OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review

Price When Reviewed

$249

The OnePlus 2 goes on sale today aiming to take on the biggest names in the smartphone market. One of the best phones right now is the Samsung Galaxy S6 but can it be outdone by the up and coming firm? Read our OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review. Updated on 3/9/15 with our video review. See also: Best smartphones of 2015

These two are completely different approaches to making a flagship smartphone so it’s an interesting comparison. Let’s take a look at how the OnePlus 2 and Samsung Galaxy S6 compare across a number of areas.

We’ve had some OnePlus 2 hands-on review but not had it in for full testing so that why we’re looking at specs here and not adding any benchmark results.

See also: Samsung Galaxy S7 release date, price and specs rumours.

OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review: Price

The OnePlus 2 is a ‘2016 flagship killer’ and one way the firm aims to achieve this is by undercutting rivals. The second generation OnePlus smartphone is just £239 which is a frankly ridiculous price for a flagship handset. How to get a OnePlus 2 invite.

It is slightly more expensive than its predecessor but we don’t care, this is more than half the price of the Galaxy S6 which launched at £599. However, the price has dramatically dropped and you can get one for under Galaxy S6 on Amazon without a contract.

That still represents a saving of £160 if you opt for the OnePlus 2.

Also see: Best new phones coming in 2015.

OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review: Design and build

There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S6 is the svelte device in this battle. It’s a slim 6.8mm and lightweight 138g while the OnePlus 2 is 9.9mm and 175g. That’s a pretty big difference on both metrics and the OnePlus 2 is also taller and wider, mainly due to its larger screen and addition of a physical home button.

The Galaxy S6 is also one of the best Android phones around in terms of build quality, up there with the HTC One M9. The combination of metal and glass makes it seriously desirable.

The OnePlus 2 might not be quite a glamourous but the option of StyleSwap covers in various materials such as wood and Kevlar make it appealing, too. It also has a physical Alert Slider for those of you which would make good use of it.

You’ll know which you prefer but it’s worth noting that neither offers waterproofing, despite the Galaxy S5 having this feature.

OnePlus One vs OnePlus 2

OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review: Hardware and specs

Screen

As mentioned, the size difference is somewhat down to the difference in screen. The OnePlus 2 has a 5.5in display compared to the S6’s 5.1in. We prefer the small size but you might want a bigger screen.

What’s worth pointing out is that the Galaxy S6 offers a crisper experience with a Quad HD (1440×2560) resolution and Samsung’s AMOLED technology. It’s one of the best displays you’ll find on a smartphone currently.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 2 has a Full HD (1080×1920) resolution like last year’s model. It’s also not AMOLED. The phone offers a pixel density of 401ppi compared to 577ppi on the Galaxy S6. Also see: 100 funny things to ask S Voice

Processor, memory and storage

There’s little difference when it comes to the processor in these phones. Both are octa-core and 64-bit and while Samsung uses its own Exynos 7420, OnePlus has gone for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (version 2.1).

The OnePlus 2 is the first phone to come with 4GB of RAM but you’ll need to buy the 64GB storage capacity for this as the 16GB model has 3GB. The Galaxy S6 has 3GB across the board and is available in 32-, 64- and 128GB storage options.

Neither smartphone has a Micro-SD card slot so you’ll need to pick your capacity wisely.

Connectivity

You’ll get 11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 whichever phone you pick here but there are some key differences.

First of all, OnePlus has added a physical home button which contains a fingerprint scanner. That’s what you’ll get on the Galaxy S6 but Samsung also offers NFC, a IR blaster, a heart rate monitor and faster 4G (Cat 6 300Mbps against Cat 4 150Mbps).

If those features don’t take your fancy then the OnePlus 2 is the first phone with Type-C USB which is reversible.

Cameras

Both main cameras on the Galaxy S6 and OnePlus 2 feature a dual-LED flash and optical image stabilisation. Samsung offers a 16Mp sensor and although the OnePlus 2 has a 13Mp sensor, it has a laser auto focus.

Each can record video at 2160p@30fps and 1080p@60fps but the Galaxy S6 offers HDR video and dual-video recording.

At the front are 5Mp cameras apiece but the Galaxy S6 can record video at 1440p compared to 1080p.

Battery

Neither phone offers a removable battery but it’s the OnePlus 2 with the higher capacity – 3300mAh compared to 2550mAh inside the Galaxy S6. This promises better battery life but we’ve not benchmarked the OnePlus 2 yet so can’t confirm this.

OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 comparison review: Software

Both phones run Android Lollipop but the OnePlus 2 is more up to date with version 5.1 while the Galaxy S6 has 5.0.2 – but is now upgradable to 5.1,

Even without the upgrade, it’s not a big difference so it’s really whether you prefer Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface or OnePlus’ Oxygen OS. For example, the Galaxy S6 can run two apps at once while the OnePlus 2 offers off-screen gestures and a feature called Shelf which will show you favourite apps and contacts.

Related: Best OnePlus phones