Over the years I have learned that there are three things one needs to keep in mind when buying a smartphone:
The obvious option, the safer option and the adventurous option.
Since its arrival in India, OnePlus has crept into the ‘safer option’ category and has done well for itself there. But, ever since then, the Chinese smartphone maker has attracted a lot of competitors for its flagships. One of them being the the recently launched Huawei Nova 3, which has been priced at Rs 34,999 – pitted against the OnePlus 6 priced at Rs 34,999.
Yes, it’s loaded up to its neck with super specs, but does it bear enough wherewithal to trump the king of the flagship killer hill? The OnePlus 6.
Design & Display
The OnePlus 6 comes with an AMOLED display, which does a fantastic job of accentuating the phone’s overall look. It’s very clear in daylight and works great indoors as well.
Though the Huawei Nova 3 comes with an IPS display, it still manages to pump out more pixels which does make up for the picture quality. I’ll give some extra points to OnePlus for the AMOLED screen but the Nova 3 display ain’t that bad.
Both phones sport a very similar design though the OnePlus 6 is ten grams on the heavier side at 177 grams. I am not a big fan of the Iris Purple colour the company has given to the Nova 3. I’d rather go with the safer Black variant.
Hardware & Performance
Both these phones are vying for the crown of the best phone in the sub-35k and its obvious that they’ll come equipped with the best hardware there is right? Where the OnePlus 6 comes with a Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with 6 GB of RAM, the Nova 3 comes with a HiSilicon 970 processor with the same RAM option.
The Nova 3 beats the pants off the OnePlus 6 in the storage department as it offers 128 GB of internal storage with an option to expand while the OnePlus 6 comes with 64 GB of internal space which CANNOT be expanded. Water under the bridge people.
I was doubtful about how the OnePlus 6 would fare if I ‘accidentally’ managed to get it wet in the rain and surprisingly I still had a perfectly running device. It sure is splash-proof.
Huawei hasn’t been verbal about its phone’s water-resistance so I presume that the phone is susceptible to water damage.
Camera & Battery
The OnePlus 6 comes with a 16+20-megapixel rear camera setup while the front comes with a 16-megapixel shooter. The OnePlus camera has gone through the paces and is a tried and tested feature. Rest assured it is as a very good performer.
The Huawei Nova 3 camera brings to the table some AI (artificial intelligence) features and more megapixels to the game. But, is it better than the OnePlus shooter? For that answer you’ll have to wait for a detailed camera shootout. Till then check out there camera samples:
OnePlus 6 Sample Pictures:
Shot on OnePlus 6
(Photo: The Quint)
Nova 3 Sample Pictures:
Shot on Huawei Nova 3
(Photo: The Quint)
On paper the Huawei Nova 3 comes with a 3,750mAh battery that supports fast charging while the OnePlus 6 offers a 3,300mAh battery with Dash Charge technology. I would really worry about the battery on the OnePlus because it can last you an entire day very easily and the Dash Charging tech can always come into play in case of emergencies.
Still if you want that extra battery juice, you can consider the Nova 3.
Initial Verdict
Coming back to my “safe option, adventurous option” analogy. The OnePlus 6 is a good phone at a starting price point of Rs 34,999. It’s been able to sway some of the Samsung & Apple enthusiasts over a long time and because of which I’d still recommend the OnePlus 6 over the Nova 3. Why? Because it’s a “safe” option.
Now coming to the buyers who have a knack to exploring new things. At Rs 34,990, the Nova 3 is a very good bargain considering the specs it’s offering. There’s a whole lot to explore here and people willing to compromise on Huawei’s Emotion UI can consider the Nova 3.
With the Nova 3 you’re getting a better battery and a beefed up camera. What you are not getting is that assurance and goodwill that OnePlus has been able to garner over the years and Huawei hasn’t.
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