OnePlus 5 Vs. iPhone 8: Should You Wait For The Apple Smartphone?

The latest OnePlus flagship, the OnePlus 5, was unveiled on June 20 in many parts of the world and is set to hit the U.S. shelves on June 27. The OnePlus 5 – like all next-gen smartphones – brings several improvements over its predecessors, i.e. the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T.

The company’s co-founder Carl Pei shared that the OnePlus 5 was the company’s fastest-selling handset ever, but did not disclose the pre-sale numbers. The device is poised to throw the gauntlet to Apple’s 10th-anniversary smartphone dubbed the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, which is expected to debut in September.

The iPhone 8’s launch is just months away and some consumers may be wondering if they should hold out for the handset or purchase the OnePlus 5 instead. Here’s a detailed look at how the OnePlus 5’s specs and features compare against the rumored ones of the iPhone 8 to help consumers decide if it is worth waiting for the iPhone 8 or buying the OnePlus 5.

Display

Rumors are rife that Apple has redesigned the next-gen iPhone’s display, and it will likely feature a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display. The company has reportedly chosen to bypass the LCD screen in favor of an OLED one, which is also one of the reasons why the handset may get delayed. It is expected that the virtual home button would occupy some part of the display, but roughly 5.15 inches would be usable. The OnePlus 5, on the other hand, features a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display with a pixel density of 401 ppi.

In this regard, both handsets seem to be on even keel, but the resolution specifications of the iPhone 8 are still unknown. Therefore, if Apple decides to include a Quad HD display on the smartphone, then the iPhone 8 will have an edge over rival OnePlus 5.

Hardware And RAM

The OnePlus 5 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The same chipset powers Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The One Plus 5 comes in two variants, where the lower variant houses six GB of RAM and the other one offers eight GB of RAM.

The iPhone 8 is anticipated to deploy the company’s A11 CPU. This SoC is built on the 10nm architecture and reportedly offers high performance and consumes less power. According to analysts, the iPhone 8 will tout three GB of RAM.

Comparing the handsets in this regard is difficult, especially since the A11 SoC has not yet been released. However, the Snapdragon 835 chipset is very fast, and its performance on the Samsung flagships seems to have impressed everyone. The massive amount of RAM in the OnePlus 5 is also expected to enhance performance.

Memory And Battery Capacity

Rumors hint that the iPhone 8 will come with storage options – 64 GB and a 256 GB. It is expected that like previous-gen models, the iPhone X will not offer expandable memory support. The OnePlus 5 is available in 64 GB storage and 128 GB options. The smartphone does not offer an expandable storage option either.

Memory wise, Apple has an edge and could further tilt the scales in its favor if it launches a 128 GB option as well.

Battery wise, the Apple flagship is expected to boast a 2,700 mAh battery with both wireless charging and fast charging capabilities. The OnePlus 5 comes with a 3,300 mAh battery, which supports Dash Charging capabilities. OnePlus claims that the handset’s optimization will ensure it offers 20 percent longer battery life vis-à-vis the OnePlus 3T.

The OnePlus 5 appears to have an edge owing to its higher battery capacity, but iPhone’s are synonymous with great battery life and when it comes to application, this may not be a big deal.

Camera And Operating Systems

The OnePlus 5 handset has vastly improved on the camera when compared to the OnePlus 3T. The device boasts a dual rear-facing camera, with a wide-angle 16-megapixel shooter and a 20-megapixel telephoto snapper. The device also boasts a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. The iPhone 8 is also rumored to boast a dual-rear camera setup, which will be vertically aligned. The front-facing camera on the handset is also expected to boast face recognition capabilities.

The OnePlus smartphone runs on the Oxygen OS, which is based on Android Nougat. The iPhone 8 is expected to run on iOS 11 on launch.

The two smartphones seem to be on even ground when it comes to camera capabilities. It is only when the iPhone 8 launches will the prowess of its cameras become clearer.

Price

The six GB RAM/64 GB storage model of the OnePlus 5 costs $479, while the higher end 8 GB RAM/128 GB model is priced at $539. The upcoming iPhone 8 is expected to start at $1,000, due to its upgraded features and specifications.

The OnePlus 5 will likely be cheaper than the iPhone 8 and customers who do not wish to stretch their budget would prefer the former. However, iFans who can afford the hefty $1,000 price tag would do well to wait for the iPhone X to land in stores. Consumers may choose to wait for the iPhone 8 as it will possibly boast a fingerprint sensor embedded in the display, wireless charging, an iris scanner, and more.

So, should you wait for the Apple smartphone or buy the OnePlus5? If budget is not a constraint, you can wait for the Apple offering as the 10-anniversary edition may bring in a few exciting features consumers’ way. However, if you want a robust phone that is not very expensive and boasts a great camera, opt for the OnePlus 5.

[Featured Image by Sean Gallup/Getty Images]