phone has to widely available from the get go otherwise it is pretty much dead in the water. By the time the OP3t is shipped, the S8 will be knocking at the door so why on earth would I invest in it?

        lionking80, 28 Dec 2016I have seen both cameras. While I do believe that Pixel XL ... morePerformance benchmarks don't mean a thing for consistency in daily tasks. Otherwise Exynos is a better SoC than QC 820/821 anyway, the latest iteration, don't remember the model no. and all. The Pixel XL, even with its downclocked 1440p flies throughout the interface.

        The camera difference between Pixel and OnePlus is HUGE. Like I said, if it were camera alone then Pixel is worth double the price on that ground only. All the flagships even from last year have much better camera quality than the OnePlus 3!

        Other than the design, charging tech and that ultra fast fingerprint reader OnePlus can't match the Pixel, doesn't matter how much GSMA tries to say otherwise. But for people in budget, OnePlus 3T is like a miraculous phone.

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          • lionking80
          • Lay
          • 28 Dec 2016

          ithehappy, 27 Dec 2016CAMERA. ONE thing which differentiates the two phones, peri... moreI have seen both cameras. While I do believe that Pixel XL has a better overall camera, I also think the difference is not very big since many times Oneplus 3/3T can capture more details - this is true also when comparing Oneplus 3 to Samsung Galaxy S7. On the other hand, I think that the difference in CPU power is bigger then the differences in camera since the Oneplus 3T gets a big advantage in Geekbench for example:
          single core:
          Oneplus 3T: 1850-1900
          Pixel XL: 1580-1650
          multi core:
          Oneplus 3T: 4300-4400
          Pixel Xl: 3950-4000
          Also the battery life and most of all the charging technology is clearly better on Oneplus 3T.

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            • Purisma
            • t7X
            • 28 Dec 2016

            One plus is just oneplus. It got crushed. Cheapening everything aint good at all. Kudos to Google. Pixel all the way. Jah bless

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              • AnonD-65736
              • 3}k
              • 28 Dec 2016

              AnonD-442781, 28 Dec 2016They mentioned the benefit of features and said it comes do... moreAs I said, I'm on about this:
              "The OnePlus 3T is so last year with its Marshmallow and no Oxygen OS layer will change that, regardless of how feature-rich it may be."

              and this (about software) :
              "Half the price, just as good: No. We tend to take a pretty firm stance on the subject of flagships running the latest Android version."

              If you look at the semantics in these parts, it's obvious that it's not just (as I think would have been relevant) about Google Assistant, Daydream VR, unlimited online storage or security vs whatever "myriad of added features" OxygenOS has. They basically bring the argument of being more recent to the table as if it was a truly deciding factor per se. "So last year"... So what?

              I disagree with that, especially when only a few months separate both devices. Choosing Nougat over OxygenOS could be perfectly justified by taking into account the added values of both OSs and comparing them. That's not what was done in this review.

              I'd give the win to the Pixel for many reasons, but being newer is definitely not of them, and continually overlooking (if not criticising) OEM skins in favor of stock Android is a trend I've noticed for so long...

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                • AnonD-491921
                • uum
                • 28 Dec 2016

                Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016Oppo (the company that is actually behind them) is far from... moreActually its BBK electronics
                They own OPPO ViVO and Oneplus

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • swf
                  • 28 Dec 2016

                  AnonD-442781, 28 Dec 2016Oneplus one doesn't have nougat, the nexus 6 does, and stil... moreI was talking of long term support.

                  What google does is release new software on their phones immediately (obviously) but then give up on them.

                  So yes google pixel has nougat. It will also get Android O and maaaybe Android P ... but that's it. It will get them faster too. But after 2 years are passed ... nothing.

                  I bought Nexus 4 and Google left me out in the cold less than 2 years after my purchase. I find this behavior very bad. I will never buy from Google again.

                  By Comparison OnePlus support OnePlus One still despite being almost 3 years old and I expect will support 3T for the longest time.

                  If you want support for a great amount of time buy OnePlus. Google gives up her devices, turning them into paperweight despite their extreme cost. I hope people will catch up on this and stop recommending Google, it will save a lot users from "heart-break".

                  If you want support for the longest time there are only 3 companies offering it and maybe a 4th. Those are Apple, Xiaomi and OnePlus (and maaaybe Sony) ... the rest betray you.

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                    • AnonD-442781
                    • H5C
                    • 28 Dec 2016

                    Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016Google does not support their devices for long (2 years max... moreOneplus one doesn't have nougat, the nexus 6 does, and still gets updates.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-442781
                      • H5C
                      • 28 Dec 2016

                      AnonD-65736, 28 Dec 2016My point is that the added value of the software should not... moreThey mentioned the benefit of features and said it comes down to choice. What on earth are you on about?

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • swf
                        • 28 Dec 2016

                        Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016Buy G5, with full of your heart and soul...SD 820 and SD 821 perform pretty much on par.
                        Also battery is better on LG because it is removable (carry a spare if you want more MaH, it doesn't lose charge after a year or two of heavy usage you buy new, etc)

                        The only problem with G5 is the software. It's still buggy and not on par to what Google offers. According to many the looks too, but buying a slick case eliminates the issue so it doesn't matter.

                        So yeah G5 is the best bang for buck camera phone right now.
                        3T is the best bang for buck performance phone (because of the better software among other things).

                        Depending on what you need you should buy one of the two given current prices.

                        If you don't care about money a Google pixel is probably a good solution too (although its big bezels turn me off big time).

                          AnonD-39937, 28 Dec 2016The software support, unlimited original quality media and ... moreYep, the camera alone is worth the extra cost. Like I said the Moto G4 Plus takes great photos for its price, the OP3T doesn't take 2X better photos than it for 2X the price, so its a meaningless argument that Pixel isn't worth 2X of OP3T's price, because the cameras aren't even in same ballpark, simple as that. Also there are other factors which define a flagship. Pixel has excellent call quality and GPS reception for example, and the touch latency also seems very low.

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                            • Anonymous
                            • CS@
                            • 28 Dec 2016

                            Should have added DTEK60 to the discussion since it gets Pixel like monthly updates.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-65736
                              • 3}k
                              • 28 Dec 2016

                              CozImBatman, 28 Dec 2016True, but if you would take a look at the Nougat release no... moreMy point is that the added value of the software should not be ignored just because it's not based on the latest Android version as is explicitely written in the article, and I'm sure you agree with me.

                              Dual windows is finally natively included in Nougat... Great, but other OEMs created that litteraly years ago. Smart notifications, Custom Quick Settings, Notification Direct Reply, Bundled Notifications, Data Saver, Notification Controls, Display Size... These are not new either, and many of these were already provided by some OEMs since Lollipop.

                              Google gets its inspiration from OEMs, but now they should get brushed aside like they never mattered, just because they don't have Daydream VR yet and will never get Google Assistant ?

                              That's unfair. Don't get me wrong, I get your point that at some point an update is needed and I fully agree with that. But my point is that I'm getting sick of reviewers giving a plus for "vanilla" Android when Nougat, Marshmallow and all would be nothing if OEMs weren't there to innovate. So when OEMs innovate but do it bad (laggy, inconsistent), I'm fine with criticizing, but the OnePlus software is actually really well done.

                              I'm pretty sure besides the great vocal assistant, we could trace ALL of the new Nougat features and find that some OEMs had done it before, so let's stop bashing them.

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                                • Anonymous
                                • vgM
                                • 28 Dec 2016

                                Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016What do you think guys about LG G5 vs Pixel XL? Nowadays G5... moreBuy G5, with full of your heart and soul...

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • gCR
                                  • 28 Dec 2016

                                  What do you think guys about LG G5 vs Pixel XL? Nowadays G5 costs only 380€ (I bought it for 374) so it's even 2.5 less price than Pixel. And it has the same QHD screen (but IPS), storage (+sd cards), awesome camera. Yes, it lacks of bigger battery and newest version of Snapdragon but who cares if both are high-performers?

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • swf
                                    • 28 Dec 2016

                                    AnonD-39937, 28 Dec 2016The software support, unlimited original quality media and ... moreGoogle does not support their devices for long (2 years max). Chinese companies like OnePlus and Xiaomi support their products for longer. When people cite support I recommend either Chinese companies or Apple, they are the only companies that break the 2 year window. The rest don't support their phones well... IF you want long support forget pixel, buy OnePlus.

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • gIW
                                      • 28 Dec 2016

                                      Anonymous, 28 Dec 2016this oneplus thing is all hype. Unknown and low volume comp... moreOppo (the company that is actually behind them) is far from unkown. It's far bigger than HTC , Sony mobile department, Motorola (really department of lenovo) and probaby LG.

                                      So yeah, inform yourself better next time. What you wrote is exactly incorrect, you couldn't be more incorrect even if you tried.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • gIW
                                        • 28 Dec 2016

                                        AnonD-215676, 27 Dec 2016I owned a OnePlus one, it always has some bug or the other ... moreThey have bugs too. More actually due to using non standard OS (their respective skins depart from vanilla more than it is necessary).

                                        That's a terrible recommendation. OnePlus phones are very reliable, second only to iphones and pixels.