OnePlus 6T vs OnePlus 6 vs LG G7: What’s the best budget flagship for you?

The OnePlus 6T made its global debut with much pomp and show at Pier 36 in New York City. The 6T is the successor to the stellar OnePlus 6, and it’s quite a head-scratching successor at that. Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 6 was already great and didn’t need an update just 4 months down the line. If anything, the OnePlus 6 was by far the best phone that OnePlus had ever launched.As a follow-up to the 6, the 6T has little to offer. There’s a smaller notch and a slower, less reliable fingerprint reader. It’s also expected to be more expensive than the 6, going by the just announced global pricing set at $549 (approximately Rs 40,290).[caption id="attachment_5467501" align="alignnone" width="1024"]

The OnePlus 6T features a smaller notch and an in-display fingerprint scanner.[/caption]In this mix, you also have the LG G7 ThinQ, which offers the same internals, a great display, a stunning audio setup and the unusual option of an ultra-wide-angle rear camera. Unlike either OnePlus device, it also offers microSD expansion, IP68 water resistance and it’s milspec drop-tested, making it more rugged. Its display glass is also of a better quality.Here’s how the phones compare:

	OnePlus 6T	OnePlus 6	LG G7
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
RAM	6/8 GB	6/8 GB	4/6 GB
Storage	128/256 GB	128/256 GB	64/128 GB
Expansion slot	No	No	microSD (up to 256 GB)
Display Size	6.28 inches	6.40 inches	6.1 inches
Display resolution	2340x1080	2280x1080	3120x1440
Display density	402 PPI	402 PPI	564 PPI
Display Type	AMOLED	AMOLED	IPS LCD
HDR video	No	No	Dolby Vision, HDR10
Display glass	Corning Gorilla Glass 6	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Dual Camera	Yes (Wide + Tele)	Yes (Wide + Tele)	Yes (Wide + Ultra-wide)
Sensor/lens config	16 MP f/1.7 + 20 MP f/1.7	16 MP f/1.7 + 20 MP f/1.7	16 MP f/1.6 + 16 MP f/1.9
Selfie camera	16 MP f/2.0	16 MP f/2.0	8 MP f/1.9
Stereo audio recording	No	No	Yes
Fingerprint sensor	Yes, in-display	Yes, rear	Yes, rear
Battery	3,700 mAh	3,300 mAh	3,000 mAh
Fast charging	Dash Charge	Dash Charge	Quick Charge 3.0
Wireless charging	No	No	Yes
Weather sealing	Splash resistant	Splash resistant	IP68, MIL-STD-810G
Colours	Mirror Black, Midnight Black	Midnight Black, Mirror Black, Silk White, Amber Red	New Platinum Gray, New Aurora Black, New Moroccan Blue, Raspberry Rose

Specs: OnePlus winsBoth OnePlus units offer more RAM and storage than the LG G7. The G7 does try to make up for that by offering expandable storage, but that's an additional expense and certainly not as fast as internal storage.That aside, the RAM and hardware specs on all phones are powerful enough to handle any load in the Android world. Used side-by-side, you won't be able to tell the experience apart.Camera: OnePlus wins againWhen it comes to stills photography, the OnePlus 6 and 6T have an edge over LG. The tele lens offers better portraits and while the LG's ultra-wide-angle certainly captures more data, a panoramic shot will make do in most situations. In terms of image quality, the OnePlus 6 and 6T again have a slight edge over the LG, offering better contrast and superior sharpness.It's only in the video department that the LG G7 takes the lead. Its offering of stereo audio recording and manual controls for video is unmatched by any phone.Display: TieWhile the LG G7 has a QHD IPS LCD, the OnePlus phones have an FHD+ OLED. The G7's LCD is by far the more pleasant and accurate display, but the OnePlus phones have punchy displays with better contrast. This is most noticeable in video. In the end, your choice of display comes down to personal preference. One caveat here is that the OnePlus 6T has the worst display here. It's not really noticeable in isolation, but compare the phones side-by-side and you'll see that the 6T's display is duller and washed out, especially compared to the OnePlus 6.Battery: OnePlus 6TThis one's a no-brainer. The 6T has the largest battery and it supports fast-charging. It wins by default.Misc: Advantage, LGOverall, the LG G7 has features that more people would want. The stellar audio quality from its onboard DAC is a major advantage, as is the fact that LG bundles headphones with the G7. The OnePlus 6 doesn't include headphones in the box, but at least the phone comes with a headphone jack. The 6T doesn't have a headphone jack and bundles a dongle instead.The fingerprint scanner on the 6T is also the worst of the lot. It's slow and unreliable, but a crowd-pleaser in a pinch. We'd pick faster, more reliable fingerprint scanners any day of the week, though.When it comes to speakers, the LG again has an advantage. The three phones come with single speakers, but the LG has by far the loudest of the lot.The right phone for me?Each phone has its advantages, but what I can say for sure is that the OnePlus 6T is not an upgrade over the 6, making the 6 the cheaper, more user-friendly option for most people. The LG G7 is clearly meant for those who value audio quality above all else.