Mobile Technology

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs. OnePlus 3

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs. OnePlus 3
A side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 smartphones
A side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 smartphones
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Software
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Software
Networks
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Networks
Curved display
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Curved display
Stylus
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Stylus
VR headset
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VR headset
Pressure-sensitive display
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Pressure-sensitive display
MicroSD
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MicroSD
Always-on display
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Always-on display
Optical image stabilization
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Optical image stabilization
Camera aperture (rear)
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Camera aperture (rear)
Removable battery
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Removable battery
Iris sensor
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Iris sensor
Fast charging
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Fast charging
Display type
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Display type
Display resolution
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Display resolution
Display size
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Display size
Build
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Build
Colors
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Colors
Starting price (full retail)
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Starting price (full retail)
Release
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Release
Physical camera shortcut
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Physical camera shortcut
Mobile payments
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Mobile payments
A side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 smartphones
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A side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 smartphones
Fingerprint sensor
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Fingerprint sensor
Weight
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Weight
Camera megapixels
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Camera megapixels
Battery
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Battery
Processor
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Processor
RAM
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RAM
Built-in storage
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Built-in storage
Dimensions
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Dimensions
View gallery - 31 images

Can the OnePlus 3 compete with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 for less than half the starting price? Since OnePlus pulled out a few new tricks with this year's flagship and ditched its invite-only purchasing system, this is a more relevant question than ever. Here, we take a side-by-side look at the two smartphones.

Size

Dimensions
Dimensions

The Galaxy Note 7 is one millimeter taller than the OnePlus 3 and one millimeter narrower. It is also half a millimeter thicker. Despite having a slightly smaller surface area, though, the Note actually has the bigger screen (read on).

Weight

Weight
Weight

The Note 7's extra depth and dense build make it nearly 7 percent heavier than the OnePlus 3.

Build

Build
Build

OnePlus made some dramatic improvements in the looks department since last year's phone with interchangeable backs, but its aluminum unibody still looks rather garden-variety next to the Note 7's glassy curves.

Colors

Colors
Colors

There are four body color options for the Note 7; only two for OnePlus 3.

Display size

Display size
Display size

The Note 7 put a larger screen onto a smaller-faced phone. At 5.7 inches on the diagonal, it's 7 percent larger (based on area) than the OnePlus 3.

Display resolution

Display resolution
Display resolution

The OnePlus 3's 1080p display looks just fine until you compare it with the Note's extra-sharp 1440p display. The difference is certainly noticeable, especially if you use the phone to run a VR application.

Display type

Display type
Display type

Samsung's been using AMOLED for years, but OnePlus just made the switch from IPS.

Always-on display

Always-on display
Always-on display

Both displays have a dim "always-on" mode that shows key notifications at a glance. This option is a perk of AMOLED technology.

Curved display

Curved display
Curved display

The curved display is a style trademark of Samsung's latest Galaxy series. The rounded edges make the phone look extra sleek and also play a role in achieving the larger display size mentioned above. The OnePlus 3 display has standard angled edges.

Stylus

Stylus
Stylus

The stylus is a pivotal feature for many power users. The Note 7 is the best stylus-navigated phablet on the market.

Pressure-sensitive display

Pressure-sensitive display
Pressure-sensitive display

Since the Note 7's S Pen stylus has 4,096 different levels of pressure sensitivity, a pressure-sensitive display may be a bit redundant. But the OnePlus 3 also lacks any technology similar to Apple's 3D Touch.

Camera megapixels

Camera megapixels
Camera megapixels

The number of megapixels on the Note 7 actually decreased since the Note 5 (there was no Note 6), but Samsung made up for it with other camera upgrades (read on).

The OnePlus 3 packs on the pixels in both the front and back cameras. It takes selfies seriously: Not only does it have an above-average pixel count on the front camera, it also has an automated "Smile Capture" feature so hitting the shutter doesn't interfere with snapping your next profile pic.

Camera aperture (rear)

Camera aperture (rear)
Camera aperture (rear)

The larger camera aperture is a new addition from Samsung. A larger aperture means more light to your camera's sensor, which often leads to better low-light captures.

Optical image stabilization (OIS)

Physical camera shortcut
Physical camera shortcut

Optical Image Stabilization helps keep photos blur-free despite shaky hands.

Physical camera shortcut

Optical image stabilization
Optical image stabilization

On the Note 7, you can open the camera by double-tapping its home button. The OnePlus 3 has a similar shortcut tied to the power button.

Battery

Battery
Battery

The Note 7 battery is nearly 17 percent larger. That doesn't always correspond perfectly to battery life, though, so stay tuned for our full review.

Fast charging

Fast charging
Fast charging

Both phones have cabled fast charging modes.

Wireless charging

Curved display
Curved display

Samsung continues to use wireless charging in its flagships.

Removable battery

Removable battery
Removable battery

These batteries aren't going anywhere.

VR headset

VR headset
VR headset

Samsung wins here. It released an updated Gear VR headset alongside the USB-C equipped Note 7. The Gear VR uses the Oculus platform and has by far the biggest and best selection of mobile VR apps.

Strangely, the OnePlus 3 launch event was held in virtual reality, and OnePlus Loop VR headsets for viewing it were given away as part of the promotion, but the phone itself is not particularly optimized for VR. Loop VR is essentially a Google Cardboard viewer, compatible with almost any smartphone. We also haven't heard anything about the OnePlus 3 being Google Daydream ready.

Processor

Processor
Processor

In big markets, the smartphones have identical processors. Outside of the US, China and Japan, Samsung uses the octa core Exynos 8990 in the Note 7.

RAM

RAM
RAM

Most people would consider the 4 GB of RAM in the Note 7 ample, but OnePlus steps it up to 6 GB in its 2016 flagship.

Built-in storage

Built-in storage
Built-in storage

Both phones come with 64 GB of built-in storage.

MicroSD

MicroSD
MicroSD

The Note 7 is equipped for external storage. With the OnePlus3, you'll have to make do with internal storage only.

Mobile payments

Mobile payments
Mobile payments

The Note 7 has Samsung Pay, which has only launched in the US and Korea. Samsung Pay works at almost any merchant where cards can be swiped, thanks to Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology that emulates magnetic strip swiping. The OnePlus 3 works with Android Pay, which is used in more countries, but requires vendors to have a Near Field Communication (NFC) terminal.

Fingerprint sensor

Fast charging
Fast charging

Both phones have a reliable fingerprint sensor.

Iris scanner

Iris sensor
Iris sensor

The Note 7 also has a built-in iris scanner, for the kind of security typically reserved for accessing the mother lode at a casino or a supervillain's top-secret headquarters.

Water resistance

Iris sensor
Iris sensor

Like most smartphones, the OnePlus 3 is not water resistant. But the whole Galaxy 7 series (also including the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge) has IP68 water resistance, so you don't have to worry about dropping it into a sink or toilet.

All major networks

Networks
Networks

The OnePlus 3 is unlocked, but it is not compatible with CDMA networks like Verizon or Sprint. The Note 7 works across all major networks.

Software

Software
Software

Both phones run Android Marshmallow, but the OnePlus' OxygenOS is very close to stock "pure Google" Android, while Samsung has a rather potent layer of its TouchWiz UI (which also includes all of the Note's stylus and note-taking goodies, as well as iris scanning) on top.

Release

Release
Release

The OnePlus 3 beat the Note 7 to market by just a couple of months.

Starting price (full retail)

Starting price (full retail)
Starting price (full retail)

While the Note 7 price varies depending on country, carrier and package, it rings up for about US$850 full retail. The OnePlus 3 is $399. Suddenly, the small differences in the columns above don't necessarily seem like deal breakers.

The Note 7 is unquestionably the higher-end phone, and there are benefits to purchasing from a large company like Samsung (the option of carrier installment plans, more robust support, more accessories available). But is it worth $450 more?

It could be a toss-up for many. Those who root for the underdog might take a shine to the ambitious OnePlus brand. For die-hard stylus users, the Note 7 is the obvious choice. For consumers eyeing costs, it's got to be the OnePlus 3. All other types of users should take a closer look at specs and weigh them against their own needs. The Galaxy Note 7 is an impressive device, but the OnePlus 3 is a real contender.

View gallery - 31 images
3 comments
3 comments
S Michael
You get what you pay for. Galaxy Note 7, way ahead of the OnePlus 3
Knut
"The OnePlus 3 is unlocked, but it is not compatible with CDMA networks like Verizon or Sprint. The Note 7 works across all major networks." - The Verizon and Sprint CDMA networks are just a curiosity in the US, and for the rest of the world 99.9% of the market, just a waste. Samsung is not "Way ahead" - I would like a better review of functionality - in particular the Samsung special link (copy+paste with multiple clipboards) compare to what OnePlus has come up with.
Big Mook
I'm with you, Knut. "Way ahead" is pretty strong language. I really want the Note 7, mind you, but for my money, the OnePlus3 would do just fine and meet all of my needs. Anything would be better than my ancient GS4 at this point.