When it comes to bang-for-the-buck smartphones, two brands come to mind – Xiaomi and OnePlus. These two have recently launched their newest devices, offering flagship specs at very competitive prices. Check out our specs comparison of the Xiaomi Mi 8 and the OnePlus 6.
| SPECIFICATIONS | XIAOMI MI 8 | ONEPLUS 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.21-inch (1080 x 2248) Super AMOLED, 402ppi | 6.28-inch (1080 x 2280) 19:9 Full Optic AMOLED, 402ppi |
| Glass Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.8GHz octa-core CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.8GHz octa-core CPU |
| GPU | Adreno 630 GPU | Adreno 630 GPU |
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR4x RAM | 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X RAM |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS | 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 |
| Rear camera | 12MP + 12MP AI dual rear camera, dual-pixel AF, 4-axis OIS, LED flash | 16MP + 20MP Sony IMX 519/376K OIS + EIS rear cameras, LED flash |
| Front camera | 20MP AI front camera | 16MP front camera |
| SIM | Dual-SIM (nano) | Dual-SIM (nano) |
| Network | 4G LTE, VoLTE, 4×4 MIMO | 4G LTE Cat. 16/13 4CA, 4×4 MIMO |
| WiFi | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| Fingerprint scanner | Fingerprint scanner (rear) | Fingerprint scanner (rear) |
| Face Recognition | Infrared Face Recognition | Face Unlock |
| GPS | Dual-band GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Audio | 3.5mm audio port | |
| Water/Dust Resistance | Splash-resistant | |
| Battery | 3,400mAh battery w/ QC4+ | 3,300mAh battery w/ Fast Charge |
| OS | MIUI 10 (Android 8.1 Oreo) | OxygenOS 5.1 (Android 8.1 Oreo) |
| Dimenson | 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm | 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 175 g | 177 g |
| Color | Black, Blue, White, Gold | Midnight Black, Mirror Black, Silk White |
Summary of advantages
- Higher front camera resolution
- Infrared Face Recognition
- Dual-band GPS
- Slightly higher battery capacity
- Slightly thinner, lighter
OnePlus 6:
- 8GB RAM option
- Higher dual rear camera resolution
- 3.5mm audio port
- Splash resistance
The two smartphones are almost on equal footing by sporting almost the same screen size and pixel density, Snapdragon 845 chipset, and storage variants, so you can be sure to get good viewing experiences and powerful performance.
The Mi 8 wins for having a higher front camera resolution with AI, and features such as an infrared face recognition which is theoretically better than the standard face unlock, and dual-band GPS, which Xiaomi boasts precision positioning compared to your standard GPS setup.
It also has a higher battery capacity but is able to maintain a thinner and lighter body than the OnePlus 6.
The OnePlus 6, on the other hand, has an 8GB model. Although the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition has this RAM option, that is a different device altogether. It also has a 3.5mm audio port which is still a handy feature and splash resistance.
When it comes to imaging, the OnePlus 6 has a higher resolution dual rear cameras, but we’re yet to see how it fares against the Xiaomi Mi 8 in terms of quality. DxOMark rated the Mi 8 at 99 points, while results for the OnePlus 6 are yet to be released.
When it comes to availability, the OnePlus 6 beats the Mi 8 by arriving first in the Philippines. Digital Walker has already released their SRP starting at PHP30,990/$591 for the 6GB + 64GB model. Xiaomi is yet to launch the Mi 8 in the Philippines but in China, it starts at CNY 2,699 (~PHP22K/$279) for the 6GB + 64GB.