The OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple variant is now available to purchase. OnePlus had announced the global Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T a couple of days ago, and the device can be purchased for $579 in the US, while you’ll have to splash out €549 in Europe in order to get it. This handset costs the same as the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage Mirror Black and Midnight Black variants of the device, as the Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T comes in that very same RAM and storage setup, while the only difference between the three devices comes down to color. Truth be said, the Mirror Black variant has that glossy look on the back, and is a fingerprint magnet, while the Midnight Black and Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T variants come with a matte finish. The Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T is by far the most colorful OnePlus 6T variant out there, as it combines purple and black colors in its design. This is also the very first gradient OnePlus smartphone, as it combines those two colors. If you purchase the OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple handset, it will be shipped within 24 hours, at least that’s what it says on the company’s website at the moment (at the time of writing this article).
Background: The OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple handset was first announced in China, along with the Mirror Black and Midnight Black variants of the phone. OnePlus confirmed soon after that this variant of the phone will be exclusive to China, but it seems like the company changed its mind soon after that, as only days after that confirmation, the company announced that the phone is coming to its global markets as well. All of this played out in a really short time span, actually. In any case, the vast majority of the phone’s back side is purple, but the further you go, the darker it gets, until it finally gets all-black. The sides of the phone actually follow this trend as well, same as the back side of the device. In terms of the design, this phone is completely identical to all the other OnePlus 6T variants, and its texture on the back is not different either. The OnePlus 6T original launched earlier this month, and it’s actually quite similar to the OnePlus 6 which arrived earlier this year. It has a very similar design to that phone, though, granted, its notch is considerably smaller, and its fingerprint scanner is placed under the display, so it’s not visible. The OnePlus 6T also borrows a number of internal components from the OnePlus 6, as it is fueled by the same processor as the OnePlus 6, they have the exact same cameras, RAM setup, and even storage units… not to mention that the same display has been used on both phones, though the OnePlus 6T’s display is larger.
The OnePlus 6T features a 6.41-inch fullHD+ (Optic AMOLED) display, 6GB / 8GB of RAM and 128GB / 256GB of storage, though the Thunder Purple model comes in one setup only, 8GB RAM + 128GB of storage. The device is fueled by the Snapdragon 845 64-bit octa-core processor, while it includes a 3,700mAh battery on the inside. That battery can be quickly recharged using OnePlus’ proprietary fast charging, which is no longer called ‘Dash Charge’, though, due to legal issues the company is facing in that regard. Android 9 Pie comes pre-installed on the OnePlus 6T, while on top of it you’ll find the company’s OxygenOS 9.0.5 skin. 16 and 20-megapixel cameras can be found on the back of this phone, while a single 16-megapixel camera is included on its front side. The OnePlus 6T comes with two SIM card slots, and it actually utilizes an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, in case you were wondering. The device’s bottom ‘chin’ is also thinner than the one on the OnePlus 6T. That, in combination with a smaller top notch, and a different display aspect ratio, made it possible for OnePlus to keep this phone as narrow as the OnePlus 6, even though it is taller, and a bit thicker.
Impact: The OnePlus 6T sure is a welcomed addition to the OnePlus 6T lineup, as it adds more color options, which is certainly welcomed as the other two phones are both black, different, but black. Truth be said, the Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T also has some black on it, but it is predominantly purple, not counting the display, and that is certainly something that will appeal to people who want something other than black-colored phones. The OnePlus 6 actually arrived in both Silk White and Red color options, while some special edition variants were also available, so it’s nice to see that the OnePlus 6T is also available in more than two options. It is possible that OnePlus will opt to release more color variants of the OnePlus 6T as time goes by, as the Red-colored OnePlus 6T would also be a nice addition to the lineup, but we’re only guessing based on what the OnePlus 6 had to offer, the company did not hint that any other color variants are coming, at all. OnePlus has a habit of introducing new color options from time to time, though, after the company announces its smartphones, so we’ll probably see more color options, and also some special edition variants of the device as well. Things may be different this time around, though, at least a little bit, as OnePlus plans to introduce its 5G-enabled smartphone in early 2019, while the company already confirmed that it will not be a part of its usual release cycle, so we’ll probably get to see the OnePlus 7 and 7T launched in 2019 as well. The OnePlus 7 was also confirmed not to support 5G, which is quite interested, but not such a big deal as 5G will start becoming available in the second half of the year, probably Q4, and it will not become a standard for quite some time. All in all, the OnePlus 6T will not remain the newest OnePlus-branded smartphone for long, as this 5G-enabled device is coming, and that could affect OnePlus’ usual practices (new color options, special edition variants of phones, and so on), but we’ll see what will happen in the coming months.