We compare the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the OnePlus 3, two rather big Android phones with a serious price difference. But despite costing half as much as the Note 7, the OnePlus 3 holds up remarkably well. Here’s our full Note 7 vs OnePlus 3 review.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 packs in tons of great features including an iris scanner, the beautifully responsive S Pen stylus and the best bits of Samsung’s Galaxy S7 mobile. However, the Note 7 also costs £700 SIM-free and a packet on contract, so it’s only for those with deep pockets.
By comparison, the OnePlus 3 sports a much more affordable £329 price tag. Despite that low asking price, the OnePlus 3 is a serious rival for the Note 7 when it comes to performance, battery life and features such as the fingerprint sensor.
Here’s our full Note 7 vs OnePlus 3 comparison review, so you can see how these mighty phones stack up.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs OnePlus 3: At a glance
| Phone | Samsung Galaxy Note 7 | OnePlus 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 169g | 158g |
| Screen size | 5.7-inches | 5.5-inches |
| Screen resolution | 2560×1440 Quad HD | 1920×1080 Full HD |
| Water resistant? | Yes | No |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor, iris scanner | Fingerprint sensor |
| Processor | Snapdragon 820/Exynos | Snapdragon 820 |
| Memory | 4GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| MicroSD? | Yes | No |
| Battery | 3500mAh | 3000mAh |
| Cameras | 12MP + 5MP | 16MP + 8MP |
| Price | £700 | £330 |
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs OnePlus 3: Which is best?
Although the Note 7 sports a bigger screen than the OnePlus 3 (5.7 inches versus 5.5), these phones are more or less the same size thanks to the Note 7’s narrow design. That gorgeous Super AMOLED screen stretches around the edges of Samsung’s mobile, making for a comfortable grip – although it’s still tricky to use with just one mitt unless you activate the one-handed mode. The Note 7 is also water resistant, unlike the OnePlus 3.
As for visuals, the OnePlus 3’s screen isn’t quite as vibrant despite being an AMOLED too, although you do get full control over colour output. There’s a handy night mode on both phones, which filtes blue light for warmer visuals. That means less eye strain, and makes it less irritating to anyone trying to get to sleep nearby.
Both phones here are supremely powerful, although the OnePlus 3 – which packs in a mighty 6GB of RAM – benchmarks slightly better. Considering it’s less than half the cost of the Note 7, that’s seriously impressive. Battery life is also better with the OnePlus, giving a full day and a half of life compared with a day or so from the Note 7.
You get the same storage built into these blowers – 64GB total in the Note 7 and the OnePlus 3. However, Samsung’s mobile also boasts microSD support, something missing from the OnePlus 3.
As for security, the OnePlus 3 has a very fast and accurate fingerprint sensor to keep your confidential data secure. The Note 7 also boasts a fingerprint sensor, as well as an iris scanner which works well as backup (in case your hands are dirty, wet or covered with gloves). You also get extra security features such as Samsung’s Knox software and the new Secure Folders tool.
Finally, the cameras. The Note 7 is the clear winner here, boasting the same excellent snapper as the Galaxy S7. That 12-megapixel rear camera is particularly good in low light, and our movies look and sound better than those shot on the OnePlus 3.
Check out our full Note 7 vs OnePlus 3 comparison review video below.
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