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OnePlus 3 cheap? Check out these viable alternatives..

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Jun 14, 2016, 3:09 PM

21comments

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OnePlus 3

Dimensions

6.01 x 2.94 x 0.29 inches

152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 mm

Weight

5.57 oz (158 g)

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)

Dimensions

5.96 x 2.92 x 0.29 inches

151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm

Weight

5.96 oz (169 g)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Dimensions

5.91 x 2.99 x 0.34 inches

150 x 76 x 8.65 mm

Weight

5.78 oz (164 g)

ZTE Axon 7

Dimensions

5.97 x 2.95 x 0.31 inches

151.7 x 75 x 7.9 mm

Weight

6.17 oz (175 g)

OnePlus 3

Dimensions

6.01 x 2.94 x 0.29 inches

152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 mm

Weight

5.57 oz (158 g)

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)

Dimensions

5.96 x 2.92 x 0.29 inches

151.5 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm

Weight

5.96 oz (169 g)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Dimensions

5.91 x 2.99 x 0.34 inches

150 x 76 x 8.65 mm

Weight

5.78 oz (164 g)

ZTE Axon 7

Dimensions

5.97 x 2.95 x 0.31 inches

151.7 x 75 x 7.9 mm

Weight

6.17 oz (175 g)

Compare these and other phones using our Size Comparison tool.

There's no arguing that the OnePlus 3 is a good value-for-money proposition, at least on paper, just as we've come to expect from the company. Now, with the ditching of the invite system, OnePlus is also striving for the bigger leagues in terms of sales, too, and at those prices the shipment volumes are of utmost importance, as many a Chinese phone maker are a testament to.

Xiaomi, for instance, prices its low- and midrange handsets a bit above cost, then sells tens of millions in a longer than typical life span of the model, recuperating the margins as components go down in price. We don't know what's the OnePlus strategy, but selling a metal, Snapdragon 820-equipped phones with optically-stabilized camera for $400 certainly smells like a market share grab.

Still, even at this value-for-money ratio there is plenty of competition to be worried about, so let's have a look at a few viable alternative to the latest and greatest from OnePlus.

Google Nexus 6P ($420)

Google's mighty Nexus 6P is made by Huawei, and also sports a metal chassis that houses a 5.7" Quad HD panel. It comes with a Snapdragon 81- chipset, 3 GB of RAM, and a 12 MP camera with huge light-savvy pixels and optical stabilization. The phone sports a largish 3450 mAh battery, and is quick to get all the latest Android updates directly from Google

Samsung Galaxy A7 2016 ($390)

The new Galaxy A7 (2016) in its dual-SIM variant comes with the OnePlus 3 price tag, and offers a 5.5" 1080p display in its turn.The rest of the specs are weaker on paper - a Snapdragon 615 processor, 3 GB of RAM, and a 13 OIS MP camera, but, being a part of the new Samsung A-line portfolio, the phone is superior to the OnePlus 3 in a few important aspects - it offers a more compact chassis clad in glass and metal, as well as stellar battery life.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro ($300)

With its aluminum chassis, 5.5" 1080p display, 16 MP camera, and fingerprint scanner, the Redmi Note 3 Pro sounds like a direct competitor to the OnePlus 3. Granted, it doesn't have 6 GB of RAM and Snapdragon 820, but unless you are into heavy gaming, you'd appreciate the 4000 mAh battery that easily lasts two days on a charge, and the rich, yet polished software experience of Xiaomi's MIUI interface. The best part - this beast of a midranger comes with a decent $300 price.

ZTE Axon 7 ($449)

Perhaps the most direct challenge to the OnePlus 3, the ZTE Axon 7 also comes in a 6 GB RAM / 64 GB ROM version with Snapdragon 820, but the 5.5" display is with Quad HD resolution, and there is a 21 MP Sony camera on the back with OIS. At 3250 mAh, the battery is slightly larger than the OnePlus 3 juicer, to compensate for the more power-hungry display, while the Axon 7 offers something extra in the form of a microSD slot, which the OnePlus creation lacks. In the US, ZTE will be selling the metal-clad beast in its own web shop, as well as through Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, eBay, and Newegg.

LG G4 ($330)

If you are sick of metal-clad warriors, the soft comfort of real leather that comes with last year's LG G4 can fit the bill. The phone has a 5.5" Quad HD display, a great 16 MP optically-stabilized camera with laser autofocus, and a removable 3000 mAh battery. It doesn't have the zippiest Snapdragon processor, but is shorter and lighter than the OnePlus 3, plus there is a microSD slot for storage expansion.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.