OnePlus 8 Pro
Yes, it's expensive, but the OnePlus 8 Pro offers meaningful upgrades in just about every way compared to the aging 6T. The display is sharper and more fluid, performance is faster than ever, the cameras have seen serious upgrades, and you finally get long-awaited features like wireless charging and an IP rating for dust/water resistance.
OnePlus 6T
The OnePlus 6T was one of the best Android values you could get your hands on in 2018, but in a world where the OnePlus 8 Pro exists, it's probably time you consider upgrading. It is impressive how many aspects of the 6T still hold their own, such as the display and performance, but there's also no denying that the 8 Pro is a massive upgrade in virtually every way.
Having launched back in Nov. 2018, the OnePlus 6T is far from being the latest and greatest in OnePlus's lineup. The phone still performs quite well given its age, but if you're looking for something new, you can't go wrong with the OnePlus 8 Pro. Its 120Hz AMOLED display is one of the best out there, performance is better than ever, and having things like Qi charging and proper water resistance settles pain points OnePlus devices have had for years. Simply put, you're getting a lot for your money.
The OnePlus 8 Pro brings a lot to the table
If it's been a while since you've gone shopping for a new phone, the OnePlus 8 Pro is bound to be rather impressive. Honestly, even if you've kept your eye on what the industry's been up to, there's still plenty here to get excited about.
Starting with the display, this is one of the most notable upgrades coming from the OnePlus 6T. Not only is the 8 Pro's display larger and sharper with a 6.78-inch size and 3168x1440 resolution, but it also bumps up the refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz. This makes everything on the OnePlus 8 Pro's display look incredibly smooth, whether it be scrolling through your app drawer, swiping through Twitter, you name it.
Helping everything move so smoothly are the various internals, which are among the best currently available in a smartphone. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 processor is at the heart of the 8 Pro, and when you pair that with up to 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage, the end result is a phone that flies through every application and game with ease. OnePlus phones have always been noteworthy for their speed, and the OnePlus 8 Pro continues that tradition.
Comparatively, an area in which OnePlus has often struggled — cameras — is massively improved going from the OnePlus 6T to the 8 Pro. The 6T's dual 16MP sensors were already slightly disappointing back when the phone launched, but in 2020, they're demolished by what the 8 Pro brings to the table.
On OnePlus's latest handset, you're treated to a 48MP primary camera, 48MP ultra-wide camera, 8MP telephoto camera, and a unique 5MP color filter. It's not the very best set of cameras you can get on a smartphone, but they're pretty darn great. The 8 Pro takes solid photos in just about any setting, with low-light performance seeing a massive upgrade compared to the 6T.
Finally, there are two features on the OnePlus 8 Pro that we've been nagging OnePlus about for years — wireless charging and an IP rating.
The OnePlus 8 Pro works with all standard Qi wireless charging pads/stands, but if you pick up OnePlus's new Warp Charge 30 Wireless Charger, you can pull off wireless charging speeds of 30W — some of the fastest wireless charging available in a smartphone right now. As for the IP68 rating, this gives you legitimate protection against dust and water. OnePlus has always touted that its phones are resistant to splashes and whatnot, but having that IP rating is a nice touch to affirm the phone's durability.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | OnePlus 8 Pro | OnePlus 6T |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 OxygenOS | Android 10 OxygenOS |
| Display | 6.78-inch AMOLED 3168 x 1440 19.8:9 120Hz | 6.41-inch AMOLED 2340 x 1080 19.5:9 60Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 865 | Snapdragon 845 |
| Memory | 8/12GB | 6/8GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB | 128/256GB |
| Rear Cam 1 | 48MP main camera ƒ/1.78 | 16MP main camera ƒ/1.7 |
| Rear Cam 2 | 48MP ultra-wide camera ƒ/2.2 119° field-of-view | 20MP telephoto camera ƒ1.7 2x optical zoom |
| Rear Cam 3 | 8MP telephoto camera ƒ/2.2 3x optical zoom | ❌ |
| Rear Cam 4 | 5MP Color Filter | ❌ |
| Front Cam | 16MP ƒ/2.4 | 16MP ƒ/2.0 |
| Security | In-display fingerprint sensor | In-display fingerprint sensor |
| Audio | Dual speakers USB-C | Single speaker USB-C |
| Battery | 4,510 mAh 30W Warp Charge 30W Wireless charging | 3,700 mAh 20W Fast Charge |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | ❌ |
| Dimensions | 165.3 x 74.3 x 8.5mm 199g | 157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2mm 185g |
What the OnePlus 6T still does well
It shouldn't come as any surprise that the OnePlus 8 Pro is a better phone than the OnePlus 6T, but all things considered, the 6T still does a lot of things quite well that make it a viable phone to use even today.
Sure, specs across the board are technically worse in just about every way, but using the 6T is still a pretty solid experience. Its performance holds up, the display looks good, and its cameras are fine for taking casual photos and sharing them on Instagram.
Despite its age, the OnePlus 6T is already running Android 10 and is expected to be updated to Android 11. Android 11 will likely be the last major OS update the phone sees, but considering it launched with Android 9 Pie, that's pretty impressive.
Lastly, while it's a subjective thing, we'll firmly stand by the waterdrop notch of the 6T being so much better than the boring hole-punch cutout on the 8 Pro.
Listen to your budget
Ultimately, this is a fairly simple decision.
If you currently own the OnePlus 6T and don't have the money or desire to upgrade just yet, that's perfectly OK. Yes, the 6T does have some notable disadvantages compared to more recent Android smartphones, but it still gets the job done. It looks great, performance is still plenty snappy, and you should be able to look forward to getting Android 11 at some point down the road.
That said, if you find yourself bored with the 6T and are in a position where you can upgrade to the OnePlus 8 Pro, go for it. It's everything you loved about the 6T cranked up to 11, with considerable upgrades in just about every department.
Tons of power and features
If you can get over the high cost of the OnePlus 8 Pro, you'll be treated to the very best smartphone the company has ever released. The 120Hz AMOLED display grabs your attention right out of the gate, but that's not the only thing to get excited about. Add that together with the Snapdragon 865, four rear cameras, and 30W wireless charging, and you're in for something special.
No longer the latest and greatest
You've more than gotten your money's worth out of the OnePlus 6T at this point in time, so if you're itching for something new, the OnePlus 8 Pro is a phenomenal phone to transition to. It's more powerful, has a better display, and vastly upgraded cameras. However, if you're not in a position to buy a new phone right now, the core of the 6T remains strong enough to keep using it for a little while longer.
