With the OnePlus 5T now official, it sure looks like one of the best smartphones on offer for the price it’s asking. We are currently testing the device and will publish a detailed review soon, so do watch out for that. While the cutting-edge hardware and feature-filled software make the OnePlus 5T an extremely compelling product for the price it’s asking, it’s certainly not the only premium smartphone vying for your attention at that price range. So in case you’re looking for other options, here are the 8 best OnePlus 5T alternatives you can buy:
The Best OnePlus 5T Alternatives
1. Huawei Mate 10
Announced last month as successors to the Mate 9 and Mate 9 Pro, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro haven’t grabbed as much attention as many of their rivals, but they are still fantastic smartphones. The Mate 10 is the cheaper of the two, priced very similarly to the OnePlus 5T in regions where it’s available. The device features a 5.9″ IPS LCD screen, although, with a standard 16:9 aspect ratio rather than the 18:9 found on the OnePlus 5T. However, it is sharper than the OnePlus 5T with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.
The Mate 10 is powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 970 SoC and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. Like the OnePlus 5T, the Mate 10 also features a dual rear-camera setup, but unlike OnePlus’ latest handset, this one sports a 12MP sensor alongside a 20MP one. With a 4,000mAh battery, USB Type-C connectivity and an NFC chip, the Mate 10 is a great option at the price it’s asking. It also has a 3.5mm AUX port just like the 5T. Unfortunately, the Mate 10 isn’t officially available in either the U.S. or in India, so be prepared to pay a hefty premium if you’re trying to buy imported models from China. However, if you live in Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines or any of the other countries where it’s either just gone on sale or will do so in the days ahead, it is one of the best OnePlus 5T alternatives for you to consider.
Buy from Amazon: ($699.99)
2. Nokia 8
The Nokia 8 is the most premium smartphone to have been launched under the Nokia brand since its return to the smartphone scene earlier this year. Sure, the device doesn’t feature a bezel-less display, but it’s an excellent alternative to the OnePlus 5T because the two devices have quite a few similarities with one another. In hardware terms, both are powered by the Snapdragon 835, while on the software side, both run UIs that are extremely similar to that of stock Android. Both devices also ship with Android Nougat instead of Oreo, although, OnePlus and HMD have both promised speedy updates going forward (Oreo beta for Nokia 8 is already out). Like the OnePlus 5T, the Nokia 8 also ships with a dual-camera module on the back, although, it’s a dual-13MP module rather than the 20MP+12MP module on OnePlus’ latest.
The Nokia 8 features a WQHD 5.3″ panel and, is offered in two storage combinations: 4GB RAM + 64GB storage and 6GB RAM + 128GB storage. Like the OnePlus 5T, the Nokia 8 features USB Type-C connectivity without giving up on the 3.5mm audio port. The device also comes with and NFC chip and, supports Quick Charge 3.0. Overall, the Nokia 8 may not physically look as attractive as the OnePlus 5T, but with impressive hardware and quality software, it is definitely one of the best OnePlus 5T alternatives for you to consider. Sadly, though, while the Nokia 8 now costs significantly below the $500 mark on Amazon U.S., it still costs Rs. 36,999 ($569) on Amazon India.
Buy From Amazon: ($473)
3. LG G6
The LG G6 is a great smartphone that was launched earlier this year by the South Korean consumer electronics company. It is one of the relatively-older devices on the list and, may not have the same cutting-edge hardware that the OnePlus 5T brings to the table, but it still performs every task admirably, which is understandable when you consider that the chip powering the device, the Snapdragon 821, is actually newer and faster than Snapdragon 820 that powered most of the top flagships from last year, including the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Like the OnePlus 5T, the LG G6 also features a ‘bezel-less’ 18:9 display, but measuring 5.7 inches and, with a higher, QHD+ resolution. The phone packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and either 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of native storage, but unlike the OnePlus 5T, it has a microSD slot that allows its storage to be expanded by up to 2TB.
Like the OnePlus 5T, the LG G6 also features a dual camera setup at the back, although, it’s a dual 13MP module unlike the 20MP+12MP module on the latest OnePlus device. While the primary sensor comes with an f/1.8 lens, PDAF and 3-axis OIS, the secondary one features a wide-angle 125-degree fixed-focus lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The phone is also dust-proof and water-proof, as is evident from its IP68 certification. Overall, the LG G6 is a premium device that’s priced very similarly to the OnePlus 5T at Rs. 32,999 in India, which makes it a great alternative to the latest OnePlus flagship.
Buy From Amazon: ($509)
4. Essential PH-1
The man credited with being the brains behind Android is now back with a smartphone running the software he helped create over a decade ago. Andy Rubin’s much talked-about Essential Phone also features a bezel-less design like the OnePlus 5T, although, it takes the concept to the extreme, resulting in a little iPhone X-like notch at the top. The Essential PH-1 is built out of titanium and ceramic and, has an edge-to-edge LTPS IPS LCD display that measures 5.71″ diagonally with an unusual 19:10 aspect ratio. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 835, and rocks 4GB of RAM + 128GB of storage. Like the OnePlus 5T, the Essential phone also features a dual-camera setup on the back, with twin 13MP shooters doing the imaging duty.
While the hardware on the Essential Phone is plenty good, what really separates this device from the herd of premium Android smartphones is its software and modularity. First off, the device runs pure Android without any modifications, so the UI is fairly similar to that of Oxygen OS on the OnePlus 5T. The device also has an unlocked bootloader, which allows users to flash custom ROMs, kernels, recoveries etc. more easily, making it one of the best options for advanced users. As for its modularity, the phone allows users to add third-party modules, somewhat like the now-defunct Project Ara. All said and done, the Essential Phone is one of the very best OnePlus alternatives you can buy, especially, now that multiple price-corrections have brought the tag down to $500 for the base version.
Buy From Amazon: ($499.99)
5. Pixel XL
The Pixel XL may be a generation old, but it’s still a pretty decent device in its own right. It is the predecessor of the Pixel 2 XL and, is manufactured by Taiwanese tech company HTC. The device features a 5.5-inch 16:9 AMOLED display that comes with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC, which may have now become outdated because of the Snapdragon 835, but is still faster than the chip powering most of the flagship smartphones from last year. The handset also comes with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and either 32GB or 128GB of UFS 2.0 storage, depending on the model. Unlike the OnePlus 5T that comes with a dual-camera module on the back, the Pixel XL only comes with a single rear-facing 12.3-megapixel sensor that can shoot 2160p videos at 30fps and 1080p videos at up to 120fps.
On the software side of things, the Pixel XL originally shipped with Android 7.1 Nougat on-board, but has since received the Android Oreo update from Google. Along with the Pixel, it was also one of the two earliest smartphones to have had Google Assistant pre-installed. Sure, it doesn’t have the cutting-edge bezel-less design, but it does come with a 3.5mm port; something that you won’t find on its successor, the Pixel 2 XL. While the combination of premium hardware and pure Android software makes the Pixel XL a great phone even after a year of its launch, what makes it a great OnePlus 5T alternative is its current price that stands at Rs. 39,999 ($499) in India, as well as the US, after all the price cuts.
Buy: ($499)
6. HTC U11
The HTC U11 may have just been superseded by the HTC U11+ earlier this month, but it still packs a punch in terms of its hardware components. It features a 5.5-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) Super LCD5 display and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. It ships with either 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, or 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage depending on the variant. Unlike the OnePlus 5T, though, both versions of the HTC U11 support microSD cards of up to 256GB in capacity. Like the OnePlus 5T, the U11 also comes with a USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing, but unlike OnePlus’ latest, the HTC device misses out on the 3.5mm audio port.
While the hardware on the HTC U11 is pretty to similar to that of the OnePlus 5T, the headline feature of HTC’s early-2017 flagship is ‘Edge Sense’ – a technology that was the precursor to the Pixel 2’s ‘Active Edge’ and, allows users to squeeze the sides of the device to interact with the phone in a number of different ways. The HTC U11 comes with a glossy ‘Liquid Surface’ design and, is one of the very few mainstream Android devices to offer as many as three voice-based personal assistants – Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and the company’s very own HTC Sense Companion. While the device was originally launched at $699, it is currently selling at around the $600 mark, making it a viable alternative to the latest OnePlus flagship.
Buy from Amazon: ($599.99)
7. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
Xiaomi’s second-generation bezel-less smartphone, the Mi Mix 2, is a great device that has rectified some of the issues that its predecessor suffered from. It comes with a 5.99″ 18:9 display, and is powered by the same Snapdragon 835 chip that can be found under the hood of the OnePlus 5T. It is also offered in the same 6GB or 8GB RAM options like the latest OnePlus flagship, but you won’t get a dual-camera setup at the back of the Mi Mix 2, where a solitary 12MP sensor does the job, accompanied by PDAF and 4-axis OIS. In terms of connectivity options, the Mi Mix 2 also comes with a USB Type-C port, but gets rid of the 3.5mm audio port like many other flagships this year.
The original Mi Mix was the device that pioneered the whole bezel-less trend in the right earnest, and the Mi Mix 2 manages to improve on its predecessor by bringing in changes that make it a significantly better device overall. It may have its own quirks, but as we noted in our review, it is still “one of the best devices you can buy in its price range”. It’s available in India for Rs. 35,999 ($553) on Flipkart, making it one of the best OnePlus 5T alternatives right now.
Buy: ($553)
8. Honor V10
The V10 is the next-gen Honor flagship and although the device is still officially under wraps, rumors and speculation about it seem to suggest that that it will be something to hold out for. It will be officially unveiled in China on the 28th of this month, before being launched in Europe with an event in London on December 5th. According to rumors, the Honor V10 will have a bezel-less, 6-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio just like the OnePlus 5T. Unlike the OnePlus 5T, however, this one is expected to have a QHD+ resolution (2880 x 1440) rather than FHD+ (2160 x 1080). The device is also rumored to be powered by a Kirin 970 SoC, coupled with 8GB of RAM. Just like the OnePlus 5T, the V10 is also expected to sport a dual-camera setup on the back, but with a 16-megapixel sensor alongside a 20-megapixel one.
While much of the details about the Honor V10 is currently in the realms of speculations, the device is said to be offered in the exact same RAM + storage configurations as the OnePlus 5T as well, meaning, you should expect to choose between a 6GB+64GB model and an 8GB+128GB version. As is the case with most premium smartphones these days, the Honor V10 is also expected to feature USB Type-C connectivity, but unlike the OnePlus 5T, there won’t be the 3.5mm audio port. It is, however, expected to come with IP67 certification, denoting waterproofing and dust-resistance. As for pricing, reports suggest that it will be around the EUR 399 ($470) mark in Europe, making it a little more pocket-friendly than the OnePlus 5T.
Coming Soon: (~$470 Expected)
Bonus: OnePlus 5
The OnePlus 5T is the device that the OnePlus 5 should have always been, but even though it looks positively dated next to its successor, the OnePlus 5 is still an extremely capable device in its own right. After all, the two come with almost identical hardware, save for the camera setups. However, there’s a wide chasm of difference between the devices in terms of their design, seeing as the older handset rocks a traditional look with a 16:9 panel instead of the elongated 2:1 display found on the 5T. While the OnePlus 5T features a 6.01″ FHD+ (2160 x 1080) display, its predecessor came with a more conventional 5.5″ 1080p unit. Both devices are also offered in the exact same RAM and storage configurations (6GB + 64GB and 8GB + 128GB).
As for the imaging options, the OnePlus 5 also ships with a dual-camera setup (16MP +20MP) on the back like its successor. While the 16MP sensor has a 1.12µm pixel size and is paired with an f/1.7 lens, the 20MP sensor has a 1.0µm pixel size and has an f/2.6 lens for company. Overall, the OnePlus 5 isn’t earth-shatteringly different to the OnePlus 5T and, has the same highly-involved developer community that you get with the later. So that brings us to the price. The device is no longer available for purchase in many countries around the world, but in India, it is still listed at the exact same price as the OnePlus 5T (Rs. 32,999 / $507). Should OnePlus decide to go the Apple way and cut the price of its earlier devices to bring in newer audiences, this could very well be one of the best OnePlus 5T alternatives as long as you don’t mind the dated design.
Buy From Amazon: ($499)
SEE ALSO: Looking For Phones With Android Oreo? Here Are Your Best Options
The Very Best OnePlus 5T Alternatives You Can Consider
The OnePlus 5T may well be the best value-for-money premium smartphone right now, but it isn’t the only option you have in that price range. Many other devices, like the ones mentioned above, also offer you great value for your money, so in case you’re not enamored with the latest flagship from OnePlus, choose your alternative from the list above, and we can promise that you won’t be disappointed.
Abubakar Mohammed
