OnePlus 6 Review

Does the OnePlus 6 feel like a flagship?

Yes. The OnePlus 6 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 and ships with either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM (6144 / 8192 MB) and multiple storage tiers up to 256 GB. UL Solutions’ aggregated 3DMark Wild Life median shows a score of 1450 with an 8 FPS result in Graphics test 1 and a 98% stability figure, indicating strong and sustained GPU performance in real-world submissions.

Contemporary reviews from HotHardware and Forbes called out the device’s smooth performance in apps and games; the aggregated public benchmark medians used by UL also emphasize that results vary with thermal and background conditions, but the OnePlus 6 consistently sits in flagship-class performance for its generation.

How good is the screen and audio experience?

The OnePlus 6 uses a 6.28" Full Optic AMOLED panel at 2280×1080 resolution (FHD+). Reviews called the display ‘gorgeous’ and the size and resolution deliver the expected clarity for media and games at that pixel density.

On the audio side the phone includes a dedicated headphone jack alongside USB‑C, a combination noted explicitly in HotHardware’s hands‑on coverage; that gives users wired headphone flexibility without an adapter.

Is the camera reliably good?

Camera performance is the OnePlus 6’s most mixed area. WCCFTech’s coverage of DxOMark testing reported a 96-point DxOMark score but emphasized ‘mixed performance’ across scenarios. Several reviews praised image quality in many conditions, but DxOMark-style testing and follow-ups flagged inconsistencies between indoor and outdoor performance.

Practical takeaway: the 16 MP main sensor can produce very good images, but it does not lead its class in all lighting situations and reviewers noted variability compared with the best camera phones of the era.

How long does the battery last?

The OnePlus 6 ships with a 3300 mAh battery; Forbes explicitly called out its battery life as ‘top notch’ in practical use. That aligns with multiple reviews that found the phone delivered consistently usable runtime across a day of typical tasks.

UL Solutions’ benchmarking notes caution that public battery-life medians vary widely because users submit results at different brightness and background app conditions. In short: the 3300 mAh cell performs well in real-world reviews, but expect variance depending on testing conditions.

Does OxygenOS add or subtract?

OnePlus ships the 6 with Android 8.1 and OxygenOS (v5.1 in review coverage). Droid‑Life highlighted OxygenOS as a major positive — a clean build of Android with useful, lightweight enhancements rather than heavy skinning.

That approach supports snappy day‑to‑day use and complements the hardware, delivering a familiar Android experience with helpful tweaks and minimal bloat per multiple reviewers.

Pros & Cons

• ✅ Snapdragon 845 chipset delivering flagship-era performance (3DMark Wild Life median score 1450; 8 FPS in Graphics test 1 and 98% stability)
• ✅ 6.28" Full Optic AMOLED display at 2280×1080 for clear FHD+ viewing
• ✅ Memory options of 6144 MB or 8192 MB (6 GB / 8 GB) and storage up to 256 GB
• ✅ Dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack plus USB‑C for wired audio flexibility
• ✅ 3300 mAh battery that multiple reviews described as ‘top notch’ for daily use

• ❌ No official waterproof rating (device is not waterproof as noted in reviews)
• ❌ Camera performance is uneven — DxOMark-linked testing reported a 96 score but reviewers noted mixed results across scenes
• ❌ Notch on the display (introduced with this model) may be a usability or aesthetic downside for some users
• ❌ Public battery-life benchmarks show wide variance depending on test conditions (UL Solutions median data cautions about variability)

How It Compares to the Competition

• Samsung Galaxy S9 — A contemporary flagship alternative — similar performance era but a different approach to software and feature set for buyers to compare.
• Google Pixel 2 — Another 2018-era phone often chosen for camera consistency and clean Android; OnePlus 6 competes on raw speed and display size.
• OnePlus 5T — Direct predecessor offering a similar software experience; the OnePlus 6 adds a newer Snapdragon 845, a notch display and updated camera tuning.
• iPhone 8 — An alternate flagship from the same period; the OnePlus 6 trades iOS differences for Snapdragon performance, larger AMOLED screen and OxygenOS.

Who Should Buy This & Who Should Skip It

Buy it if: Buy the OnePlus 6 if you want Snapdragon 845 flagship-era performance, a 6.28" AMOLED 2280×1080 display, and a clean OxygenOS build with options for up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage. It’s a good fit for power users and gamers who value sustained GPU performance and a headphone jack.

Skip it if: Skip the OnePlus 6 if you need an officially IP-rated, waterproof phone or if camera consistency in all lighting is critical; DxOMark and other reviews report mixed camera results. If the display notch or wide variance in public battery-life benchmarks is a dealbreaker, consider other options.