OnePlus3T: Budget flagship gets better

The ability to tweak colour settings and remain effective in all light conditions makes the OnePlus3T a good phone to buy

At first glance, the OnePlus 3T looks exactly like the OnePlus 3. And you're confused, not just because of the similarity in design. This isn't a lower-priced version like the OnePlus X; in fact, it's a new flagship, just about six months after the original flagship for this year was launched. And it's an improved version, and more expensive.

So what has improved since the OnePlus 3? For starters, the 3T comes in a new gunmetal grey colour. Also, the 3T gets the latest Snapdragon 821 processor (which also powers the Google Pixel) and a bigger battery at 3,400 mAh. Mind you, the dimensions remain the same.

I switched on the phone and was greeted by Oxygen OS on the 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display. The best thing I liked was the ability to tweak the colour settings. The screen is quite bright and is easy to read in direct sunlight. Also the notifications menu finally features an auto brightness button. It also has the option of locking the hardware buttons, a godsend if you're a mobile gamer.

But with 6GB of RAM, I was dying to play Asphalt 8: Airborne. And lo and behold, I'd never seen this game start this fast on any other mobile phone, flagships included. And even with some five apps open in the background, the game didn't stutter. The phone never heated up as well.

The 3T features a Sony 16-megapixel (MP) rear camera, the same as the 3, which is quite quick and a very good shooter in most light conditions. It also shoots 4K videos. The front selfie camera has been bumped up to 16MP (from the 8MP on the 3) and it's great at blurring out the background while taking selfies; of course, you need steady hands or selfies come out blurred.

The OnePlus 3T, at Rs 34,999 for the 128GB version, packs in all the bells and whistles flagship handsets at double the price offer; that said, if you bought a OnePlus 3 some months ago, you might feel short-changed.

ONEPLUS 3T

Processor: Snapdragon 821

Memory: 6 GB RAM

Storage: 128 GB

Display: 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED

Camera: Sony 16-megapixel (rear and front)

Battery: 3,400 mAh

Price: Rs 34,999 (128 GB version)