Is it worth buying the Galaxy S8 in June 2018?

Over a year later, the Galaxy S8 is still a solid buy.

The Galaxy S9 is currently Samsung’s latest and greatest flagship around, but unless you’re willing to spend at least $720 for the privilege of owning one, you’re going to want to look elsewhere for your next smartphone purchase.

For some folks in the market for an upgrade, last year’s Galaxy S8 can be an enticing option. It offers about 80-90% of the features found in the Galaxy S9 and costs a great deal less.

One of our forum users asked if they should consider buying the S8 if they can get it for £480 in the UK, and this is what our community had to say.

SpookDroid
06-03-2018 12:38 PM

“

It’s definitely still a good phone, but at that price… I’m not sure. Don’t know if the same offers are around in the UK or not, but in the US you can find a lot of offers for the S9 that peg it for about the same price or less, and definitely cheaper S8s. IF the deal you can find is absolutely the lowest and no upcoming sales are in the horizon (don’t know about UK holidays), then it’s…

Reply

Khronus Titanicus
06-03-2018 07:37 PM

“

I would recommend you to actually get a OnePlus 6, it is better optimized than the S9 (more powerful) Has an excellent camera, a great screen, is splash proof, and has a bunch of other things that makes it a better phone than the S9 plus for the price….

Reply

Wbutchart1
06-04-2018 04:51 AM

“

The s8 still runs great. It’s got two more years of support. Mines still runs super fast after 13 months, no lag or issues. I would say if you can get it on a bargain it’s well worth it. Design still amazing.

Reply

TerryFalcon
06-04-2018 05:45 AM

“

Yeah Definitely S8 is such a great phone to buy. Camera Quality and software experience, Speed, Gaming performance everything thing is damn awesome I think S8 is still worth to buy

Reply

What do you think? Is the Galaxy S8 still worth buying?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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This is what the BlackBerry KEY2 looks like [Update]

June 7 can’t get here soon enough.

Updated June 5, 2018: Shortly after Evan Blass shared the original renders, he came back to showcase the KEY2 in an all-black paint job. Check it out below 👇

…in black. pic.twitter.com/iC6fhDA44y

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 5, 2018

This Thursday, June 7, BlackBerry will be hosting an event in New York City to unveil the KEY2 — the successor to last year’s excellent BlackBerry KEYone. Just a few short days before that event, Evan Blass has taken to Twitter to share a few press renders of the upcoming phone.

Similar to what we’ve seen from previous renders and hands-on photos, they KEY2 shares a very similar form factor compared to the KEYone.

The front is home to a large touchscreen display and below that is a full-fledged physical keyboard. In between those are capacitive navigation buttons for making your way around Android, and the fingerprint sensor appears to reside in the spacebar once again.

Around back is a textured finish with the BlackBerry logo and dual cameras, with the bottom frame being home to a USB-C port and two speaker grills. Along with that, the right side of the frame looks like it’ll be home to an extra button along with the volume rocker and power/wake button.

We still don’t know what kind of specs the KEY2 will come equipped with or how much it’ll cost, but those fine details will soon be set in stone later this week.

How are you liking what we’ve seen so far of the BlackBerry KEY2?

Why I’m still using a BlackBerry KEYone in Spring 2018

BlackBerry KEYone

• BlackBerry KEYone review
• KEYone vs. Priv: Battle of the BlackBerry keyboards
• BlackBerry KEYone specs
• The latest KEYone news
• Join the discussion in the forums

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OnePlus 6: Do you really need 8GB of RAM in a phone?

Nope. But it opens a lot of possibilities.

You can buy a OnePlus 6 that has 8GB of RAM on board. That’s 4GB more than most other high-end Android phones (and Chromebooks and cheap Windows Laptops) have and about 6GB more than the absolute bare minimum you can get away with. We’ll answer the question right here in the first paragraph: no, you do not need 8GB of RAM in a phone.

But it does mean some really cool stuff could happen.

Read our OnePlus 6 review

What your phone does with RAM

We all know that more RAM means more apps can be kept running at the same time (sort of at the same time, anyways) but that’s just one thing your phone does with the RAM inside of it. In fact, a portion of that RAM gets used before Android even starts running.

Without getting too nerdy and injecting ideas like compcache into the mix, your phone uses RAM like this:

• The kernel-space: Your Android phone runs on top of the Linux kernel. The kernel is stored in a special type of compressed file that’s extracted directly into RAM during the device power-on sequence. This reserved memory holds the kernel, drivers and kernel modules that control the hardware and room to cache data in and out of the kernel.
• A RAMdisk for virtual files: There are some folders and files in the system tree that aren’t “real.” They are pseudofiles written at boot and hold things like battery levels and CPU speed data. With Android, the whole /proc directory is one of these psuedofile systems. RAM is reserved so they have a place to live.
• Network radios: Data about your IMEI and radio settings are stored in NVRAM (Non-Volatile memory that’s not erased when you power off your phone), but get transferred to RAM along with the software needed to support the modem when you first turn on your phone. Space is reserved to keep this all in memory.
• The GPU: The graphics adapter in your phone needs memory to operate. That’s called VRAM, and our phones use integrated GPUs that have no stand-alone VRAM. System RAM is reserved for this.
• Available RAM: This is what’s left over, minus any extra reserved for file-system cache and minfree settings. This is what the apps you run can use.

Having 8GB of RAM means any or all of these different ways RAM is used can use a lot more of it if it needs to. Or if a person writing the operating system wants to try something new and different.

What can you do with extra RAM?

I’ll start by saying it’s not entirely clear what exactly OnePlus is doing with the extra RAM or what plans it has for the future. On the face of it you have to expect it won’t do too much more on a system level considering the base OnePlus 6 model still comes with 6GB of RAM and uses the same software.

But there is one thing that OnePlus (or any custom ROM developers) can do that would be a great way to use an extra 2GB of RAM: store the entire system home launcher in it.

8GB of RAM means more could be set aside for the user interface or a game mode.

Think back to the HTC M7 if you’ve been around Android that long. It was the first phone that used Android and was super-responsive when you were zipping around the OS. It was because a good portion of the system RAM was “reserved” for HTC Sense and wouldn’t be freed when another app asked for more memory. In the M7’s case, that meant it couldn’t hold as many apps open as other phones. Most companies making Android phones do something similar now and set things up so that parts of the launcher are never removed from RAM, and Android feels much better to use because of it. With 4GB of RAM, getting a balance that offers good performance without upsetting users who want to keep apps open in the background can be tough.

With 8GB of RAM, the whole user interface can not only be kept in RAM, but done with a real reserved block outside of the system memory parameters.

Writing a device driver that enables DMA (Direct Memory Access) for the user interface means RAM can be set aside for use by only the user interface. The operating system still controls the i/o, but no other application can overwrite any part of it so everything needed for “instant” scrolling and swiping is held in RAM where it’s fast and ready at all times.

OnePlus may not have anything planned for the extra RAM, but I’m sure developers at XDA will.

This is a little different than the memmap kernel parameter that reserves space outside the operating system for the radios and VRAM, but it lets the OS manage the RAM so data can move in and out and a buffer can be written when you shut the phone down to prevent data loss. It’s a more robust solution than using the standard Linux LMK (Low Memory Killer) system to keep important processes running. The end result is a user interface that’s fluid and responsive all the time, without affecting the way other apps run or stay alive in the background.

And that’s just one example I thought of without digging too deep into it all. Perhaps imagine a tweaked minfree settings so we can leave every app we love open in the background all of the time.

Don’t forget the cool factor

The OnePlus 6 can have 8GB of RAM to do crazy stuff with the OS for better performance, but it likely has it simply because it can.

RAM isn’t expensive. At least not component RAM used on a phone mainboard. Spending a few dollars more per unit (which can be a lot if you sell millions of units) to give the OnePlus 6 something the Galaxy S9 or iPhone doesn’t have is a real selling point in parts of Asia and for a lot of enthusiasts. Plenty of people are obsessed about the specs of a phone because they understand how they could be used, or simply because more is always better. Double the RAM of other flagship phones makes the OnePlus 6 more futureproof.

I’m sure someone at OnePlus did the math and figured that through a combination of all these factors, it was beneficial to sell an 8GB RAM model.

We’ll end this the same way we started: by saying no, you don’t need 8GB of RAM in a phone. But it doesn’t hurt anything, and the creative freedom it gives to Android developers, both at OnePlus and third-party devs, could very mean some cool things will be coming.

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

The ‘bezel-less’ Lenovo Z5 has been announced — with a notch and chin

At least it’s cheap, right?

Last week, Lenovo sent out a press invite for an event in Bejing where it would be announcing its latest Android phone — the Z5. The Z5 was being promoted as a truly all-screen phone, with teaser images from Lenovo showing a gadget with a front that was all display with no bezels in sight.

Lenovo just announced the Z5, and sure enough, the phone has both a notch at the top of its screen and a chin at the bottom.

The Z5 that we have is quite a bit different from what Lenovo was hyping up, with the final product looking like every other Android phone from 2018 instead of a magical glimpse into the future of mobile tech.

What Lenovo was teasing (left) vs. what we actually got (right).

Even with that being said, the Z5 does have some redeeming qualities. For what it’s worth, the notch is narrower than the one found in the iPhone X and the 6.2-inch 19:9 display boasts a screen-to-body ratio of 90%.

Under the hood, the Lenovo Z5 is packing an unnamed Qualcomm processor, 3,300 mAh battery, 6GB RAM, and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. Around back, you’ll find dual 16MP cameras.

You’ll be able to purchase the Z5 in China starting June 12, with the 64GB model costing around $200 and the 128GB version going for about $280.

Vivo’s Apex concept phone has tiny bezels, pop-up camera and in-display fingerprint sensor

HTC U12+ vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Which should you buy?

Wide-angle photography versus pressure-sensitive actions.

There are all kinds of great flagship phones to choose from these days, and while the average consumer might only see Samsung and Apple in stores, those aren’t your only options. HTC and LG have been making sleek and shiny phones for years, and their latest phones are no exceptions.

With the G7 ThinQ now available for purchase and the U12+ following soon, which phone is best for you?

Specifications

The U12+ and G7 ThinQ are pretty evenly matched when it comes to their internals; both feature a Snapdragon 845 processor, up to 6GB of RAM, and great hardware features like microSD expansion and IP68 ingress. But from physical dimensions to camera specs and battery capacity, they’re not completely identical.

Operating System	Android 8.0 Oreo	Android 8.0 Oreo
Display	6-inch 18:9 Super LCD 6 2880 x 1440, 537PPI	6.1-inch 19.5:9 IPS LCD 3120 x 1440, 564PPI
Chipset	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, four 2.8GHz Kyro 385 Gold cores, four 1.7GHz Kyro 385 Silver cores	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, four 2.8GHz Kyro 385 Gold cores, four 1.7GHz Kyro 385 Silver cores
GPU	Adreno 630	Adreno 630
RAM	6GB	4GB/6GB
Storage	64GB/128GB	64GB/128GB
Expandable	Yes (microSD slot)	Yes (microSD slot)
Battery	3500mAh	3000mAh
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Rear Camera	12MP f/1.8 + 16MP f/2.6, PDAF + laser autofocus, 4K at 60fps	16MP f/1.6 + 16MP f/1.9, PDAF + laser autofocus, 4K at 30fps
Front Camera	8MP f/2.0 (x2), 1080p video	8MP f/1.9, 1080p video
Connectivity	WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, USB-C	WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, USB-C
Security	Fingerprint sensor (back), face unlock	Fingerprint sensor (back)
SIM	Nano SIM	Nano SIM
Dimensions	156.6x 73.9 x 8.7mm	153.2 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
Weight	188g	162g

What the HTC U12+ does better

HTC may not be doing as well as LG in terms of sales, but the U12+ is no slouch. Built with HTC’s Liquid Surface design, the U12+ is rounded and comfortable to hold. The finishes are absolutely gorgeous, from the ceramic black and flame red to the flashier translucent blue, and it brings on HTC’s most modern look yet. The fingerprint sensor sits easy to access around back beneath the dual cameras, and the 6-inch 18:9 display helps fill most of the face of the phone.

That’s all pretty standard fare for a 2018 flagship, though. The most unique hardware feature of the U12+ is its Digital Buttons, which actually aren’t buttons at all. With a bit of pressure, the protrusions vibrate back at you without actually clicking. There’s also HTC’s Edge Sense 2, which detects when you squeeze or tap the sides of the phone to activate shortcuts. You can configure them to do whatever you want, from launching certain apps to toggling the flashlight or pulling down the notification shade. Edge Sense 2 also detects when you’re holding the U12+ in portrait mode and prevents the screen from rotating or timing out in your hand.

When it comes to software, HTC has taken a conservative approach to its Sense interface in recent years, with minimal bloatware or customizations. The U12+’s software interface is close to stock Android, though HTC adds optimizations for features like BoomSound, where you can switch between music and theater modes depending on what kind of content you’re viewing.

As far as cameras go, the U12+ features a wide-angle primary camera (though not quite as wide as the G7’s) and a secondary 2x zoom lens. Both cameras feature both OIS and EIS, which aids in shooting smooth 4K video — you can do that at up to 60fps. You can also shoot in slow motion, up to 240fps in 1080p. We haven’t finished our review of the U12+ just yet, and we’re still testing the quality of the cameras (so far, so good), but it received a DxOMark score of 103. Not too bad.

See at Amazon

What the LG G7 ThinQ does better

You may not love the G7 ThinQ’s name, but it’s a pretty killer phone. Just like the U12+, the G7 features a rounded back, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and dual cameras, but instead of pressure-sensitive sides, the G7 has an additional hardware button. Resting a bit below the volume buttons, the extra button is a quick shortcut to the Google Assistant — no Bixby anywhere to be found. The display is also a bit bigger, with a 6.1-inch display, but you’ll have to live with a notch at the top. Sorry.

The G7 may not have HTC’s BoomSound stereo speakers, but LG made use of the phone’s metal enclosure to form a resonance chamber and amplify the single speaker. LG calls it Boombox, and it’s loud enough to fill a room when placed on a flat surface like a table. Speaking of audio, the G7 still features a 3.5mm headphone jack, unlike the U12+, and even better, it features LG’s Quad DAC from the V30. This means the G7 can deliver better wired audio than just about any other phone on the market, no USB-C hassle required.

The G7 ThinQ also has a great pair of cameras around back. The standard 16MP sensor takes great photos with a wide ƒ/1.6 aperture and OIS, and the ultra wide-angle secondary lens, while not stabilized, allows for more creative shots than most phones, capturing more of the room in your photos with having to back up. The camera software is also easy to use with excellent manual controls, and the phone’s subtle haptics click away at you while you’re adjusting your settings.

LG’s biggest advantage over HTC this year? Availability. Unlike the U12+, which can only be ordered directly through HTC or Amazon, the G7 ThinQ is available through most U.S. carriers, with the exception of AT&T. It’s also a bit cheaper at $750, versus the U12+’s heftier $800 price tag. With wider availability and a lower price, the G7 is much more likely to reach consumers’ hands and pockets.

See at LG

Which is right for you?

Both phones are great choices, and you really can’t go wrong with either option, but one may be better than the other depending on your priorities. If you prefer wired audio to loudspeakers, or wide angle photography over zoomed shots, the G7 may be right for you. On the other hand, HTC is putting a lot of focus on its Edge Sense technology, and if that rings a bell with you — or if you just can’t live with a notched display — maybe you should aim for the U12+.

Which phone would you pick? And do you plan on actually buying one? Let us know in the comments below!

YouTube: Everything you need to know

From user-uploaded videos to movies and music, YouTube’s got you covered.

In February 2005, a small company by the name of YouTube was founded. YouTube was trying something new by giving people a free, easy-to-use platform for uploading videos, and a little over a year later, it was purchased by Google.

While YouTube continues to be the largest and most popular user-uploaded video site around, it’s since expanded into the markets of music streaming, live television programming, and even creating original content similar to Netflix and Hulu.

It can be difficult to keep track of everything the YouTube brand is attached to these days, so to help keep you in the loop, here’s everything you need to know.

YouTube

No matter what new ventures YouTube decides to tackle, the company’s bread and butter will always be its main YouTube service for user-created content.

Anyone can upload videos to YouTube, and with enough hard work and dedication, make money on them, too. You can subscribe to channels/users you’re particularly fond of, search for specific videos, and catch up with the most popular videos that are currently trending.

You can access YouTube just about anywhere, be it your Android phone, computer, or even a TV.

YouTube has always been free to use, and while there are paid versions we’ll dive into in just a minute, the main service itself can be accessed without spending a dime (as long as you’re okay with advertisements before your videos).

How to use YouTube for Android

YouTube Music

In an effort to compete with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify, Google’s using its YouTube brand to take them head-on with YouTube Music.

YouTube Music follows in the footsteps of its competitors with a price tag of $9.99/month, and for that price, you get access to unlimited on-demand streaming, curated playlists, offline downloads, ad-free music videos, and plenty more.

The end goal is to have YouTube Music eventually replace Google Play Music, and to ensure that transition process is as seamless as can be, Google’s confirmed that all of Play Music’s best features will eventually come over to YouTube Music — including a digital locker for storing all of your locally owned songs!

YouTube Music is still in early access and gradually rolling out to users, but even in this inaugural stage, is showing a lot of promise.

In addition to completely revamped mobile apps for Android and iOS, you can also access YouTube Music via a brand-new desktop site.

YouTube Music: Everything you need to know!

YouTube Premium / Red

If you’re already paying $9.99/month for YouTube Music, you might as well throw in another two dollars and get YouTube Premium, also known as YouTube Red.

YouTube Premium is a subscription service that costs $11.99/month, and in addition to full access to YouTube Music, you also get ad-free videos on YouTube, background playback, and the ability to watch YouTube Originals.

This basically gives you the experience previously found with YouTube Red, and even though it now costs a couple bucks more each month, is still a tremendous value.

What is YouTube Premium? Everything you need to know!

YouTube TV

Last but not least, the YouTube brand is also used to offer an Internet-based live television service via YouTube TV.

YouTube TV costs $40/month, giving you access to more than 60 channels with local sports/news, cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to three screens at a time.

You can watch YouTube TV from your Android or iOS device, computer, or right on your TV through a number of smart TV apps (such as Roku, Android TV, Xbox One, and more).

YouTube TV costs a bit more than competing services such as Sling TV and Philo, but for folks invested in the Google ecosystem that want to supplement their live television shows with YouTube programming, too, YouTube TV is still worth checking out.

YouTube TV: Everything you need to know

How do you use YouTube?

Which YouTube do you use most?

OnePlus 6: Everything you need to know

Unlock the secrets.

The OnePlus 6 is now available, and it’s a compelling option for someone looking for an unlocked phone at a reasonable price — starting at $529 to be specific. But price aside, it’s a great choice for anyone, even those considering more expensive options, thanks to a combination of hardware and software, and a community that continues to support the company and one another.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6!

The latest OnePlus 6 news

June 4, 2018 — Silk White OnePlus 6 and Bullets Wireless earphones launching June 5 @ 10:00 AM ET

About two weeks following the OnePlus 6’s launch, the limited edition Silk White version of the phone and OnePlus’s Bullets Wireless earphones are officially going on sale.

The Silk White OnePlus 6 is “the company’s boldest design to date” featuring six layers of white glass that have been mixed with pearl powder and gold accents for the frame, fingerprint sensor, and more. It’s a downright stunning look and will cost $579 USD with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage “while supplies last.”

Along with the Silk White OnePlus 6, the excellent Bullets Wireless earphones are launching, too. Andrew recently gave these a glowing review, praising them for their surprisingly great sound quality, USB-C charging, comfortable design, and competitive $69 price tag.

Both the Silk White OnePlus 6 and Bullets Wireless will be available on June 5 at 10:00 AM ET.

May 31, 2018 — Battery percentage coming to the status bar, fix for rear camera autofocus issue, and more

As part of a Q&A session OnePlus held of its forums, the company answered a lot of burning questions on users’ minds. You can read through the full rundown here, but the highlights include:

• The three dots in the status bar will be removed in the next update.
• A battery percentage is coming to the status bar in the next update.
• Scheduled Do Not Disturb will be added in the next update.
• The next update will fix low volume for calls and notifications.
• Future updates will correct issues with the rear camera’s autofocus.
• Your network will properly work when using an IDEA as a non-data card in the next update.
• A fix in the next update will resolve an issue that causes sound to stop working when switching to the speaker from the earpiece.

Read our review and watch the video

First thing’s first, watch the video and read the review. There’s plenty about the phone to learn, even though much of it is familiar. But the essential question a review tries to answer is, Should you buy this thing? And the response is an unrestrained, Yes.

The OnePlus 6 is the company’s finest phone ever, with excellent design, build quality, battery life and, for the first time, cameras.

Read the review

Review the specs

Once you’re done reading the review, you should, ahem, review the specifications. The phone is powerful — like one of the most powerful on the market today — with plenty of headroom and legroom (it’s proverbially spacious is what I’m trying to say) for whatever you want to throw at it. Apps-wise, not like object-wise.

OnePlus 6 specifications

How does it compare to other phones?

Of course, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t exist in a bubble — you have to compare it to other devices if you’re going to decide whether you should buy it. Thankfully, we’ve done most of the work for you, comparing it to the best flagships on the market right now.

• OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: Which should you buy?
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

What about to other OnePlus phones?

Yeah, OnePlus owners like to keep it in the family, so to speak, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see many upgrading, or thinking of upgrading, from an existing OnePlus device, like a 3, 3T, 5, or 5T. Of course, with the company releasing two phones a year these days, it won’t be long until the next upgrade cycle hits, but that also means that the existing phones age quite well, thanks to frequent software updates (the joys of not going through carriers).

If you have a OnePlus 5 or 5T, you can probably hold onto those phones for a bit longer — unless you need the camera improvements. OnePlus’s 2016 phones, on the other hand, may be getting a bit long in the tooth and could use a replacement.

• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?

Is the OnePlus 6 camera that much better than before?

This photo was taken in nearly pitch-dark conditions. OnePlus ramps up the light sensitivity to ISO6400, which would normally produce a lot of grain, but this photo is totally usable thanks to better software processing.

Yes! The OnePlus 6 has a larger 16MP sensor than previous OnePlus devices, with pixels that are 19% bigger, so low-light photography is immensely improved. It’s not going to overtake the Huawei P20 Pro or Pixel 2 for Low Light Champion Of The World, but it’s reliable in all conditions, and that’s more important than anything else.

The camera is probably the biggest improvement over previous OnePlus models.

The phone’s main sensor is aided by a fast ƒ/1.7 aperture, so true depth of field is a thing, along with drastically improved image signal processing from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. Together, the phone is able to detect the correct settings more quickly, take multiple shots if necessary, enable HDR mode automatically, and reduce or eliminate grain in dark conditions.

There’s also Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which was in the OnePlus 3 line but removed in last year’s series for unknown reasons. It’s back now, and paired with a larger sensor and faster main lens, the results speak for themselves.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 6’s secondary camera has less to do — it’s a 20MP sensor with an ƒ/1.7 lens, but its main purpose is to facilitate portrait mode which, while good, isn’t enough reason to have a second sensor in the first place.

Is the notch distracting?

The notch is what it is. You may hate it out of an aversion to all things Apple, or you may learn to live with it and forget it’s there. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle — it’s a character trait, like a freckle or a certain hairstyle.

What it does, though, is open up spme additional real estate on the 6.28-inch screen, which is great. But it also limits the number of icons that can be seen in the notification area, which is a bummer. Plus, the clock on the left side of the notification bar will never make sense. If you watch the video below, though, you can see ways to tweak the notification area to your liking. And you can also disable the notch altogether if you want to.

How’s the software?

It’s good! Running Android 8.1 Oreo, OxygenOS has turned into one of the most enjoyable, reliable versions of Android to date. OnePlus has also added a number of additions to make the whole thing run more smoothly, especially if you’re looking to maximize your screen real estate.

One of the more interesting changes to the software is a set of gestures that eliminates the bottom navigation keys, relying on swipes up from different areas of the bottom edge to go back, home, and enter multitasking. It’s different, but not bad. You’ll have to try it yourself.

As for tips and tricks, we’ve already got that list going, so if you’re looking to make the most of your OxygenOS experience, we have you covered.

• How to enable navigation gestures on the OnePlus 6
• How to disable the notch on the OnePlus 6

What’s it cost?

The OnePlus 6 starts at $529 USD for the base model and goes up to $629 for additional RAM and storage. There are three configurations and three colors, though one of the colors, Silk White, is only going to be available in early June and will be manufactured in limited capacities.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down in various regions.

6/64	$529	€519	£469	$699
8/128	$579	€569	£519	$769
8/256	$629	€619	£569	$839

See at OnePlus

Tell me more about the colors

There are three colors: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, and Silk White.

• Mirror Black is going to be the most common, since it’s the only color offered in the cheapest tier. It’s shiny, reflective glass, so it gets fingerprint-y, but that’s OK because you’ll likely put the phone in a case (see below). It’s also a little slippery, which is to be expected. Mirror Black is offered in 6GB / 64GB configurations for $529.

• Midnight Black is the color we’ve come to expect from OnePlus over the years, though the matte-looking finish belies a glass back, too, like the Mirror Black. Midnight Black is only available in 8GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB configurations for $579 and $629, respectively.

• Silk White is the most limited of the three colors, and will be available June 5. It’s also covered in glass, but like the Midnight Black model it has a matte finish and is easier to grip. Its white back has rose gold accents, and it’s definitely the nicest and most unique of the three colors. It will only be available in the 8GB / 128GB configuration, for $579, and once the run is sold out, OnePlus is not making any more.

I heard there’s an Avengers version — TELL ME EVERYTHING

Yes, you heard right: OnePlus has once again worked with Disney on licensing a special version of the OnePlus 6 for the Chinese and Indian markets. Last year, OnePlus offered an understated Start Wars variant of the OnePlus 5T, and now the Avengers version takes advantage of the hype behind the recent film release.

The Avengers version comes in a unique box and includes an Iron Man case and a OnePlus/Avengers co-branded medallion, which is neat. And while there’s a familiar glass back on the Avengers Edition, it has a Kevlar-style design underneath. Because Kevlar=superheroes, or something.

While the special edition isn’t coming to the U.S. officially, I’m sure that some entrepreneurial Indian and Chinese resellers will do the dirty business of importing some of them at a huge premium to this side of the world.

This is the OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Edition

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

The OnePlus 6 technically supports the CDMA bands for Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., but the phone lacks certification for their networks, so those users — just under half the smartphone-wielding U.S. population, is out of luck.

We’ve got your full technical explainer below.

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

Do you like cases?

As it does with all of its phones, OnePlus has unveiled a series of first-party cases for the OnePlus 6, and they’re all pretty great.

This year, there’s a fancy new protective bumper made of woven nylon, and while it adds a bit more bulk than the typical snap-on, I think it looks and feels awesome.

These are the official OnePlus 6 cases you can buy at launch

What are your thoughts on the OnePlus 6?

Let us know in the comments!

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

Which color OnePlus 6 should you buy?

Make sure you make the right OnePlus 6 decision.

“Most people put their phones in a case, so why does it matter what color you buy?” I hear a variation of that sentence very time I talk about phone colors and materials.

But if that were the case, companies would release phones in one color — “Model T” black — and call it a day. Instead, we’ve seen color trends come and go, and increasingly a variety of hues, materials, and shimmer to suit anyone’s tastes. And while many people do cover their phones with gaudy cases, there are an increasing number that choose to go naked, or use a clear case, to see the phone as it was intended.

The OnePlus 6 comes in three colors, and each feels as distinct as it looks. Choosing which one to buy won’t be easy, but hopefully, we can help.

Mirror Black

Mirror Black is the obvious choice for the OnePlus 6 because it’s the default choice — if you want the cheapest variant of the phone, you have to choose Mirror Black.

Given that the OnePlus 6 is covered in glass, the Mirror Black variant looks the most traditionally reflective, with OnePlus “coating it with a mirror sheen, giving it the look and feel of ceramic.” While the coating means it picks up fingerprints quite easily, it’s also surprisingly grippy, allowing you to safely use the phone without a case. You’ll be wiping it down every few minutes, but when fresh and clean the phone looks incredible, and picks up on the strongest light source in the room.

Who should buy the Mirror Black OnePlus 6?

If you’re looking to get a OnePlus 6 that looks as far from a previous OnePlus device as possible, Mirror Black is where it’s at. Or, conversely, if you loved the short-lived OnePlus X (OnePlux), this is your only real option.

At the same time, given that the Mirror Black model is the only one offered at the $529 starting price, for 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, it should be considered the frugal pick.

Midnight Black

Midnight Black is the more traditional-looking variant of the OnePlus 6, harkening back to the halcyon days of the OnePlus 3T, where the “matte black everything” was all the rage. While this particular variant is covered in glass, it looks very much like metal, and offers a cleaner, more sophisticated look to the OnePlus 6.

It’s also available in both 128GB and 256GB variants, both of which have 8GB of RAM.

Who should buy the Midnight Black OnePlus 6?

If you long for the days when the OnePlus line was made of metal, the Midnight Black OnePlus 6 is the closest thing you’ll get. At the same time, it actually looks better than the metal versions because despite the matte underlay, the glass catches the light and looks really nice in almost any lighting condition.

That said, it’s not as striking as the Mirror Black model, so it’s easily covered in a case without regret.

Silk White

Only available in one storage combination — 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage — the limited-edition Silk White OnePlus 6 features a glass back, but underneath is a crushed pearl design that looks slightly pocked in the light. With rose gold accents, the Silk White OnePlus 6 is striking and unique, and will definitely be more coveted given its limited-edition nature.

Who should buy the Silk White OnePlus 6?

If you’re looking for the only OnePlus 6 color that actually has any color, Silk White is the obvious choice. If you enjoy rose gold, or just want a phone that looks a bit different, it’s the way to go.

At the same time, it’s possible, given the Silk White’s limited manufacturing run, that it may become something of a collector’s item, so you better get on it fast if you want one.

See at OnePlus

What’s your color?

Have you chosen a OnePlus 6 color? Are you lusting after the Silk White version? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated June 5, 2018: This article was updated to reflect the Silk White OnePlus 6 going on sale.

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

Add Ring’s 1080p Video Doorbell 2 to your home for only $169

Knock, knock. Who’s there?!

It’s no surprise that we are fans of Ring’s video doorbells around here, and that’s because they are kind of hard to beat for the money. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is probably the best value of all the doorbells, and at this newly-discounted price, it’s an even better one. It normally sells for $200, and rarely drops from that price.

It has a rechargeable battery so you can install it anywhere and it has the ability to be hardwired so you don’t need the battery, and it captures 1080p video. If you’re looking for the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Amazon has it down to just $211.65 for a limited time. The money you save on either of these can be used towards your first year of cloud storage so you can always access your videos.

See at Amazon

OnePlus Bullets Wireless review: Great affordable Bluetooth headphones for everyone

Leave it to OnePlus to make simply great Bluetooth earbuds you can use with any phone.

We’re well past the point of no return when it comes to removing headphone jacks from smartphones. High-end phones, in particular, have dropped the headphone jack as quickly as companies could get enough consumer research to show that it wouldn’t materially affect buying decisions. This has boosted an already-strong market for Bluetooth headphones of all shapes and sizes, as USB-C audio just hasn’t taken off and people would rather go wireless than deal with a bunch of dongles.

Most of the big smartphone makers also have a line of audio products, and you can buy Bluetooth headphones from dozens of known — and hundreds of unknown — companies. They run the gambit from cheap $20 pairs up to $300 and beyond for over-ear noise-cancelling cans. But leave it to OnePlus, which continues to include a headphone jack on its phones, to make a pair of sensible mid-range headphones — the Bullets Wireless, which go for just $69.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless

Price: $69

Bottom line: For just $69, which is only a little more than you’ll spend on a solid pair of wired earbuds, the Bullets Wireless are a great pair of Bluetooth headphones that work well with any phone and provide great value without trying to woo you with advanced features and tricks.

The Good

• Above-average sound quality
• Clever connect/disconnect with magnets
• Light and comfortable for neckbuds
• Simple USB-C charging
• Great price and value

The Bad

• Not particularly flashy or good looking
• Ear tips and hooks are basic
• Splash-resistant, not fully waterproof
• No Google Fast Pair pairing

See at OnePlus

Bluetooth earbuds for all

OnePlus Bullets Wireless What I like

If you’ve had a OnePlus phone or any of its accessories like chargers or wired headphones, you know what you’re getting into when it comes to the Bullets Wireless. These are simple and well-made from end to end, with quality higher than the price would suggest — from a hardware perspective, I wouldn’t balk if OnePlus had set the price at $89.

Dead-simple design focuses on comfort and ease of use.

OnePlus went with a modified neckbud design in that the Bullets Wireless don’t have a hard or fixed neck ring. It’s easily flexible, meaning it can expand and contract to fit around a large or small neck, or even around the collar of your jacket. It’s also very light, and the soft touch rubberized coating doesn’t get hung up on clothing or hair. The earbud cords don’t retract like some neckbud models from LG, but they’re long enough that your ears are never supporting the weight of the neck portion of the headphones — at the same time, they aren’t long enough to swing around and be annoying. As a result, the Bullets Wireless are very comfortable to wear.

The earbuds themselves are rather basic — they have a standard design to go in your ear, and they’re left/right ergonomic with a curve to better fit. There’s also a rubberized loop portion designed to help keep the earbud positioned in your ear and not yank out, but this is entirely removable if you don’t feel like you need the extra in-ear security. You get three sets of tips and loops, and once you go through the familiar guess-and-check method of finding the right combination, they feel fine. The fact that the earbuds are super small and light means there aren’t any bad pressure points, at least in my ears, but the earbud tips aren’t anything special — just generic rubberized material, and the only part of the experience that feels a bit on the cheap side.

OnePlus talks about some sort of “Energy Tube” for better sound, and I can’t really speak to the physics of all that. But I can say the earbuds sound really good. I didn’t experience any distortion problems with high volume or lots of bass. It’s clear to me that the 9.2 mm drivers are more capable than the quality of music you’re going to be sending them over a Bluetooth connection, though the aptX audio tries to give you as much wireless quality as possible. Oh, and that connection was always solid — I didn’t experience any unexpected cutouts or dropped connections.

Bullets Wireless sound great, have good battery life and thankfully just charge over USB-C.

There’s a regular in-line remote on the left earbud wire with dedicated volume up/down buttons and a play/pause button. You can do a press-and-hold on the center button to invoke Google Assistant (just like any other headphones), or do a quick double-press to skip tracks. After using touch-controlled earbuds recently, it’s so refreshing to be able to just reach up and press a button, without a second thought, to change the volume or pause.

And if you don’t want to even do that much, you can simply pull the earbuds out and snap them together. Soon as they get close, magnets in the back of the earbuds pull them together — that pauses your music and disconnects the earbuds. Separate them again, and they’ll re-connect to the last device you were using. There’s a power/pairing button along the left side of the neck, but it’s almost never necessary since the earbuds are always on and ready to go when you disconnect their magnets.

OnePlus quotes 8 hours of battery life for audio or 10.5 hours for calls, which matches my observations. That’s probably fine for most people in real-world use but will seem low if you’re used to larger neckbuds or over-ear headphones that offer 15 to 25 hours of listening. Unless you’re a heavy user you’ll probably be recharging these things every couple days, and it’s a painless experience because they use USB-C — you get a short cable in the box, but you can use any one you can get your hands on. And with just a 10 minute charge, the tiny batteries inside give you up to 5 hours of battery life again — easily assuaging your battery anxiety.

Not much wrong

OnePlus Bullets Wireless What’s not good

As a slight counterpoint to all of that simple design discussion, one could argue that people often use headphones as a fashion statement or an extension of their personal style, and the Bullets Wireless do basically nothing in this respect. They’re simple and all black save for a small red ring around the earbud. You could mistake these for any other generic pair of Bluetooth headphones you bought on Amazon for $25 from a random company you’ve never heard of. OnePlus interestingly didn’t even put its logo on the typical spot of the earbud endcaps, only putting a light grey printed logo on the left side of the neckbud and an embossed logo on the carrying case.

The design isn’t particularly unique or eye-catching, and that case sure is dopey looking.

The included silicone carrying case definitely stands out, being bright red and all, but the case is otherwise a little funky to me. It’s a good way to wrap up the earbuds and the included charging cable when you won’t be using them for a while and want to keep them safe in a bag, but it’s too big to be a daily-carry case and provides no other function. There’s no separate pouch for replacement earbud tips or loops, and the case lid simply closes with one magnet rather than some sort of seal or zipper — so it doesn’t keep dust or water out.

I shouldn’t be entirely surprised considering this is OnePlus we’re talking about here, but I’m slightly upset that the Bullets Wireless aren’t properly waterproof. Like the OnePlus 6 they’re merely splash-resistant, which means you’ll have no issues sweating all over them but you shouldn’t ever submerge them in water. While you somewhat understand not having an IP67 rating on a phone that has lots of components, it seems like a relatively trivial manner to get a real waterproof rating on something as simple as a pair of headphones. Not because I want to swim with my Bullets Wireless, but because I never want to have to worry about getting them too wet.

Lacking Google’s ‘Fast Pair’ system is an odd omission.

OnePlus touts the ability of the Bullets Wireless to auto-pair with modern OnePlus phones, which is neat, but that functionality unfortunately doesn’t extend to any other phone. It would’ve been great if OnePlus simply went with Google’s “Fast Pair” pairing system that’s compatible with almost all modern Android phones, and accomplishes the same goal. Aside from this restriction there’s nothing else proprietary about the Bullets Wireless, and they’re a great to use with any phone — why not keep the whole thing open? A small negative mark on what’s otherwise a great no-nonsense experience.

Great value, great headphones

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Review

For me, reviewing the Bullets Wireless is an interesting juxtaposition to the review of the Google Pixel Buds I just finished. At $69, the Bullets Wireless are less than half the price of the Pixel Buds, and in dropping the price have stripped away the “advanced” part of the equation — there are normal physical controls, a regular charging system, no fancy headline-grabbing features or any extra nonsense. But actually, that’s a good thing.

With the Bullets Wireless, every dollar you spend goes toward the things you actually care about with a pair of Bluetooth headphones: quality sound, simple design, good comfort and basic features executed properly. Sure the carrying case is a little dopey and they’re just splash-resistant, but those are small negatives compared to all of the advantages they have over both the super-cheap and high-end competition.

4.5
out of 5

For just $69, which is only a little more than you’ll spend on a solid pair of wired earbuds, the Bullets Wireless are a great pair of Bluetooth headphones that work well with any phone and provide great value without trying to woo you with advanced features and tricks.

See at OnePlus