OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus 3

The OnePlus 3 is official, and it's fantastic - with a premium design, a whole heap of power and a still attractively low price tag.

But how does it compare to its predecessor, the OnePlus 2 , which the Chinese firm lauded as the '2016 Flagship Killer' when it launched? We've put the two handsets head to head to bring you all the answers.

OnePlus 3 vs OnePlus 2: design

When it comes to design, there is a big, big difference between the two phones. The OnePlus 2 features a mainly plastic construction with a questionable sandpaper textured rear which provides plenty of grip, but little in the way of premium appeal.

There is a metal frame running round the circumference, which solidifies the handset and gives a premium look from the front, but in the hand you're well aware this is a cheaper device.

Things are very different with the OnePlus 3. The Chinese firm has taken a single block of aluminum to forge its latest flagship handset, giving it a supremely professional finish.

The brushed metal rear gently curves to hug your palm, the antenna bands are reminiscent of the HTC One M9 and the square camera bulge is very Samsung Galaxy S6 .

It may not have broken any new ground with design, but the OnePlus 3 can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with the iPhone 6S , Samsung Galaxy S7 and HTC 10.

OnePlus 3 vs OnePlus 2: display

At first glance you'd been forgiven for thinking nothing has changed. Both the OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 2 have 5.5-inch, full HD displays. That's the same 401ppi pixel density then, but where the OnePlus 2 is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, the OnePlus 3 has the tougher Gorilla Glass 4 slapped on top. 

OnePlus hasn't taken the leap to a QHD resolution for its third-generation handset, even though rivals including the Galaxy S7, HTC 10 and LG G5 all have, but it has made improvements over its predecessor.

While the OnePlus 2 uses an LCD panel, the OnePlus 3 boasts an AMOLED screen, giving you brighter, bolder colors. The difference is noticeable, and it makes everything look better.

OnePlus has gone as far as to tweak the display in-house, creating what it calls Optic AMOLED, which in short means deeper blacks and more vibrant reds for what it believes is an enhanced viewing experience. It looks good, but this tinkering isn't immediately obvious.

OnePlus 3 vs OnePlus 2: performance

One of the cornerstones of the OnePlus 'Never Settle' philosophy is packing top-notch power into its handsets. The OnePlus 2 comes with a Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB or 4GB of RAM – depending on whether you opt for 16GB or 64GB of internal storage.

In 2015 that was a stellar line-up, but the 810 chip had a few gremlins which gave some users a poorer experience.

The OnePlus 3 kicks improves on this with the new Snapdragon 820 processor and a market-leading 6GB of RAM. That's a whole lot of power, and while you're unlikely to need that much RAM currently, it leaves the door open for app developers to push their creativity even further.

Looking at the Geekbench results, the OnePlus 3 clearly outperforms the OnePlus 2 with an average multi-core score of 5425 compared to 4795 from its predecessor.

OnePlus 3 vs OnePlus 2: operating system

The OnePlus 2 launched with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with the firm's own Oxygen OS interface running on top.

Oxygen is a fairly light Android skin, keeping the look and feel of Google's operating system while adding in handy extra features. Since its launch, the OnePlus 2 has been upgraded to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, with the latest version of Oxygen on top.

That latest update brings the OnePlus 2 in line with the software offering on the OnePlus 3. On screen there's nothing to separate the two handsets, but with its additional power and AMOLED display the OnePlus 3 delivers a slicker, brighter, more colorful Android experience.

OnePlus 3 vs OnePlus 2: camera

Pick up the OnePlus 2 and you'll get a 13MP rear camera with laser autofocus and OIS (optical image stabilization). It's