OnePlus 6… Or, Wait For The Google Pixel 3 XL?

Posted date | 24/07/2018 Posted by | know your mobile

Richard Goodwin 25/07/2018 - 6:15pm

This is probably the toughest call you’ll make all year, as an Android user – so what’s the craic?

If you’re in the market for a new phone right about now, you’re in what’s known as a tight spot.

You have a lot of good options around right now in the Android space.

My personal choice out of the gamut of Android phones available right now would be the OnePlus 6 (easily).

For me, the OnePlus 6 is simply the best value proposition around right now. But it’s more than just the Aldi of smartphones. Way more…

The OnePlus 6 does it all – it has the specs, the hardware, the performance, the looks, and it also has a great camera.

I wouldn’t swap mine for an iPhone, despite the fact you could buy two OnePlus 6 handsets for the price of one iPhone X.

And that should tell you all you need to know about this fantastic phone.

OnePlus 6 vs Google Pixel 3 XL

But there is a potential spanner in the works, and it’s right on the horizon.

That’s right: the Google Pixel 3 XL.

About to be in its third generation, the Google Pixel 3 phones could well be some of the best Android phones we’ve seen to date – from any manufacturer.

Why? Because Google has now had two attempts at cracking the code, and it got pretty darn close on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

The camera, the performance, the software – everything was spot on.

Android P Update WILL Hit Pixel 3 First

You can read all about Android P in our detailed article on it.

But long-time Android users will know that Google's Pixel phones are ALWAYS first in line for Android updates.

And Android P will be no exception.

Here's what The Big G had to say about its incoming Android update:

"With Android P, we put a special emphasis on simplicity. The look and feel of Android is more approachable with a brand new system navigation. In Android P, we’re extending gestures to enable navigation right from your homescreen.

"This is especially helpful as phones grow taller and it’s more difficult to get things done on your phone with one hand. With a single, clean home button, you can swipe up to see a newly designed Overview, the spot where at a glance you have full-screen previews of your recently used apps.

"Simply tap to jump back into one of them. If you find yourself constantly switching between apps, we’ve got good news for you: Smart Text Selection (which recognizes the meaning of the text you’re selecting and suggests relevant actions) now works in Overview, making it easier to perform the action you want."

The Pixel 3 phones will improve the one area where ALL of Google’s previous Pixel phones have fallen short – design.

Yes, these incoming Pixel 3 phones will likely be very good looking. And this is a very good thing indeed. Especially when you factor in just how good the performance already is…

Really, then, the design of the Pixel phone is the last piece of the puzzle for Google. It’s the thing it has struggled with the most since it first entered the space with the Pixel and Pixel XL.

Google Pixel 3 XL Will Cost More Than The OnePlus 6

No matter how good the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are, one thing is almost certain: the OnePlus 6 will 100% be cheaper.

At just £469, the OnePlus 6 serves up some pretty astonishing value for money – even more so when compared to Apple’s £1000 iPhone X.

Google’s Pixel phones have always been expensive, and the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be no exception.

There have been rumors of cheaper models coming this year, but I’m not convinced on this; Google won’t want to rock the boat it has so carefully been piecing together these past few years.

Prices, I imagine, will go up ever so slightly – though I doubt we’ll see them hit iPhone X-like levels.

I Ditched My Pixel 2 XL For The OnePlus 6

I’ve owned every single Pixel phone Google has released. They have been my chosen handsets since 2015. And the reason for this was software – I just love me some good stock Android.

Then, a year later, the Pixel 2 changed the game with its imaging capabilities. I then had two reasons to go with Pixel.

This year will be all about refining these existent USPs and adding in that all-important design flair that has been so sorely missed to date.