back to article OnePlus 5 x T + five short months = Some p*ssed off fanboys

BBK Electronics' OnePlus venture rolled out its second flagship of 2017 yesterday, the OnePlus 5T going on sale just five months after its predecessor, the OnePlus 5 in June. While posing as a plucky startup, the real picture is slightly more complicated. OnePlus is wholly owned by the biggest Chinese phone vendor, with around …

  1. J. R. Hartley

    Meh.

    It's shite.

  2. Terry 6 Silver badge

    I'm pleased with my 5.

    As to a 5T - Oh well, there's always a new model along just after you buy any IT kit these days.

    What can we do ( apart from chasing everything that arrives)? The 5 does a good job for me. In a few years time there'll be something even better, probably. That's how it goes.

    1. Boothy

      Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

      Still happy with my 3, does what I want/need, doesn't do things I don't want, and still lasts 2-3 days on a single charge.

      No plan on replacing anytime soon, as what would be the point? (I'm not a 'look at my new shiny shiny' game player, and really couldn't give two hoots about what other people think of the phone I use).

      1. big_D Silver badge

        Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

        @Boothy what would interest me is how OnePlus is with security updates?

        Have you got Oreo yet? If not, have you at least received the November Android security patches?

        1. 080

          Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

          My OnePlus 2 has got the 1 October 2017 Android Security Patches, I have no plans to change it.

        2. Terry 6 Silver badge

          Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

          My 5 updated Android and the Oxygen OS a few days ago.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

            My OnePlus One is now on LineageOS and getting regular updates (thanks chaps!).

            I will upgrade one day but for now the phone does everything I can think of.

      2. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

        Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

        Still happy with my 3, does what I want/need, doesn't do things I don't want, and still lasts 2-3 days on a single charge.

        Likewise. Although I do admit to running a custom ROM on it (ditto for the old OPOne that's in the backup hardware drawer).

        Does what it says on the tin. Not the fastest, not the best but reliable and (because it's in a hard case) still mostly immaculate.

      3. richsouth

        Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

        I'm on my way to needing a new phone - would you recommend getting one (a 3 or 3T) at this point?

    2. Jonathan 27

      Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

      That's exactly it, there is always a new phone coming down the pipe.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'm pleased with my 5.

      I'm about to buy a 5 rather than a 5t, as I don't want the bezel less design, it's simply not practical.

      So click bait aside, the T is just a different revision for s different market.

      Funny how the iPhone X hasn't obsoleted the iphone8 using this same dumb logic.

      Clickbait

  3. The obvious
    Mushroom

    Looks for dustbin icon...

    ...or maybe a garbage truck for some more android based landfill-fodder!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "standard "flagship" features such as optical image stabilisation, waterproofing, wireless charging, and stereo speakers"

    Sadly - I looked at the OnePlus 5 for ages, along with HTC / Oppo / Huawei and Honor. I eventually went with an unlocked Samsung S8 (bought from Amazon). It's now sat next to me on a wireless charger, I don't worry about it getting wet, and it takes the best pictures I've seen from a smartphone (bar Apple devices).

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Yeah, I'm currently wrangling with myself... are features found in pricier rivals worth the extra money? Ah well!

      What I do know is this: whatever phone I get this month - Android or Apple - is going to require me buying half a dozen new cables in place of the microUSB cables I already have (upstairs, downstairs, works van, own vehicle, power bank and spare)

      1. J. R. Hartley

        Or simply buy a pack of 10 adapters off eBay for 2 quid, like what I done.

      2. Ol' Grumpy
        Thumb Up

        I had an internal debate with myself along similar lines but ended up with the Moto G5 Plus. The camera (in my view at least) is excellent and well worth the money saved over the S8 (which I used to fund a lens on my DSLR) :)

        1. abedarts

          Me too

          I went for the Moto G5 plus too. I travel a lot and find dual SIM very useful - so no iPhones for me either.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Dave 126

        A half dozen cables, whether USB-C or Lightning, will cost you like $15-$20 off Amazon or eBay. That's hardly worth worrying about compared to the cost of a new phone, since I assume you aren't shopping on the low end as you listed Apple as a possible choice.

        1. Dave 126 Silver badge

          Re: @Dave 126

          @Mr Hartley - thanks for the tip re. micro USB > type C converters, I'll look into it.

          @DougS, Cheers!

          I've found my the gauge and length of USB cables have a bearing in how quickly my phone charges, and I've heard not all USB C cables are created equal. When I've found some well reviewed / tested ones, buying a good dollop of em would be a good idea.

          If I do go the iPhone route, my observations of friends' Lightning cables is such that I'll reinforce the ends with self amalgamating tape or polyurethane mastic before using them.

          1. J. R. Hartley

            Re: @Dave 126

            Dave, Samsung USB chargers are actually very smart, they put out 9v to compatible phones, they charge very fast over the Belkin 5m USB cables I use. Check the power rating on the adapter to see what I mean.

      4. Robert Grant

        Yeah, I'm currently wrangling with myself... are features found in pricier rivals worth the extra money? Ah well!

        Of course not. And the OnePlus phones (or at least the mine, a 3T) have great features like incredibly fast charge and dual SIM. Perfect for chucking a work SIM in and routing all the data through.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      If samsung would stop shovelling their own shit version of every basic Android app/launcher/settings on their phones, and stop fucking with the back button/recent button location, they might actually be a decent phone. As it stands right now, they're a pain in the arse to use.

  5. Alan Sharkey

    My 5t is fine

    I'm one of those who got the 5 when it came out. Super fast and everything works fine with the.14 release.

    The camera is just about OK - it needs OS - and the 5T doesn't have it either.

    I can't see myself spending another £500 (I got the 8/128 model) just to get face recognition, a wide angle camera and a slighly bigger screen.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'd hesitate to renew

    We bought few of the 5 and had issues with connecting to data networks overseas, more problems that with any other handset. Although some of that can be put down to new devices (said O2) I won't jump at another "new" anything, probably stick with a model that has been out for more than six months, so at this rate of change maybe not even another OnePlus.

    1. Tomato Krill

      Re: I'd hesitate to renew

      Same issue here on my 3 - constantly having to manually select network when in the US to get data at all

  7. Fuzz

    fingerprint sensor

    The me too fascination with 2:1 ratio screens has meant the fingerprint sensor has moved to the back of the phone. I think this is a shame, being able to unlock the phone whilst it's lying on a desk, or held in a cradle in the car, with one touch is incredibly useful.

    1. Dabooka

      Re: fingerprint sensor

      My WileyFox has the sensor on the back and it's great.

      Does your handset not allow for 'Trusted devices' to remain unlocked when connected? For example when connected to my car stereo, it's unlocked.

      1. Phil W

        Re: fingerprint sensor

        Basically all Android devices have had smart unlock for a while either Bluetooth or geofencing.

        It's a terrible idea though IMHO, some steals your car with your phone inside or breaks into your house and they now have access to your phone including emails and sensitive info.

        I have an S7 and like unlocking my phone with one touch when it's lying on my desk so I can read a message without picking it up.

        1. Dave 126 Silver badge

          Re: fingerprint sensor

          You can unlock the 5T whilst it's lying flat on a desk by using facial recognition, if you're willing to take the hit on security (it isn't a depth sensing system like Apple's).

          What would be good is if this facial recognition system was only enabled in more trusted places, e.g within range of your office or home WiFi networks.

          I agree with Phil though - Bluetooth unlocking doesn't seem a smart idea for the reasons he's outlined.

  8. A. Coatsworth Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Well, those 2 last paragraphs are more than enough review of the phone and the company's policies... OnePlus is off my list of candidates now... I guess the zombie Nokias are looking more and more appealing every day

    1. Jonathan 27

      That's standard practice for many phone brands. Don't buy Samsung or LG either, to name a few.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Embargoed reviews are only issue if you want to buy on launch day, surely? Or am i missing something?

        It seems no hardship to wait a week or so for a more in depth review.

  9. Tom 38

    Still in love with my OP2

    It has the capacitive buttons and fingerprint sensor on the home button. It could do with a new screen and battery, but otherwise its still great.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Still in love with my OP2

      I'm still using a OP2 as well. The USB socket is a little worn, but otherwise it's still going strong. I'd be quite happy to buy another phone from oneplus, but I simply don't need to yet.

  10. simmondp

    First rule of buying technology

    #1 If you can buy it, it's obsolete

  11. anothercynic Silver badge

    ROFL

    PMSL. And so on. This is truly spectacular. Honestly, and here I thought Apple was getting crass... this just outdid Apple.

  12. SwizzleStick

    3 for me

    no urge to upgrade

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yawn - another (boring) new phone story

    This counts as news?!?

    Company XYZ brings out new product. Reporters identify negligible differences to previous product. Turn it into a "story". Some people are happy about said product, others are not.

    Rinse and repeat, just replace XYZ with different name.

    Is there so little news? Don't the reporters get bored with publishing the same stuff over and over and over?

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Yawn - another (boring) new phone story

      The article itself was useful enough, but yeah the headline was just odd for a tech blog - for the last thirty years us computer and gadget buyers have known a faster/cheaper/better device will arrive on the market a week after we've bought our new toy.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Yawn - another (boring) "is this news" comment.

      This counts as a comment?

      Poster reads story, doesn't find it interesting, posts boring "this isn't news" comment.

      Rinse and repeat, just replace one ac with a different ac, or maybe the same one, who can tell?

      Is there so little to do? Don't the commenters get bored with publishing the same stuff over and over and over?

      1. Tim Seventh
        Mushroom

        Re: Yawn - another (boring) "is this news" comment.

        From AC

        "This counts as a comment?

        Poster reads story, doesn't find it interesting, posts boring "this isn't news" comment.

        Rinse and repeat, just replace one ac with a different ac, or maybe the same one, who can tell?

        Is there so little to do? Don't the commenters get bored with publishing the same stuff over and over and over?"

        Oh No! the AC created an infinite AC recursion! Quick! Somebody exit the loop bef

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Yawn - another (boring) "is this news" comment.

        Re:Is there so little to do? Don't the commenters get bored with publishing the same stuff over and over and over?

        If that AC is in fact AO, it would be depressing to see the contempt he has for his customers opinions on the quality of his "journalism". And it's very defensive.

        If it's not AO then the AC is behaving in exactly the same way as the AC he is criticising, ie do as I say not as I do, otherwise known as hypocrisy. He'll be telling the original AC to get a life next...

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What I don't get is why people spend £500+

    On a throwaway product that is next to useless after 2 or 3 years due to battery problems and / or security problems. And ends up in landfill by the millions.

    You wouldn't do that with a TV or a car, so how come they have money to burn when it comes to phones?

    You could buy a decent cheap import and a nice foreign holiday with that sort of money.

    1. Danny 14

      Re: What I don't get is why people spend £500+

      im still running a note3 with a new battery and 128gb card. i get my updates via flashing a new rom. pretty painless and i only beed to reinstall whn i move up major revisions.

      the kids use a pair of s2's as mp3/media players (they even have hdmi charging cables too)

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: What I don't get is why people spend £500+

        If it ends up in landfill then you're recycling it wrong. I do believe that end-of-life products should be taken back by the manufacturer though, so that they gain efficiencies of scale in dismantling many examples of the same device en masse.

        If you spend £500 on it rather than £100 then it's likely to be a faster, better constructed device that you'll look after more and be less inclined to change in a year.

        Whether the roughly £1/day price difference twixt a budget and high end phone is worth it for any individual is a function of how much they use the phone and for what, and their bank balance of course.

        I used to use my laptop so much much that I bought an £80 mouse, and I have never regretted it (Logitech Darkfield). The factor of extra comfort and convenience it provided was multiplied by the hours of use.

  15. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge
    Meh

    One Plus OPPO

    If only siblings OPO and OPPO could be merged. I want microSD card (OPPO), NFC (OPO), headphone hack (both), 3rd party ROM support (both), and global LTE bands (OPO). Stereo speakers would be nice but I can live without them when there's a headphone jack.

    I actually don't care about the dual camera tech. That has been slamming up against diminishing returns for years. I'll bring my big lens hardware when I need sharp photos and videos in low light.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Poverty phone

    Lol. A shite Chinese androids has fanboys? You’d only buy that crap if you were unemployed.

    1. Terry 6 Silver badge

      Re: Poverty phone

      Just the sort of idiotic comment that plays into the hands of the over-priced flashy phone makers.

      But let's not feed the trolls any more than that.

  17. web_bod

    Somebody's headed for the naughty step!

    Whilst I applaud your integrity, it can't be doing you many favours in the industry.

  18. DrXym

    I'm okay with my 5

    I could do without the "jelly" issue but it's not a major annoyance. The phone itself is well designed, very thin and performs well. My biggest beef is I wish that the phone OS was still Cyanogen / LineageOS because I miss just being able to block an app using GPS or whatever else it wanted for egregious reasons.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't understand why manufacturers do not use the latest version of Android when it's available

    So far, only the Sony Xperia XZ1 (and XZ1 Compact), and the HTC U11 Plus (and U11 Life) come preloaded with Oreo. Huawei Mate10 too, but that's a non-Snapdragon phone.

    Is it laziness, or are there real tangible cost savings by using the previous version of Android?

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who cares?

    Do people really agonise over this stuff anymore? I have a phone and it fit’s in my pocket. Surprisingly I can call people on it. They can also call me, but most people don’t want to talk to me because I’m a dickhead. I can text and look at the interwebs and even look at email if I choose. Amazing.

    1. Tim Seventh
      Trollface

      Re: Who cares?

      "Surprisingly I can call people on it. "

      Smartphones can be used to call people?

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