The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 are two new robust Android smartphones that have hit the shelves and are drawing quite a bit of consumer attention.
While OnePlus debuted the OnePlus 3 in June, Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy Note 7 in August.
The two flagship smartphones are svelte, stylish and have some impressive features and specs. But which one of the two is the better buy? To give a clearer picture and help you decide if the Galaxy Note 7 or the OnePlus 3 is a better deal, here is a comparison of the two smartphones.
Display
The OnePlus 3 sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution versus the Galaxy Note 7's 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display that boasts a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, making the Samsung offering superior.
The Galaxy Note 7 also touts Gorilla Glass 5, which is Corning's toughest glass cover yet. The OnePlus 3, on the other hand, has the older Gorilla Glass 4.
The Samsung smartphone has a pixel density of 518 ppi, which surpasses 401 ppi.
Processor And RAM
The U.S. variant of the Galaxy Note 7 houses an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor (quad-core 2.3 GHz and quad-core 1.6 GHz). The OnePlus 3, on the other hand, houses a quad-core Snapdragon 820, clocked at two 2.2 GHz and two 1.6 GHz processors.
The OnePlus 3 offers 6 GB of RAM, which betters the Galaxy Note 7's 4 GB of RAM.
Storage
Both the Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 are available in the 64 GB option in the U.S. However, the Samsung smartphone's memory can be expanded up to 256 GB via a microSD card. The OnePlus handset does not offer memory expansion option. Moreover, the OnePlus 3 has come under fire for memory issues.
Camera
The Galaxy Note 7 boasts a Dual Pixel 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, whereas the OnePlus 3 sports a 16-megapixel primary camera. Both devices offer OIS, phase detection autofocus and HDR support.
While the pixel count on the OnePlus 3's primary camera seem higher on paper, the Samsung smartphone's Dual Pixel technology ensures that each pixel on the image sensor touts two and not one photodiodes. This basically translates to quicker focusing time on the Galaxy Note 7, making the image quality better.
The OnePlus 3's selfie camera is an 8-megapixel one, which is a shade better than the 5-megapixel that is on the Galaxy Note 7. However, unlike the OnePlus 3, the Galaxy Note 7's camera offers Face Detection, Selective Focus and Motion Photo features support, as well as Hyperlapse for videos.
The OnePlus 3 also has a nifty feature up its sleeve — Smile Capture, which is essentially an auto selfie feature. The Samsung smartphone has this feature, too.
Battery
The Galaxy Note 7 houses a 3,500 mAh battery, which can support wireless charging. The OnePlus 3 houses a smaller 3,000 mAh battery that now offers wireless charging support. However, the OnePlus handset offer Dash Charge support, which can charge the smartphone up to about 60 percent in just 30 minutes!
The battery usage support offered by both handsets is not known.
Operating System
Both the smartphones come pre-loaded with the latest Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow operating system. However, Samsung has hinted that the Galaxy Note 7 could get updated to the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS in October.
Additional Features
The Galaxy Note 7's unique selling proposition is its S Pen stylus, which is lacking in the OnePlus phablet. Moreover, the Samsung smartphone is both dust and water resistant, unlike the OnePlus handset.
Both the devices support a fingerprint scanner, but the Galaxy Note 7 has the Iris Scanner tech.
Price
The OnePlus 3 will set consumers back by just $399, which is way cheaper than the $864 price tag for the unlocked variant Galaxy Note 7. The OnePlus 3 is available in two hues — Graphite and Soft Gold. The Galaxy Note 7 is available in four colors: Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Silver Titanium and Gold.
Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and OnePlus 3 have top-end features. While the OnePlus 3 is value for money, those looking for some fancier features and better camera and video recording capabilities would lean towards the Galaxy Note 7.
