The OnePlus 6 launch is finally here, with the highly anticipated smartphone ready to go up against the other flagship Android smartphones in the industry.
The OnePlus smartphones have long been known as the "flagship killer," and for the OnePlus 6, its most high-profile rival will be the Samsung Galaxy S9. How do the two devices stack up with each other, and does the OnePlus 6 deliver in its promise as a "flagship killer" smartphone?
OnePlus 6 Notch
The most obvious difference between the OnePlus 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the notch, a display feature that was popularized by iPhone X.
Preferring the OnePlus 6 over the Galaxy S9 might come down to whether you love or hate the notch, but the feature provides a bit more real estate on the screen. The Galaxy S9 has an 83.6 percent screen-to-body ratio, but the OnePlus 6's is a bit higher at 83.8 percent.
OnePlus 6 Android P Beta
The OnePlus 6 is one of the 12 smartphones that will support Android P beta, which is great for users who would like to catch a glimpse of the latest version of the mobile operating system before everyone else.
The other devices on the Android P beta list are manufactured by Google, Essential, Nokia, Oppo, Sony, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Samsung, for some reason, is not on that list, and which means that the gap between the Android P launch on the OnePlus 6 and the Galaxy S9 may be significant.
OnePlus 6 Speed Test
Several speed tests have shown that the OnePlus 6 is faster than the Samsung Galaxy S9. The latest one, carried out by YouTube channel PhoneBuff, used a robot to make sure that no human error is involved in the speed test. Again, the OnePlus 6 came out on top.
Both the OnePlus 6 and the Galaxy S9 are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, with starting RAM of 6 GB. This should mean that the devices should be equal, but the OnePlus 6 is turning out to be faster than the Galaxy S9 in real-world performance.
OnePlus 6 Price
The OnePlus 6 price is definitely its major selling point, with a starting price of $529 for the 64 GB model. In comparison, the Galaxy S9 price starts at $710, and the Galaxy S9 Plus price starts at $839.
The nearly $200 to over $300 in savings when buying the OnePlus 6 will likely be a huge deal breaker for some customers.
OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: The Verdict
OnePlus 6 reviews have also started coming in, describing the smartphone as a very good deal for its price. The OnePlus 6 still has its shortcomings compared to other flagship smartphones though, including its camera and compatibility only with AT&T and T-Mobile.
If you have the cash to spare, the Samsung Galaxy S9's powerful features might still give the device a slight advantage. However, the OnePlus 6 certainly lives up to the hype as a "flagship killer," because not everybody has almost $1,000 to spare for a smartphone.
