Nokia 6.1 Plus review: HMD’s best budget phone yet

HMD finally made a budget phone that can take on Xiaomi and Honor.

The Nokia 6 series holds special value for HMD Global. The Nokia 6 was the first Android device to feature Nokia branding, and it was one of the manufacturer’s best-selling devices last year. The phone wasn’t without its faults, however, as the Snapdragon 430 was underwhelming in day-to-day usage.

Nokia did a magnificent job optimizing the software to run on underpowered hardware during its Windows Phone days, which is why budget Lumia phones weren’t laggy. That system doesn’t work on Android though, and to its credit, HMD fixed a lot of the performance issues with the 2018 refresh of the Nokia 6, the Nokia 6.1 2018. The Nokia 6.1 2018 retained a similar design aesthetic but offered much more powerful hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 630.

HMD is now rolling out a third model in the Nokia 6 series, the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The phone made its debut a few months ago in China as the Nokia X6, and is the first from HMD to sport a notched display. It isn’t just a larger verison of the Nokia 6.1 with a notch; the Nokia 6.1 Plus comes with an all-new glass design that makes it stand out in this segment, and the internal hardware has also received a boost. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 636, and comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard.

In short, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is HMD’s most ambitious effort yet in the budget category.

HMD gets serious

Nokia 6.1 Plus

₹15,999 at Flipkart

A compact phone that punches above its weight.

It took HMD three tries, but it finally created the perfect budget phone in the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The device comes with a gorgeous design that makes it stand out in this category, and the fact that it runs Android One means it’ll get updates on time. HMD hasn’t made any compromises on the hardware side of things either, and the result is that the Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the best budget phones of 2018.

Pros:

• Android One
• Excellent display
• Premium design
• Great for one-handed use
• Robust hardware

Cons:

• Notch
• Average low-light camera

Nokia 6.1 Plus What I like

The Plus moniker in the Nokia 6.1 Plus’ name is in reference to the larger 5.8-inch display. HMD went with a notched panel to maximize the screen real estate, and the 19:9 FHD+ screen is one of the best in this category. Colors are vibrant, viewing angles are excellent, and the phone doesn’t have any issues with sunlight legibility. There’s also a layer of Gorilla Glass 3 at the front and back to protect from tumbles, and the 2.5D curved front makes it easier to use the phone.

Even though the Nokia 6.1 Plus has a screen that’s 0.3 inches larger than the Nokia 6.1, it is more compact than the standard model. Coming in at 147.2 x 71 x 8mm, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is shorter, narrower, and thinner than the Nokia 6.1 (148.8 x 75.8 x 8.2mm), a fact that’s immediately noticeable once you start using the device. It is almost as compact as the Pixel 2, making it the perfect device for one-handed usage.

The glass back doesn’t have a reflective pattern like the Honor 10 or the Huawei P20 Lite, and what the device is missing in design flourish it makes up in durability. There’s an aluminum frame sandwiching the glass front and back, and although the Nokia 6.1 Plus isn’t as durable as the standard model, it can still weather a few tumbles.

It’s a good thing too, because the Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the most slippery phones available today, and it managed to slide off flat surfaces no less than five times in just under a week. There wasn’t any damage aside from a minor dent on the frame, but if there’s ever a device that needs to be used with a case, it’s this one.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is perfect for one-handed use.

Rounding out the design, there’s a dual camera system arrayed vertically at the back, and a fingerprint sensor located underneath. The sensor isn’t located quite where your finger rests at the back, but the minor indent makes it easy to locate the module and unlock the phone. The Nokia 6.1 Plus has a single speaker located next to the USB-C port at the bottom, and a 3.5mm jack up top. The volume and power buttons are located on the right.

Like most phones in this segment, the Nokia 6.1 Plus comes with a hybrid SIM card tray that sees the secondary SIM slot doubling up as a MicroSD slot. The Nokia 6.1 Plus has Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and FM radio, but it is missing out on NFC.

Screen	5.8-inch 19:9 FHD+ (2280×1080) IPS LCD
Chipset	Snapdragon 636
RAM	4GB
Storage	64GB
Software	Android 8.1 Oreo
Rear Camera 1	16MP, ƒ/2.0
Rear Camera 2	5MP, ƒ/2.4
Front Camera	16MP, ƒ/2.0
Security	Rear fingerprint
Battery	3060mAh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, BT5.0, FM radio
Colors	Gloss Midnight Blue, Gloss Black, Gloss White
Dimensions	147.2 x 71 x 8mm
Weight	151g
Price	₹15,999

Powered by a Snapdragon 636, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is the most powerful budget phone HMD has launched to date. I didn’t notice any lag in the three weeks I used the phone, and the robust chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM is the sweet spot in this category.

The 3060mAh battery also managed to deliver a day’s worth of use consistently. The phone offers Quick Charge 3.0, but the charger included in the case goes up to just 5V/2A. I averaged over five hours of screen-on-time over the course of a day, and while the phone doesn’t hold up to the likes of the Redmi Note 5 Pro in this area, it is more than enough to last an entire day.

It’s business as usual on the software side of things. Like the rest of HMD’s portfolio, the Nokia 6.1 Plus runs Android One out of the box and comes with two years of platform updates and three years’ worth of security updates. The phone is currently on Android 8.1 Oreo, and HMD says it will deliver the Android 9.0 Pie update before the end of the year.

The Finnish brand has done a magnificent job in terms of rolling out timely updates across its entire portfolio, and there isn’t a brand that comes close to HMD in this regard. If you care about updates, picking up a HMD phone is a no-brainer.

The 12MP + 5MP rear cameras on the Nokia 6.1 Plus do a great job in daylight conditions, with images offering plenty of detail and decent dynamic range. HMD is also rolling out its Bothie feature — which lets you take a photo with both the front and back cameras simultaneously — to the device.

Nokia 6.1 Plus What needs work

Honestly, there’s very little wrong with the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The main issue with the device is that it has a notch, which feel unnecessary as there’s a substantial chin. But as we’ve seen in recent weeks, it looks like HMD is standardizing the notch across all of its devices, so it looks like it is a feature that’s here to stay, at least for a generation or two.

The other drawback with the Nokia 6.1 Plus is the fact that it isn’t particularly great at taking photos in low-light conditions. The sensors struggling to capture any meaningful amount of detail, and there’s a lot of noise in the resultant shots. This isn’t an issue that is exclusive to the Nokia 6.1 Plus; most budget phones struggle with low-light images.

Should you buy it? Absolutely

It took HMD three attempts, but it has finally delivered a budget phone that can take on the likes of Xiaomi and Honor. The Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the best phones at this price point, and the design coupled with HMD’s track record at rolling out updates makes this a great option if you’re in the market for a new device.

The hardware on offer is identical to what you get with the Redmi Note 5 Pro or the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1, and while the Nokia 6.1 Plus costs slightly more than ASUS’ offering, the promise of quick updates and the design flair more than justify the price.

4.5
out of 5

Nokia phones aren’t necessarily known for aggressive pricing, but HMD is changing its strategy with the Nokia 6.1 Plus, particularly in India. The phone is available in the country for just ₹15,999 ($215), making it an enticing alternative to the Xiaomi Mi A2. The Mi A2 has beefier hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 660 — and better cameras — but the Nokia 6.1 Plus is ideal if you’re looking for a compact phone with a gorgeous design.

See at Flipkart

How Many Nest Tags Can the Nest Guard Support?

Best answer: One Nest Guard devices can support up to 10 Nest Tags. Since there is a limit of one Nest Guard per home, you can have up to 10 Tags, period.

Best Buy: Nest Tag ($25)

Each Nest Guard device can support up to 10 Nest Tags

The Nest website says that you can have “up to 10 Tags per person.” I went so far as to chat with a Nest support agent who confirmed that a single Nest Guard device can support up to 10 Tags. That is to say that you can enable up to 10 Tags in your Nest app.

Since there can only be one Guard per home (or “per structure,” as the Nest agent put it), you can have a maximum of 10 Tags, period.

Why the Nest Tag is better than just a passcode

Convenience is the best answer. A passcode is secure, and the ultimate way to secure your home with the Nest Guard, but a Nest Tag lets you simply “tag in and out.” You can pop one on your keychain, give each of the kids their own, and even hand them out to trustworthy friends and family.

They’re easy to manage in the Nest app, and if you happen to lose one or a family member or friend misplaces theirs, you can simply disable it in the Nest app so that your home remains completely secure.

Our pick

Nest Tag

$25 at Best Buy

The Nest Tag lets you easily arm and disarm your home alarm.

Rather than share your secure code with many people, having to potentially change it, just authorize up to 10 Nest Tags. You can disable them remotely if they get lost.

Get lifetime access to Rosetta Stone + $20 Amazon Gift Card for $179 today

Hola, como estas?

As part of its daily deals, Amazon is offering lifetime access to Rosetta Stone (both online and mobile) for just $179. To sweeten the offer a little more, Amazon is including a $20 gift card with the language of your choice, which is double what it offered last time during a similar promotion. There are tons of languages to chose from, including Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, English, and more, and each activation code is sent via email so you’ll be able to get started with your learning nearly instantly.

Through it’s own site, Rosetta Stone only offers a few different price points, but each of them is for a set duration of time. You can sign up for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, or 24 months of access, with prices ranging from $60 to $180. Amazon’s offer gets you lifetime access to the service for the same price as what you’d normally spend for just 24 months, making this a no-brainer.

Rosetta Stone has made a name for itself when it comes to learning new languages, and there’s a good reason for it. It uses “Dynamic Immersion” to help you grasp the new language, which means that you’ll not only hear the words, but see signs and symbols that represent it, and learn to read and write it as well. It helps you not only learn new words, but also phrases based on real-world content, which means you’ll actually be prepared for natural conversations.

Whether you’re looking for a great gift idea for this upcoming holiday season, or have always wanted to learn a new language on your own, you won’t want to miss out on this one-day discount.

See at Amazon

OnePlus bevestigt: OnePlus 6T komt 30 oktober

Hou maar op met speculeren; de OnePlus 6T komt 30 augustus. Dat zegt OnePlus zelf via een persbericht. Het nieuwe model krijgt een druppelvormige notch en een vingerafdrukscanner in het scherm. Er is niet alleen vooruitgang, zo schijnt bij de OnePus 6T een reguliere koptelefooningang te missen.

OnePlus kondigt de OnePlus 6T op 30 oktober om 16:00 uur tijdens een speciaal event in New York aan. Het toestel volgt de OnePlus 6 aan die op moment van schrijven nog geen half jaar oud is. Erg veel verschil zit er tussen beide dan ook niet los van wat cosmetische wijzigingen. De grootste verschillen zijn het drastisch verkleinen van de notch bovenin het scherm, het integreren van de vingerafdrukscanner achter het scherm en het verdwijnen van de audio-jack. Dat laatste komt OnePlus op veel kritiek te staan. Het gebruikt in uitingen altijd “Never Settle” en de telefoons werden altijd geprezen als compromisloos. Daar lijkt nu verandering in te komen.

De vermeende OnePlus 6T

Overige verwachtingen van de 6T zijn een 6,41 inch groot scherm met Snapdragon 845-processor op maximaal 2,8 GHz en met maximaal 6 GB aan RAM-werkgeheugen. De batterij kent mogelijk een capaciteit van 3700 mAh. Daarmee zijn zowel het schermformaat als de batterijcapaciteit groter dan de OnePlus 6. Het is mogelijk dat OnePlus ook nog een versie klaar heeft staan met 8 GB aan werkgeheugen. Mocht de OnePlus 6T inderdaad een vingerafdrukscanner in het scherm hebben dan lijkt het tijdperk van dergelijke telefoons aanstaande. Tot op heden werden deze namelijk nog maar mondjesmaat uitgebracht. OnePlus lijkt de eerste grote(re) speler te zijn die met deze nieuwe techniek komt.

Afbeelding: WinFuture

“Apple iPad Pro 2018 krijgt USB-C, randloos scherm en Face ID”

Verwacht wordt dat Apple later in oktober een nieuwe iPad Pro zal aankondigen met vernieuwd ontwerp. De schermranden zullen net als bij de iPhone X(S) verdwijnen maar dan zonder intrede van een scherminkeping. Ook een homeknop zal verdwijnen wat betekent dat ook Face ID z’n intrede op de iPad zal doen.

Tot op heden is het ontwerp van de iPad nagenoeg ongewijzigd gebleven; een groot rechthoekig scherm met flinke schermranden en een homeknop onderin. Maar Apple wijzigde vorig jaar voor het eerst grondig haar iPhone-ontwerp en nu lijkt de tijd rijp voor de iPad om te volgen. Dat betekent het einde van Touch ID met z’n fysieke knop en de overstap naar gezichtsherkenning via Face ID. Stopte Apple die in de iPhone X(S) nog bovenin een notch, bij de iPad zal er genoeg schermrand overblijven zodat hij achterwege kan blijven. De werking via z’n TrueDepth-camera blijft dus hetzelfde.

Een mock-up van hoe de iPad Pro 2018 eruit zou kunnen zien

Apple’s aloude filosofie dat de iPad in iedere richting te gebruiken is en daarom geen echte boven- en onderkant kent gaat straks niet meer op. Face ID werkt dan weliswaar ook op z’n zijkant maar niet op z’n kop. Ander groot breekpunt is het verdwijnen van de lightning connector. De dunne poort die in 2012 de 30-pins connector verving wordt opgevolgd door USB-C. Eindelijk, want de universele poort zien we veelvuldig terug op andere producten waaronder Apple’s eigen laptops. De aanwezigheid van USB-C maakt het bovendien mogelijk om een extern beeldscherm aan te sluiten waarover 4K-video in HDR verstuurd kan worden.

Apple Pencil 2

Ook zou Apple de tweede generatie Pencil gelijktijdig met de iPad Pro 2018 willen aankondigen. Het koppelen van een Apple Pencil 2 verloopt straks vergelijkbaar met het koppelen van de AirPod. Het zal niet meer nodig zijn om de Pencil in de iPad te stoppen, het in de buurt houden zal genoeg zijn. Om los van de USB-C poort toch nog een eigen ecosysteem van accessoires te kunnen blijven verkopen wordt de iPad Pro 2018 achterop uitgerust met een nieuwe magnetische connector. Het is nog onduidelijk in hoeverre deze verschilt met de huidige Smart Connector op de huidige iPad Pro.

(via)

Google Slides now auto-transcribes verbal presentations for real-time captions

A recent internal hackathon at Google has resulted in a new captioning feature for its G Suite presentation app, Slides.

The creation of Google software engineers Laura D’Aquila and Abigail Klein, the feature uses a computer’s built-in microphone to transcribe the words of a speaker in real-time, displaying them for everyone to see.

While especially useful for the deaf or hard of hearing, the feature should also work well for some audience members whose first language is different to that of the speaker, or when the speaker isn’t projecting their voice sufficiently.

Using the Chrome browser on desktop or laptop, the automated closed captions can be enabled simply by clicking on the CC button in the navigation box in Slides. As you begin to speak, your words will then appear at the bottom of the display for all of the audience members to see.

Automated closed captions for Slides is being rolled out gradually this week, though at the current time it only works with U.S. English. The team is hoping to expand the feature to more countries and languages over time.

In a post on Monday announcing the new feature, D’Aquila and Klein point out that the captions are powered by machine learning and “heavily influenced by the speaker’s accent, voice modulation, and intonation,” adding that work is ongoing to improve the quality of the captions.

D’Aquila, herself hard of hearing, and Klein said work on the feature “has moved from a passion project to our full-time job,”

“The fact that the feature was built primarily for accessibility purposes but is also helpful to all users shows the overall value for everyone of incorporating accessibility into product design,” Google’s software engineers said in the post.

They continued: “We really got into this work for its potential to improve the lives of people with disabilities, for the interesting technologies and design constraints, and because of our desire to use our skills to make the world a better place. We’re excited to contribute to that effort with closed captions in Google Slides, and we’re eager to share it with you.”

The feature is certainly a great addition to Slides, though its accuracy and ability to understand a range of accents will of course be key to its success.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple HomePod review
• Tempow’s new Bluetooth software ties your smart home together
• How Razer forged the Blade 15, the slim gaming laptop nobody else could build
• Google Home vs. Amazon Echo
• Alexa can now have a conversation with members of the deaf community

Google withdraws its bid for Pentagon’s $10 billion cloud contract

Google says the project doesn’t align with its AI principles.

The Pentagon is currently soliciting bids for a $10 billion cloud computing contract that will involve shifting vast troves of data from the Department of Defense to a commercial cloud. Google was one of the tech giants angling for the project, along with Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, and others, but today the company announced that it is withdrawing its bid.

Without going into details, Google said that the contract doesn’t “align” with the company’s AI principles. This isn’t the first time Google pulled out of a government contract; earlier this year, the company ceased its role in the Pentagon’s Project Maven AI drone project after continued backlash from its employees.

Shortly thereafter, Google published a set of AI principles that guide how the company uses its AI tools. In a statement to Bloomberg, a Google spokesman said:

We are not bidding on the JEDI contract because first, we couldn’t be assured that it would align with our AI Principles. And second, we determined that there were portions of the contract that were out of scope with our current government certifications.

Google said that it would have competed for “portions” of the contract, but with the Pentagon seeking a single vendor, the company had no option but to withdraw its bid:

Had the JEDI contract been open to multiple vendors, we would have submitted a compelling solution for portions of it. Google Cloud believes that a multi-cloud approach is in the best interest of government agencies, because it allows them to choose the right cloud for the right workload.

Apple lost oplaadproblemen iPhone XS op met iOS 12.0.1

Apple heeft een update van iOS uitgebracht waarmee de problemen waar sommige gebruikers van een iPhone XS mee te kampen hadden opgelost zijn. Zij konden alleen opladen wanneer het scherm actief was. iOS 12.0.1 is nu te downloaden en lost deze en andere problemen op.

Naast het vervelende oplaadprobleem voor sommige exemplaren van de iPhone XS en XS Max lost Apple ook nog tal van andere problemen op met iOS 12.0.1. In de beschrijving die Apple meelevert sommen ze de volgende zaken op;

• Oplossing voor een probleem waarbij iPhone XS-apparaten opnieuw verbinding maakten met een wifinetwerk van 2,4 GHz in plaats van 5 GHz.
• De oorspronkelijke positie van de ‘.?123’-toets op het iPad-toetsenbord is hersteld.
• Oplossing voor een probleem waarbij er in sommige video-apps geen ondertiteling werd weergegeven.
• Oplossing voor een probleem waarbij Bluetooth soms niet beschikbaar was.

Enkele nieuwe functies van iOS 12

Apple’s iOS 12.0.1 rolt voor wie automatische updates aan heeft staan vanzelf binnen en anders is hij handmatig te downloaden via de app Instellingen onder Algemeen > Software-update. iOS 12 zelf verscheen 17 september en bevat gegroepeerde notificaties, meer snelheid, Siri shortcuts en digitale bewustwording. Onlangs nog werd bekend dat iOS 12 al na 12 dagen op de helft van alle actieve iOS-apparaten geïnstalleerd staat. Daarmee verslaat het iOS 11 die er nog een maand over deed om dit percentage te halen. Toch leken gebruikers na het uitkomen eerst de kat uit boom te kijken; het aantal updaters bleef vooral de eerste dagen sterk achter bij wat we van iOS gewend zijn.

Lenovo Legion Y730 vs. Dell G3 Gaming Laptop

Unless you are opting for a truly high-end gaming laptop, you should at least consider the most popular hardware configuration for mid-range solutions. An eighth-generation Intel CPU paired up with a GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip.

It’s not going to play AAA games at 4K, but it will have enough oomph for just about anything if you’re kind on the settings scale. Lenovo and Dell both make some great laptops that use just that hardware, so we pitted the Lenovo Legion Y730 versus the Dell G3 Gaming Laptop to find out which is best.

Design

Riley Young/Digital Trends

Mid-range laptops around this sort of price point can look fantastic, like our favorite laptop of current years, the Dell XPS 13. But it’s rare to get something with that premium feel and have premium hardware under the hood for the same sort of money. That’s something that’s certainly the case with the Dell G3 Gaming Laptop, which at our $850 review unit price point, looks rather dated. It has a dull color scheme and thick bezels, which do play a part in its overall solid, and durable feel, but it’s not a laptop that’s going to turn any heads.

In comparison, the Lenovo Legion does look quite a bit better, but our review unit cost nearly double the price at $1,550. It has an understated look, which you might call drab, but we love the Legion logo on its lid, and its thin bezels and chassis make it feel sleek. At almost a pound lighter than the Dell alternative, it’s a whole lot easier to carry around too.

Although we’d typically suggest a decent gaming mouse when playing on any kind of PC, be it a desktop or laptop, that goes doubly so for the G3, which has a touchpad that feels underwhelming and inaccurate. Its keyboard is a little better, but the fixed-color back-lighting is far from our favorite shade of blue. The Legion, on the other hand, has a passable touchpad and a pretty great keyboard. Its layout is a little odd and took us a couple of days to get used to it, but it looks great thanks to fantastic per-key backlighting that’s fully customizable using Corsair’s iCUE app.

Performance

Riley Young/Digital Trends

Considering their pricing disparity, you might be surprised to learn that the hardware configurations under the hood of these laptops are pretty comparable. The entry-level Dell G3 is priced at $750 and comes with a 15-inch 1080p display, an eighth-generation Intel Core i5-8300H paired up with 8GB of RAM, a GTX 1050 graphics chip, and a terabyte of HDD storage space that’s augmented with an 8GB caching drive. $1,000 gets you a Core i7-8750H CPU, a GTX 1050 Ti, and a 128GB SSD, and there are options for a 17-inch screen model up to $1,150, which has a GTX 1060 Max Q design.

Our review configuration with its i5-8300H and GTX 1050 Ti delivered decent frame rates in most of our gaming tests, managing a solid 60 FPS at 1080P, Ultra settings in Battlefield 1, and over 50 FPS in Civilization VI’s benchmark at 1080P Ultra too. It only really fell down in the famously-taxing, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, but it still managed 34 FPS at 1080P on High settings.

Configuration options for the Legion Y730 are much more restrictive and expensive. The entry-level version costs $1,200, but the only difference between it and our $1,550 review system was the size of the hard drive and the amount of RAM. Our system came with a 256GB SSD and a 2TB mechanical hard drive, with 16GB of RAM. Whichever configuration you opt for though, you get a 15-inch 1080P display, an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, and a GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip.

Despite its heftier processor, the Y730 actually fell behind the Dell laptop in our gaming tests. It managed just 51 FPS in Battlefield 1 at 1080P Ultra settings, and 45 FPS in Civilization VI at the same settings. It fared much the same in Deus Ex. Its visuals were better, though, due to its far superior display. The Dell G3 looking dull and its colors inaccurate, with woeful support of the sRGB and Adobe RGB color gamuts.

The cost difference between the two systems is impossible to ignore too. With comparable hardware and better frame rate results, the Dell G3 is less expensive by as much as a third.

Portability

Riley Young/Digital Trends

As gaming laptops, neither the Dell or Lenovo solutions are super portable, but they’re not going to put your back out either. The G3 Gaming Laptop weighs 5.57 pounds for the 15-inch version and measures 14.96 x 10.16 x 0.89-inches. The Legion Y730 is a little lighter at 4.9 pounds and a little trimmer, measuring 14.25 x 10.52 x 0.79-inches.

While size and shape are close between these two though, battery life is not. The G3 managed nearly six hours in our video loop test and just shy of three hours in our Basemark test. The Legion Y730 on the other hand, didn’t even manage three hours in the video loop test, nor make it past two hours in Basemark.

Even for a gaming laptop, that’s exceedingly poor, and surprising considering the hardware it sports isn’t that intense. It’s not a system you can use away from a power socket for any real length of time.

Better battery for much, much less

Riley Young/Digital Trends

Although these laptops are very similar, there are some significant differences. Where the Lenovo Legion Y730 looks better — albeit rather boring — has more memory and storage, a high-refresh rate display, and is lighter and leaner, none of that is worth the far greater price you pay for it. At almost double the price of the Dell G3 Gaming Laptop, it somehow comes with worse gaming frame rates and battery life that is almost half that of its competition.

The Dell laptop isn’t a fantastic gaming machine. It looks dated, its display is poor, its hardware isn’t class leading — but in this head to head, it offers far more bang for your buck. You can get its best configuration for under $1,00, and its battery lasts for hours longer than the Legion alternative.

At this price point there just aren’t better alternatives. Sub-$1,500 gaming laptops make sacrifices. In this case, the G3 sacrifices less and delivers more for your money.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lenovo Legion Y730 15-inch Review
• Predator Helios 500 vs. Alienware 17 R5
• Dell G3 Gaming Laptop review
• Dell XPS 15 vs. MacBook Pro 15
• The best gaming laptops of 2018

OnePlus 6T will come with a 3700mAh battery, pre-bookings now live in India

OnePlus is going to end 2018 with a bang.

Ever since it was released this past May, the OnePlus 6 has been one of the absolute best values in smartphones we’ve seen in 2018. The phone’s only gotten better thanks to striking new colors and fast software updates, and right around the corner is its incremental successor — the OnePlus 6T.

The 6T likely won’t shake up the OnePlus 6’s formula too much, but even so, it’s already shaping up to be one of the year’s most interesting smartphones.

Without further ado, here’s everything we know about the OnePlus 6T!

The latest OnePlus 6T news

October 9, 2018 — OnePlus 6T will feature a 3700mAh battery, pre-bookings now live on Amazon India

OnePlus has confirmed that the 6T will feature a 3700mAh battery, 10% larger than the one in the OnePlus 6. The increased battery capacity was leaked a few weeks ago, and OnePlus is now confirming the same. The phone will also offer the company’s Dash Charge fast charging tech.

OnePlus has also opened up pre-bookings for the OnePlus 6T on Amazon India. Customers pre-booking the device will get a pair of OnePlus’ Type-C Bullets earphones for free, along with a ₹500 ($6.75) Amazon gift card. The phone itself will be going up for sale in India on November 2.

See at Amazon India

October 8, 2018 — The OnePlus 6T is launching on October 30

The #OnePlus6T is coming. Unlock The Speed on October 30. https://t.co/LuPoTr8ZyF pic.twitter.com/s8OfmZuXdX

— OnePlus (@oneplus) October 8, 2018

OnePlus has confirmed that it will unveil the OnePlus 6T on October 30. The phone will be making its debut at an event in New York, and OnePlus is set to kick off pre-orders on the same day.

The company will also hold a satellite event in India — its largest market — on October 30, and fans will be able to purchase tickets for the same starting 10:00am IST on October 17.

October 7, 2018 — OnePlus teases Monday announcement on Twitter

Check back in 24 hours for an exciting announcement. #OnePlus6T pic.twitter.com/mIeveZ0n6H

— OnePlus (@oneplus) October 7, 2018

The OnePlus 6T is expected to be announced to the world any time now, but we might not have to wait much longer — at least, for an event date. OnePlus tweeted out a tease for fans, telling them to come back in 24 hours for an “exciting announcement”.

While we expect said announcement to be an event date for the official unveiling of the OnePlus 6T, there is also a chance that the official announcement of the device. OnePlus has had a busy week of teases, leaks, and the official confirmation that the 6T will lack both a headphone jack and wireless charging, and OnePlus might be ready to show the world one of the most anticipated phones of the year.

Tomorrow is also the day before the Google Pixel 3 event — and the beginning of Pixel 3 pre-orders — so whatever OnePlus announces tomorrow may very well end up being an appetizer before the October 9 feast of new Google products.

October 2, 2018 — OnePlus 6T confirmed to not have wireless charging, better water-resistance

CNET recently sat down for an exclusive interview with OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, and during it, a few interesting tidbits were revealed.

Perhaps most importantly, the interview confirms that the OnePlus 6T will not support wireless charging. According to Lau:

We’re working hard on this. When we get to the day that the wireless charging can get up to speed of [Dash Charge] without the implication of heat that we expect, then I believe we can integrate the technology.

Lau also commented on the 6T’s water resistance, saying that it’s the most water-resistant phone the company’s made yet. However, in an attempt to save money, you won’t find an official IP rating.

Last but not least, Lau confirmed that one of the main reasons the 3.5mm headphone jack was removed was to make room for the in-display fingerprint sensor. He also said that it was “one of the most difficult decisions for us [OnePlus] to make.”

Read the full interview here

October 1, 2018 — Here are renders of the OnePlus 6T in Midnight Black and Mirror Black

Midnight Black

Need more OnePlus 6T renders in your life? Lucky for you, WinFuture recently got their hands on just that.

A few new images of the phone show its front and back in both Midnight Black and Mirror Black finishes — two colors that are also available for the OnePlus 6.

Mirror Black

Although the 6T’s design has already been confirmed in other leaks, these renderes once again show off the waterdrop style notch, the absence of the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and dual rear cameras.

September 28, 2018 — OnePlus begins teasing the 6T

We already know that the OnePlus 6T is coming, but now thanks to a teaser clip on its official Twitter page, OnePlus is ready to start hyping up the phone ahead of its announcement.

OnePlus 6T. It’s coming. pic.twitter.com/Wrdt9sCdIs

— OnePlus (@oneplus) September 28, 2018

The short clip is just 5 seconds long and features the tagline “Unlock the Future” along with the OnePlus 6T logo.

There’s not much else to see, but with the hype train starting, an official reveal should be coming soon.

September 26, 2018 — OnePlus 6T appears in a bunch of new renders

Earlier this month, we got our first render of the OnePlus 6T showing off the top rear portion of the phone. Now, thanks to @OnLeaks and MySmartPrice, we have full device renders of the 6T that shows what it’ll look like from every angle imaginable.

As expected, the 6T’s body shares a lot of similarities with the Oppo R17. There’s a large 6.4-inch display around front with a tiny waterdrop style notch at the very top. Around back is a dual camera system, glass construction, and no fingerprint sensor. This time around, OnePlus is hiding it underneath the display.

The 6T is said to be a bit thicker and wider than the 6, coming in at 157.5 x 75.7 x 8.2mm compared to 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8mm.

Are you liking what you’re seeing?

September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T teaser video airs in India, shows off dual rear cameras

OnePlus has started airing a OnePlus 6T teaser video in India that shows off the back of the upcoming phone. A render from earlier today revealed that the device will have dual rear cameras — and not three like previously rumored — and the video further reinforces that. The commercial features OnePlus’ India ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, and also references the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Amazon India is also building up interest for the device by opening up a “Notify Me” page for the OnePlus 6T ahead of the rumored October 17 launch.

September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T render confirms dual rear cameras, logo also teased

Thanks to the folks over at WinFuture, we now have our very first render of the upcoming OnePlus 6T. The render admittedly doesn’t reveal a lot of the phone, but even so, it does manage to confirm a couple of key details.

First of all, it would appear that OnePlus will be sticking with two rear cameras on the back. On that same note, the cameras are also in the exact same position as they are on the OnePlus 6.

Along with this, we can also see that there’s no longer a fingerprint sensor below the camera lens. OnePlus already confirmed that the 6T will be its first phone to use an in-display sensor, so we’re now seeing how all of that will come together.

Last but not least, WinFuture also shared the 6T’s official logo. There’s nothing particularly exciting about it, but here it is for your vieiwng pleasure.

September 13, 2018 — The OnePlus 6T will not have a headphone jack

Yep, you read that correctly. As confirmed by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei in an interview with TechRadar, the 6T will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Having a headphone jack on its phones is something OnePlus has adamantly bragged about for the last few years, so why is the company now deciding to remove it? First of all, Pei notes that by removing the headphone jack, more features can be crammed into the 6T.

Some of that space is likely going to the in-display fingerprint sensor that was already confirmed by the company, and along with that, Pei says battery life is being improved, too. We don’t have raw numbers, but it’s said that the improvement will be “substantial enough for users to realize.”

Another reason for the jack’s removal is timing. Per a survey that OnePlus conducted earlier this year, 59% of its users already have some sort of wireless earbuds. Furthermore, Pei expects that number to now be higher following the release of the Bullets Wireless.

OnePlus expects some backlash from its community, and like we’ve seen from Apple, Google, and others, a 3.5mm-to-USB-C dongle will be included in the box so you can continue to use your old wired headphones.

What do you think about the 6T not having a headphone jack?

September 10, 2018 — OnePlus confirms in-display fingerprint sensor for OnePlus 6T

Less than a week since the OnePlus 6T retail box leaked, OnePlus has confirmed to CNET that one of the main features shown there — specifically the in-display fingerprint sensor — will be present on the phone at launch.

In an email sent to the publication, OnePlus said:

We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action. By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.

OnePlus also shared a screenshot of the 6T’s lock screen, and as you can see, an icon near the bottom of the display will show users where to put their finger to unlock the phone. Similar to devices like the Vivo X20 Plus UD and Vivo Nex, the 6T uses an optical scanner under its screen that views your print, matches it with one that’s been set up, and unlocks your phone.

In-display sensors have typically been slower than traditional ones on the front or back of a device, and if that’s the case with the 6T, at least we’ll also have Face Unlock as an unlocking option, too.

September 4, 2018 — Retail box reveals an in-display fingerprint sensor and “waterdrop” notch

Our first big OnePlus 6T leak has finally arrived!

A retail box for the phone recently appeared in a few photos online, and while the phone itself isn’t anywhere to be seen, the packaging actually confirms a couple key details about it.

Thanks to an outline of the 6T inside the box, we can see that it adopts a very similar design compared to the Oppo R17 that was announced in mid-August. As such, we’ve got a phone with very slim bezels, a tiny chin at the bottom, and a waterdrop style notch at the top.

This outline also shows a fingerprint near the bottom center of the display — suggesting that the 6T will be the first OnePlus phone to adopt an in-display fingerprint sensor.

August 17, 2018 — OnePlus 6T to launch on T-Mobile in the U.S. in October

A new report from CNET surfaced today, and if you’ve been waiting for more juicy details on the OnePlus 6T, there’s plenty for you here.

OnePlus phones in the U.S. have always been sold exclusively as unlocked handsets through OnePlus’s website, but with the 6T, OnePlus will be launching the phone on its first carrier partner in the States — T-Mobile. The T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 6T is said to be “optimized for T-Mobile’s network” and will work beautifully with the Un-Carrier’s 600Mhz band.

Pricing for the OnePlus 6T is said to be about $550 (a slight increase from the $529 OnePlus 6) and it’ll launch at some point in October.

August 14, 2018 — The new Oppo R17 is likely the phone the OnePlus 6T will be modeled after

If you’ve been following OnePlus for a while, chances are you know that its parent company is Oppo. OnePlus typically uses Oppo phones as references for its own hardware, and this year, the reference device for the OnePlus 6T will likely be the all-new Oppo R17.

While the 6T won’t be identical to the R17, the phone’s biggest features will likely carry over — including the waterdrop notch at the top of the display and all-glass back.

The R17’s notch is one of the smallest we’ve ever seen, and should this make its way to the 6T, it’ll be a big win for the phone’s design. The display below that measures in at 6.4-inches, and to not much surprise, retains a resolution of 1080 x 2280 Full HD.

Where will I be able to buy the OnePlus 6T?

Like previous OnePlus phones, we’re certain that the OnePlus 6T will be sold unlocked on OnePlus’s website.

However, new this year in the U.S., OnePlus has apparently secured its first carrier partner.

In addition to selling the phone unlocked, OnePlus will also sell the 6T via T-Mobile. The unlocked variant will work just fine on TMO, but by having the phone sold directly through the carrier and available to purchase via monthly financing, this should hopefully get the 6T in more people’s hands than previous OnePlus devices.

When will the phone be released?

According to a report from CNET, the OnePlus 6T will launch this fall — sometime in October, to be exact.

Seeing as how the OnePlus 5T went on sale November 21 and sales for the 3T opened up November 28, we have no reason not to believe OnePlus will shoot for an October launch. It’s not uncommon for OEMs to move up launch dates by a month or so compared to previous releases, and seeing as how the next-gen iPhones will be announced on September 12 and the Pixel 3 will be unveiled on October 9, OnePlus appears to be slotting itself in nicely with those big-name launches.

How much will the 6T cost?

Per that same report, the OnePlus 6T will cost $550.

In typical OnePlus fashion, that’s a minor price hike compared to its past releases. Here’s how the $550 OnePlus 6T will compare to previous OnePlus phones:

• OnePlus 6 — $529
• OnePlus 5T — $499
• OnePlus 5 — $479
• OnePlus 3T — $439
• OnePlus 3 — $399

OnePlus 6 review: The matter is settled

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums