Leaked metal-wrapped Moto X 2016 with Smart Connector or Rear Speaker Grill (Photo : Image Credit: MobiPicker)
Even before its unboxing, the OnePlus 3 has inherited the label flagship killer owing to the premium build, high-end specifications and affordable pricing that came with the previous models. But the term also applies to the Moto X 2016 and the line's past builds thanks top-notch device features but with relatively cheaper price tag.
Now it should be interesting how the two will fare when pitted against each other:
Design and build
The OnePlus 3 is being touted as a flagship killer because like its predecessors the design and build are at par with the best out there - Apple's iPhone 6S and Samsung's Galaxy S7 quickly come to mind. Its maker did not scrimp on material in the past and it is expected that the same will be true for the new version - that the OnePlus will remain beautifully crafted using metal and glass.
Previously, the Moto X includes a removable plastic rear cover that could change for this year's upgrade. Rumors and leaks indicate of a flatter design that will make use of metal as the dominant material for the Moto X 2016. Gone will be the curvy build of the Moto X past.
Customization
Part of the Moto X appeal is the customization option provided by Motorola for users to adjust the device to their liking and personality. But with the supposed redesign for the 2016 refresh, it is unclear if the same feature will be carried over.
As for the OnePlus 3, its older siblings achieved sexiness right out of the box, which likely is the same quality that the new build will mirror. No need for personalization so far on the OnePlus 3.
Specifications
Leaked specs of the Moto X 2016, per Venture Beat, point to two variants that both sport a 5.5-inch display. It appears too that there will be a budget version bearing an SD 625 chip with 3GB of RAM and storage space of 16GB. The more high-end is powered by an SD 820 processor and supported by 4GB of RAM with the internal memory starting at 32GB.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 3 is tipped to unpack with the same 5.5-inch screen size and SD 820 but the RAM provision will increase with the storage size, Phone Arena reported. For the 32GB model, RAM is set at 4GB while the 64GB variant will tap into a whopping 6GB of memory chip.
Camera shootout
The OnePlus 3 will unbox with a camera system of 16MP on rear and 8MP on front with the necessary killer shooting features embedded on the device's camera app. It will go against the Moto X 2016's 13-megapixel main shooter that combined with a selfie-optimized 5-megapixel secondary camera.
Android
Known to run on near-stock Android version, the Moto X 2016 will likely rollout initially powered by the latest Android Marshmallow build. However, the device is expected to quickly jump to Android N once the software is up and ready to roll.
In this respect, the OnePlus 3 is a bit disadvantaged with the device's OxygenOS actually a layered version of Marshmallow. There should be a bit of a lag when it comes to OS update with the OnePlus zone.
Release date and pricing
Both the OnePlus 3 and Moto X 2016 are expected to get unveiled in the last days of May with the release date to follow in June. As for the pricing, the former is likely to start selling at around $300 while the fourth Moto X in basic configuration should be no more than $400.
