OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: What's the difference?

OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Design 

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and larger S9+ design is familiar, because it's essentially the same as the Galaxy S8. That sees a glass rear curving to meet the curved edges of the front Infinity Display. The S9 and S9+ are both IP68 water and dust resistant.

OnePlus meanwhile, has traditionally opted for an aluminium build in the past but the OnePlus 6 sees a glass rear this time around, layered for a depth effect. Water resistance has also been added, though no specific IP rating has been detailed. 

On the front, OnePlus has introduced a notch design display, whereas Samsung avoided it. The OnePlus 6 has a small notch at the top its screen, like the Huawei P20, which means you're looking at minimal bezels on this new phone but the display isn't uninterrupted like the Samsung Galaxy S9. 

Where OnePlus does have the advantage over Samsung is in presenting a new and fresh design, whereas Samsung stuck with tried and tested. In terms of measurements, the OnePlus 6 sits in between the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in both footprint and weight. It is slimmer than both Galaxy models, but wider than both too.

OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Display

Samsung's devices come in two sizes with either a 5.8 or 6.2-inch display. Both are the same resolution at 2960 x 1440 pixels, although the default setting is 2220 x 1080, or Full HD+. 

OnePlus offers a 6.28-inch display in the OnePlus 6 but it hasn't made the jump to Quad HD, with its latest device offering a resolution of 2280 x 1080, which is again Full HD+. Technically the Samsung devices can therefore push more pixels for greater detail; the flipside is that that consumes more power and might be unnecessary in daily use. 

As mentioned above, the OnePlus 6 has a notched display that has a 19:9 aspect, slightly taller than the 18.5:9 of the Galaxy S9. This is what the notch brings - a little more display space, a little less forehead bezel. The Samsung devices meanwhile have slim bezels at the top and bottom of their screens, but the display is uninterrupted.

Both Samsung and OnePlus displays are AMOLED - with Samsung's regarded as one of the finest displays around - but we've always been impressed with OnePlus' offering.

OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Hardware 

OnePlus has been a dedicated user of Qualcomm's hardware and it is therefore no surprise to find the Snapdragon 845 running the show. This platform is supported by either 6GB or 8GB RAM and 64GB, 128GB or 256GB storage options. The 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model is only available on the Midnight Black colour option. 

There's no microSD on OnePlus phones, an advantage that Samsung holds. Samsung has a version powered by the Snapdragon 845 too, although in the UK its phones run on the powerful Exynos 9810, with 4 or 6GB of RAM (the S9+ getting 6GB). 

OnePlus is known for its Dash Charging which is really fast and present in the OnePlus 6 too. The battery size is 3300mAh, which is in the middle of the two Samsung devices with the S9 offering 3000mAh and the S9+ 3500mAh. Both Samsung devices have fast charging and both support wireless charging, the latter of which OnePlus does not. 

OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Camera 

The camera is often the area where smartphones are judged. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a good allrounder with a skill for lower light conditions from its singular 12-megapixel sensor, while the S9+ has an extra 12-megapixel telephoto lens, allowing for the added advantage of 2x optical zoom.

Both the S9 and S9+ have OIS, with the S9+ offering dual OIS and both Galaxy devices have a dual aperture system which is technically innovative, although we're not totally sold on it being essential. The S9 and S9+ also offer super slow motion video from their rear cameras and they both come with an 8-megapixel front camera.

The camera therefore is the area where OnePlus needs to compete a little harder. A dual camera system is on board the OnePlus 6 with a pairing of a 16 and 20-megapixel sensors. Optical image stabilisation is on board, and the main rear sensor is 19 per cent larger than the OnePlus 5T's main sensor. It is also capable of super slow motion 720p video.

On the front, the OnePlus 6 has a 16-megapix

el sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. There is no iris scanning on board like the Samsung devices, but the OnePlus 6 does have a Face Unlock feature.

OnePlus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Software

Both OnePlus and Samsung run Android devices with plenty of modifications over the top. The Samsung Experience UX is probably the most comprehensive mod that you'll find on any phone, changing pretty much everything about Android, as well as adding more out-of-the-box functionality than any other device. 

But some feel it's a little too much - Samsung owns that experience - and OnePlus has a slightly different software approach. OnePlus' Oxygen OS is comparable, but preserves a little more of Android, adding a few useful features without such a heavy treatment.

When it comes to updates, we think that OnePlus has the slight edge - Samsung isn't especially fast to update Android versions, but OnePlus has a slightly better track record.