Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the new OnePlus 3 takes on the new Moto Z Force. Both devices are all new with a new metal design that looks every bit the flagship part – just keep in mind that the Moto Z Force is part of Verizon’s Droid series and will be sold exclusively by that carrier. The OnePlus 3 is a real upgrade over the previous model, while the Moto Z Force is the first device under the full guidance of Lenovo. These two devices do have a few similarities that we will take a look at now and then later we will look at each individual device to try to determine a winner of this specification comparison.
The OnePlus 3 and the Moto Z Force do have a few things in common – they are almost identical in size and weight, and this makes sense since they also share a 5.5-inch display. Both displays also use the AMOLED technology, although they differ in resolution. These two devices even share the 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor and the Adreno 530 GPU. The OnePlus 3 and Moto Z Force each comes with a fingerprint sensor to unlock the device and allows you to authorize mobile payments thanks to the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. They both use a non-removable battery with fast charge capabilities. They have the usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth (v4.2 on the OP3 and v.4.1 on the Z Force), GPS, NFC, and they both have a Type-C reversible connector plug for charging and data transfer.
Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater depth and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specification
OnePlus 3
OnePlus is a relatively new company from China that puts out a well-built device at a reasonable price. The problem is they never seem to know what to leave in and what to leave out of their devices that leave us scratching our heads in wonderment. We are very happy to announce that the new OnePlus 3 is their closest model yet to be a complete flagship smartphone. The only two omissions are the lack of a Quad HD display and lack of ability to expand its internal memory. Many would love to see the inclusion of a QHD display and expandable memory with a modest increase in price. This new all-metal design is very similar to the rest of the OnePlus lineup – clean and solid, but nothing to get excited about.
OnePlus still has shied away from using a QHD resolution display, but they have still improved the display area – gone is the old IPS LCD and replaced by a new 5.5-inch FHD Optic AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 401 pixels-per-inch (PPI.) Although they stayed with the FHD display, OnePlus did make a great decision to switch to an AMOLED display that offers much better color contrasts than the old LCD on the OnePlus 2. The OnePlus 3 uses the newest Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with a dual-core clocked at 1.6GHz and another at 2.15GHz, with an Adreno 530 GPU providing the graphics. OnePlus then packed in a full 6GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of the faster UFS 2.0 internal storage but allowed no means to expand.
With so much focus (pun intended) on the cameras used on smartphones, OnePlus upgraded the camera area with a new 16MP primary shooter that uses fast PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), an LED Flash, a larger f/2.0 aperture, and both OIS and EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization). The front-facing camera (FFC) camera jumped in size from 5MP to 8MP keeping the f/2.0 aperture for better selfies and video chatting. OnePlus lowered the battery size from 3300mAh to 3000mAh in the OnePlus 3, but OnePlus did include their rapid charging they call ‘Dash Charge’ that provides a 60-percent charge in only 30 minutes.
Observations on the OnePlus 3 – It runs mostly stock Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out-of-the-box with OnePlus’ OS called OxygenOS on top. The OnePlus 3 does not operate on as many US LTE bands, so make sure it will work on your network. OnePlus finally included BOTH the fingerprint sensor and NFC on the same device, allowing for authorizing mobile or Android Pay purchases with a swipe of your finger. While it is nice to see that OnePlus switched to the AMOLED display, we still wonder whether OnePlus is ever going to add QHD resolution. The OnePlus 3 measures 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35mm and weighs in at 158 grams. It will cost you about $400 USD for the 6GB/64GB model. It will come in Graphite, with Soft Gold arriving later.
Moto Z Force
Lenovo unveiled their new Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones the first part of June with no real surprises. In this comparison, we are looking at the Moto Z Force – the exclusive DROID version for Verizon, although there are not many differences between the normal Moto Z and the Moto Z Force. Other than a larger battery, ShatterShield display, and a better camera – most likely things demanded in their DROID contract – they are very similar. This year there is a new all-metal design, although some might say it is not a very flattering design, but it actually looks better with a Moto Mod on the back.
Moto Mods are similar to the modules found on the LG G5, but with the Moto Z version, they simply snap on the back via magnets – which means there are contact points showing when no mods are in use. The setup also allows you to add backings of different materials to give it a great look. It seems a better way to handle Mod(ules) than the LG G5 method.
The Moto Z Force sports a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 X 1440 pixels and 535 PPI. ShatterShield, designed to prevent the display from breaking, should you drop your device. It too is using the best processor currently on the market, the Snapdragon 820 quad-core with dual cores clocked at 1.6GHz and dual cores clocked at 2.15GHz and the Adreno 530 GPU handling the graphics. It is packing 4GB of DDR4 RAM and either 32GB/64GB of internal memory that is expandable with a microSD card.
It seems like everybody is upgrading their camera area and Moto is no exception with a new camera that uses a 21MP sensor with a large aperture of f/1.8. It comes with both laser and phase detection autofocus (PDAF), a dual-tone flash, and OIS. The Moto Z Force uses a 5MP FFC with a f/2.2 aperture, LED flash for selfies and video chatting and has the ability to record in 1080p. The Moto Z Force comes with a large 3500mAh battery and uses Moto’s Turbo Charger. Purchasing the proper Moto Mod will not only increase the battery size, but the ‘Mod’ adds wireless charging as well.
The new Moto Z Force is an interesting device with its Moto Mods and the fact that it is lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Moto Z Force comes with an adapter that plugs in the Type-C reversible port to accept earphones – not sure if that was a smart move. The Moto Mods is an intriguing item of interest that allows you to expand the battery, add wireless charging, add Bose speakers, and more. What is nice about the Moto Mods is that, unlike the Modules on the LG G5, they do not invade the integrity of the device since they merely snap onto the back with magnets. It measures in at 155.9 x 75.8 x 7mm and weighs in at 163 grams. It looks like pricing will be around $549 exclusively on Verizon.
…And The Winner Is…
The Final Word
Even with the $150 price difference, I have to pick the Moto Z Force as the winner of this comparison. It has the better QHD display with ShatterShield, expandable memory, larger battery, and can use the Moto Mods – but even without the Mods, it is has the edge over the OnePlus 3.
Yes, I know that the OnePlus 3 has 6GB of RAM, but that does not make it technically superior – much of its relevance will have to do with memory management. OnePlus needs to handle the 6GB of RAM properly the or it could just be more a party trick.
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